Tory Eurosceptics are preparing to revolt against Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal

Tory Eurosceptics are preparing to revolt this week against Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal.

The ERG bloc will deliver its ‘Star Chamber’ of lawyers’ ruling tomorrow on conditions for Northern Ireland ahead of Wednesday’s showdown.

But many of the members would have already made a decision to oppose the blueprint.

Meanwhile, divisions in the DUP appear to be deepening, with leader Jeffrey Donaldson likely to abstain, but other senior figures vowing to vote against. Backbench MP Ian Paisley said this morning he would be ‘surprised’ if colleagues did not join him in the Noe lobby.

MPs will be asked to approve the rules to introduce the ‘Stormont Brake’ section of the Windsor Framework on Wednesday.

The plan will be passed with the support of the majority of Conservative MPs and Labour, but the scale of an uprising will be crucial for Sunak.

Tory Eurosceptics prepare to revolt against Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal this week

Downing Street has listed the measure – which could give the UK a veto over the imposition of new EU rules in Northern Ireland – as the most important voice because it is the ‘most important part’ of the agreement.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: ‘We think this is the right approach, allowing MPs to have their say on what we believe are the most important elements of the framework.

“This framework allows for changes that many individuals and groups said were not possible. The Stormont brake is foremost among them.

‘As far as EU regulations are concerned, they have been reduced to the very lowest level to ensure that there is no border on the island of Ireland.

“I think that is the main priority of all parties in protecting and securing the Good Friday Agreement.”

It will be the first Commons test for Mr Sunak’s deal with the EU, which has been generally well received, although criticism is slowly mounting.

The Windsor Framework as a whole seeks to reduce the Brexit bureaucratic burden on the movement of GB goods destined for Northern Ireland created by the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The DUP has blocked decentralization at Stormont in protest at the protocol, and while Sir Jeffrey has admitted the Windsor Framework is an improvement, he has maintained that “fundamental problems” remain.

In an interview with the News Letter, Mr Paisley said: ‘I am categorically voting against and I would be surprised if my colleagues did not join me’.

He added: ‘My initial reaction to the Windsor Framework was that I didn’t think it hit the mark in terms of tackling our seven key tests (on restoring NI’s place within the UK’s single market).

“Having taken the time to study it and give at least one legal opinion on it, and go over the details, and also have conversations and messages back and forth with the Secretary of State, I’m still of that opinion – that it doesn’t pertain to any of our seven tests.

“It’s the old substance, dressed in a new packaging with a ribbon around it, but it hasn’t really changed, or addressed the fundamental problem of Northern Ireland’s trade disruption in our single UK market.”

Divisions in the DUP appear to be deepening, with leader Jeffrey Donaldson (pictured) likely to abstain, but other senior figures vowing to vote against