Image source, Neil Doherty

"If we can have a green lane for stuff coming into Northern Ireland that is fantastic," Northern Ireland businessman Neil Doherty has told the BBC.

He is a managing director of Wafer Ltd, which supplies wafer ice cream products across the UK.

The company is based in Londonderry and has been trading since 1989.

“I am delighted that a deal has been done, we were having trouble in bringing stuff in from the UK,” he told BBC Radio Foyle.

He says if the deal gets the Northern Ireland Executive up and running again "then everybody is going to be very happy with that".

“I really hope it works, that people see this in a positive light.

“I think there will be some people that will never be satisfied, but I just hope they can have a resolution that suits everybody. We have to get on with this, get on with business, we have to get on with life.”

Jayne McCormack
Northern Ireland political correspondent

Is the DUP braced for a possible split on the new protocol deal?

According to its leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, that is far from the truth.

But already, not all DUP MPs are on the same page about the new plan.

Ian Paisley, a more hard-line DUP figure, cast what he called a "gut" verdict saying that he didn't think the plan went far enough, while another DUP MP Sammy Wilson insists no EU law should apply in Northern Ireland at all.

Donaldson spoke in much more nuanced terms today, saying only EU law which allows businesses to trade in the EU single market should apply.

He also said internal discussions will lead to a "collective decision" being reached, but it will require approval from the DUP's 12 party officers - made up of MPs and assembly members who determine policy - as well as the larger DUP ruling executive, which also includes councillors and constituency representatives.

The real question is how long might that process take and will Donaldson manage to bring all the shades of opinion with him?

Image source, Pacemaker

If implemented, the new UK/EU post-Brexit deal would make significant changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol and reduce friction on Great Britain-to-Northern Ireland trade.

BBC News NI's business and economics editor John Campbell has been looking at the fine print and says that at the heart of the deal is the concept of green lanes and red lanes.

British goods intended to stay in Northern Ireland will use the green lane at Northern Ireland ports, meaning they face minimal paperwork and no routine physical checks.

The red lane would be for goods destined for the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state, meaning those goods would be subject to inspections and customs processes.

The Windsor Framework would also end the so-called sausage war, under which some British imports like fresh processed meats were going to be banned from Northern Ireland.

There are also changes which will ease protocol-related problems with the importation of medicines, Scottish seed potatoes and it will smooth the process of online shopping in Northern Ireland.

Read more here.

Liam Bradley, who owns 17 pharmacy branches across Northern Ireland, says he hopes the Windsor Framework will help with the availability of medicines on the shelves in NI.

"It will hopefully remove any confusion over the availability of medication in Northern Ireland," he tells BBC Radio Foyle.

"Up to now manufacturers of drugs had to produce two different types of packs, one for use in the rest of the UK and one for use in Northern Ireland.

"Some companies or manufacturers actually decided that this wasn't worth doing here because our market is so small and this led to issues around availability of some medicines."

Bradley says there have been issues around "every day common medicines that people would get in their prescriptions" such as medicines for cholesterol and blood pressure.

Image source, PA Media

It's been a busy morning. Here's the latest:

• PM Rishi Sunak is in Northern Ireland, selling the Windsor Framework he says will make Northern Ireland "the world's most exciting economic zone"
• Speaking on the Today programme this morning, Sunak said his deal is a “huge step forward” for the people of Northern Ireland

• But the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland, has not yet conclusively said whether it will support the deal. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson told the BBC the proposals go "some way" to addressing concerns that caused its boycott, but issues remain
• The BBC has been speaking to business owners in Northern Ireland, and many have said they feel "optimistic" and pleased with the agreement; one said it takes Northern Ireland "almost" back to pre-Brexit days
• The EU is positive but "watching and waiting" to see how the UK domestic debate pans out, our Europe editor has said

Pallab Ghosh
Science correspondent

The dispute over the Northern Ireland Protocol has held up the UK’s association with the EU’s €100bn research programme.

The projects involve some of Europe’s leading institutions and businesses investigating some of the most cutting-edge fields in medical science, computing and energy.

The UK’s exclusion for the past two years has meant that British science has lost ground, so how quickly can a deal be reached to rejoin?

