Leaders of the DUP have issued a warning to Rishi Sunak that the party will revolt if the Brexit deal does not meet their conditions.
Sammy Wilson, the MP for East Antrim said if Northern Ireland are left “abandoned to the EU”, the party will not return to power-sharing.
He added that Northern Ireland were “abandoned” by previous Brexit arrangements agreed by Boris Johnson in 2019.
It comes as Sunak met political leaders in Northern Ireland today to give details on the latest negotiations.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said progress has been made across a range of areas
Liam McBurney
“What we want to hear from him most importantly, is where the negotiations have reached in removing the automatic application of EU law to Northern Ireland without any democratic input from the representatives in Northern Ireland," Wilson told BBC Radio 4.
"And without any ability to change those laws if they’re detrimental to Northern Ireland."
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said progress has been made across a range of areas but further work is required before a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol is struck.
In a sign that a deal is imminent, the EU also gathered diplomats from the 27 member states to a briefing on this morning with the UK foreign secretary, James Cleverly.
Donaldson said: “Clearly this is a big moment, the next generation of Northern Ireland and its people requires us all.
"I think, collectively to use our best efforts – particularly the Prime Minister and the European Commission president – to get these issues resolved and to get to a place where the political institutions can be restored.
“The decisions that will be taken by the Prime Minister and by the European Commission will either consign Northern Ireland to more division or they will clear a path towards healing and to the restoration of the political institutions.
“We have not yet seen the final text of an agreement, clearly there will be further discussions between the UK Government and the European Union.
Sammy Wilson said if Northern Ireland are left “abandoned to the EU”, the party will revolt
Liam McBurney
"But I think it is safe to say that progress has been made across a range of areas, but there are still some areas where further work is required.”
A deal has been on the cards over recent weeks and is expected to include a settlement on removing some checks on goods going from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and a resolution to eliminate the European court of justice (ECJ) in the first instance.
Donaldson added: “I am not focused on timescales here, I am fundamentally focused on getting this right.
“We need to see an agreement that delivers that, we’re hopeful that that can happen. But, in the end, we will wait to see the final text to make our judgments as to whether, in fact, that has been delivered.”
