Rishi Sunak and EU President Ursula von der Leyen release joint statement about Northern Ireland Protocol

A joint statement about the Northern Ireland Protocol deal was released by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

A joint statement released this evening, Sunday, February 26, by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the two leaders are scheduled to meet tomorrow, Monday 27.

It read: “Today, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak agreed to continue their work in person towards shared, practical solutions for the range of complex challenges around the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland. President von der Leyen will therefore meet with the Prime Minister in the UK tomorrow”.

Prime Minister @RishiSunak and I agreed to continue working in person towards shared, practical solutions under the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland.

I will therefore meet with the Prime Minister tomorrow in the UK.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 26, 2023

As reported earlier this afternoon by Sky News, Steve Baker, the Northern Ireland minister, was seen leaving No10 Downing Street and giving a ‘thumbs up’ to reporters. His tweet appeared to indicate that he was in Westminster.

pic.twitter.com/geDNbtrQsX

— Steve Baker MP FRSA 🗽 (@SteveBakerHW) February 26, 2023

Dominic Raab told the news outlet that a deal on post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland was drawing nearer. He said the government was “on the cusp” of an agreement with the EU.

According to Sam Coates, the news outlet’s deputy political editor, an announcement could be made pretty soon. Rishi Sunak is ready to “put his deal on the runway” suggested Whitehall sources.

“We could get some form of statement. We could get some form of telephone cabinet meeting so they get updated on the content of the deal then it will be rolled out to parliament tomorrow”, Coates commented.

He added: “It’s certainly an incredibly important moment that he’s going to have to handle very sensitively. This deal is designed to solve the outstanding problems involving Northern Ireland, created by Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal in 2019”.

“Rishi Sunak has undertaken a high stakes negotiation with Brussels across the last few since he became prime minister in very late October in order to try and put together some kind of deal”, he concluded.

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