EU President Ursula von der Leyen has said work on associating the UK with Horizon will start “immediately” once the Windsor Framework is implemented.

That is exactly what UK researchers have been wanting to hear. But it’s unlikely to be straightforward.

The original deal was for the UK to pay £14bn to participate in the seven-year programme. The UK government will hope to have a cheaper deal because it has been unable to participate for two years, and another year will go by while the new arrangement is being set up. So, there is likely to be some wrangling ahead.

Unsurprisingly, there was lots of talk about the DUP and Stormont during the BBC Radio 5 live phone-in. For context, Northern Ireland's power-sharing government has not functioned fully since February last year, when the Democratic Unionist Party refused to sit in protest against the Protocol.

Leo, a caller from Belfast, said the party now faces a "moment of truth: whether they play a constructive role in the future of NI, based on this deal... or if they're going to wreck it all by retreating into their ideological purity".

"They're not going to get a better deal than this," he said, insisting the Windsor Framework achieves a balance that works for both nationalists and the unionists in Northern Ireland.

John, another Northern Irish caller, agreed with Leo. He said if the DUP "doesn't go back into Stormont now then Stormont is dead".

They both agreed that this new deal, signed by UK PM Rishi Sunak and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, is the "final political demise of Boris Johnson".

Leo said Sunak's been forced to clean up his predecessor's mess when it comes to Brexit. But George, from Bolton, reminded listeners that Sunak - Johnson's former No 2 - is only cleaning up the mess that his own government caused.

Image source, Getty Images

The Stormont brake is a clause in the Windsor Framework which plans to give a future Stormont Assembly a greater say on how EU laws apply to Northern Ireland - a key demand of the Democratic Unionist Party's before it will end its boycott of power-sharing.

Under the protocol agreed by the UK and EU back in 2019, some EU laws on goods and customs apply in Northern Ireland but politicians at Stormont had no formal way to influence those rules.

The Stormont brake would allow members of the Northern Ireland Assembly to object if they felt new EU rules were damaging to Northern Ireland.

The process would be triggered if at least 30 Stormont politicians from two or more parties sign a petition.

A successful petition would mean the UK government at Westminster would then be in a position to challenge the new rule.

Once the UK tells the EU the Stormont brake has been triggered, the rule cannot be implemented.

Read more detail here.

PM Rishi Sunak has been speaking to business owners in County Antrim, wading into the ins and outs of the new Windsor Framework.

But if at this point you need a recap of what's been announced and what it all means, have a look at our simple explainers:

• Northern Ireland Brexit deal: At-a-glance
• What are the Northern Ireland Protocol and Windsor Framework?
• What is the Stormont brake?

• And if you really need to cast your mind back a few years... Your simple guide to the UK leaving the EU

How NI's 'special position' could give it advantage for investmentpublished at 10:56 Greenwich Mean Time 28 February 2023

10:56 GMT 28 February 2023

Dharshini David
Economics correspondent

Northern Ireland, says the prime minister, is in a “very special position”. And not because its trading arrangements have been the trickiest part of Brexit negotiations.

Avoiding a land border has meant Northern Ireland abides by existing EU rules and standards. It remains in the single market – making it easier to do business with the rest of Europe. That’s why academic studies estimate Northern Ireland has suffered a smaller hit to income from Brexit than the UK as a whole.

The prime minister is suggesting the new arrangements, which makes it easier and cheaper to move goods across the Irish Sea, will make Northern Ireland more attractive to investors. It is unique in having a foot in both camps.

Critics point out that the whole of UK enjoyed that position ahead of Brexit. And the new plan doesn’t quite restore Northern Ireland to pre-Brexit terms; although greatly reduced, there will still be some formalities involved in trading.

Nevertheless, the Windsor Framework may increase its Brexit advantage relative to the rest of the UK.

Taking in the penultimate question, Sunak is asked about avoiding a return to the Troubles of Northern Ireland.

In a personal moment, Sunak reflects on his time spent at university with his roommate who was from Omagh, County Tyrone, who he says spoke a lot about what went on in Northern Ireland at that time.

