A cabinet minister has stated that intervention by Boris Johnson in the dispute over resolving the post-Brexit stalemate in Northern Ireland is “not wholly unhelpful” as negotiations to secure a deal with the EU enter their final stages.
Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House of Commons, indicated that concerns reportedly raised by the former prime minister were a welcome reminder to Brussels of the possibility that the United Kingdom could attempt to unilaterally disregard the Northern Ireland protocol.
The bill intended to do so has been paused, but Mordaunt stated, “Boris is being Boris” and added, “The intervention by a source close to the previous prime minister is useful to remind the EU of this bill.”
Conservative members of parliament are contemplating in secrecy the specifics of an agreement being negotiated between the United Kingdom and the European Union to help reduce trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the jurisdiction of the European court of justice.
Ahead of a crucial week for Rishi Sunak
The prime minister returned home on Saturday from a meeting with EU leaders at the Munich security conference and is currently conducting a series of informal meetings at No. 10 on Sunday.
Downing Street hoped to be able to disclose a protocol overhaul deal on Monday. But the Democratic Unionist party’s (DUP) support is seen as crucial.
A group of staunch Brexiteers within the Conservative party, known as the European Research Group, has also stated that it will remain in “lockstep” with the DUP, threatening a widespread revolt over Sunak.
Johnson is concerned that a successful agreement will result in the government abandoning the Northern Ireland protocol bill. Allowing the United Kingdom to unilaterally rip up certain Brexit arrangements in the region, as reported by the Observer.
A friend of Johnson was also quoted in The Sunday Times as saying, “His primary concern is that we took the powers in the bill but are not using them, and we haven’t gotten as good a deal as we could have because we didn’t stay with it.”
Johnson’s NI Brexit intervention “not totally unhelpful” Minister
Mordaunt said Johnson’s alleged comments were “not wholly unproductive”. Despite government insiders’ frustration that he is obstructing talks at a crucial stage.
She stated on the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show that reminding Brussels of the bill was a useful leverage. “The EU is talking about topics it previously said it wouldn’t talk about.”
Mordaunt insisted that securing the support of the DUP for any agreement is of the utmost importance. “Unless every community in Northern Ireland supports this agreement. It will not last and it will not function,” she told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday program.
Due to protocol worries, the DUP has refused to re-enter power-sharing, leaving Northern Ireland without an executive for a year. Mordaunt acknowledged that “re-establishing the assembly” would be a “key component” of any deal.
A Conservative MP rebellion “is useless unless it works for all of Northern Ireland,” she said. Mordaunt added that Downing Street has not yet decided whether to conduct a vote on any deal.
Wendy Morton, the former chief whip under Liz Truss, urged ministers to maintain the support of all backbenchers. “We must have a solution that works for all of our communities and our entire party,” she told.
Labour reiterated its offer to provide Sunak with political cover by endorsing any deal reached with the EU. Thereby allowing the prime minister to comfortably win any vote on it despite a rebellion within his party.
Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, expressed optimism that an agreement was imminent because one was “urgently required.”
