Last night, it emerged that King Charles was at risk of being drawn into politics as it was revealed that he was scheduled to meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Windsor amidst critical Brexit negotiations with Rishi Sunak over Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister is considering finalizing a new trade agreement governing Northern Ireland, despite concerns that it could destabilize his premiership.
A plan had been proposed for the King to host the European President, and sources suggest that they had made significant progress and planned to hold further discussions in the coming days. However, this meeting at such a sensitive time would have been highly unusual and could raise questions about the judgment of No 10 and the Palace.
The monarch’s involvement in any form could give the impression that he had endorsed the deal, potentially risking accusations that the Prime Minister involved the King in a contentious political issue. Some may have hoped that the impression of royal authority would help win over unionists in Northern Ireland, whose support is crucial for the agreement to be passed.
There were even discussions about naming the deal the Windsor Agreement, according to Sky News. However, the proposed meeting has now been cancelled for unspecified reasons, and both No 10 and Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
Downing Street has not disclosed a specific timeline for the agreement, but sources suggest it may be reached in the next 72 hours or tomorrow. Cabinet ministers are on standby for a possible conference call to discuss the details, and MPs believe the agreement could be presented to Parliament on Monday.
Despite this, it remains unclear if or when MPs will be given a vote on the deal.
A senior Tory has discouraged the Prime Minister from holding a vote, citing concerns that it would further divide the party. Meanwhile, Eurosceptic MPs, including Boris Johnson, have suggested that they could vote against the deal if they feel that too much ground has been conceded to Brussels, with threats of resignations.
Nonetheless, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has insisted that Rishi Sunak will not sign a Brexit deal that fails to meet the demands of the DUP, and Mr. Sunak is expected to hold further talks with DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson to gain his support.
»Prime Minister considers finalizing a new trade agreement governing Northern Ireland«
↯↯↯Read More On The Topic On TDPel Media ↯↯↯