Tory Brexiteers and ministers have been urged to give Rishi Sunak the “time and space” to “thrash out” a new deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol amid fears of a rebellion. She described the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill as “one of the biggest tools that we have in solving the problem on the Irish Sea”. A productive video call with @JamesCleverly and @chhcalling, taking stock of our work to find joint solutions to everyday concerns in Northern Ireland. — Maroš Šefčovič🇪🇺 (@MarosSefcovic) February 20, 2023Focus has also turned to the fate of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, which is currently stalled in the Lords and would allow ministers to override parts of the protocol. It comes as former Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis threw his weight behind calls to reform some of the post-Good Friday Agreement architecture in Northern Ireland, arguing that it was failing to reflect the changed electoral landscape in the region.

Source: The Times February 21, 2023 21:48 UTC