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The Conservative MP’s European Studies Group (ERG) has strongly criticized Rishi Sunak’s Windsor Framework Agreement, but has not voted against it.
ERG MP Chairman Marc-Francois explained that a key element of the agreement, the Stormont brake, was “virtually useless”, and the overall agreement would put EU law first in Northern Ireland. The so-called “green lane” of trade “doesn’t really work,” he said. Totally green lane” and “the framework itself has no exit”.
However, he could not confirm whether members of the group would vote against it when it is submitted to Commons on Wednesday.
The group is scheduled to meet again Wednesday morning to discuss how to vote, but senior ERG sources have suggested members will not act as blocs, raising the possibility of MP splitting in the commons division. increase.
“Everyone is free to make their own decisions,” the source said, adding that the ERG “has had a debate” over Theresa May’s “meaningful vote” on the Brexit deal, and that “individual members are I have made the decision,” he said.
Both the sources and François said of parliamentarians who are now members of the ERG, amid suggestions that the group had been significantly reduced in size since she withdrew her Brexit deal with Prime Minister May in 2019. He refused to disclose the number.
The ERG has engaged a so-called ‘Star Chamber’ of lawyers led by Conservative MP Sir Bill Cash to review documents on the Windsor Framework released last month.
Their intervention comes after the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said it would unanimously vote against it when it is presented to the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
Party leader Sir Geoffrey Donaldson said many of their concerns depended on how the ‘Stormont Brake’ would work. He said on Monday: “While representing real progress, the ‘brakes’ do not address the underlying problem of imposing EU law through the Protocol.”
He also said that party officials were “in the context of our continuing concerns and the need to ensure further progress while continuing to seek clarification, change and rework, as our MPs We agreed to vote against the draft statutory text on Wednesday.” ”.
Many Conservative MPs have expressed frustration that a vote on Sunak’s pledged Windsor framework will be conducted by statutory document.
This story is being updated.