London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Sep 30, 2023

Rishi Sunak walks Brexit tightrope as protocol deal nears

Rishi Sunak walks Brexit tightrope as protocol deal nears

The UK prime minister’s controversial drive to scrap hundreds of EU laws may not be enough to keep Tory Brexiteers onside.

Boris Johnson was supposed to have killed off the Tories' 30-year EU curse. But just three months into his own tenure as U.K. prime minister, Rishi Sunak fears yet another Tory schism on Europe is about to emerge.

Johnson romped to a landslide election victory in 2019 on a decisive vow to “get Brexit done" — seemingly putting to bed decades of civil war within his party over Britain's membership of the European Union, which had felled successive leaders.

Yet with Johnson (mostly) now out of the picture and Sunak's party still struggling badly in the polls, the new PM's tenuous grip over his unruly colleagues means the Tories' Euroskeptic wing is growing in confidence, in what will be a year of crucial post-Brexit decisions.

Sunak knows he will need to maintain the support of those same Euroskeptic Tory MPs — as well as other unruly backbench tribes — as he tries to resolve the long-running Northern Ireland protocol dispute with Brussels. It will not be an easy task.

“The protocol is the biggest single, visible object that could threaten the PM’s position,” said Paul Goodman, a former Tory MP and now editor of the influential Conservative Home website.

The U.K. and EU both agree the protocol is not working in its current form, and after a lengthy dispute appear to be closing in on a deal to address many of the outstanding issues.

Despite having left the EU along with the rest of the U.K, Northern Ireland still follows Brussels' customs union and single market rules in order to avoid a politically-sensitive hard border with the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland's unionist politicians loathe the setup, arguing it drives a wedge between the region and the rest of the U.K. Conservative critics in Westminster, meanwhile, believe the current agreement hands too much oversight power to the European Union's top court.

As a Leave supporter, Sunak has some credibility among Euroskeptic colleagues to find a solution — but a compromise too far could turn key Brexiteers in his party mutinous.


Currying favor


In theory, Sunak should face an easier ride than his predecessors. The European Research Group (ERG) of backbench Conservative Brexiteers is no longer the same group of highly organized and disciplined MPs it was back when it caused daily headaches for Theresa May during the last parliament.

But there are rumblings across Westminster that the protocol issue could give the group a new raison d’etre. Pressure from rebellious Tory MPs has already forced Sunak into a series of embarrassing U-turns in other policy areas, and Downing Street is well aware Tory Brexiteers could cause significant headaches should aspects of any new agreement with the EU require a House of Commons vote.

Sunak is already making conspicuous overtures to the ERG with other policy decisions. He’s talking tough on illegal migrant crossings of the English Channel, and is pressing ahead with a controversial Johnson-era plan to reform or axe an array of EU-derived laws still in force in the U.K.

The Retained EU Law Bill's "sunset clause" will automatically scrub laws from the U.K. statute book that have not been changed or repealed by the end of the year. The policy has been criticized by business groups for creating regulatory uncertainty for the private sector.

One government official told POLITICO the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy now believes there are some 3,200 retained EU laws still on the U.K. statute books. This is around 600 fewer than previously reported, yet still remains a mammoth exercise for the overstretched civil service.

“The protocol is the biggest single, visible object that could threaten the PM’s position,” says one former Tory MP


Senior Tory MP David Davis, a staunch Brexiteer and former Brexit secretary, said “it certainly looks like” Sunak is trying to curry favor with the right of the party by lighting this enormous Brexit bonfire of EU law.

“It is a policy in pursuit of a headline, instead of a policy improvement,” Davis said. “There's probably about 5-10 per cent of EU law that needs to be repealed and changed as a material difference."

But he added: "Industries have got used to it over the years. When I was a businessman, I didn't care about old regulations — it was new regulations that created burdens."

Yet the exercise serves a clear political purpose — reassuring Brexiteers that Sunak, who backed Britain's departure from the EU as a junior MP in 2016, is still one of them.

One senior Tory in the ERG group confirmed there is “considerable goodwill for the prime minister within the ERG because of the bill."

The MP added: “A lot of EU law just needs to be got rid of. It’s a strange and intolerable situation where we have regulations written by a foreign administration."

Sunak hopes shredding EU regulations at a frenetic pace will therefore give him the breathing room among his own MPs to find a compromise with Brussels over Northern Ireland. This may be wishful thinking.

“We hope the prime minister will retain the goodwill he now has during the Northern Ireland protocol negotiations," the ERG MP said. "However, our support is not unconditional."


