King Charles was due to meet EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen in final part of NI Protocol negotiations
King Charles was lined up by Number 10 to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday – just as highly contentious negotiations over the Northern Ireland Protocol were poised to come to a head.
After weeks of fraught talks and growing anger among Tory backbenchers and unionists, a deal between the UK and EU over Northern Ireland‘s post-Brexit agreement, which could prompt a major rebellion, is expected within days.
Now Sky News can reveal that the King had been due to play a major role in the final part of the protocol negotiations, by meeting Ms von der Leyen on Saturday.
There is no suggestion the King would have taken part in the negotiations.
But, this could have been interpreted as giving his blessing to the negotiations at the late stage or even endorsing the deal altogether if it had concluded on Saturday morning as had been rumoured at one stage.
However, it was cancelled earlier on Friday.
Read more: What is the Northern Ireland Protocol and why does it matter?
At one stage, the plan for Saturday was for Ms Von der Leyen to meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to endorse the deal and separately for her to meet the King.
Discussions were also had about calling the deal “the Windsor Agreement”, lending an air of royal authority to it.
However, support from the King would likely be deeply controversial, risking allegations he is being dragged into politics.
His mother, the late Queen, faced criticism for a tentative step into politics when she suggested that voters in the Scottish referendum think very carefully before casting their vote.
The King meeting the negotiator at this stage could be seen an even more overtly political act than that.
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The decision to arrange the meeting would have been agreed by Downing Street and Buckingham Palace jointly.
Some around Mr Sunak would have been keen that the King, as perhaps the most prominent unionist in the country, was seen taking an interest in its outcome and this in turn encouraged support from unionists.
No formal invitation was ever offered. However, UK politicians and official and senior EU figures were aware of the event that had been due to take place at Windsor on Saturday afternoon.
One source close to the negotiation says that the King’s involvement was definitely an attempt to sell the Protocol domestically.
However, other government sources are deeply concerned that this politicises the new King even before his coronation.
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Labour’s shadow Northern Ireland secretary Peter Kyle said: “Sunak is already showing that negotiation is better than fighting but his lack of political acumen and judgement is once again undermining his chance of success.
“It seems that there is panic in Number 10 and they are reaching for all sorts of quite absurd policies and levers to try and pull.
“I do not know how a thought of involving the King could pass somebody’s mind and reach it to their mouth before they realise that this is a very very unwise policy to choose because it has constitutional implications.
“It certainly would be very highly insensitive to the politics of Northern Ireland and it certainly is nothing we should ever be involving His Majesty in.”
Number 10 and Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
A woman who was stabbed to death in north London has been named by police – as a man was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Pamela Munro, 45, was found with a stab wound and died at the scene in Ayley Croft, Enfield, on Saturday evening, the Metropolitan Police said.
A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Monday and is in custody, the force added.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil John said: “Investigating officers have worked relentlessly across the weekend to investigate the circumstances around Pamela’s death.
“We continue to support her family who are understandably devastated.”
Police at the scene at Ayley Croft in Enfield
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The Met Police has asked anyone with information or who was driving through Ayley Court between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday and may have dashcam footage to contact the force.
A “British man” has died after being beaten and set on fire by a mob in Ecuador, according to reports by media in the South American country.
According to reports, the man – who has not been officially identified – had been detained by police after being accused of being involved in a fatal shooting.
Ecuadorian news outlet Ecuavisa reported that the man had been taken to a police station Playas del Cuyabeno, a remote village in the Amazon rainforest.
While there, a group broke into the station and took the man away. He was then set on fire in the street, it is reported, and died from his burns.
The incident reportedly happened in the Playas del Cuyabeno area of Sucumbios province
Another local report, from EXTRA.ec, said that specialist police units had been slow to arrive due to the geographical conditions of the area – which is accessible by river.
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According to reports, police officers at the station apparently decided they could not intervene when the mob arrived out of concerns for their own safety.
It is understood the UK Foreign Office is following up reports about the incident and working with local authorities to confirm the details.
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