UK and EU agree new deal on Northern Ireland post-Brexit trade rules – senior government source
A new deal on Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trade rules has been agreed by the UK government and the EU, a senior government source has told Sky News.
For weeks, there has been speculation over whether a new deal could be thrashed out three years after Brexit took place as Rishi Sunak entered talks with the EU.
The details of the negotiations between the bloc and the UK government have been kept strictly under wraps but should be revealed later today following final talks between Mr Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Windsor this lunchtime.
Follow live updates on new post-Brexit deal
Mr Sunak put the deal to his cabinet this afternoon during a virtual meeting but a vote by MPs in the Commons is not expected until possibly later this week.
Asked if they were happy with the deal on leaving Number 10 just before 3pm, Home Secretary Suella Braverman smiled and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab gave a thumbs up.
Mr Sunak has indicated a vote will happen but has not confirmed this, and he technically does not need to get MPs’ approval although that could prove politically difficult if he did not.
The prime minister will hold a joint news conference with Ms von der Leyen at 3.30pm GMT, where it is expected they will reveal at least the major details of the agreement.
Mr Sunak will now seek the backing of unionists and Tory Brexiteers.
Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said: “We’ll take our time to consider the detail and measure a deal against our seven tests.”
Read more:
What is the Northern Ireland Protocol?
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‘New Brexit deal is done’
The deal follows frustrations around the Northern Ireland Protocol, which aimed to prevent creating a hard border on the island of Ireland – but effectively placed a border in the Irish Sea.
This was something former prime minister Boris Johnson promised would not happen when he signed off on the original deal with the EU.
Some businesses have ceased trading due to the extra cost and bureaucracy created by goods coming into Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK having to be checked over concerns they could end up going into the EU over the border in Ireland.
Mr Johnson introduced the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill to override that part of the Brexit deal but this caused tension with the EU, who said the move risked breaching an international treaty. The bill’s passage through parliament was paused by Mr Sunak.
But Mr Sunak has now agreed a new deal with the EU, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen heading over to London on Monday morning to sign off on the final parts of the agreement.
She will then meet King Charles for tea at Windsor Castle.
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PM arrives for talks with Ursula von der Leyen
Later today, Mr Sunak will make a statement on the deal to MPs in the House of Commons but a vote is not expected in the coming days.
Despite the details of the deal being closely guarded, Mr Sunak has faced opposition from Tory Brexiteers and the DUP, who has refused to form a government at Stormont for the past year over the protocol.
The PM will still need the DUP’s support to see the deal through but their support would be key to convincing those Conservatives to also back it.
Leading Brexit supporter MP Steve Baker, the Northern Ireland Office minister who had been on resignation watch, gave Mr Sunak his support earlier on Monday.
Earlier in the day, Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg warned Mr Sunak of a possible Tory revolt if the DUP does not support the deal.
Labour has repeatedly said they will support a deal.
An amber warning has been issued for snow in a part of the UK, likely to cause travel delays and “stranding some vehicles and passengers”.
The warning, which covers south west England, also warns some rural communities could become cut off and is in place until 2pm this evening.
Pic: Met Office
There is also a yellow weather warning for snow covering the southern counties of England until midnight on Wednesday.
The warning stretches from Kent to Cornwall and up to south London and the Met Office said between 2cm and 5cm of snow could accumulate fairly widely, with as much as 10cm over higher ground.
This week is expected to see the coldest nights of the year, with temperatures potentially reaching -14C on Wednesday night and -16C on Thursday night, both in the North East of England and Scotland, the Met Office said.
Weather warnings issued on Tuesday for snow and ice covering the parts of Wales, the North West of England, west and northern parts of Scotland as well as Northern Ireland will remain in place until midnight tomorrow.
The forecaster said some roads and railways are likely to be affected and there could be icy patches on untreated roads.
Pics: AP
Meanwhile the Environment Agency has said at least 300 properties have flooded across England since New Year’s Eve. It estimates more than 41,000 properties have been protected.
Heavy rainfall over the New Year caused significant river and surface water flooding across the North West of England and Yorkshire and snowmelt has brought further disruption to parts of England, particularly the Midlands, the agency said.
Read more from Sky News:
Terrifying firestorm rips through home of film stars and billionaires
Homes destroyed – how people are coping with floods
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Man says flooding ‘came out of nowhere’
Floods minister Emma Hardy said: “My sympathies go out to the people, businesses and communities impacted by the recent flooding across the country.
“I want to express my heartfelt thanks for the vital work that the Environment Agency and emergency services are doing to keep people safe. People must continue to follow their advice and sign up for flood warnings.”
Flood warnings
Some 100 flood warnings were in force across England on Wednesday, with people urged to remain vigilant over the coming days.
A danger-to-life warning was issued on Tuesday morning for the River Soar near Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire, but was later removed.
People living in caravan parks in the area were urged by the Environment Agency to act, with a large-scale evacuation needed to save lives.
Firefighters have rescued dozens of people across Leicestershire since Monday, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said.
Hundreds of schools were closed across the UK, with road and rail links blocked, as Manchester, Bristol and Liverpool John Lennon airports suspended flights because of the conditions.
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