17 February 2023 , 17:04
492
0
Rishi Sunak will fly to the continent tomorrow as he tries to sort out the mess of the Brexit deal.
The PM will meet EU chief Ursula Von Der Leyen and other European leaders at the Munich Security Conference.
It is hoped a tweaked trade agreement will be announced next week following months of rows about the arrangements for Northern Ireland.
Mr Sunak today held talks with politicians in Belfast, including DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.
After their meeting, Sir Jeffrey said he was "hopeful" an agreement can be reached.
UK and EU reach customs deal that could end Northern Ireland logjam, says report
Labour's Peter Kyle ramped up pressure on Rishi Sunak to get a deal (PA)"I think it is safe to say that progress has been made across a range of areas, but there are still some areas where further work is required,” he told reporters.
But he warned Mr Sunak not to rush into signing an agreement, saying: “It is fundamentally important that he agrees the right deal.
“I do not believe that anyone should be led by a calendar.”
Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald said it was “very much game on”.
Labour's Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Kyle said: "We hear for the umpteenth time a Northern Ireland protocol deal is near.
“To reiterate: if a deal can be done, Rishi Sunak should do it. Labour with Keir Starmer's firm leadership stands ready to ensure parliamentary approval. Northern Ireland can no longer be held back by the Tory Brexit purity cult.”
On his return to Downing Street tonight, Mr Sunak warned "there is more work to do" on finding a deal to fix the issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol.
He said: "Today I had positive conversations with political parties in Northern Ireland about our ongoing discussions to resolve the Northern Ireland Protocol.
"Now it is clear that we need to find solutions to the practical problems that the protocol is causing families and business in Northern Ireland, as well as address the democratic deficit.
"There is more work to do, and that's why my ministerial colleagues and I will continue talking to the European Union intensely to find solutions that protect the Belfast Good Friday agreement and Northern Ireland's place in our single market."
Rishi Sunak must suspend Dominic Raab during bullying inquiry says union chief
* Follow Mirror Politics on Snapchat, Tiktok, Twitter and Facebook.