A senior Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician has accused the British government of “spin” surrounding a new agreement set to replace controversial post-Brexit trading arrangements.
MP Sammy Wilson—the DUP’s chief whip—suggested the newly negotiated Windsor Framework was “not a great deal” while also taking aim at King Charles for meeting European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen following crunch deal talks with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Wilson made the comments to Times Radio on Wednesday, firstly zoning in on the newly negotiated deal’s so-called “Stormont brake.”
‘Not a Brake at All’
Speaking to Times Radio, Wilson said: “The Stormont brake is not really a brake at all. It’s a delaying mechanism.”He said the UK government would have the final say over whether to veto a law, which it would be reluctant to do due to being “fearful of the consequences of trade for the rest of the United Kingdom.”
“The price of that would be that the EU would take retaliatory action,” he said, adding that he suspects the ‘Stormont brake’ would therefore be fairly ineffective.”
The DUP will take its time to consider the substance of the Windsor agreement rather than the government’s “spin,” Wilson added.
He declined to say whether that would take days or weeks, telling Times Radio: “As long as it takes us to, first of all, look at the substance of the deal rather than the spin which the Government has given.
“We’ll be going back to the government. We’ve already identified a whole range of things that the Government has claimed will happen, which we now know won’t happen because we’ve looked at the EU’s explanation of it.”
‘Not a Great Deal’
Taking aim at the King’s meeting with Ursula von der Leyen at Windsor Castle moments after the UK-EU pact, Wilson said: “I think first of all it’s really an indication the government knew this deal was not a great deal and were trying to persuade unionists to accept it on the basis that we have great respect for the monarchy,” he said.“To use the monarch in the way in which he has been used, I think, is a very, very dangerous thing.”
His critical comments come hot on the heels of negative feedback from another of the unionist party’s MPs, Ian Paisley Jr.
Paisley, son of the DUP’s founding member the late Ian Paisley, told GB News earlier this week that the new deal is not satisfactory.
“Has it been changed sufficiently, does it meet our seven tests? Obviously, we’re going to continue to assess the legal framework,” he told GB News.
“But I think it falls some way short in satisfying those tests. That’s my gut instinct,” he said.
“And therefore whilst the Prime Minister continues to have a protocol effectively still be in operation, that will effectively still see ECJ rule in Northern Ireland, that will still see us subject to single market rules as opposed to fully UK rules, unfortunately that means that powersharing does not look like it’s coming back any time soon.”
Hope for Powersharing
The Prime Minister is giving the party “time and space” to consider the Windsor Framework, which is hoped will restore powersharing to Stormont after a year-long absence.DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who won the leadership against the backdrop of division within the party, has withheld judgement while consulting colleagues to try and reach a “collective decision.”
Richard Graham, a member of the executive of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, said it would be “very sad” if the DUP rejected the agreement.
He told Sky News: “I think there is a strong feeling that this does make a difference for so many people in Northern Ireland and I think it’s going to be difficult for the DUP to strongly object to this, though they will probably say that it’s not perfect.”
Sunak told Tory MPs he was “confident” the DUP would back his deal as he acknowledged a “spectrum of views” within the unionist party.
The Prime Minister addressed Tory backbenchers at the 1922 Committee in the Commons on Tuesday evening after a visit to Northern Ireland in an attempt to shore up support.
“And I would just say one thing to you all: we should give him and the DUP time and space,” Sunak said.
“So let’s not pressure them for an instant answer,” he added. “Let’s also remember that the last thing the public want is another Westminster drama.”
It was being argued that any resistance to the deal will not result in changes to the framework as reopening an agreement that took months to negotiate is not seen as a workable solution.
With opposition parties offering support, there is little chance of it failing to receive support in parliament when put to a vote, so the DUP will not be effectively handed a veto over the process.
Praise for Deal
Meanwhile, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald again praised the newly negotiated agreement, urging Northern Ireland parties to get back into a fully functioning government.Speaking at a press conference in Belfast on Wednesday, she said: “We warmly welcome the fact that the negotiations between the British Government and the European Commission have now concluded and that there is a deal on the table.
“We’ve been meeting today with our team of MLAs because our preparations are now active for a return of the assembly and a return of the executive.”
“We believe time is of the essence, we know that we face very very big challenges, economically, socially, in terms of public service provision. We also know there’s big opportunities as well for the North of Ireland and the opportunities are coming at us now.”
“We’re satisfied that the agreement struck does essential things. It ensures there will be no hardening of the border on our island.”
She added that she thinks “tribute should be paid to the people and to the electorate who have been incredibly patient, and I think at times incredibly frustrated with the entire political process. We need government and we need it now.”
