DUP 'ready to engage' in any required re-working of Windsor Framework

The DUP has acknowledged "significant" work has been done with the Windsor Framework, the deal reached between the Prime Minister and the European Commission President on issues and concerns surrounding the NI Protocol.

In a statement released after the agreement was announced the party said it will want to study the detail.

It said it would work with the government for any re-working or changes that were required.

The opinion of the DUP is seen as a key bellwether for the success of any deal, with the party's backing crucial to restoring power sharing at Stormont.

The DUP's leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said: "In broad terms it is clear that significant progress has been secured across a number of areas whilst also recognising there remain key issues of concern.  There can be no disguising the fact that in some sectors of our economy EU law remains applicable in Northern Ireland."The DUP will want to study the detail of what has been published today as well as examining the detail of any and all underpinning legal texts.  Where necessary we stand ready to engage with the Government in order to seek further clarification, re-working or change as required."Ultimately the party will now assess all these proposed outcomes and arrangements against our seven tests, outlined in our 2022 Assembly Election Manifesto, to determine whether what has been published meet our tests and whether it respects and restores Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom.”

Welcoming Monday's breakthrough Sinn Féin's Michelle O’Neill said most people’s minds will now turn to the need to restore the political institutions without delay.

“Sinn Féin has impressed upon the Prime Minister and Commission President throughout this process that the fundamental principles we wanted to safeguard were no hard border on the island of Ireland, protecting the Good Friday Agreement, and safeguarding access to the EU single market for the whole island.

“Most people’s minds will now be on restoration of the Executive and other political institutions of the Good Friday Agreement so that we can get back to work and together make politics work. This means that the DUP must end its blockade.”

Meanwhile the deputy leader of the Alliance Party says the DUP should get back to power-sharing at Stormont if they are "genuine unionists".

MP Stephen Farry said he hopes Rishi Sunak's Brexit deal will lead Northern Irish parties "to move quickly" to restore the Assembly.

He said: "From the DUP's perspective, if they are genuine unionists they need to understand that the preservation of the Union actually flows from a functioning executive and Assembly."

Mr Farry added that his party "broadly welcome" the agreement but has concerns about the deal's Stormont brake clause which can stop EU law applying in Northern Ireland.

He said: "For us, the key test of this is going to be the preservation of Northern Ireland's dual market access to both the wider UK market and also to the European Union market.

"If there is some degree of uncertainty around Northern Ireland's ongoing compliance with EU law... that may well create some problems for both local businesses and potential inward investors."

The UUP Leader Doug Beattie says his party will study the deal in detail to see if it provides the long-lasting solutions promised by the Prime Minister.

“Let me be clear.  We are not here to simply give cover to anyone.  We will form our opinion based on whether we believe this is a good deal for Northern Ireland and one which protects our place within the United Kingdom’s Internal Market."

He added: “Finally, it is important to acknowledge that we were told this was something that couldn’t be done.  If we had listened to those who said the EU had gone as far as they could then we would not have reached this point."

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood encouraged political parties to view the deal between the EU and the British Government "in good faith" and with an eye to restoring Northern Ireland's power-sharing institutions.

He said: "Our primary goals have been to retain the benefits of dual market access for businesses in Northern Ireland, restore the democratic institutions of the Good Friday Agreement and to send politicians back to work in the interests of all our people.

"My appeal to political leaders is to approach this moment in good faith and with a common determination to restore our Assembly and executive."

TUV leader Jim Allister said the new framework had been delivered with "spin, and not a lot of substance".

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Earlier, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he understood parties in Northern Ireland would want to take time to assess the new deal.

"I also recognise that parties and communities across Northern Ireland will want to take the time to consider the detail of what we're announcing today and we should give them the time and the space to do that, and I fully respect that," he told reporters.