The British Parliament has voted the agreement on the post-Brexit status of Northern Ireland

The British Parliament in London, March 13, 2023. © Andy Bailey / AP

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

British MPs have just overwhelmingly approved the new agreement concluded between London and Brussels on the adoption of trade rules in Northern Ireland.

Advertising

Read more

It is a vote without much surprise. The majority of the Conservatives and the Labour opposition overwhelmingly approved the "Windsor Framework" agreement announced at the beginning of March by the new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. In total, there were 515 MPs against only 29, reports our correspondent in Ireland, Laura Taouchanov

In those minority voices are former prime ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. This vote is a victory for Rishi Sunak and also signals the loss of influence within the conservative party of its most eurosceptic members, very critical of Sunak's desire to appease his relations with the EU.

Northern Irish Unionists still dissatisfied with deal

Among those who voted against, there are also the unionists of the Northern Ireland DUP. They had warned that they would block. Their votes are not enough to block the agreement. On the other hand, what worries the rest of the political class is that they continue to refuse to form a government in protest against the functioning of the protocol. This new agreement does not change anything, they still claim that it will weaken Northern Ireland's position within the United Kingdom. And it has already been almost a year since the British province was held hostage by these negotiations.

In this agreement, there is a "Stormont brake" named after the building housing the Northern Ireland Parliament, which will allow the province's MPs to block the application of new trade rules voted in Brussels and likely to apply in Northern Ireland.

In the meantime, the Brexit soap opera that has lasted for more than three years should soon come to an end. This Friday, British and European leaders will meet to formally adopt the Windsor Framework.

►Also listen: Debate of the day - Brexit: have the British lost everything?

Newsletter Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

Read on on the same topics:

  • Northern Ireland
  • United Kingdom
  • Ireland
  • Brexit
  • European Union