Tory rebellion grows as Liz Truss, Priti Patel and Iain Duncan Smith to REJECT Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal
Rishi Sunak is facing down a growing mutiny on his backbenches as Liz Truss, Priti Patel and Sir Iain Duncan Smith are all set to vote against his Brexit deal for Northern Ireland.
The former prime minister, ex-home secretary and previous Tory leader have said they will not support Sunak’s agreement negiotiated with the EU to resolve post-Brexit trade in NI.
A source close to Truss told the PA news agency she planned to vote against the Brexit deal after today’s Commons debate. While Patel told the Telegraph newspaper she also plans to rebel.
Truss is said to believe the Windsor pact does not “satisfactorily resolve the issues thrown up by” the NI Protocol and “almost fatally impinges” the UK’s ability to diverge from EU rules.
While Patel said the brake “does not change the fact that there are areas of law and decision-making where the democratic will of NI is fettered by the EU”.
In a statement, she said: “NI is not able to reject EU laws that are already in place and where current laws are acting against the interests of NI and the UK, the NI assembly continues to be powerless to act.”
Sir Iain is also set to join colleagues in the ‘no’ lobby this afternoon on the Brexit deal, the Telegraph reports.
EU row
MPs will be voting on the Stormont brake – a key plank of the so-called Windsor Framework – which the prime minister has said meets his pledge to allow the House to have its say.
The deal is unlikely not to pass, as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed his party will offer their support – but the government will be hoping not to rely on opposition numbers.
Confirmation the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) would not back the framework came yesterday, while hardline Brexiteer Tories in the European Research Group (ERG) are set to meet again this morning and have not yet said how members will be voting.
Storm clouds
Rumours of growing oppostion to the plans began circulating this morning, after ex-PM Boris Johnson confirmed he was set to vote against Sunak’s Brexit deal.
Johnson will also appear before the Commons privileges committee today for a blockbuster grilling to determine whether he “unknowingly, recklessly or intentionally” misled the House.
He previously said he would “find it very difficult” for vote for Sunak’s plans.
Who is voting against?
James Duddridge (Cons)
David Jones (Cons)
Boris Johnson (Cons)
Iain Duncan Smith (Cons)
Liz Truss (Cons)
Andrea Jenkyns (Cons)
Peter Bone (Cons)
Priti Patel (Cons)
Mark Francois (Cons)
Simon Clarke (Cons)
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (DUP)
Ian Paisley Jr (DUP)
Sammy Wilson (DUP)
Gregory Campbell (DUP)
Paul Girvan (DUP)
Jim Shannon (DUP)
Carla Lockhart (DUP)
Gavin Robinson (DUP)