London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Oct 25, 2026

Brexit: DUP will vote against Windsor Framework plans

Brexit: DUP will vote against Windsor Framework plans

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) will vote against the government's Windsor Framework Brexit plans in Parliament this week.

Its leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he would continue to work with the government on "outstanding issues".

But Downing Street has said there are no plans for substantial change to the deal.

MPs will be given a chance to vote on the so-called "Stormont Brake" aspect of the Windsor Framework on Wednesday.

Sir Jeffrey said the party had made the decision to vote against it during a meeting on Monday.

The framework builds on the Northern Ireland Protocol, which led to disagreements between the UK and European Union (EU) over trade rules.

The Stormont Brake mechanism aims to give the Northern Ireland assembly a greater say on how EU laws apply to NI.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it was proof that the UK has "taken back control" in the agreement he struck with the EU last month.

His spokesperson said it was "the best deal for the people and businesses of Northern Ireland" and that the PM remained "confident it will be backed by the house" .

But Sir Jeffery said the DUP had "unanimously agreed" to vote against it because of "ongoing concerns".

He told BBC News NI the party would continue to assess the deal, but that "we don't believe that this represents the significant progress that we need to see in order to have the institutions restored at this point".

"There remain for us concerns, for example, and the Stormont Brake deals with the application of EU law in Northern Ireland, but it doesn't address how are we dealing with change to UK law, which could impact on NI's ability to trade within the United Kingdom itself."

He said he wanted to ensure "what the prime minister is claiming is translated into law".

"Our seven tests have not yet been met. Sufficient progress has not yet been made. I am determined to continue engaging with the government and to get this right," he added.

But Sinn Féin's Deirdre Hargey said the deal had already been done and called on the DUP to return to Stormont.

"If the DUP have concerns they have a right to raise them, but that shouldn't get in the way of the formation of an executive," she said.

The Windsor Framework was announced by Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last month


Sir Jeffrey said the party was committed to the restoration of the political institutions "under the right circumstances".

"We're looking to the government to ensure that there is further legislation that will protect Northern Ireland's place within the United Kingdom and its internal market," he added.

The DUP has blocked the functioning of the power-sharing government at Stormont for more than a year in protest at the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The protocol led to new checks being carried out on goods at Northern Ireland ports in order to maintain an open land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which is in the EU.

A majority of members of the Northern Ireland Assembly elected in May 2022 were in favour of the protocol, in some form, remaining.

Sinn Féin, Alliance and the SDLP have said improvements are needed to ease its implementation.

Unionist politicians want it replaced with new arrangements.


Applying the brake


The Windsor Framework was signed to alter the Northern Ireland Protocol - and aims to significantly reduce the number of checks on any goods arriving in Northern Ireland from Great Britain.

The Stormont Brake mechanism would also allow the Northern Ireland Assembly to object to new EU rules.

Thirty assembly members, from two or more parties, can pause new EU legislation applying in NI.

This could happen in instances were a new EU law would have a "significant impact specific to everyday life".

Once triggered by the 30 assembly members the new rule would be suspended from applying.

This begins a process of negotiation with London and, ultimately, with Brussels.

At that point the government can veto the rule at the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee and have it permanently disapplied.

That veto power must be used unless there is cross-community support for the rule, if it would apply to a new regulatory border between Great Britain and the Northern Ireland, or in "other exceptional circumstances", although it is not known what constitutes an exceptional circumstance.

The government said the brake can only be used by a fully-functioning devolved government at Stormont.

James Cleverly and Maros Sefcovic, pictured here in Brussels in February, will meet later this week


Meanwhile, the EU-UK body which oversees the NI Brexit deal is due to meet on Friday to formally ratify the legal changes brought about by the Windsor Framework.

The Joint Committee is co-chaired by UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic.

The committee is important because it is empowered to amend the Withdrawal Agreement, which contains the NI Protocol in its original form.

The body last met in February last year.

Ministers from EU member states are also due to discuss the Windsor Framework in Brussels on Tuesday.

It is on the agenda of the General Affairs Council, the monthly meeting of foreign ministers or ministers responsible for European affairs.

