Tory Brexiteers and ministers have been urged to give Rishi Sunak the “time and space” to “thrash out” a new deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol amid fears of a rebellion.
The Prime Minister faces a challenge in his own party as Britain and the European Union inch closer to an agreement seeking to resolve tensions over post-Brexit arrangements.
As negotiations continue, Sunak will meet with his Cabinet as he seeks to satisfy the demands of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).
He is facing calls to allow MPs a vote on any final deal and the Times reported that some ministers could resign if his solution risks Northern Ireland’s position in the UK.
The ERG, a band of Eurosceptic Conservative MPs, is expected to meet for talks later on Tuesday.
Sir Keir Starmer has urged the Prime Minister to allow the Commons to have its say on any final deal, offering Labour support to secure the approval of any new agreement in the event of any Tory rebellion.
Speaking to Sky News, Yvette Cooper insisted Labour will “put the national interest first” and support a negotiated resolution the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The shadow home secretary described the reported differences within the Conservative Party as “an ongoing psychodrama” after Boris Johnson warned in a newspaper article against dropping the UK’s ability to unilaterally scrap parts of the treaty.
Watch the her comments in full below:
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