Brexit: Rishi Sunak says Northern Ireland in ‘unbelievably special position’ because of access to EU single market
Rishi Sunak has said his new post-Brexit deal puts Northern Ireland in an “unbelievably special position” because it gives it access to both the UK and European Union markets.
The prime minister said implementing the newly negotiated Windsor Framework would create “the world’s most exciting economic zone” with international companies “queuing up to invest” in the region.
“If we get this right, if we get this framework implemented, if we get the Executive back up and running here, Northern Ireland is in the unbelievably special position – unique position in the entire world, European continent – in having privileged access, not just to the UK home market, which is enormous… but also the European Union single market,” he said on a visit to Lisburn’s Coca-Cola factory.
Politics live: Sunak ‘over the moon’ with deal as he tours Northern Ireland to get DUP onside
“Nobody else has that. No one. Only you guys: only here, and that is the prize.”
The comments depart from the government’s previous position of avoiding any overt recognition of the benefits of a closer trading partnership with the EU.
The whole of the UK had access to the single market before Brexit, which Mr Sunak voted for.
Critics were quick to point this out, with Naomi Long, the leader of Belfast’s Alliance party, tweeting: “Nobody else has that.” Well, you did, actually. Plus, the opt outs. But you binned it for Brexit. Go figure…”
In his pitch to workers about the benefits of his deal, the prime minister added: “I can tell you, when I go around the world and talk to businesses, they know that – they’re like: ‘That’s interesting. If you guys get this sorted, then we want to invest in Northern Ireland, because nowhere else does that exist.’
“That’s like the world’s most exciting economic zone.”
He said the government aims to work with international companies to help them “take advantage of Northern Ireland’s very special position”.
“And they are queuing up to do so, particularly from the US actually.”
Government has changed its tune about benefits of closer EU trading ties
A striking moment from the Q&A was Rishi Sunak’s enthusiastic celebration of Northern Ireland having access to both UK markets and the EU, which he described as “an unbelievably special position”.
This is a significant departure from the government’s previous position – any overt recognition of the benefits of a closer trading partnership with the EU has always been anathema to Brexiteers and steadfastly avoided.
While many business leaders in Northern Ireland previously supported the Northern Ireland Protocol because of the dual access they enjoyed as a result, with the de facto border in the Irish Sea so unpalatable to unionists leaders in Westminster have not wanted to dwell on the benefits of a closer relationship with the EU.
But today Mr Sunak has been waxing lyrical about the “prize” enjoyed by Northern Ireland under the framework and “the world’s most exciting economic zone”.
And the PM is holding out the prospect of huge economic investment to businesses there as a result, promising that the government will help companies take advantage of this situation.
He claims organisations in the US are “queueing up” to get involved. This argument is much more of a carrot than a stick approach – a mark of the PM’s confidence (unsurprisingly for a former chancellor) in the importance of economic incentives.
PM ‘not endorsing single market’
Speaking after the visit, Downing Street stressed the comments should not be seen as the prime minister endorsing EU single market benefits for the whole of the UK.
The PM’s spokesman said the British people made their decision in 2016 in the Brexit referendum but Northern Ireland needed access to both markets because of its unique situation.
“With regards to Northern Ireland, it is simply a fact that because of our respect for the Good Friday Agreement and the central importance; Northern Ireland’s unique position means it needs to have access to both markets, not least to avoid a border on the island of Ireland, which nobody wants to see.
“That puts it in a unique position and what the framework does is finally cement those capabilities.”
Boris Johnson’s “oven ready” Brexit deal took the UK out of the single market but kept Northern Ireland closely aligned to it in order to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland.
However, this effectively placed a customs border in the Irish Sea, with extra checks required on goods crossing from Great Britain into Northern Ireland – something the former PM promised would not happen.
Mr Sunak has spent months trying to negotiate new terms to replace the contentious Northern Ireland protocol and on Monday made a “historic breakthrough” as he signed a new deal with the EU on the post-Brexit trading arrangements.
The Windsor Framework has eased checks on goods from the UK while maintaining free flowing trade on the island of Ireland.
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What is the Windsor Framework?
Read More:
Five key sections of the new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland
Rishi Sunak seeks to secure backing from Northern Ireland parties for post-Brexit deal
The agreement does mean Northern Ireland must continue following Brussels’ trade rules, but the PM has negotiated a ‘Stormont brake’ which allows the devolved government to block any EU law changes from coming into force in the region.
