Ajit Karn
London: Former British prime minister Boris Johnson criticised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s new Brexit agreement with the European Union on Thursday, stating that he will find it “extremely difficult” to vote for it in Parliament.
Since the British Prime Minister announced a “decisive breakthrough” with the EU in the form of the Windsor Framework, which replaces his former boss’ controversial Northern Ireland Protocol, Rishi Sunak has been riding a predominantly positive tide.
The British Indian leader told the House of Commons that the new accord proves “without a shadow of a doubt that we have regained control.”
Boris Johnson, a disgruntled Conservative Party backbencher, stated on Thursday at the Global Soft Power Summit in London that he would find it “extremely difficult” to vote for the new agreement in Parliament.
Boris Johnson stated, “I’m aware I won’t be thanked for stating this, but I believe it is my duty to do so: we must be explicit about what is actually occurring here.”
“This is not about the United Kingdom regaining control, and despite the fact that there are concessions, this is essentially the same solution that was proposed to (former British prime minister) Liz Truss when she was foreign secretary last year. This is the EU’s magnanimous refusal to enable us to do what we wish in our own country, based on our laws rather than theirs “he said.
“I will find it extremely difficult to vote for something like this because I believe we should have taken a different approach. No matter how much plaster fell from the ceiling in Brussels, the city remained intact “he added.
Boris Johnson stated that he hopes the new agreement will work, but if it doesn’t, the government should have “the courage” to reintroduce the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill that he drafted, which would enable the UK to unilaterally alter sections of the previous Brexit protocol without EU approval. Boris Johnson believes the Bill is what ultimately “brought the EU to negotiate seriously” despite the EU’s allegation that such a step violates international law.
After months of intense negotiations, Rishi Sunak withdrew the Bill from Parliament on Monday after reaching a new agreement with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Windsor.
It is hoped that the Windsor Framework will break the impasse over the controversial and ineffective Northern Ireland Protocol, which was intended to prevent a post-Brexit hard border on the island of Ireland – between UK territory Northern Ireland and EU member-state Ireland – but which effectively created a trade divide.
Now, Rishi Sunak is awaiting the response of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in Northern Ireland and the unambiguous support of strong Brexiteers within his own Conservative party for the new framework. Boris Johnson’s intervention is anticipated to have some impact on the latter, but there is consensus that Rishi Sunak will not confront a significant rebellion over the issue.
Also read: On the coast of France, watertight packets have been found. They Carried 2,300 Kilograms of Cocaine
The Prime Minister has decided to treat his party colleagues to a “day away” in Windsor, the location of the new Brexit framework, following what is widely regarded as a victory for his leadership skills.
The newspaper ‘The Times’ reports that Conservative Party MPs were bused from London to Windsor on Thursday morning for 24 hours of teambuilding, camaraderie, and planning.
