Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, has praised his agreement on post-Brexit trading policies for Northern Ireland as a “decisive breakthrough.”
The accord received the support of many Tory MPs, including some who were in favor of Brexit.
And the DUP acknowledged “substantial progress,” whose backing will be crucial to reestablishing power-sharing in Northern Ireland.
“Key areas of concern” still exist, the party cautioned.
Before deciding whether to endorse the agreement, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said his party would now review the legal wording.
Unless its objections to the Northern Ireland Protocol are allayed, the party has boycotted the devolved government, and several Tory MPs have stated they will only accept an accord if it has the support of the DUP.
The majority party in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Sinn Féin, welcomed the agreement but said it needed to look into the specifics first.
The DUP should return to devolved administration, said the party’s vice-president Michelle O’Neill, adding that “pragmatism can find solutions.”
Brexit accord for Northern Ireland: Quick summary
A brief guide to the Brexit agreement for Northern Ireland
Companies anticipate a stable Brexit deal.
It was finally revealed after a day of well planned activities after months of negotiation and rumor surrounding a potential agreement.
About 14:00 GMT, word started to spread within the government that a solution to a problem that has troubled four prime ministers had been found.
The breakthrough was announced by the PM shortly after at a press conference in Windsor with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
When the PM and Mrs. von der Leyen discussed their agreement on Monday, there was a noticeable warmth between them. The EU leader addressed the prime minister as “dear Rishi” and praised a “new chapter” of a “stronger EU-UK relationship.”
She later had tea at Windsor Palace with King Charles. A few Lawmakers were worried that the encounter might involve the queen in a divisive political issue despite the fact that the two were seen grinning and conversing.
The long-awaited deal’s specifics were hitting home with some MPs, some of whom could have been anticipated to give the PM political headaches, as Mr. Sunak made his way back to London to address the Commons.
Mr. Sunak “pulled a blinder,” according to Northern Ireland Office Minister and ardent Brexiteer Steve Baker.
The accord “should be good enough for any sensible unionists,” he said, admitting that he had considered leaving “as recently as yesterday.”
Former Prime Minister Theresa May pushed lawmakers to support the agreement during a Commons debate, but Liz Truss and Boris Johnson were absent.
The US’s reaction will please Number 10, as it has been viewed as a barrier to future trade negotiations between London and Washington due to unresolved issues with the conditions in Northern Ireland.
The agreement, according to US Vice President Joe Biden, is “vital for ensuring that the hard-won peace and development of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement is sustained and strengthened.”
The Northern Ireland Protocol, which was ratified in 2021 and was signed by Mr. Johnson, is modified by the accord known as the Windsor Framework.
By performing checks between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, the protocol attempted to secure unrestricted cargo movement across the Irish land border.
Yet, as per the agreement, Northern Ireland has to continue adhering to certain EU regulations.
The new agreement, according to Mr. Sunak, “delivers easy trade throughout the United Kingdom, secures Northern Ireland’s role in our union, and safeguards sovereignty for the people of Northern Ireland.”
According to the agreement, a new “green lane” will be created for British products heading to Northern Ireland, with a second “red lane” for items that could end up entering the EU.
While red-lane items will still be subject to standard checks, products entering Northern Ireland through the green lane will have drastically less paperwork and scrutiny.
By using a “Stormont brake,” the Northern Ireland Assembly is able to protest to “substantially different” EU regulations that would be in force there.
UK For alcoholic beverages intended for immediate consumption and transportable products like heat pumps, Northern Ireland will be subject to VAT and excise regulations. Northern Ireland may previously use EU VAT regulations.
Yet, there is no assurance that it would lead to the restoration of a devolved government with shared power in Northern Ireland. Although “substantial progress has been gained across a number of sectors,” the DUP expressed reservations in a statement.
There can be no hiding the fact that Northern Ireland is still subject to EU law in several areas of our economy, the statement read.
The party stated that it would now like to examine the agreement’s finer points and underlying legal provisions and would seek “additional clarification, revision, or change as appropriate.”
Although they both expressed concern over the Stormont brake clause, the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party and the Alliance Party, which is neither nationalist nor unionist, both welcomed the agreement.
However, the Traditional Unionist Voice Party claimed the accord was “much spin, not much substance” and that it practically meant the protocol “stays”.
The Ulster Unionist Party stated that while it would examine the specifics, it would not offer protection to other parties.
The accord has received encouraging feedback from a number of Lawmakers who support Brexit.
The prime minister, according to former Brexit Secretary David Davis, “pulled off a formidable negotiation success” and “secured the best deal.”
It now depends on whether the communities in Northern Ireland believe it’s the correct option, said former business secretary Andrea Leadsom, who called there had been “great progress.”
Some Conservative lawmakers, however, were more circumspect, with famous Euroskeptic Sir Bill Cash stating that “the devil, as always, lay in the details.”
The European Court of Justice will continue to serve as the last arbiter in disputes involving EU regulations, according to DUP MP Ian Paisley, who claimed that the arrangement “fell short” in several important areas.
He told BBC Newsnight, “I have a gut feeling that doesn’t cut the mustard.”
Mr. Sunak stated that the accord would be put to a vote in Parliament at the “right moment,” but that MPs needed time to evaluate the specifics.
The government will be hesitant to rely on opposition votes, despite Labour’s declaration that it will support a deal.
Although not “perfect,” according to the leader Sir Keir Starmer, “now that it has been decided we all have a duty to make it work.”
The controversial Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, which was launched under Mr. Johnson’s leadership as prime minister and would have given the UK the authority to unilaterally rescind portions of the previous agreement, has also been dropped, according to Mr. Sunak.
The initial legal justification for the law, he claimed, had “fallen away,” and it was no longer necessary.
