BORIS Johnson is expected to break his silence on Rishi Sunak’s new Brexit deal in a major speech TODAY.
The ex-PM is set to “raise concerns” about the Windsor Framework in a midday address to financiers at the Global Soft Power Summit in Westminster.
Boris Johnson is expected to break his silence on Rishi Sunak’s new Brexit deal in a speech at midday
It comes as Tory MPs gather in the posh Windsor Fairmont Hotel for an overnight away day, where they they will strategise about the next election and take part in bonding activities.
On Monday the PM and EU boss Ursula von der Leyen shook hands on the historic Windsor Framework to end two years of trade chaos in Northern Ireland.
EU red tape that hampered meats, sarnies, parcels and even seed potatoes being exported from mainland Britain have been abolished in a major win for the UK.
And Britain’s VAT and duty rules will finally apply in Northern Ireland – making the price of a pint cheaper in the province.
There will also be a “Stormont break” to give elected politicians a say over which EU trade rules they follow.
The Northern Ireland Assembly will be able to block new EU rules that “would have significant and lasting effects on everyday lives”.
Throughout the week swathes of Tory MPs have hailed the deal as a major breakthrough.
Ministers have described it as a turning point for the party, which they say is now focused on delivering for the public rather than bitter internal feuds.
But some hardline Brexiteers aren’t convinced the framework goes far enough.
They think it’s unacceptable that Euro-judges will still have some say over laws in the province.
Meanwhile, unionist MPs who are boycotting Stormont over the old Northern Ireland Protocol are holding out on a verdict.
They’re taking time to comb over the new deal’s fine print.
This afternoon Boris is expected to make his first public intervention on the matter.
How he reacts will influence the views of a handful of Tory backbenchers who remain loyal to the views of their old boss.
Before Mr Sunak announced his deal, BoJo’ warned him not to abandon the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill.
The legislation, drawn up by the former PM, would’ve enabled the UK to unilaterally ignore bits of the old Protocol it didn’t believe was working.
But Mr Sunak is set to scrap it anyway.
