Will Boris Johnson try to take an axe to Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal? PM braces for possible intervention in Commons debate TONIGHT by predecessor who urged him to push ahead with law to scrap NI protocol

Boris Johnson is on rebellion watch this afternoon as Tory hardliners look to the former prime minister to lead opposition to Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal.

Mr Sunak is due to present the Windsor Framework unveiled this afternoon to MPs in the Commons later tonight.

And all eyes will be on his predecessor – whose fate was sealed by Mr Sunak’s resignation as Chancellor – and whether he will intervene in the debate.

A negative speech will encourage members of the  Tory European Research Group (ERG) to follow suite and oppose the plan in any future vote.

Conservative Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg this afternoon told GB News the position of Boris Johnson, who he described as the ‘biggest figure in UK politics’, will be ‘fundamental’.

Rishi Sunak was asked what he would do if Mr Johnson and the ERG tried to block the deal, and why he had been able to negotiate the concessions where his predecessors had been unable to.

The Prime Minister said: ‘Ultimately, this isn’t necessarily about me, it’s not about politicians. It’s about the people of Northern Ireland. It’s about what’s best for them.’

Mr Sunak is due to present the Windsor Framework unveiled this afternoon to MPs in the Commons later tonight.

And all eyes will be on his predecessor – whose fate was sealed by Mr Sunak’s resignation as Chancellor – and whether he will intervene in the debate. Jacob Rees-Mogg said his position will be ‘fundamental’.

Ms von der Leyen said the two sides were fighting ‘on the same side’ and that there had been a ‘very constructive attitude from the very beginning’. 

Last week Mr Johnson refused to guarantee he would back Rishi Sunak ‘s deal over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

He urged Mr Sunak to instead concentrate his efforts on controversial new laws at Westminster that would give ministers the power to unilaterally override parts of the Protocol. 

‘It’s important that we wait to see what there may be,’ Mr Johnson tonight told Sky News of Mr Sunak’s efforts to reach a Protocol resolution with Brussels.

‘But I think the best way forward, as I said when I was running the Government, is the Northern Ireland Bill which cleared the Commons very comfortably – I think unamended – when I was in office only a few months ago.

‘So I think that’s the best way forward.’

Pressed on whether he could guarantee his support for a Protocol deal struck by Mr Sunak, Mr Johnson added: ‘I think the best thing is to continue with the Northern Ireland Bill that we agreed.

Source: Read Full Article