Has Sunak Sealed The Deal?

The UK and the EU have agreed to changes in the Northern Ireland Protocol that would ease tensions over the region's trading arrangements after Brexit. The Northern Ireland Protocol was designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, which could have threatened the Good Friday Agreement. The deal includes a “green” and “red lane” system, removes existing requirements on trade from Northern Ireland to Great Britain, and allows the UK government to make decisions on value-added tax and excise changes. However, the Democratic Unionist Party must still approve the deal, and pro-Brexit Tories may also oppose it.

The deal follows several weeks of negotiations and is intended to ease trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The new deal is expected to include customs lanes for goods travelling between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and onwards to the EU. The Northern Ireland Protocol has been a contentious issue since it was included in the 2019 withdrawal agreement. If the deal is approved, it would mark a significant shift in the UK’s relationship with the EU, which has been fraught since the 2016 Brexit referendum.

The new deal seeks to address the concerns of unionists in Northern Ireland and Brexiteers, who argue that the Northern Ireland Protocol separates Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK and leaves it too closely aligned with the EU. The “Stormont Brake” allows the Northern Ireland Assembly to oppose any revised or amended EU goods rules, giving unionists more control over Northern Ireland’s governance. However, the Democratic Unionist Party must still agree to the new deal for it to be implemented.

The deals “green” and “red lane” system, will make it easier for goods to travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and onwards to the EU. Additionally, it would remove existing requirements on trade from Northern Ireland to Great Britain, and give the UK government the ability to make decisions on value-added tax and excise changes.

While the deal has been described as “extraordinary” and “decisive” by both the UK Prime Minister and European Commission President, it still needs to be approved by the Democratic Unionist Party and the European Research Group, a group of staunchly pro-Brexit MPs in the Conservative Party. If the deal is not approved, the constitutional crisis in Northern Ireland risks dragging on.

The Northern Ireland Protocol has been a difficult issue, and any solution will require the support of all parties involved. However, the fact that a deal has been reached at all is a positive sign for future cooperation between the UK and the EU. If a deal is reached, it will be a political victory for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has been attempting to defuse tensions between the UK and the EU since he took office in October.

To focus on issues related to customs checks, rules of origin, and the role of the European Court of Justice in overseeing the Protocol. The Northern Ireland Protocol was established as part of the Brexit deal to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which could have threatened the peace process established under the Good Friday Agreement. However, its implementation has proven to be difficult, leading to tensions between the UK and the EU.

Under the Protocol, Northern Ireland remains in the EU single market for goods, which means that customs checks are required on goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain. The Protocol also gives the European Court of Justice a role in overseeing its implementation, which has been a point of contention for many in the UK.

The new deal is expected to include customs lanes for goods travelling between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and onwards to the EU, which should make it easier for goods to move freely within the UK’s internal market. The deal is also expected to give the UK government more control over decisions related to value-added tax and excise changes in Northern Ireland.

One of the key issues with the Protocol has been the impact it has had on Northern Ireland’s place within the UK, with many unionists arguing that it separates Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. The new deal includes a “Stormont Brake” mechanism that would allow the Northern Ireland Assembly to oppose any revised or amended EU goods rules, which is intended to give unionists more control over Northern Ireland’s governance.

However, the deal still needs to be approved by the Democratic Unionist Party, which has opposed the Protocol and blocked the formation of Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government in protest. It also needs to be approved by pro-Brexit Tories, who may be hesitant to support any deal that involves the EU and the European Court of Justice.

Despite these challenges, there is optimism that a deal can be reached, which would be a significant step towards resolving the ongoing tensions between the UK and the EU over Northern Ireland. The fact that negotiations have continued and progress has been made is a positive sign for future cooperation and collaboration between the two sides.

Ultimately, the resolution of the Northern Ireland Protocol issue will require compromise and cooperation from all parties involved. The new deal represents a significant step in the right direction, but there is still much work to be done to ensure that it is accepted and implemented successfully.

By Ted Bristow