Ann Widdecombe shares her views on Windsor Brexit Framework
UK negotiators held secret talks with EU officials over Rishi Sunak's Brexit deal for Northern Ireland in a bid to end the DUP's Stormont boycott, according to reports.
The discussions in Brussels were part of efforts to revive the devolved government in Northern Ireland ahead of Thursday's deadline for a fresh election.
The DUP pulled out of Stormont in February 2022 in protest at post-Brexit trade arrangements for the province.
The British officials conceded there was no room for any renegotiation of the Windsor Framework, which replaced the Northern Ireland Protocol.
But they asked the EU for favourable language on the implementation of the green lane system, which allows fewer checks for goods from Great Britain destined for Northern Ireland.
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A source told The Telegraph: “It’s on the implementation, the wriggle room, of how things are described and explained. There's no room to renegotiate.”
The DUP has long demanded that goods coming through the green lane should have the bare minimum of controls.
Goods moving through Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland or the rest of the EU must use the red lane.
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The DUP has resisted calls to return to a devolved government despite the Windsor Framework struck by the Prime Minister in February 2022.
The agreement reduces checks on goods coming from Great Britain into Northern Ireland.
In December, the UK Government offered a ￡3.3billion financial package if Stormont was restored.
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