Sunak sells his deal in parliament

Rishi Sunak’s sell to the Commons this evening was that his Windsor Framework has ‘taken back control’ and that MPs need to ‘seize the opportunity of this moment’. In other words, Brexit is done and history will judge you if you don’t back what’s just been agreed. The Prime Minister was keen to pay tribute to his predecessors – not all of whom are present in the Commons as it debates his deal – for ‘laying the groundwork’ for it (this was too much for some MPs, who burst out laughing). But he also confirmed that the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill was dead, saying it had only ever been intended as a last resort. Now, he argued, it wasn’t necessary.

Sunak spoke for around half an hour, and was particularly keen to frame the choice facing both Tory Brexiteers and the DUP. He addressed ‘the Unionist community’ directly, saying: ‘I understand and have listened to your concerns and I would not be standing here today if I did not believe today’s agreement did not mark a turning point for Northern Ireland.’ He also argued to those ‘whose voices I deeply respect’ who said ‘EU laws should have no role whatsoever in Northern Ireland’ that there still needed to be some role for EU law to prevent a hard border. 

He was expecting the endorsement of Keir Starmer, but also got early backing from Theresa May. When Jeffrey Donaldson stood up to say he was pleased the DUP’s position on the Protocol as being unworkable had been ‘vindicated’, the Prime Minister looked as though he wasn’t expecting anything more conclusive. Donaldson asked Sunak to give his assurance that this and future governments would protect Northern Ireland’s place within the internal market of the UK. Sunak said he did believe that the agreement resolved the issues. 

Others, such as Northern Ireland Select Committee chair Simon Hoare, tried to tease out more details of the vote that the Commons will get. Sunak once again said this would happen at the ‘appropriate time’ once the parties had been given sufficient time to consider the details – something he told Donaldson he would ensure the DUP and others would get. 

Notably silent – so far – was Boris Johnson, who wasn’t in the chamber. He will likely need less time than the DUP to give his verdict.