British prime minister Rishi Sunak has told unionists he hears them “loud and clear” and agrees with their opposition to EU laws being “imposed” on the North as part of the Northern Ireland protocol.
Responding to a question in the House of Commons on Wednesday from DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, Mr Sunak said he would “assure him” he would address the issue in ongoing protocol talks to the EU.
Mr Donaldson said EU law must not be imposed on the North without “democratic scrutiny or consent”, a reference to the EU’s insistence that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) remains the ultimate arbiter of any issues of European Law as it applies to goods trade in the North.
Unionists and right-wing Eurosceptics in the Tory party oppose the ECJ’s role and want it overturned.
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Earlier in the prime ministers questions, Mr Sunak avoided answering a series of questions from the Labour leader Keir Starmer on the ongoing talks to the EU.
Homing in on how the British government would deal with the objections of rebels in Mr Sunak’s party, Mr Starmer asked if he would tell his backbenchers that some EU law must be followed in the North to avoid a hard customs border with the Republic.
When Mr Sunak dodged the question, Mr Starmer told him that Tory Eurosceptic backbenchers would “come after” him and that he should “be honest” with them and tell them that EU law would still apply after any deal.
[ Explainer: How a deal might be reached on the Northern Ireland ProtocolOpens in new window ]
Mr Sunak also avoided two questions – one from Mr Starmer and another from former Tory justice minister Robert Buckland – about whether he would scrap the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, which would give Britain unilateral powers to rip up parts of the trade arrangements for the North previously negotiated with the EU.
Senior Tories, such as Home Secretary Suella Braverman, want the British government to keep the Bill on the table to pressure the EU in talks.
Mr Sunak also suggested the UK parliament will get a say on any deal he negotiates with the European Union over the protocol.
When asked by Mr Starmer if MPs would get to vote on a deal, the prime minister responded that “of course parliament will express its view”.
He not directly confirm, however, that the House of Commons would get to vote on whatever deal, if any emerges.
It has been speculated that Mr Sunak could choose to ram through a deal with the EU without a Commons vote, to prevent a backbench rebellion from Eurosceptic backbenchers.
In sharp exchanges during prime ministers questions, Mr Sunak echoed the language of his backbench rebels and accused Mr Starmer of promoting “surrender” in talks to the EU.
“He wants to put the EU first, I want to put Northern Ireland first,” said Mr Sunak.
