Brexit LIVE: ‘Keeping EU happy!’ Tory breaks cover on Sunak plot to BLOCK Truss masterplan

Rishi Sunak grilled on resignation at Tory leadership hustings

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Brandon Lewis, who was Boris Johnson’s Northern Ireland Secretary until he eventually resigned his post days before Mr Johnson was forced out, made his remarks as he endorsed former Chancellor Mr Sunak’s rival for the Tory leadership, Liz Truss He also took a swipe at the Treasury, suggesting it was overly preoccupied with the reaction in Brussels, rather than with what was best for Britain.

He also took a swipe at the Treasury, suggesting it was overly preoccupied with the reaction in Brussels, rather than with what was best for Britain.

The Protocol is a mechanism agreed by both sides which aims to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland – but critics can it has instead imposed a border down the Irish Sea, much to the anger of the Unionist community.

Speaking at a hustings event in Leeds, Mr Sunak indicated he would support the Northern Ireland Bill – but Mr Lewis said it had not always been the case.

Mr Lewis told the Telegraph that attempts to craft legislation to override some sections of the protocol last year had “met with huge resistance” from the Treasury.

He added: “The Treasury in my experience seems to want to try and keep the EU happy, when I’ve always felt our focus should be on working to deliver for the people of the United Kingdom and do what’s right by them as their sovereign government.

“The concern has always been around, for the Treasury, ‘what will be the EU’s reaction’, rather than ‘how do we get this to work, and how do we fix this problem that is a problem for the UK?’”

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  • Tory breaks cover on Sunak plot to BLOCK Truss masterplan 07:11

    • Truss receives leadership boost as several senior Tories back bid for PM

    Liz Truss has received the support of several senior Tories as the race to replace Boris Johnson as Prime Minister picks up pace.

    The news comes as Ms Truss and Mr Sunak continue with their campaigns to become Prime Minister and Tory Party leader.

    Ms Truss has pitched herself as the “education prime minister” with a plan that includes replacing failing academies with “a new wave of free schools” and improving maths and literacy standards.

    The Tory leadership hopeful, who is endorsed by several party heavyweights, has added to the sense she is pulling ahead of her rival in the race for Number 10 and unveiled a six-point strategy “to get Britain’s education system back on track” on Saturday.

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    Tory breaks cover on Sunak plot to BLOCK Truss masterplan

    Rishi Sunak put up “huge resistance” to attempts to override the Northern Ireland Protocol in an attempt to “keep the EU happy”, a former Cabinet minister has claimed.

    Brandon Lewis, who was Boris Johnson’s Northern Ireland Secretary until he eventually resigned his post days before Mr Johnson was forced out, made his remarks as he endorsed former Chancellor Mr Sunak’s rival for the Tory leadership, Liz Truss.

    He also took a swipe at the Treasury, suggesting it was overly preoccupied with the reaction in Brussels, rather than in what was best for Britain.

    The Protocol is a mechanism agreed by both sides which aims to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland – but critics can it has instead imposed a border down the Irish Sea, much to the anger of the Unionist community.

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