They will approve the changes to the NI protocol brought about by the framework, ahead of the Joint Committee meeting.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Conservative Party Suspends Former Electoral Candidate Following Undercover Investigation
Actors and Writers Condemn British Anti Terror Legislation Targeting Activist Groups and Free Speech
Central Bank and Treasury Monitor Inflation Risks as International Monetary Fund Upgrades United Kingdom Growth Forecast
Storm Boelo Batters British Isles With Eighty Mile Per Hour Winds Causing Widespread Power Outages
British Intelligence Services and Technology Firms Partner to Counter Artificial Intelligence Enabled Cybersecurity Threats
UK Consumer Confidence Falls at Fastest Rate Since Brexit Vote as Cost of Living Intensifies
Chancellor John Healey Prepares Landmark Autumn Budget Focused on Devolution and Fiscal Rules
Northern Ireland Executive Ministers Reach Consensus on Shared Economic Development Priorities to Stimulate Regional Growth in Belfast
Department for Business and Trade Finalizes Conditional Support Package for Advanced Semiconductor Fabrication Facilities in Newport
Welsh Government Unveils Regional Industrial Development Strategy to Attract Green Energy Investment to South Wales Manufacturing Hubs
Foreign Secretary David Lammy Concludes Diplomatic Mission to European Capital Cities to Strengthen Post-Brexit Defense Cooperation
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Implements Stricter Regulatory Compliance Standards for Water Utilities Across England
Office for National Statistics Reports Moderate Wage Growth Stabilization and Resilient Employment Figures Across the United Kingdom
Scottish Government and Trade Union Representatives Reach Tentative Pay Agreement for Public Sector Transport Workers in Edinburgh
National Health Service England Announces Emergency Capital Funding Allocation to Reduce Winter Emergency Department Bottlenecks
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Signals Cautious Approach to Interest Rate Reductions Amid Persistent Inflation Pressures
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Treasury Officials Finalize Urgent Fiscal Adjustments Ahead of Upcoming National Budget
Tour de France Organizers Confirm Historic Grand Depart Featuring Edinburgh and Yorkshire Stages
National Cyber Security Centre Issues Urgent Alerts Following Global Security Vulnerability in Core Programming Software
Independent Energy Analysts Warn Great Britain Faces Highest Winter Power Tariffs in Europe
Major British Defense Contractors Commit to Delivering Forty Thousand New Apprenticeships and Training Placements
New Bradford Railway Station Infrastructure Project Approved to Transform Regional Transit Connectivity Across Northern England
Welsh Infrastructure Stakeholders Press Government for Accelerated Local Sourcing in Military and Uniform Manufacturing
Scottish Council Governance Crisis Triggers High-Court Legal Challenge Over Leadership Ouster Bid
High Street Bakery Chain Greggs Announces Major Factory Closures and Seven Hundred Job Cuts
Automotive Manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover Advances Advanced Defense Technology Partnership with European Allies
Treasury and Bank of England Officials Signal Persistent Concern Over Inflation-Driven Interest Rate Path
International Monetary Fund Upgrades United Kingdom Growth Forecast While Issuing Inflation Warnings
National Health Service Leaders Warn of Severe Capacity Pressures as Early Winter Respiratory Infections Surge
Government Issues Emergency Resilience Guidance Advising All British Citizens to Stockpile Essential Supplies
United Kingdom Private Sector Growth Beats Expectations in October Driven by Resilient Services and Manufacturing
Barclays to Cut Five Thousand Jobs in Major Artificial Intelligence Adoption and Cost-Cutting Overhaul
Piper Tomahawk Aircraft Crash Near Drymen in Stirling Claims Two Lives as Investigators Deploy
North Sea Transition Authority Approves Jackdaw Gas Field Production After Ministerial Authorization
Government Injects One Hundred and Forty Million Pounds to Expand Urgent Care Ahead of Winter Crisis
Department of Health Warns Further Pay Rises Will Derail National Health Service Waiting List Targets
Major Environmental Emergency Declared in South Wales Following Aerospace Kerosene Spill
Tank Barrel Production Returns to Britain as Defence Contractors Accelerate Domestic Rearmament
Government Approves Controversial Jackdaw Gasfield Development in the North Sea
National Health Service Maternity Safety Review Condemned Over Flawed Artificial Intelligence Integration
Dozens of United Kingdom Government Services Taken Offline Amid Critical Software Vulnerability
Barclays Announces Five Thousand Job Cuts Citing Artificial Intelligence Productivity Gains
Treasury Relaxes Post-Financial Crisis Accountability Rules for City of London Executives
United Kingdom Government Issues Unprecedented Guidance Urging Citizens to Stockpile Essential Supplies
United Kingdom Consumer Inflation Accelerates to Eleven-Month High Driven by Transport Costs
United Kingdom Public Sector Net Debt Breaches Three Trillion Pounds Ahead of Autumn Budget
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Commits Fifty Million Pounds to Establish Regional Artificial Intelligence Innovation Clusters
Ofgem Directs Major Energy Suppliers to Expand Vulnerable Household Support Funds Ahead of Winter Heating Season
Home Office and National Police Chiefs Council Unveil New Intelligence-Led Strategy to Tackle Organised Immigration Crime Networks
First Minister John Swinney Secures Scottish Parliament Approval for Comprehensive Climate and Green Energy Infrastructure Strategy
×