Rishi Sunak on Brexit

Rishi Sunak inherited several significant Brexit issues, including the contentious Northern Ireland Protocol, and adopted a pragmatic approach aimed at delivering a workable arrangement. He and his foreign secretary worked to thaw relations with EU counterparts, which ultimately paved the way for the negotiation and agreement of the Windsor Framework. This deal sought to resolve operational problems with the protocol, addressing concerns over customs checks and trade friction in Northern Ireland, and in return secured UK re-entry into the Horizon Europe research programme. His strategy was clearly geared towards 'getting Brexit done' in a functional way, contrasting with the approach of his predecessors.

Despite achieving a pragmatic agreement in the Windsor Framework, the overall management of Brexit issues remained complex. The deal itself failed to immediately restore the devolved government in Northern Ireland, as the DUP continued to raise concerns. Furthermore, as chancellor and then prime minister, he faced ongoing challenges related to the economic consequences of leaving the EU and the implementation of post-Brexit border controls. While Sunak claimed to be a proud Unionist focused on stability, his actions reflected a necessity to balance managing the EU relationship against the continuing demands of Eurosceptic elements within his own political party.