Protocol red lines


Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, lead U.K. negotiator for the Northern Ireland protocol talks, is racing to find a compromise with Brussels over the border dispute, with April 10 seen as an unofficial deadline for a deal.

That date will mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and comes just before potential elections for the currently-frozen Northern Ireland regional assembly. A spring visit by U.S. President Joe Biden around the same time is said to hang on a resolution to the row.

James Cleverly, the UK’s lead negotiator for the Northern Ireland protocol talks


The U.K. wants to significantly change the way the protocol works to end the vast majority of checks on goods moving to Northern Ireland from Great Britain. And it's long pushed for the removal of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) from its role as arbiter of disputes under the deal.

The EU is in turn proposing to work within the protocol to slash red tape and border checks on food and medicines coming from Great Britain to Northern Ireland — but it has made clear it will not countenance stripping European judges of their role in enforcing the arrangement.

That reality has led many in Westminster to conclude that Sunak will inevitably be forced into a deal that reduces border checks, but maintains some role for the ECJ.

Unfortunately for the U.K. prime minister, Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has also made its own position clear — it will not rejoin the region's power-sharing assembly if European judges have any jurisdiction whatsoever over Northern Ireland.

“The DUP and ERG position on this is indistinguishable,” the same ERG MP quote above said.

Any deal, they added, "must not undermine the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement and it not must not make Northern Ireland a subject to a foreign administration and a foreign court."

Another ERG MP went further, warning "a lot of Tory MPs will not stomach any deal which allows Brussels to continue set the laws and regulations for Northern Ireland."

"No countries in the world would accept this situation that we have," the MP said.

POLITICO's London Playbook revealed this week that informal surveys are now being conducted to ask Tory backbenchers what they would want to see in a Northern Ireland protocol deal with Brussels.

Robin Millar, Tory MP and parliamentary private secretary to the Scottish and Welsh secretaries, issued a multiple choice survey to a group of 64 MPs over WhatsApp — in a sign that No. 10 is acutely aware of the potential for backbench rebellions over the issue.


Back seat drivers?


Sunak must also know that his two immediate predecessors are keeping a close eye on the negotiations. Supporters of Johnson and Liz Truss have split into separate pressure groups on the Tory backbenches, and both are already causing Sunak headaches.

One former member of Truss' short-lived Cabinet said there was a “very significant chance” of widespread backbench Tory rebellions within these two groups on any protocol deal.

“Both former prime ministers made very clear commitments that they will not accept a role for the ECJ in Northern Ireland. Boris and Liz are completely aligned on this point,” the MP warned.

For some, it would be delicious slice of irony if Johnson helped reignite a Tory civil war on Brexit — just three years after supposedly nixing the issue for good.

