Rishi Sunak threatens his ministers to RESIGN as he attempts to call their bluff in Brexit row

Rishi Sunak has downplayed threats from ministers over his post-Brexit Northern Ireland plans in a bid to call Tory rebels’ bluff amid speculation of senior resignations.

Government sources say Sunak is preparing to face down Brexit critics and press ahead with a deal on the Protocol.

The Prime Minister faces growing backlash from ministers over his decision to overrule the Northern Ireland Protocol in exchange for a new deal with the EU.

Sunak has reportedly dismissed the risk of senior resignations as Downing Street insists that he is focused on intensive talks.

Cabinet ministers Penny Mordaunt and Suella Braverman warned the Prime Minister that the Northern Ireland Bill was an important tool in negotiations – hinting he should not neglect it in favour of reaching a deal.

Sources say Suella Braverman was not contemplating resigning
Danny Lawson

Proposed legislation, under Boris Johnson, would allow the Government to unilaterally replace parts of the Brexit trade agreement without consent from the EU.

Yesterday, reports surfaced that ministers were prepared to resign over Sunak’s proposals for a new Brexit deal if it fails to protect the place of Northern Ireland in the UK.

At present goods crossing from Great Britain into Northern Ireland are subject to a number of bureaucratic customs checks by the EU, hindering trade within the United Kingdom.

Although, sources close to Home Secretary said she was not contemplating resigning.

One minister said they were not aware of colleagues threatening to quit while another suggested rumours were just threats to keep Sunak vigilant.

Another minister added that a potential fight over the Bill would only cause damage to the party.

“Do we want to die in a ditch about specifics around the Protocol and the European Court of Justice, which our constituents don’t care about, or do we want to get on with tackling something like the small boats issue, which they do?” they told inews.

Ahead of a video call with the foreign secretary, James Cleverly, the European Commission vice-president, Maroš Šefčovič, said on Tuesday that a deal was within grasp.

However, the Protocol Bill is understood to have been paused by the Prime Minister.

The leader of the DUP said there are 'still some very key issues that need to be resolved'
Liam McBurney

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned against scrapping the bill in favour of a new deal, adding that the move would be “a big mistake”.

It came as eurosceptic MPs in the European Research Group of the Conservative party met the Democratic Unionist party leader, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.

One senior ERG member told the Guardian that the “protocol doesn’t work, it will never work”.

While another added: “In reality, if all they are talking about is tinkering around the edges, it’s the same deal; it’s the status quo with a bit of a glossary explaining how to implement the protocol.”