PM urges EU to be ‘pragmatic’ and settle Protocol deal

RISHI SUNAK believes a deal with the EU to end the Brexit border stand-off can be clinched by Christmas, as Tory MPS warned him not to water down his demands to overhaul the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Prime Minister held talks with Micheál Martin, the Irish prime minister, on the margins of the British-irish summit in Blackpool last night as hopes for a breakthrough rose.

He called for “flexibility and pragmatism” from Brussels in the negotiations but said his “strong preference” was for an agreement that would avoid the risk of a cross-channel trade war.

“I’m pleased with the progress that we’re making in these early days in this job, and my focus is to try and find a resolution here, get the institutions back up and running,” Mr Sunak said.

After the meeting he added: “People and businesses in Northern Ireland have been crystal clear that they want agreed solutions to the Protocol and now is the time to do so.”

When Chris Heaton-harris, the Northern Ireland Secretary, was asked if a deal could be done by Christmas, he replied: “Yeah, and I’m a glass-half-full man.”