Sunak has used a lot of Political Credit on sorting out the Northern Ireland Protocol deal ...

I think it will do Wyllow
The EU obvs feel they can work with Sunak and both sides feel the time’s right for better relations and co-operation now.
I think the situation in Ukraine has made European countries feel closer.

..but this is my abiding impression of Rees Mogg

he may be bright but he has no idea of how ordinary people are suffering atm

If Sunak pulls it off he will justifiably gain considerable political credit. Most Tory MPs (not the headbangers) had a spring in their step today and Starmer needs to keep up his public utterances otherwise we might get another 5 years of the drongos.

Urmstongran

We will have to agree to disagree IrishDancing.
I assume (maybe incorrectly) that you are in the RoI? If you are, it figures - in my opinion.
Somerset are delighted with Rees Mogg as their constituency MP.
I find him knowledgable and interesting in equal proportion.
He educates on matters of historical Parliamentary protocol in an informative and amusing way and maybe some think him ‘smug’ but could that be because he never gets ruffled, is unfailingly polite and can quote chapter and verse on parliamentary rules and history. It’s very educational in a good way to listen to him, I think.

And he uses that eloquence by filibustering to stop laws going through parliament that would benefit the poor and underprivileged. Vile man.

Don’t forget that Sunak was an enthusiastic supporter of Johnsons oven ready deal. Johnson nowhere to be seen in the HoC, perhaps he had an after dinner speech to make. It’s good that Sunak is making efforts to ditch all the poison created by the hard line Brexit supporters. Maybe he’ll now offer the nurses a decent pay rise.

So now supermarkets in NI can have the same things on the shelves as the rest of the U.K. - that’s nothing then.

Well the Windsor Agreement - Sunak’s big gamble.

The question is - will the DUP and the ERG get on board, or will they shred Sunak, just as they have done previous prime ministers?

Sunak knows almost certainly that if he takes the Agreement to a vote it will go through, as Labour are assisting Sunak in this gamble, but there appears to have been little schmoozing done by Sunak towards the two protagonists, and this may be the biggest bit of the gamble - Sunak has done the detail, but not the politics.

The DUP know that in the final analysis that they cannot rely on people like Johnson or Mogg because however much Johnson claims to be supporting the DUP etc. he will happily throw them under the bus if it suits his game, just as he did in the protocol.

So as I have said - this week is going to be interesting. Will the DUP accept that it is the best they can get? Will the ERG decide that they have little support in the country and call it a day?
Or will they fight Sunak tooth and nail and decide that this is the last stand and the hill that they will die on?

The ERG will imo go along with it because all that matters to them is that their party has a chance of winning the next election.

MayBee70

The ERG will imo go along with it because all that matters to them is that their party has a chance of winning the next election.

Yes you are probably right, which maybe indicate that Johnson has given up the fight, although his support base is wider than the ERG.

The DUP then……….?

vegansrock

So now supermarkets in NI can have the same things on the shelves as the rest of the U.K. - that’s nothing then.

I suggest you change your supermarket.

I think that Sunak must be prepared to face down both sets - if he does so he will undoubtedly put the Tory party onto a better footing, because the populists will be gone and with luck politics will normalise.

Whitewavemark2

I think that Sunak must be prepared to face down both sets - if he does so he will undoubtedly put the Tory party onto a better footing, because the populists will be gone and with luck politics will normalise.

Totally agree Whitewavemark2

Politics aside, I think Sunak must have worked very hard to achieve this. He seems to have gone about it in the right way. Gone are the days of swanning about the land(s) playing the fool. I'm thinking the Tories will have high hopes for him, without the dramas.
And I am one step closer to transporting my dog across the Channel.

Don’t get me wrong though. Sunak - a strong Brexiter is only clearing up the mess of his making.

The U.K. has still no identified benefit from leaving the EU. and will continue to decline unless it is reversed by much closer alignment.

Sunak explaining why we should have stayed in the EU. I heard Baker making the same point last night…

twitter.com/jemmaforte/status/1630499931319312384?s=46&t=tcVHCDZbd0TRUxsyX_S7tg

O’Brian reminding us of Sunak’ s rhetoric that “NI is is such a good place now as it has access to both the single market and the U.K. market, and will be brilliantly place to attract inward investment”

Can we think of anywhere else that was in this position just a few years ago?

I’m just listening to Sunak talking about all of the trade problems that brexit was causing in Northern Ireland that have now been resolved. But we all said they would happen and it was ignored: I think they said in the news that during the referendum debate only 1% of time was devoted to N Ireland. And when we did raise the subject it was branded as project fear. So all he’s done is resolve a problem of his own creation. Why can’t the electorate see that? I’m pleased that we can now move forward but, in all honesty, it should never have happened in the first place

For me, I would have paid a heavy price to leave the EU.
The price[if there even is one for some people] has been light.
I imagine all points about that have been discussed many times before on gransnet.
We are not fully out even now.

fancythat

For me, I would have paid a heavy price to leave the EU.
The price[if there even is one for some people] has been light.
I imagine all points about that have been discussed many times before on gransnet.
We are not fully out even now.

I think that you have paid that price.

fancythat

For me, I would have paid a heavy price to leave the EU.
The price[if there even is one for some people] has been light.
I imagine all points about that have been discussed many times before on gransnet.
We are not fully out even now.

And I assume you were happy for other people to pay that price too. Do you not regard that as a tad selfish?

The price has been light? Good grief.

Good Grief indeed. You do realise, fancy that, that the only reason the UK has not implemented the checks for imports, that were supposed to be a big 'get back control' thing- is because the price to pay for UK citizens would be massive. Never mind a few tomatoes and cucumbers!!! It is about all the rest of essential materials and foods we cannot produce in the UK. Like chemicals for water purification, medicines, and loads ov basic foodstuffs and meat.

I am astounded at Sunak’s rhetoric this morning.

He is totally supporting the SM and CU and jumping up and down with excitement at the fact the NI has still access to the EU!

This is so weird.

War and other losses of freedom v import/export.
No contest for me.
Which is all I am going to say.

Whitewavemark2

I am astounded at Sunak’s rhetoric this morning.

He is totally supporting the SM and CU and jumping up and down with excitement at the fact the NI has still access to the EU!

This is so weird.

Red and Green channels and the other relaxations is an indication of good will by the EU, while commercial goods will still be regulated, the EU still have the final veto if it isn’t working.

But it isn't really about goods it’s about convincing the sulking dog in the manger Unionists to get back into Stormont. Sunak making the point about NI having better access to the EU is a real advantage that many are taking advantage of on a day to day basis, from the north and south.