Mr Sunak said he believed “hand on heart” that it addressed the concerns expressed about the current set up, which triggered the collapse of power-sharing in Stormont.
Northern Ireland has been without an Executive Assembly since early last year, when the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) pulled out of Stormont in protest at the Protocol.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said “there remain key issues of concern” regarding the new deal despite “significant progress” made.
However he insisted his party would be “reasonable” as it spends the next few days studying the framework.
The PM is also facing the challenge of winning over Tory Eurosceptics and his predecessor Mr Johnson, who is yet to give a verdict on the Windsor Framework.
Mr Sunak indicated he had discussed the deal with Mr Johnson, telling the BBC earlier on Tuesday “of course I speak to the former prime minister”.
Tory Brexiteers in the European Research Group (ERG) are to meet later today and will convene MP Sir Bill Cash’s so-called “star chamber” of lawyers to scrutinise the deal before deciding whether to back it.
World
Body pulled from mine after police cut off supplies to ‘smoke out’ thousands of illegal miners
A body has been recovered from a South African mine after police cut off basic supplies in an effort to force around 4,000 illegal miners to resurface.
The body has emerged from the closed gold mine in the northwest town of Stilfontein a day after South Africa’s government said it would not help the illegal miners.
Around 20 people have surfaced from the mineshaft this week as police wait nearby to arrest all those appearing from underground.
It comes a day after a cabinet minister said the government was trying to “smoke them [the miners] out”.
The move is part of the police’s “Close the Hole” operation, whereby officers cut off supplies of food, water and other basic necessities to get those who have entered illegally to come out.
Local reports suggest the supply routes were cut off at the mine around two months ago, with relatives of the miners seen in the area as the stand-off continues.
Relatives of miners and community members wait at the mine shaft. Pic: AP
A decomposed body was brought up on Thursday, with pathologists on the scene, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said.
It comes after South African cabinet minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told reporters on Wednesday that the government would not send any help to the illegal miners, known in the country as zama zamas, because they are involved in a criminal act.
“We are not sending help to criminals. We are going to smoke them out. They will come out. Criminals are not to be helped; criminals are to be prosecuted. We didn’t send them there,” Ms Ntshavheni said.
An aerial view of a mineshaft. Pic: AP
Senior police and defence officials are expected to visit the area on Friday to “reinforce the government’s commitment to bringing this operation to a safe and lawful conclusion”, according to a media advisory from the police.
In the last few weeks, over 1,000 miners have surfaced at various mines in South Africa’s North West province, where police have cut off supplies.
Many of the miners were reported to be weak, hungry and sickly after going for weeks without basic supplies.
Illegal mining remains common in South Africa’s old gold-mining areas, with miners going into closed shafts to dig for any possible remaining deposits.
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Relatives of miners and community members wait near the mine shaft. Pic: AP
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The illegal miners are often from neighbouring countries, and police say the illegal operations involve larger syndicates that employ the miners.
Their presence in closed mines has also created problems with nearby communities, which complain that the illegal miners commit crimes ranging from robberies to rape.
Illegal mining groups are known to be heavily armed and disputes between rival groups sometimes result in fatal confrontations.
World
Ukrainian frontline commander warns: ‘The world is scared of Russia and losing is not only our problem’
In the courtyard of a farmhouse now home to soldiers of the Ukrainian army’s 47th mechanised brigade, I’m introduced to a weary-looking unit by their commander Captain Oleksandr “Sasha” Shyrshyn.
We are about 10km from the border with Russia, and beyond it lies the Kursk region Ukraine invaded in the summer – and where this battalion is now fighting.
The 47th is a crack fighting assault unit.
They’ve been brought to this area from the fierce battles in the country’s eastern Donbas region to bolster Ukrainian forces already here.
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The captain known by his men as ‘Genius’
In the summer, Ukraine launched an incursion into Russian territory, in Kursk
Captain Shyrshyn explains that among the many shortages the military has to deal with, the lack of infantry is becoming a critical problem.
Sasha is just 30 years old, but he is worldly-wise. He used to run an organisation helping children in the country’s east before donning his uniform and going to war.
He is famous in Ukraine and is regarded as one of the country’s top field commanders, who isn’t afraid to express his views on the war and how it’s being waged.
His nom de guerre is ‘Genius’, a nickname given to him by his men.
Captain Sasha Shyrshyn and Sky News chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay
‘Don’t worry, it’s not a minefield’
Sasha invited me to see one of the American Bradley fighting vehicles his unit uses.
