Eurosceptic Tory MPs warn ‘devil lies in detail’ for Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal

The Prime Minister received support from several of his MPs after announcing the “breakthrough” with the EU in a bid to remove trade barriers.

But prominent Eurosceptics made clear they will reserve judgment on the “Windsor Framework” until they have fully read the documents.

Former minister Mark Francois, chairman of the European Research Group (ERG) made up of anti-EU Tory MPs, sought assurances he “won’t find any nasty surprises” when analysing the deal.

He thanked Mr Sunak for publishing the white paper and legal text on the same day, adding: “As a former chancellor, he knows well that on budget day the Government puts a good gloss on whatever they’re putting to the public but then you have to read through the red book to just check on the fine detail.

“He’s worked very hard on this so can he assure me and the whole House that when we go through the red book, or in this instance the detailed legal text, we won’t find any nasty surprises which will materially undermine the position of Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom?”

Mr Sunak said: “I believe it meets the objectives that we set out to do.”

He added: “I’m confident that when he goes through the detail he will see that this is a good agreement, it’s the right agreement for Northern Ireland, for the people of Northern Ireland and it’s a way for our United Kingdom to move forward together.”

Conservative Sir Bill Cash, who chairs the European Scrutiny Committee, said: “The (Prime Minister) will know that in the papers that have been published this afternoon the devil as ever lies in the detail.”

Mr Sunak would not be drawn on when Parliament would have a say on the agreement, earlier saying: “Parliament will of course have its say and there will be a vote. But we will need to do that at the appropriate time as we give people the time and space to consider the detail.”

Conservative former prime minister Theresa May, who initially tried to secure a deal with the EU following the 2016 referendum, was among those to welcome the agreement.

She said: “The Northern Ireland Protocol negotiated and signed by the Government in December 2019 adopted the European Union’s preferred proposal of a border down the Irish Sea.

“Can I congratulate the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Foreign Secretary, and all their teams, for all the work they have done to achieve this negotiated settlement which will make a huge difference.”

She added: “Does he agree with me that the best move now is for everybody across this House to support this settlement, because that is what is in the best interests of all the people of Northern Ireland?”

Mr Sunak replied: “I agree with her. What all of us should have at this moment at the top of our minds is the people of Northern Ireland and what is in their interest.

“I hope when people have the time and space to consider the Windsor Framework, that they will see that this is the best way to move forward and build that better future in Northern Ireland.”

Conservative former Brexit secretary David Davis gave his backing to the deal, describing it as “a spectacular negotiating success”.

Dame Andrea Leadsom, another Tory ex-cabinet minister, said: “It certainly seems to me, reflecting back over the last five years, that at any point in that time if this deal had been on the table, those of us who are Brexiteers, those of us who are Remainers, those of us who are unionists, would have jumped on it.”

DUP MP Sammy Wilson (East Antrim) told Mr Sunak: “I welcome the 18-minute confession which the Prime Minister undertook about the damage which the protocol, which his Government signed, has done to Northern Ireland.”

He voiced concerns about the impact of EU law and the veto mechanism proposed, saying he still “fears our position in the United Kingdom is not going to be restored” by the agreement.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer earlier said his party would support the deal and committed not to “play political games”.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said “broadly speaking, I am fully supportive” of the Windsor Framework, but he said “we cannot and we should not forget the damage which has been done by leaving the European Union”.