Newsletter

Related Articles

London Daily
Close
0:00
0:00
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
You Are So Beautiful
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Postmodern Jukebox European Tour Version
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
An old French tune (by Georges Brassens) Pomplamoose ft. John Schroeder
Steve Jobs' Son Launches Venture Capital Firm With $200 Million For Cancer Treatments
Sattahip Motor Show 20
Greek PM offers tourists affected by wildfires a free stay in Rhodes next year.
SONATE AU CLAIR DE LUNE - Moonlight sonata
Google reshuffles Assistant unit, lays off some staffers, to 'supercharge' products with A.I.
A kiss to build a dream on
End of Viagra? FDA approved a gel against erectile dysfunction
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
UK sanctions Russians judges over dual British national Kara-Murza's trial
Mean Blues
US restricts visa-free travel for Hungarian passport holders because of security concerns
La Chansonnette
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Pattaya Addicts
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Franz Liszt - Liebestraum - Love Dream
Political leader from South Africa, Julius Malema, led violent racist chants at a massive rally on Saturday
Dream a little dream of me
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
Unchained Melody sung like you've NEVER heard!
How “peacekeepers” at the UN spend our American tax dollars.
Dave Brubeck - Take Five
'I am not your servant': IndiGo crew member, passenger get into row over airline meal
Édith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien (Sofie)
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Rondo Alla Turca
Spanish Citizenship Granted to Iranian chess player who removed hijab
Kiss of fire
US Senate Republican Mitch McConnell freezes up, leaves press conference
Tom Jones - I´ll Never Fall In Love Again 1967, 1989, 2001
Speaker McCarthy says the United States House of Representatives is getting ready to impeach Joe Biden.
Israel Cachao López - Guajira Clásica
San Francisco car crash
Edward Maya - Stereo Love (feat. Vika Jigulina) (Extended Mix)
This camera man is a genius
Strauss - Radetzky March - Karajan
3D ad in front of Burj Khalifa
La vie en rose
Next level gaming
The Temptations - My Girl (Smokey Robinson Tribute) 2006 Kennedy Cent
BMW driver…
Orlando Cachaito Lopez Redencion
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Edith Piaf - NON, JE NE REGRETTE RIEN
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
RADETZKY MARCH-2008-Wien, New Year Concert
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
Only you (And you alone)
The future of sport
Strangers In The Night
New York City Agrees to Compensate Demonstrators Subjected to Excessive Force and Unlawful Arrests Amidst Widespread Protests
Charles Aznavour - La Boheme
Paul Simon: "I can't perform anymore due to hearing loss"
Summer time
The politician and the journalist lost control and started fighting on live broadcast.
Sting and Stevie Wonder - Fragile (from Sting's 60th birthday concert)
The future of sports
Aux Champs Elysees
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Stand By Me - Ben E. King (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
La Mer (Beyond the Sea) – Avalon Jazz Band
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
She
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
Nathalie Song by Enzo Petrachi Stjepan Hauser Cello
Joe Biden admitted, in his own words, that he delivered what he promised in exchange for the $10 million bribe he received from the Ukraine Oil Company.
Shape of My Heart - Sting (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Swedish Embassy in Baghdad Engulfed in Flames Amidst a Firestorm of Protests
Radiohead - Creep
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Quizás,Quizás,Quizás - Andrea Bocelli - Jennifer Lopez
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps - Multi-Couples
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Pentatonix Havana
House of Commons rejects nine significant amendments from the Unelected, Privilaged House of Lord - Overturn Crucial Migration Bill Amendments in a Bid to Curb Unauthorized Maritime Immigration
Paula Cole - Autumn Leaves
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Oscar Benton Bensonhurst Blues
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
OH NANANA vs ABUSADAMENTE
Muslim Tycoon Asif Aziz Receives Approval for the Transformation of the iconic London Trocadero Landmark into Mosque
Nina Simone - ”I Put A Spell On You”. Vezi aici cum cântă Jeremy Ragsd
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
NIGHTWISH - The Phantom Of The Opera
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
Motorshow 2016 Tanjay Negros Oriental
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
Monica Bellucci - Ti Amo
Europe is boiling: Extreme Weather Conditions Prevail Across the Continent
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean Milena The Voice France 2018
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Hospitalized Due to Dehydration Amidst Summer Heatwave
Michael Buble (Help Me Make It Through The Night) feat Loren Allred
Memories Canon In D - Maroon 5 (Boyce Avenue piano acoustic cover)
Matteo Simoni - Marina
Maroon 5 - One More Night
Maroon 5 - Memories
Mark Knopfler - Brothers In Arms (Berlin 2007 Live)
Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris - Romeo And Juliet (Real Live Roadrunni
