If I am fortunate enough to become the leader of the Conservative Party and your next Prime Minister, I will be laser focused on three things: restoring trust, rebuilding our economy, and uniting our great country.
Northern Ireland will be a vital part of this plan, because it is a plan for our United Kingdom.
But for the people of Northern Ireland I have a fourth promise - I will fix, for good, the Northern Ireland protocol. I will call an urgent summit with EU leaders to seek a negotiated outcome, at which I will be crystal clear that no option is off the table if they do not see sense and change their position.
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When the UK voted to leave the EU, and I was one of those people, it was on the understanding that the whole country should benefit from the freedoms it would bring. But under the current draft of the Protocol that aspiration is hindered in Northern Ireland.
The Withdrawal Act made it clear that the EU was expected to recognise that the Protocol had to be applied and administered in a way that took full account of the unique context of Northern Ireland. Yet the EU has refused to sign up to the solutions the UK has put forward to create sustainable arrangements.
Our patience is running out, and we should be clear we won’t allow this to drift.
First, the UK’s territorial integrity and the sovereignty of the UK Parliament must be upheld.
Second, we must reduce friction on trade and remove bureaucratic burdens.
Finally, and most importantly, we must honour the legacy of David Trimble by upholding the Belfast/ Good Friday Agreement, which has brought peace and political stability to Northern Ireland.
This is why there has to be fundamental changes to the protocol.
As Chancellor, I used my presidency of the G7 group of finance ministers to reform international tax rules and make multinational companies pay their fair share of tax. I also negotiated the tough financial sanctions implemented against Russia. I am an experienced negotiator and will bring this experience to the table once more to get what the people of Northern Ireland deserve.
But be in no doubt, the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill will continue to make its way through Parliament and, if the negotiation doesn’t deliver what we need it to, the Bill will become law.
The Protocol is, of course, one issue of many on the minds of the people of Northern Ireland. During my time in Belfast today, ahead of the Conservative leadership hustings, no doubt another one of the most pressing issues is the rising cost of living.
In July, I made 309,000 families in Northern Ireland eligible for £650 means-tested cost of living support - because I know families across the country are struggling. But I know winter is looking tough, so if I become Prime Minister I will not stop there.
While we must get politicians back to work and restore power-sharing, I am prepared to instruct the Treasury to act directly to ensure people in Northern Ireland have the assistance they need to get through these difficult times.
The Government needs to take bold action in these challenging times. If I am your Prime Minister, I will fix the protocol, restore the Northern Ireland Executive, and protect your family from rising energy bills this winter.
- Rishi Sunak is a former Chancellor and a candidate in the Conservative Party leadership contest
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