wanting in on that programme, the uk. eu blocking full access because of the dispute over northern ireland so a lot of people involved in academia, research, and you re watching very closely to see if that is a first step that may be taken very closely if this deal is done. let me just very closely if this deal is done. let mejust remind very closely if this deal is done. let me just remind you of that breaking news in the past few moments, confirm the speculation over the weekend that ursula von der leyen will meet the king, the buckingham palace statement says the king is pleased to meet any world leader and it is the government s advice that he should do so. ursula von der leyen is not necessarily a world leader in any normal sense of the world but very politically powerful as the commission president and it is potentially divisive, this move, because it risks dragging the monarchy into very contentious politics. but we are just seeing
northern ireland, pitching this is a good dealfor the union northern ireland, pitching this is a good deal for the union that keeps northern ireland within the uk s economic market but whatever happens here, the deal will be what really matters, it is that legal text of where we see it that we pore over but perhaps more importantly the dup and conservative backbenchers pour over as well because the dup have been keeping quiet for the last 24 spot we know they ve had significant concerns that this does not go far enough, they will want to look over this with lawyers to see what the practical implications would be and likewise have chatted to a lot of conservative mps over the past few days, some of whom are deeply sceptical about some elements of this deal, they want to see what is written down in legal text before they make theirjudgment as well. it is interesting because some of the tory mps who are preparing to man the barricades over this sound a bit
stormont and a devolved government here or whether he rejects the deal ultimately and stays out, and that would call into question your future of devolved government in northern ireland at all. i of devolved government in northern ireland at all- ireland at all. i remember covering the good friday ireland at all. i remember covering the good friday agreement, - ireland at all. i remember covering the good friday agreement, the i the good friday agreement, the anniversary coming up, it would be a embarrassing for all sides if power sharing is not up and running ljy power sharing is not up and running by then. by what degree does the dup just try to extract a financial pricier? just try to extract a financial ricier? , ,., ., . just try to extract a financial ricier? , ,., ., . , .,. pricier? it s the good friday peace agreement. pricier? it s the good friday peace agreement. as pricier? it s the good friday peace agreement, as you pricier? it s the good friday peace agreem
risk or a test is this for rishi sunak, in your view? i mean, is there a real danger of enough conservative critics derailing this? or is it likely that the political momentum will be to support the government? well, it s both a huge test at a huge opportunity. it s a test because insofar as he s faced challenges from his party so far during his tenure in numberio, he s tended to swerve them, either by compromise or by backing off. this time, he seems to be going full speed ahead and saying, opposition or not, i think we need to get this sorted. you know, it s a moment of truth. we remember moments of truth that theresa may had, back with the meaningful vote. it s the equivalent, albeit without the formal parliamentary vote but it s an opportunity, too, because i think number 10 sees a deal on the protocol as a way of unlocking all kinds of things, whether it is uk participation in eu research projects or prospects
northern ireland. that is a big element of what we will get today. but the other is where it leaves politics in the uk. this is probably the biggest political moment of rishi sunak s timeous prime minister so far. last week, we heard a lot of people nosing off about concerns they had about this deal but rishi sunak has decided to call their bluff, to take them on and say, i think the deal works. his team seem pretty confident he has got a really good deal. i think we will hear that cell from him. he said to one of the newspapers, the sunday times, over the weekend, that this was the deal that got brexit done more than boris johnson had done. so this is a big political moment for him, and if you can get through it, i think it will leave him strengthened. if there is a big rebellion, then it could leave him weakened and all bets are off. very briefly, we are in winter and lots of speculation over the last few days about whether the king was going to be involved, just explained that. i go