London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Aug 28, 2025

NI Protocol deal by no means done, says Rishi Sunak

NI Protocol deal by no means done, says Rishi Sunak

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said a deal with the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol is "by no means done".

The UK government is preparing to announce a new agreement on the post-Brexit trading rules for Northern Ireland early next week.

But speaking at a summit in Germany on Saturday, Mr Sunak said there were still "challenges to work through".

He added: "There isn't a deal that has been done - there is an understanding of what needs to be done."

Some government insiders expect a debate and vote in the House of Commons next week.

Tuesday is seen as the most likely day, although the plans are said to remain "fluid".


'Very good progress'


For more than a year UK and EU negotiators have been attempting to strike a deal on changes to the controversial trade arrangement.

The prime minister held talks with European Commission President Ursula von de Leyen in Munich in an effort to secure that agreement.

Afterwards Downing Street said it was a "positive discussion" and there had been "very good progress to find solutions".

"Intensive work in the coming days is still needed at official and ministerial levels," said No 10.

His trip to the summit comes a day after a visit to Northern Ireland to pitch his proposals to the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

It is among the most vocal critics of the protocol and is blocking the functioning of devolved government in Northern Ireland in protest against the trade rules.

Securing the party's support for any deal will be crucial for the future of the political institutions at Stormont.

After meeting the PM on Friday, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said "progress has been made across a range of areas".

But he said that Mr Sunak faced a "big moment" to agree to the "right deal" for Northern Ireland.


What is the EU saying about a deal?


The commission Vice-President Frans Timmerman said "things are progressing quite well" between the UK and the EU.

"There's a willingness on both sides to find a compromise, to find a way out," he said on Saturday.

Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar was briefed by Ms von der Leyen on the state of the negotiations on Saturday morning.

In their call he said he hoped for a "positive outcome that provides a new foundation for relations between the EU and the UK".

"Most importantly he hoped for an agreement that can pave the way for restoration of the institutions under the Good Friday Agreement," said his spokesman.


What is the Northern Ireland Protocol?


It is the trade deal that was agreed to ensure the free movement of goods across the Irish land border after Brexit.

It came into effect in 2021 and has resulted in checks on goods travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Unionist parties argue that placing an effective trade border across the Irish Sea undermines Northern Ireland's place within the UK.

The largest of those parties is the DUP, which is refusing to take part in Northern Ireland's power-sharing government until its concerns are resolved.

But a majority of members of the Stormont assembly are in favour of the protocol in some form remaining in place.

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


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
×