Rishi Sunak May Have Secured A New Brexit Deal, But Everyone Is Thinking About Boris Johnson

"Thoughts and prayers with Boris Johnson’s ambitions and narcissism at this difficult time."
Boris Johnson championed the NI Protocol back in 2019
Boris Johnson championed the NI Protocol back in 2019
Leon Neal via PA Wire/PA Images

Rishi Sunak re-negotiated the Northern Ireland Protocol last night, and the world of politics is reeling – but it’s unlikely everyone is happy.

The prime minister’s new Brexit arrangement, the Windsor Framework, keeps Northern Ireland inside the EU’s single market for goods, preventing friction on the Irish border.

It also creates a faster route for various British goods to reach the country without being weighed down by intense paperwork, which had under the previous deal creating serious trade delays.

So most people (Brexiteers included) are understandably delighted at the thought of the trickiest part of the Brexit deal being resolved.

But, as Twitter pointed out, the main person who seems to have mysteriously disappeared from the spotlight was the man who first created the NI Protocol – Boris Johnson.

Northern Ireland, as the only part of the UK which had a land border with the EU, was a massive problem when he come to power in July 2019.

His NI Protocol deal a couple of months later - which created a customs border in the Irish Sea - appeared to have "got Brexit done", and led to his landslide general election victory.

It’s not surprising then that it was assumed if Johnson was plotting a comeback for 2023, he would present himself as the only one who could fix the Brexit dramas.

But that was before Sunak’s new deal...

Can you imagine how annoyed Boris Johnson is right now?

— Sam Freedman (@Samfr) February 27, 2023

One common feature of the so called "Oven Ready Deal" and the Windsor Agreement is that Boris Johnson hasn't read either of them.

— Peter Smith (@Redpeter99) February 28, 2023

How was Rishi Sunak able to get these concessions when his three predecessors were unable to?

‘There was a constructive attitude from the very beginning’
-Ursula von der Leyen

Take that, Boris Johnson

— Paul Johnson (@paul__johnson) February 27, 2023

Thoughts and prayers with Boris Johnson’s ambitions and narcissism at this difficult time

— ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) February 27, 2023

I wonder whether any of his biggest fans are bright enough to realise how humiliating that was for Boris Johnson.

— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) February 27, 2023

I think the stupidest thing ‘we’ did was putting the obviously & spectacularly untrustworthy Boris Johnson in control of delicate & carefully balanced negotiations. I think that Rishi Sunak not being a bare-faced liar might be the most significant element of today’s developments.

— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) February 27, 2023

Tickles me to know how enraged Boris Johnson must be that Rishi Sunak will be the Prime Minister to get #Brexit 'Done' by resolving NI Protocol dispute.

Only thing oven ready was Boris Johnson lie - he never cared about the Good Friday Agreement or the people of Northern Ireland

— Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu (@SholaMos1) February 27, 2023

Wow. Rishi Sunak might have just ended Boris Johnson's political career.

— Luke McGee (@lukemcgee) February 27, 2023

However, Sunak hasn’t escaped scot-free either.

People haven’t forgotten that he actually championed Johnson as Tory leader and prime minister.

"Of course I speak to the former prime minister," says Rishi Sunak, suddenly unable to recall Boris Johnson's name. pic.twitter.com/XzQehKZRBl

— Robert Hutton (@RobDotHutton) February 28, 2023

Others – like Labour MP Chris Bryant – pointed out that Sunak was in government as a Tory minister when the NI Protocol was agreed.

We could agree more Prime Minister, but you do realise it was your party and a government you served in that implemented it 👀pic.twitter.com/3s10iG2V9q

— Best for Britain (@BestForBritain) February 27, 2023

This is pathetic. @RishiSunak is praising himself for getting rid of impediments to free trade that only came about because of the Johnson/Sunak deal (which they said would lead to no checks in the Irish Sea). They’re cleaning up their own mess.

— Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) February 27, 2023

Rishi Sunak, who was part of a government which claimed four years ago to have negotiated a deal which allowed unfettered trade and prevented a border in the Irish Sea, says he has now negotiated a new deal which restores unfettered trade and removes the border in the Irish Sea.

— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) February 27, 2023

The man who set fire to your house wants a reward for rescuing your cat… https://t.co/byc2PcfUyz

— Shaun Keaveny 💙 (@shaunwkeaveny) February 27, 2023

Some people just pointed out that it was all feeling a little deja vu.

See we’re getting Brexit done….again. 👊🏻

— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) February 27, 2023

Is it called ‘The Windsor Framework’ because it’s all based around an idea that was popular years ago but now a lot of people realise is an unnecessary waste of cash?

— Tiernan Douieb (@TiernanDouieb) February 27, 2023

Happy 'Definitely Getting Brexit Done This Time After We Got Brexit Done Before But Didn't Really Get Brexit Done And We Still Haven't Really Got Brexit Done In Any Positive Sense But Then That Was Never Really On The Cards But Ooh Look There's The King' Day!

— Matt Green (@mattgreencomedy) February 27, 2023

And finally, there were the people who just wished Brexit hadn’t happened in the first place...

Imagine if Rishi just turned and asked Ursula to take us back and she said yes and they both hugged and we could have salad and democracy again. Imagine!

— Damian Barr (@Damian_Barr) February 27, 2023
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