Boris ‘would find it very difficult’ to support Windsor agreement

BORIS JOHNSON has suggested he may not vote for Rishi Sunak’s new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland, criticising it as “not about the UK taking back control”.

The Prime Minister’s chief political rival said yesterday he would find it “very difficult” to support the Windsor agreement despite claiming some credit for the new pact being brokered.

In his first major speech in the UK since being ousted from office, the former prime minister urged his successor not to slash corporation tax to “outbid the Irish”, and to “do things differently” to not betray the ideals of Brexit.

Mr Sunak managed to secure a new deal from the European Union to replace Mr Johnson’s much-criticised Northern Ireland Protocol that had seen the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) walking out of powersharing in Stormont.

Mr Johnson conceded people “want to move on” and sign the deal, adding “they don’t want any more ructions and I get that, I’ve got to be realistic about it”.

“When I look at the deal we have now I, of course, have mixed feelings.

“I’m conscious of where the political momentum is and people’s deep desire just to get on,” he added.

However, he raised numerous concerns about the Windsor Framework at a global soft power summit before telling the audience: “I’m conscious I’m not going to be thanked for saying this, but I think it is my job to do so, we must be clear about what is really going on here.

“This is not about the UK taking back control, and although there are easements this is really a version of the solution that was being offered last year to Liz Truss when she was foreign secretary. This is the EU graciously unbending to allow us to do what we want to do in our own country, not by our laws, but by theirs.”

Responding to Mr Johnson’s comments, a Downing Street spokesman said: “The PM understands that people will have questions and opinions relating to the Windsor Framework but he believes this is the best deal for the people of Northern Ireland and for businesses in Northern Ireland.”