We walk down a muddy lane before he says it’s best to go cross-country.
“We can go that way, don’t worry it’s not a minefield,” he jokes.
He leads us across a muddy field and into a forest where the vehicle is hidden from Russian surveillance drones that try to hunt both American vehicles and commanders.
Sasha shows me a picture of the house they had been staying in only days before – it was now completely destroyed after a missile strike.
Fortunately, neither he, nor any of his men, were there at the time.
“They target commanders,” he says with a smirk.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
‘The world is scared of Russia’
It takes me a moment or two to realise we are only a few steps away from the Bradley, dug in and well hidden beneath the trees.
The disguised American Bradley vehicle hidden in the forest
Sasha tells me the Bradley is the finest vehicle he has ever used.
A vehicle so good, he says, it’s keeping the Ukrainian army going in the face of Russia’s overwhelming numbers of soldiers.
He explains: “Almost all our work on the battlefield is cooperation infantry with the Bradley. So we use it for evacuations, for moving people from one place to another, as well as for fire-covering.
“This vehicle is very safe and has very good characteristics.”
The American Bradley fighting vehicle that Ukrainian soldiers have found vital in their efforts
Billions of dollars in military aid has been given to Ukraine by the United States, and this vehicle is one of the most valuable assets the US has provided.
Ukraine is running low on men to fight, and the weaponry it has is not enough, especially if it can’t fire long-range missiles into Russia itself – which it is currently not allowed to do.
If President-elect Donald Trump cuts the supply of military aid, the Ukrainians will lose – it’s that simple.
US President-elect Donald Trump has been clear he intends to change his nation’s policy on the war in Ukraine. Pic: Reuters
Sasha says: “We have a lack of weapons, we have a lack of artillery, we have a lack of infantry, and as the world doesn’t care about justice, and they don’t want to finish the war by our win, they are afraid of Russia.
“I’m sorry but they’re scared, they’re scared, and it’s not the right way.”
Like pretty much everyone in Ukraine, Sasha is waiting to see what the US election result will mean for his country.
He is sceptical about a deal with Russia.
“Our enemy only understands the language of power. And you cannot finish the war in 24 hours, or during the year without hard decisions, without a fight, so it’s impossible. It’s just talking without results,” he tells me.
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‘Losing will be not only our problem’
These men expect the fierce battles inside Kursk to intensify in the coming days.
Indeed, alongside the main supply route into Kursk, workers are already building new defensive positions – unfurling miles of razor wire and digging bunkers for the Ukrainian army if it finds itself in retreat.
Barbed wire rolled out in the Sumy region ahead of expected fighting
Tank traps in the Sumy region
Sasha and his men are realistic about support fatigue from the outside world but will keep fighting to the last if they have to.
“I understand this is only our problem, it’s only our issue, and we have to fight this battle, like we have to defend ourselves, it’s our responsibility,” Sasha said.
But he points out everyone should realise just how critical this moment in time is.
“If we look at it widely, we have to understand that us losing will be not only our problem, but it will be for all the world.”
Stuart Ramsay reports from northeastern Ukraine with camera operator Toby Nash, and producers Dominique Van Heerden, Azad Safarov, and Nick Davenport.
A weather warning has been issued for parts of Spain, as the country counts the cost of recent flooding.
The orange warnings are in place for parts of southwestern Spain – the area around Seville down towards Gibraltar.
Up to 8cm (3ins) of rain could fall within 12 hours, but the weekend looks much more settled in the country.
The latest warnings come just two weeks after flash flooding in Valencia and other parts of the country killed more than 200 people.
Malaga saw 14.2cm (5.6ins) of rainfall on Wednesday – Spain’s highest of the day – most of which fell in six hours.
All train services were halted in Malaga. Some flights have now resumed after the initial disruption.
Pic: Jamie Marchant
Emergency services in the province have moved 3,000 people from homes at risk of flooding close to the Guadalhorce River in the west of the city.
Jamie Marchant, 29, from Caerphilly in South Wales travelled to Malaga last Wednesday.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
He told Sky News that “debris” had been left behind by the recent rainfall in the region.
“Everyone is pitching in to clean up and some shops are opening as usual,” he added.
Orange warnings for the Valencia region in eastern Spain expired earlier on Thursday.
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The adverse weather could lead to total insured losses of more than €4bn (£3.33bn), according to credit rating agency Morningstar DBRS.
Much of the claims are expected to be covered by the Spanish government’s insurance pool, the agency said, but insurance premiums are likely to increase.
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