Tracey Magee: Clear Prime Minister little bewildered on position he finds himself in

It is custom and practice for a Prime Minister to do a round of interviews ahead of his party’s annual conference. Coincidentally as the conservative party faithful gather in Manchester this weekend, the Windsor Framework goes live. The green and red lanes - a key component of the deal Rishi Sunak negotiated with the EU - will come into being at Northern Ireland’s ports. The Prime Minister’s problem is that while everyone - including the DUP - acknowledges the Windsor Framework is an improvement on its predecessor the NI Protocol, it isn’t enough to entice the largest unionist party back into government.

Asked repeatedly what he plans to do to get the DUP to change their minds, Mr Sunak would only say ‘intensive’ work is going behind the scenes. But pushed on what his government will do to make the Framework more appealing to the DUP, Mr Sunak insisted the Framework is ‘set’. “The Windsor Framework is the Windsor Framework,” he told me. “But where we can work with stakeholders in its implementation to do it in a way that is better or more flexible, of course we'll be open to doing that, and that is happening in the dialogue which I very much welcome.” “But the fundamentals of it are what they are, and they resolve the practical issues that were raised with me on things like pets, on parcels, on medicines, about tax policy, on key things applying in Northern Ireland. Listening to the Prime Minister it’s clear he is a little bewildered by the position he now finds himself in. He successively negotiated a deal with an initially suspicious EU, he believes he’s crossed off the DUP’s seven tests and his government managed to secure a massive majority in the one vote Parliament held on the Windsor Framework - and yet devolution remains stalled. Challenged about the fact that the DUP don’t see the Framework as a basis for going back into government, he sounded a little plaintive.

“I think everyone acknowledges that is a huge improvement on the protocol. I think it would be churlish to suggest otherwise. I believe it secures Northern Ireland's place in our union and resolves many of the practical issues, whether it's with pets or parcels or medicines or indeed making sure that tax and spend policy applies equally in Northern Ireland, does elsewhere. We've resolved all of those issues with the Framework.” So what’s next? The Taoiseach has some ideas. Leo Varadkar wants to discuss a plan B when he meets Mr Sunak on the fringes of a European Political Community get together in Granada next week. It’s not a subject the Prime Minister was prepared to be drawn on. “We’ll talk about a range of things,” he said. “But my priority is making sure that we get the executive up and running. I think that's the right thing to do. I think that's what the people of Northern Ireland need and deserve.” It’s hardly a surprise that the Prime Minister is unwilling to discuss future decision-making in Northern Ireland in the event of a prolonged hiatus in government. Ministers don’t want to contemplate the imposition of direct rule. A role for the Irish government is definitely too hot a topic to make public pronouncements on. But what’s also clear is the Irish government is growing increasingly impatient with the current situation. As one very senior Irish official told me recently: ‘The Irish government has been biting its tongue for months now and it’s starting to hurt.’ In the meantime the UK government is facing growing criticism that it is allowing public services in Northern Ireland to fall apart. Health workers claim they are being discriminated against in terms of pay parity in comparison to their colleagues in the rest of the UK and senior civil servants have warned they cannot take the decisions to make the books balance on Northern Ireland’s already dire financial position because they need ministerial direction. But when I asked the Prime Minister if he’s going to continue to punish everyone in Northern Ireland because the DUP is refusing to go back into Stormont he took exception. “I don't think that's the right characterization. The UK government has put an unprecedented amount of funding into Northern Ireland, record levels, more so than any other part of the UK,” Mr Sunak told me. That may be true, but it also conveniently ignores the recent findings from the NI Fiscal Council that Northern Ireland is facing a 3.2% real terms cut in its budget this year. Another uncomfortable subject for the Prime Minister is the legacy legislation. While relatives of those killed return to the High Court to continue their fight against the legacy bill which they say is unjust, Mr Sunak repeated the government’s position that it is the best option. Mr Sunak said, “I understand the strength of feeling on this. We are finding a way through. These are all uncomfortable and difficult choices. I accept that. But we want to significantly improve on what was there before, and I think we are doing that. We're doing it sensitively whilst complying with all our international obligations.” It’s not surprising the Prime Minister has decided to take that position, but in the end it will be up to the courts to decide if he’s right.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.