he former UK prime minister said the “best way forward” was instead to press ahead with a law that would rip up the existing Irish Border agreement with the EU. In an interview, Mr Johnson said that passing the Protocol Bill would “fix all the problems” faced by people and businesses in Northern Ireland.
His remarks will dent No 10’s hopes of winning around Tory MPs and the DUP, who have expressed concern over the contents of Mr Sunak’s deal. Downing Street had been braced for Mr Johnson’s opposition, with Mr Sunak’s allies arguing that he is motivated by a wish to return to power.
Mr Johnson was asked twice during an interview with Sky News whether he could commit to supporting an agreement with the EU.
“I think that it’s important we wait to see what there may be, but I think the best way forward is the Northern Ireland Bill,” he told the broadcaster. “It fixes all the problems.
“It solves the problems that we have in the Irish Sea, it solves the problems of paperwork, Vat and so on. “It’s an excellent bill and doesn’t set up any other problems in the economy of the whole island of Ireland, so I’d go with that one.”
His intervention comes amid fears in Brussels and European capitals that the backlash to the proposed deal in Westminster is “spiralling out of control”.
EU officials and diplomats voiced fears that Mr Sunak will be unable to secure the backing of the DUP or influential European Research Group of Tory MPs. “I’m starting to wonder whether a deal is possible at all,” one source said.
An EU diplomat added: “It seems like things are spiralling out of control for No 10, so we might soon find out.
“Sunak’s been waiting for the moment to jump and get this done politically. The question is whether he’s waited too long.”
The UK and EU have been engaged in negotiations in the hope of finalising a deal to end the two-year stand-off over the Protocol, which prevents a hard Border with Ireland by moving checks to the Irish Sea but which Unionists believe has created barriers between Northern Ireland and Britain.
Mr Sunak has opened talks with Unionists and Brexiteers to start selling the reformed deal that he has all but agreed with Brussels.
The prime minister has argued that the pact delivers on the demands set out by the DUP and ERG without making the finer details of it public, but they appear unconvinced.
Both the EU and UK had planned to close out the deal by the end of the month, which now looks unlikely. Once a deal is agreed it will be finalised at a meeting between Mr Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission’s president, in London.
The apparent breakdown has left some EU officials to ponder whether they could have forced Mr Sunak’s hand by pushing a “quick and dirty” deal through under the radar last month.
“I think there was merit in us coming out swiftly and randomly, but it is too late now,” a source said.
Some negotiators blame the fact Mr Sunak kept the DUP and ERG in the dark over his planned deal, which retains powers for European judges in Northern Ireland, for too long.
Meanwhile, the prospect of Mr Sunak winning over the DUP appeared to shrink further as a former leader warned that its hardline stance would not be dropped. Arlene Foster claimed that the party has a “mandate” from Northern Irish voters for its tough stance. (© Telegraph Media Group Ltd 2023)