London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 08, 2026

Windsor Framework: Business leaders support new deal

Windsor Framework: Business leaders support new deal

Major businesses including Amazon, Sainsbury's, Airbus and Coca Cola have backed the Windsor Framework in an open letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
They have also called for the Northern Ireland Executive to be restored.

The new deal seeks to reduce the frictions on Great Britain-to-Northern Ireland trade

The business leaders are from the Confederation of British Industry's Presidents' Committee and Northern Ireland Council.

The framework was signed to alter Brexit's Northern Ireland Protocol and was announced after months of talks.

Under the agreement, goods from Great Britain destined for Northern Ireland will travel through a new "green lane", with a separate "red lane" for goods at risk of moving onto the Republic of Ireland and the EU.

That would mean products coming into Northern Ireland through the green lane would face significantly reduced checks and paperwork, whereas the red lane goods destined for the EU would still be subject to normal checks.

In the letter, the groups welcomed the framework saying "it represents a huge opportunity for both the Northern Irish and Great British economies".

They also call on politicians to use the momentum to restore devolved government in Northern Ireland as swiftly as possible.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is boycotting Northern Ireland's devolved government at Stormont until its concerns about the Northern Ireland Protocol are addressed.

It has yet to say whether it supports the Windsor Framework, but has set up an eight-member panel to come to a "collective decision" on whether to back the deal.

Party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said the party "want to get this right however long it takes".

Sinn Féin MLA and former finance minister Conor Murphy called the letter "a welcome intervention".

"The letter describes the agreement as the 'most sustainable path forward' and calls for a restored executive to focus on the economic opportunities of our unique access to the EU single market and British market," he said.

"That is a competitive advantage which is the envy of economies everywhere and we need an executive in place to deliver on its potential."
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Britain Maintains Diplomatic Mission in East Jerusalem Despite Israeli Closure Deadline
English Councils Push Government to Rethink Proposed Funding Cuts
Scottish Homebuilding Falls to Lowest Level in 11 Years
BBC Chief Matt Brittin Defends Restructuring as Staff Challenge Job Cuts
UK Finance Warns High Energy Costs and Bond Yields Are Complicating Fiscal Outlook
UK Adopts All 44 Recommendations on Regulating AI in Healthcare
Chancellor John Healey Prepares Autumn Budget as Borrowing Costs Strain Public Finances
UK Investigators See Strong Indications of Iranian Link After RAF Fairford Security Operation
Laura Trott Pledges Tighter Controls on Political Activism in UK Classrooms
Welsh Ministers Launch Long-Term Review of North Wales and Anglesey Crossings
Welsh Government Orders 18-Month Study of Road Solutions Around Newport
Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin Faces Scrutiny Over £800,000 Second Home Purchase
British Households Grow More Concerned About Fuel and Energy Prices
NHS Leaders Warn of Rising Winter Pressure on Emergency Departments
Kemi Badenoch Proposes £2.3 Billion Employer National Insurance Cut for Young Workers
Middle East Conflict Could Erase UK Fiscal Headroom, Economists Warn
Manchester City Found Guilty of Multiple Premier League Financial Rule Breaches
UK Security Services Find Strong Indications of Iranian Role in RAF Fairford Incident
Costa Coffee Returns to Operating Profit on Iced Drinks and Menu Changes
Asos Warns Customers After Unauthorized Access to Retail App and Data
Kemi Badenoch Puts Growth and Deregulation at Center of Conservative Conference
Campaigners Warn of Deepening Social Care Crisis for Disabled Adults
Study Finds Rising Early-Onset Cancer Rates Among Adults Under 50 in Britain
UK Coach Operators Warn High Diesel Prices Could Force Route Cuts
FCA Opens Independent Review Into Handling of Epstein-Linked Whistleblower Case
Argentina Vows to Block Falkland Islands Offshore Oil Development
UK Chancellor Prepares Fiscal Measures and Welfare Reforms Ahead of Autumn Budget
Sainsbury’s and Morrisons Explore Potential Multi-Billion-Pound Merger
UK Weighs Tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicles to Align With European Union
UK Threatens Diplomatic Expulsions Over Planned Closure of East Jerusalem Consulate
UK Energy Price Cap Hits Three-Year High as Middle East Conflict Raises Costs
Seventh Arrest Made in Suspected Terror Plot at RAF Fairford
Systemic Education Collapse Sparks Mass Student Uprisings in France
Green Party Faces Backlash Over Resolution Equating Zionism With Racism
Conservatives Debate Scrapping Environmental Rules for New Homes
Cornwall Insight Warns UK Energy Bills Could Approach £2,000 This Winter
UK Coach Operators Warn of Service Cuts as Diesel Prices Exceed £2
Scottish Parliament Approves £68 Billion Budget With New Tax and Property Measures
FCA Opens Independent Review Into Handling of Epstein Whistleblower
UK Government Drops Plan to Suspend Jury Trials in England and Wales
Bank of England Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% as Markets Watch November
Two Iranian Nationals Charged Over Alleged Plot Targeting Manchester Jewish Community
UK Fiscal Headroom Halves to £11 Billion Ahead of Budget, EY Warns
US Bomber Withdrawal From RAF Fairford Prompts UK Security Review
Sarah Wakfer Appointed Chair of Northern Ireland’s Health and Care Regulator
Scotland Housing Completions Fall to 11-Year Low Amid National Shortage
UK Water Companies Face Tougher Oversight and Unannounced Regulatory Inspections
Middle East Conflict Pushes UK Fuel and Wholesale Energy Prices Higher
Andy Burnham Raises Prospect of Second Brexit Referendum in Review of UK-EU Relations
EY Warns UK Fiscal Headroom Has Halved to £11 Billion Ahead of Autumn Budget
×