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

I’m genuinely delighted to see this progress, and what looks like a far more productive and less adversarial relationship with the EU emerging.

Delighted to see that Sunak is scrapping Johnson’s currently paused in Parliament NI Protocol bill.

Delighted to see this means the UK will re-engage with the Horizon programme.

Delighted with some of the very clever framing of key issues: eg, the Stormont Brake being presented as a response to one of the moronic DUP’s ‘tests’, when it’s actually a standard clause in EU treaties.

Obviously delighted that the GFA is not threatened by this.

But (there’s always a but): this should not be seen as either a triumph for the Tories, when it’s only taking some steps to clear up a mess of their own making; and it shouldn’t be framed as EU concessions. The EU, it seems to me at the moment, having not read the details, have offered pretty much what they’ve always offered, and Sunak, unlike that fool Johnson, has the sense to know the UK really has more to lose than the EU by rejecting sensible arrangements.

And the largest but: but why do Tories always lie so unnecessarily and obviously? Sunak has been banging on that the deal means no border, which is plainly just not true.

Whitewavemark2

Ursula

ah, yes.

Her hair was great too, and she knew what was what, Betty

www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-politics-47872635

The DUP will hasten reunification if they tear this apart, just what they and their supporters do not want. Sorry, but they will only have themselves to blame.

I fear the DUP will do their utmost to nitpick, ‘just because’, which would be a shame because this is a huge step forward for NI.

Anything that winds up the ERG and the Unionist throwbacks gets a cheer from me.

Johnson is a coward - he never actually came out and said anything or gave interviews where he could be seriously questioned these past weeks, just friends and acolytes made it known he was on manoeuvres.

Well I hope that has all backfired on Johnson and this deal comes to fruition.

Well fingers crossed - to be honest I don’t think the country would tolerate a Johnson run rebellion - but the DUP is a law unto itself and let’s hold our breath over that.

You know it's a big day when the TV helicopter is following the PM's motorcade.

Riverwalk Sunak has indeed played a blinder. I’m truly amazed and delighted. Both sides must have worked really hard on this. Both teams.

And genuine reciprocal bonhomie was the mood music.

Maybe the war in Ukraine has dialled down the Brexit rhetoric in that ‘surely we, as Allies, can work something out?’.

I too am relieved that we seem, at last, to be on the way to getting this resolved. I was angry when that little Pipsqueak Francois was spouting out about whether the ERG would agree. I don't remember them being on the ballot paper at the last election, does anyone else? Minority group within a minority government. I hope Sunak makes it clear who is in charge here, and good on Starmer too for seeing what is best for the country, not just for his party.

Whitewavemark2

I do! The EU bod I am talking about😄

I agree, I have often admired her sleek, flawless unfussy hair.

Irrelevant, of course, but worth commenting on.

Sunak has played a blinder and pulled the rug from under Johnson and the ERG.

Let's see how the DUP responds.

Beth ‘my sources tell me’ Rigby from SKY News never got to ask a question, even though she was front row & centre! Her hand kept shooting up. Bit of a snub.

I know it’s a small detail but I like it being called the ‘Windsor Agreement’. Those 3 words the ‘Northern Ireland Protocol’ have been enough to glaze over most people’s eyes over the years.

Hopefully this is Good News and time to move on.

Well - I’m impressed! Very!! Well done Sunak & Vd Leyen!
Honestly Somy has better than I was hoping for on many issues.

Anyone else pick up on the love-fest between the two protagonists? Ursula beaming and so beautiful. She seems genuinely to like Rishi.

I love her hair WhiteWave so lucky you in your working life!

Wonder how Starmer feels because this is really a feather in the cap for Sunak. If all goes well - ‘immediately’ as Ursula says - I can see Sunak’s popularity rising exponentially.

Horizon too. Medicines in NI. Trees, seed potatoes and so much more. So much good for citizens there. Whoop whoop!

I’m neither a Conservative nor a particular fan of Sunak, but for the sake of friends and family in NI I am very glad this is happening.

Horizon Europe - good news indeed!

The Stormont break is one of the sticking points I reckon with the DUP.

My hair style and colour was similar before I got old😡, particularly when I worked.

Ursula

I do! The EU bod I am talking about😄

Whitewavemark2

I do like her hair

pardon???

Whitewavemark2

The red/green lanes were offered to the U.K. by the EU, but Johnson turned it down.

The U.K. will not be leaving the ECHR and put the GFA into absolute peril.

Why have so many people forgotten this, I wonder. The EU is NOT at fault here. Prof Dougan, all legal experts and experienced international negotiators said it just could not work- but Johnson wanted Brexit done- at any cost whatsover. He and the ERG are entirely at fault here. And Arlene, Paisley and the DUP took the bung to shut up, and now ...

I do like her hair

By some, DUP and ERG- but I believe, supported by the vast majority of the UK, including Labour and others.

The DUP and ERG represent a TINY % of the UK population.

Listening to Sunak - there is no way that he will take the U.K. out of the ECHR.

Green/red lane confirmed. At last - only took 7 years. Which of course will allow changes to VAT and excise by the U.K. to NI goods.

Stormont break - will have a jurisdiction over new EU laws. I suspect that this will very rarely happen particularly with Sinn Fein as the majority party.

Oh l I was just repeating what I heard on the news just now ... ‘enormous concessions’.

Let’s face it, Sunak is a ‘money man’ - with the traders and other money men. £££ signs here and €€€ signs in Europe signs will focus minds. We’ve all flatlined following a pandemic and war in the Ukraine.

When the details are published will this just ‘spin’.

Sunak is being dubbed ‘Sellout Sunak’ ...