Marina, Marina - The LUCKY DUCKIES intimist live concert at Guimarães
Major Lazer & DJ Snake – Lean On Mauranne The Voice France 2016
Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet - Joslin - Henri Mancini, Nino Rota
LoLa & Hauser - Love Story
Linkin Park Jay-Z - Numb Encore (Live 8 2005)
Hallelujah Mennel Ibtissem, The Voice France Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen - Dance Me to the End of Love
Leonard Cohen & Natasha Rostova - Dance me to the end of love
La casa de papel - Bella Ciao
La Camisa Negra
L'italiano (Toto Cutugno) - The Gypsy Queens
Juanes - La Camisa Negra
Jonathan and Charlotte - Britain's Got Talent 2012 Live Semi Final - U
John Powell - Assassin's Tango
Joe Cocker - You Can Leave Your Hat On (LIVE in Dortmund)
Joe Cocker - Unchain My Heart 2002 Live
Joe Cocker - A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Jay Z & Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind LIVE
Jason Mraz - Im Yours (live)
Jarrod Radnich - Bohemian Rhapsody - Virtuosic Piano Solo
James Blunt - You're Beautiful
James Blunt - You're Beautiful & Bonfire Heart (Live at The Nobel Peac)
If You Go Away - Helen Merrill & Stan Getz (Tribute to Virna Lisi)
I'LL BE MISSING YOU
I Say a Little Prayer
Hotel California ( Eagles ) 1994 Live
Historia de un amor - Luz Casal. Vezi interpretarea Biancăi Sumanariu
Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover) on Spot
Heart - Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin - Kennedy Center Honors
HAVANA by Camila Cabello Zumba Pre Cooldown TML Crew Kramer Pastra
HAUSER and Señorita - I Will Always Love You
HAUSER - Waka Waka
HAUSER - Sway
HAUSER - Lambada
HAUSER - Historia de un Amor
HAUSER - Despacito
Great Pretender
Georgia May Foote & Giovanni Pernice Samba to 'Volare' - Strictly Come
Gary Moore - Still Got The Blues
GIPSY KINGS VOLARE Penelope Cruz
Fugees - Killing Me Softly With His Song
French Latino - Historia de un Amor
For A Few Dollars More The Danish National Symphony Orchestra (Live)
Flashdance • What a Feeling • Irene Cara
Filip Rudan - “Someone You Loved” Audicija 4 The Voice Hrvatska Sez
Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
Enya - Only Time
Enrique Iglesias - Bailando (English Version) ft. Sean Paul
Enrique Iglesias - Bailamos
Elena Yerevan Historia de un amor
Ed Sheeran - Shape of You (Official Music Video)
Ed Sheeran - Perfect Symphony [with Andrea Bocelli]
Ed Sheeran - Perfect (Official Music Video)
Easy On Me - Adele (Boyce Avenue 90’s style piano acoustic cover) on S
ERA - Ameno
ELENA YEREVAN- Cancion Del Mariachi-IN STUDIO-2017 DPR
Dust In The Wind - Kansas (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Despacito x Shape Of You - Pentatonix
Deep Purple - Child In Time - Live (1970)
David Foster When A Man Loves A WomanIt's A Mans World (SealMichael Bo
Dance me to the end of Love ( Pi-Air Design )
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise (feat. L.V.) [Official Music Video]
Conquest Of Paradise (Vangelis), played on Böhm Emporio organ
Cielito Lindo
Chico & The Gypsies - Bamboleo
Canción Del Mariachi - Antonio Banderas, Los Lobos • Desperado
Camila Cabello - Havana (Audio) ft. Young Thug
Camila Cabello - Havana ( cover by J.Fla )
California Dreamin' - The Mamas & The Papas José Feliciano (Boyce Ave
Buster Benton - Money Is The Name of The Game
Hallelujah Pentatonix
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy (Official Music Video)
Bob Dylan - Knockin' On Heaven's Door Emilia The Voice Kids France
Besame Mucho - Cesaria Evora
Ben E. King - Stand by Me Sax Cover Alexandra Ilieva Thomann
Bella Ciao
Bella Ciao - INSTRUMENTAL
Beautiful in White x Canon in D (Piano Cover by Riyandi Kusuma)
Bad Romance - Vintage 1920's Gatsby Style Lady Gaga Cover ft. Ariana Savalas & Sarah Reich(1)
BELLA CIAO 2020 - KARAOKE ITALIANO
BAMBOLEO - Gipsy Kings • Antonio Banderas, Katya Virshilas
BAILANDO (original)
Awesome Ukrainian yodeler - SOFIA SHKIDCHENKO (with English subtitles)
Avicii - The Nights
Atom - The Great Gig in the Sky
Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (Official Ly
Antonio Banderas - Cancion del Mariachi (Desperado)
André Rieu - Zorba's Dance (Sirtaki)
André Rieu - Can't Help Falling In Love
André Rieu & Mirusia - Ave Maria
Andrew Reyes Elton John - Don't Let The Sun Go Down The Voice 2020 (
Andreas Kümmert Whiter Shade Of Pale The Voice of Germany 2013 Showd
And I Love You So
All About That Bass - Postmodern Jukebox European Tour Version
Alan Walker - Faded (Piano Cover)
Ain't No Sunshine -- Bill Withers (cover by Canen 12 y.o.)
African music
Adriana Vidović - “Creep” Audicija 4 The Voice Hrvatska Sezona 3
Adriana Vidović - “Believer” Nokaut 3 The Voice Hrvatska Sezona 3
A Fistful of Dollars - The Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Tuva
4 Beautiful Soundtracks Relaxing Piano [10min]
2CELLOS - Whole Lotta Love vs. Beethoven 5th Symphony [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
2CELLOS - Smooth Criminal (Live at Suntory Hall, Tokyo)
2CELLOS - Smells Like Teen Spirit [Live at Sydney Opera House]
2CELLOS - Despacito [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
13 Year Old Girl Playing Il Silenzio (The Silence) - André Rieu
094.All About That Bass
00 - SADNESS PART 1
(Ghost) Riders In the Sky (American Outlaws Live at Nassau Coliseum, 1
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams (Boyce Avenue ft. Conn
What a wonderful world
Moon river
×