London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, May 23, 2025

MPs back Rishi Sunak's new Brexit Northern Ireland deal

MPs back Rishi Sunak's new Brexit Northern Ireland deal

Rishi Sunak's new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland has been passed by MPs, despite a rebellion from 22 of his backbenchers.

Ex-PMs Boris Johnson and Liz Truss were among Tories joining Northern Ireland's DUP in voting against the agreement.

But it passed by 515 to 29 overall, with the backing of other Tories, Labour and the SNP.

The deal, unveiled last month, rewrites the Brexit accord agreed by Mr Johnson in 2019.

Northern Ireland Minister Steve Baker denounced the two former PMs for opposing it, saying he thought "they're both better than this".

Mr Johnson risks "looking like a pound shop Nigel Farage" by voting against the deal, added Mr Baker, who supported the UK's EU exit in 2016.

Former Brexit leader Nigel Farage fired back on Twitter, saying Mr Baker had betrayed his Brexiteer credentials and was a "weasel" for supporting the deal.

Mark Francois, the chair of the ERG group of Eurosceptic Tories, confirmed earlier its "strong recommendation" was for Tory MPs to defy orders from party managers and reject the deal.

As well as Mr Johnson and Ms Truss, Tory MPs voting against the deal included former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith and former Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Priti Patel, who was home secretary under Mr Johnson, also voted against, writing in the Telegraph before the vote that Mr Sunak should "negotiate a better deal".

The vote is on a key part of the deal, known as the Stormont brake, that would give a future Northern Ireland Assembly a way to challenge new EU goods legislation.

The vote is likely to be the only vote MPs get on Mr Sunak's renegotiated deal, known as the Windsor Framework.

Around 100 MPs didn't take part in the vote. This number will include those who abstained, along with those who did not vote for another reason or were given permission not to.

The original Brexit withdrawal deal negotiated by Mr Johnson introduced a series of checks on goods sent from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, in order to avoid a border with the Irish Republic.

Despite originally billing the agreement as a "great deal for our country," Mr Johnson went on to join Tory Brexiters in bemoaning the economic impact of the checks it introduced.

The changes negotiated by Mr Sunak aim to streamline the checks process, which have also proved highly unpopular among unionists in Northern Ireland.


Speaking in the Commons, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said the Stormont brake would give assembly members in Northern Ireland "robust" powers to challenge EU laws.

But in a statement issued before the vote, Mr Johnson said it was "unacceptable".

"The proposed arrangements would mean either that Northern Ireland remained captured by the EU legal order - and was increasingly divergent from the rest of the UK - or they would mean that the whole of the U.K. was unable properly to diverge and take advantage of Brexit," he added.

He said it would be better to proceed with controversial legislation giving British ministers the power to override the original deal, which Mr Sunak has shelved due to his new agreement.

Ms Truss is also said to believe the new framework "fatally impinges" on the UK's ability to diverge from EU rules.

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he will continue to work with the government on "outstanding issues" - even though Downing Street said there are no plans for any substantial change to the deal.

The European Research Group (ERG) of Eurosceptic Tory MPs has criticised the Stormont brake, with legal experts advising them it was "practically useless".

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
UK Justice Secretary Advocates for Good Conduct Release Policies to Alleviate Prison Overcrowding
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
UK Transfers Chagos Islands Sovereignty to Mauritius in Strategic Agreement
Bitcoin Surpasses $111,000 Mark for the First Time
Key Developments in UK Business and Economy
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Leaked Secret Report: How the Muslim Brotherhood Is Expanding in France—With Qatari Funding
BYD Surpasses Tesla in European Electric Vehicle Sales
West Nile Virus Detected in UK Mosquitoes for First Time
UK Exposes Russian Cyber Campaign Targeting Ukraine Aid Networks
UK Inflation Rises to 3.5% in April Amid Household Bill Increases
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Taiwan claims China is using cash to win over developing nations
European Parliament Suspends Huawei Lobbyists Amid Corruption Probe
Industry Leaders Express Skepticism Over EU's New Single Market Strategy
European Parliament Considers Lifting Immunity of Five MEPs in Huawei Investigation
‘Plane Full of English Animals’: Footage Documents EasyJet Flight Chaos to Ibiza
Trump and Ramaphosa Hold Contentious White House Meeting Amid Diplomatic Strains
US Billionaires' Wealth Surges by $365 Billion Amid Tax Cut Debate
Sean 'Diddy' Combs Faces Federal Trial on Sex Trafficking and Racketeering Charges
India Blocks Thousands of Social Media Accounts Amid Tensions with Pakistan
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Ontario Manufacturers Warn U.S. Tariffs Could Create Economic 'Ghost Town'
UK and EU Reach Landmark Post-Brexit Deal to Reset Relations
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Trump Demands Probe into Kamala Harris for Paying Celebs to Fake Endorsements
At Age 92, the World’s Oldest President Has No Succession Plan — and That Could Spark a Crisis
U.S. Concerns Mount Over Chinese 'Kill Switch' Components Found in Solar Power Infrastructure
Bipartisan Criticism Surrounds Trump's Cryptocurrency Ventures
Diplomatic Efforts on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Mexican Navy Ship Collides with Brooklyn Bridge, Injuries Reported
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
U.S. and Philippine Forces Test High-Powered Microwave Weapons in Joint Exercise
China Unveils Advanced AI Surveillance Tools at 12th Police Equipment Expo
Japan's Three Major Banks Report Record High Net Profits for Second Consecutive Year
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
US and EU Make Progress in Trade Talks, While Vietnam Negotiations Also Advance
Sean 'Diddy' Combs Trial: Ex-Girlfriend Cassie Ventura Testifies About Alleged Abuse
Former Wales Rugby Star Jamie Roberts to Pursue Medical Career
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
Passenger Travels Under Wrong Identity on British Airways Flight
Former FBI Director James Comey Questioned by Secret Service Over Social Media Post
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
After 108 Years: Moody’s Downgrades U.S. Credit Rating
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
×