British MPs have just overwhelmingly approved the new agreement reached between London and Brussels on the adoption of trade rules in Northern Ireland.
It is a vote without great surprise. The majority of Tories and the Labor opposition overwhelmingly endorsed the deal. Windsor frame » announced in early March by new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. In total, there were 515 deputies for only 29 against, reports our correspondent in Ireland, Laura Taouchanov
In those minority voices are former prime ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. This vote is a victory for Rishi Sunak and also signals the loss of influence within the conservative party of its most Eurosceptic members, who are very critical of Sunak’s desire to calm his relations with the EU.
Northern Irish Unionists still unhappy with deal
Among those who voted against, there are also the unionists of the DUP of Northern Ireland. They had warned that they would block. Their voices are not enough to block the agreement. On the other hand, what worries the rest of the political class is that they continue to refuse to form a government to protest against the operation of the protocol. This new agreement does not change anything, they still claim that it will weaken the position of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom. And it has been almost a year since the British province has been held hostage by these negotiations.
In this agreement, there is in particular a “ stormont brake of the name of the building housing the Northern Irish Parliament, which will allow the deputies of the province to block the application of new trade rules voted in Brussels and likely to apply in Northern Ireland.
In the meantime, the Brexit soap opera that has been going on for more than three years should soon be coming to an end. This Friday, UK and EU leaders will meet to formally adopt the Windsor Framework.
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