The UK and the European Union are reportedly nearing the completion of a new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland. According to a No 10 source, the negotiations are progressing in a positive direction, and both sides are coordinating their diaries to make the announcement at a mutually convenient time and place.

Earlier this week, the UK’s King Charles was expected to meet the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in the UK. However, the meeting was canceled due to operational reasons, unrelated to the political talks. While the meeting was not part of the negotiations between the UK and the EU, the fact that it was planned suggests that a Brexit deal was about to be done, and publicly presented while Ms. von der Leyen was in the UK. It is unclear when the European Commission president will now come to the UK.

The new deal is believed to be on the Northern Ireland Protocol, and some sources suggest it could be called the Windsor Agreement. The protocol, agreed upon by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and came into force in 2021, saw Northern Ireland continue to follow some EU laws to get around the need for checks at the UK’s border with the Republic of Ireland.

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and Ms. von der Leyen spoke over the phone on Friday, with Downing Street confirming that the prime minister had made good progress, and the negotiations would continue. Both the UK and the EU have to coordinate their diaries to make the announcement work at a mutually convenient time and place.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has canceled a long-planned trip to the Middle East at the beginning of next week, raising expectations that a formal announcement from the UK and Brussels could be days away.

However, there have been repeated delays over the past week or so, as wrangling went on between No 10, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and Conservative backbenchers. The Prime Minister has been trying to win support for changes to the controversial protocol, and Mr. Sunak has been trying to win the DUP over to a deal as the party is currently blocking the formation of devolved government in Northern Ireland.

The DUP’s shadow spokesperson for Brexit, Sammy Wilson MP, said that his party would only accept a deal if EU law “imposed” on Northern Ireland was removed. He added that “we expect British law should apply in Northern Ireland, not Brussels law imposed on us, with all the disastrous effects that has.” The Prime Minister has been facing pressure from some Conservative MPs over Northern Ireland’s current obligation to follow some EU laws and be accountable to the European Court of Justice.

In conclusion, negotiations between the UK and the EU appear to be progressing positively towards a new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland. While both sides have yet to reach a formal agreement, the recent phone call between the Prime Minister and the President of the European Commission suggests that the negotiations will continue. The cancellation of a long-planned trip by the Foreign Secretary to the Middle East raises expectations that a formal announcement could be days away. However, the Prime Minister will need to win the support of the DUP, who have stated that they will only accept a deal if EU law imposed on Northern Ireland is removed.

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