Andrew Marr: Stuck Sunak will either infuriate EU or split party over Northern Ireland
21 February 2023, 18:44 | Updated: 21 February 2023, 19:16
Rishi Sunak's answer to the Northern Ireland Protocol will either "split his party" if he sides with the EU, or infuriate the bloc if he sides with unionists, Andrew Marr has said.
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Speaking on LBC's Tonight with Andrew Marr, the presenter said that despite Mr Sunak's attempts to win over all parties, his answer to the issues with the protocol will inevitably cause division.
"Sometimes the most important things happening at Westminster are hidden away from the outside world and today is one of those days," he said.
"Rishi Sunak is trying to get a new deal with the EU over the future of Northern Ireland which is half in, half out, of Europe, unlike Britain- it’s not half in, half out of the UK… but perhaps half half-in.
"Confused? Don't worry, so is everybody else - except the people who think this is simple. And those people are all, every one of them, mad as a box of frogs.
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"Let me do my little best. Sunak’s trying to persuade the EU to allow goods to move freely in and out of Northern Ireland without any European oversight.
"Brussels, pointing out, not unreasonably, that they signed a deal about all of this with some bloke called Boris Johnson not that long ago, says no.
"Unionists and their Tory allies want a border in Ireland which nationalists say would be the target for fresh violence. Well, we can't have that.
"Instead, the EU and nationalists want to keep the current border between Northern Ireland and Britain – the sea border - which Unionists say undermines their status and may lead to fresh violence. We can't have that either.
Andrew Marr insists the PM must decide who he is over NI protocol deal
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"But there has to be a border somewhere and those are the only two options.
"By now you may be thinking OK, well then, there’s no answer to this.
"You might even be experiencing a sense of mild discomfort below the breastbone which I can reveal means you’re feeling slightly sorry for Rishi Sunak.
"He’s been going around smiling a great deal recently - he does have a nice smile - and trying to be pleasant to everyone… to no real effect.
"But it gets worse. If Rishi sides with the EU, he will split his party, Boris Johnson will be jumping around in public again and he may even lose his job.
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"If he sides with the unionists, and reneges on the so-called protocol his own government signed, he will infuriate not just the EU with whom we need to trade - but also Joe Biden the US president, who had planned to come over here in early April to celebrate the 25 years of peace since the Good Friday Agreement.
"Sunak’s whole pitch is that he can make a success of this country after Brexit but that would make Global Britain more like Millwall Britain – no-one likes us, we don't care."
