Rishi Sunak interview: ‘It is simply not right for the Northern Ireland economy to be sucked out of the orbit of the rest of the UK’

The News Letter pressed the former chancellor and Tory leadership contender on the issue when we were granted a brief interview with him. He spoke to us for six minutes yesterday. Liz Truss did not give us any time at all for an interview.

Here are our questions to Mr Sunak, and his answers.

NL: You’re emphatic in your commitment to the NI Protocol Bill but then more or less say that the bill is needed if we don’t get what we need through negotiation with the EU. Is it not important that the legislation goes through anyway, as a framework to protect the Union that’s always there, given that it is a latent piece of legislation that may or may not need to be activated?

Sunak: The thing that I want to make sure is that we have a solution. The situation needs fixing, it’s simply not right that the NI economy and nation are being sucked out of the orbit of the rest of the UK as a result of the implementation of the protocol, that’s simply not right.

It won’t be acceptable to me as prime minister of the UK and I will do what it takes to rectify that. That is why we should push on with the bill and I’ve been very clear that’s what I will do but alongside that I think it’s entirely sensible to try and engage in negotiations.

Look the track record is, as David Frost has shown, that it is possible to negotiate things with the EU and do it reasonably quickly and that should be attractive because if that allows us the route to resolving this faster than the bill can pass I think that would be good for NI. But be in no doubt this situation needs fixing and I will make sure I do whatever it takes to fix it.

NL: There is a legal action against the protocol, with cross-unionist support for it – including from the late Lord Trimble. Would it not make sense for the government to concede this legal action? Its next stage will be before the Supreme Court.

Sunak: I think the right thing for the government to do is to resolve the situation and for me, passing the legislation is the way to do that whilst at the same time engaging in negotiations as a new prime minister I would believe I’d have the opportunity to do.

And I’ve got a track record also in getting agreement with my colleagues across various countries in my role as chancellor so I’m confident that I’ll start in a position where a constructive relationship might be able to lead to a good outcome but look, the key thing is, to resolve the situation and that’s what the bill does and I think that’s what people would want to see.

NL: Would you guarantee (as opposed to aspire to) that the proposed cut to VAT on domestic energy bills extends to Northern Ireland?

Sunak: That’s why the protocol needs fixing.

That’s a great example of one of the issues with the protocol and I raised that from the Despatch Box when I cut VAT on energy saving materials eg roof top solar and I made the point from the Despatch Box at the time that the protocol did not allow us to extend that VAT cut to Northern Ireland and I used it as an example of why we need to find a solution to this particularly with regard to energy=saving materials. Actually the VAT cut applies to those materials that are installed on someone’s house. It’s not as if they’re in tradable goods because they’re physically installed on a premises and so it was a good example of why this is not working and it needs to be fixed.

NL: Many of our readers would say that the legacy of the Troubles has turned against state forces that prevented civil war. This involves huge amounts of UK money – civil actions funded by legal aid, multiple inquiries, inquests etc, overwhelmingly into alleged wrongdoing against the state. As a financial man, and someone who is talking about their commitment to NI/UK, are you concerned by what unionists would say is a pro-terrorist juggernaut?

Sunak: Well look, at the outset I just pay tribute to the police and armed forces who were incredibly brave in their contribution to building peace and stability in Northern Ireland and at the same time I pay tribute to every family who’s lost a loved one or has had a family member injured at some point during the Troubles.

My view is that I think it’s right that we protect innocent servicemen who have spent their entire lives under the threat of prosecution. The vast majority of them served with distinction and honour and they deserve certainty and that’s why I’ve pledged to pass the legacy bill.

The interview was cut short at this point for time reasons. Mr Sunak’s team however said he was going to go on to say that he is committed to continuing the legacy conversation with all groups and parties on getting the exact approach to it right.