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Today in Focus

Is the Northern Ireland protocol deal a much-needed win for Rishi Sunak?

Today in Focus

The Guardian

Daily News, News

4.5778 Ratings

🗓️ 28 February 2023

⏱️ 30 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The protocol led to the collapse of power sharing in Northern Ireland’s assembly – and empty supermarket shelves. So will the prime minister’s Windsor framework solve everything?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Transcript

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0:00.0

This is the Guardian.

0:08.0

Today is the new Northern Island Protocol deal, a triumph for Rishi Sunak.

0:16.0

In the two years since it was introduced, the Northern Island Protocol has caused nothing but trouble.

0:22.0

For anyone sending goods like food, medicines or plants, between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, it's meant masses of paperwork and expense.

0:25.0

Empty shelves have been the image of the early days of the day.

0:30.0

The new era of the New Zealanders has been a huge part of the world.

0:35.0

The new era of the New Zealanders has been a huge part of the world.

0:39.0

The new era of the New Zealanders has been a huge part of the world.

0:42.0

Empty shelves have been the image of the early days of the A-Rish Sea border.

0:47.0

Because getting those goods across the A-Rish Sea, 9 involves a huge amount of time-consuming administration.

0:54.0

And for politicians, it's caused even more trouble.

0:58.0

Unionists in Northern Ireland say the deal has undermined their aspirations and economic opportunities,

1:05.0

rights that were written into law under the Good Friday Agreement.

1:10.0

And because of that, unionist politicians have brought the Northern A-Rish Parliament to a standstill.

1:16.0

As I've said before, while the present protocol arrangements remain in place,

1:21.0

it cannot be business as usual for north-south relations.

1:26.0

Unionists feared that the protocol was weakening the union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

1:33.0

And politicians in Westminster knew it couldn't last any longer.

1:39.0

Finally, after months of negotiations, Rishisunak made a breakthrough.

1:44.0

Together, we have changed the original protocol and are today announcing the new Windsor Framework.

1:52.0

And yesterday, alongside Ursula Von DeLion, the President of the European Commission,

1:57.0

announced that they'd reached a new agreement that they were calling the Windsor Framework.

...

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