DUP opposition won’t stop EU/UK deal on Northern Ireland - Davy

Michael Bolton

The opposition form the DUP to the Windsor framework deal in the UK's House of Commons will not be enough to stop the deal between the EU and Uk passing, according to Davy.

DUP leader Jeffery Donaldson confirmed that his party will vote against new legislation for the EU/UK agreement on Northern Ireland, the ‘Windsor Framework’, in the Commons.

The objection is that the ‘Stormont brake’ element of the deal allows unionists to potentially block new EU trade rules affecting Northern Ireland but not existing laws.

Since the agreement of the Windsor framework, the DUP have voiced the need for further need of compromise in the deal.

The party has boycotted Stormont since last year, after objections to the previous agreement, the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The party's continued boycott of Stormont will likely lead to further disruption in Northern Ireland politics. However, the relationship between the EU and UK is unlikely to change, according to Davy's Conall MacCoille.

"British media do not expect a major rebellion amongst Conservative backbench MPs in tomorrow’s vote, undermining Rishi Sunak’s position. In any case, the opposition Labour Party will vote for the deal, so the legislation will pass.

"[British prime minister] Rishi Sunak’s deal is perceived in Britain to have been a success, securing unexpected concessions from the EU.

"There is little appetite to restart negotiations or expend political capital to support the DUP, likely to be seen as an increasingly intransigent position and who may in time participate in the Stormont assembly," Mr MacCoille added.