Rishi Sunak: 'We are by no means done' on Brexit deal - The Telegraph

Rishi Sunak has said “we are by no means done” over his Brexit deal which aims to break the deadlock engulfing the Northern Ireland protocol.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference the Prime Minister appeared exasperated as he told those gathered: "There isn’t a deal that has been done. There is an understanding of what needs to be done. We are by no means done."

He said: "When it comes to issue of Northern Ireland Protocol there are real issues that need resolving. The way that the protocol has been implemented Its causing very real challenges for families, people, businesses on the ground. 

"Also an Issue of democratic deficit that sits at heart of protocol as is currently constructed. Those are things we need to resolve. I’m working very hard together with my ministerial colleagues … we are working very closely together, we are engaging in those conversations with the European union, all the time.

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (L) speaks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during their bilateral meeting at the 59th Munich Security Conference on Feb 18, 2023 Credit: Pool

"There is still work to do. There are still challenges to work through. We have not resolved all these issues. No, There isn't a deal that has been done. There is an understanding of what needs to be done, it’s the issues that I outlined.

"We are working through those, we are working through them hard and we will work through them intensely with the EU but we are by no means done."

It comes after Mr Sunak was warned that his Brexit deal “falls short”, as he rushed to get an agreement over the line to present to Parliament on Tuesday.

Rishi Sunak arriving for the Munich Security Conference on Saturday Credit: BEN STANSALL

Mr Sunak added: “When it comes to the issue of the Northern Ireland protocol there are real issues that need resolving. It’s causing very real challenges.”

He cited the issue of the “democratic deficit that sits at the heart of protocol as currently constructed” as one of the major “things we need to resolve”. 

It follows a trip to Northern Ireland on Friday where he hoped to win the support of political leaders. But Mr Sunak faced a setback as Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), told him that the pact as it stands would not win his party’s support. Sir Jeffrey said the deal as described to him “currently falls short of what would be acceptable”.

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2023-02-18 14:30:00Z
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