Sunak defiantly says that he is passionately committed to making sure the Good Friday agreement works.

He accepts the Northern Ireland Protocol "disrupted the balance" adding it has created friction within some communities.

But, he hopes his new agreement removes that division as he once again hails it as an enormous step forward and puts Northern Ireland in control of its own destiny.

Asked about the current failure of the Northern Irish parliament to form a power-sharing government, Sunak says he hopes people can put the divisions of the past behind them and work together in the future.

The DUP has been boycotting the power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland over its opposition to the protocol.

The prime minister argues "getting around a table" in Stormont to negotiate is essential to having a functioning government that "Northern Ireland deserves".

"We need to see people engaging with the detail of what we announced yesterday, and seeing it does provide a way to move forward," he says.

He's then asked about when "enough is enough" for MLAs - the politicians elected to sit in Stormont - who are currently being paid a salary, without actually carrying out their roles.

Sunak agrees with the sentiment and says the government has already reduced their salaries by 27%, because "we do want them to be doing their job".

But he also says there was a reason some unionists refused to join government, as they had "reasonable concerns" with the previous iteration of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

He adds the government has now resolved these issues with the new deal and that he hopes they can "find a way to come together".

We're still listening in to our colleague Nicky Campbell's Radio 5 Live phone-in. Thomas, from Belfast, has called to say he thinks the new post-Brexit deal is "good" and the DUP "should support it".

"It's a compromise," he goes on, acknowledging that not everybody's going to be happy. "But I think it's the best we're going to get," Thomas adds.

Asked whether the DUP may be opposed to going back into Northern Ireland's power-sharing government, with a Sinn Fein first minister, Thomas says that's irrelevant. "They've got democratic in their name - they've got no option but to accept that," he says, adding the party's not doing the country any favours by refusing to sit.

George, from Lancashire, says Brexit is "certainly on the way to being done" and things feel better after yesterday's announcement than they have for a while.

But he says he's frustrated with the level of anger some people in Northern Ireland have about being in the single market (he's presumably referring to Eddie, who we mentioned in an earlier post). "It's a huge benefit," George tells Campbell, adding that he lost almost a third of his small business as a result of Brexit.

"I'm sick to death of this two world wars, one World Cup, football supporter mentality when it comes to people opposing the European Union and everything it stood for," he goes on, saying again how "devastating" Brexit was for certain businesses and families across the UK.

Continuing to talk to workers about the perks of his new agreement, Rishi Sunak emphasises that once the Stormont executive is back up and running, Northern Ireland will have "privileged" access to the UK and EU markets.

The prime minister hails it as the "world's most exciting economic zone".

As we've reported, Rishi Sunak is in Northern Ireland trying to sell his new Brexit deal to businesses and politicians. He's taking questions from factory workers in County Antrim now.

Sunak is asked about the disconnect between corporation tax in Northern Ireland vs the Republic of Ireland, with the UK's rate set to rise to 25% while the Republic's is set to rise to 15%.

The prime minister replies by saying the 25p rate will still be the lowest of the large economies the UK competes with worldwide.

He adds that the "vast majority" of small businesses in Northern Ireland wouldn't pay this new rate, due to come in from April, as only the 10% of largest firms will be subject to it.

Sunak says what he wants to see more investment from small and medium size enterprises, noting any money they put back into their firm is subject to tax breaks encouraging them to do so.

Rishi Sunak is still very much on the charge of trying to sell his post-Brexit deal to MPs and to people in Northern Ireland.

In a series of tweets, external posted before this Q&A, the prime minister laid out what he says are the key points in the new agreement announced yesterday.

Outlining what has changed, Sunak says:

• The green lane will now involve a simple digital declaration whereas before it was length paperwork
• A ban will be lifted on sausages and other chilled meats meaning customers will have access to a full range of UK products
• Parcels will be able to be sent between Great Britain and Northern Ireland without any additional requirements
• The UK will be able to set VAT and rules on alcochol and other goods in Northern Ireland
• Patients in Northern Ireland will be able to access the same medicines as the rest of the UK
• British seed stock can move to Northern Ireland again as a ban on seed potatoes would be lifted
• Easier and simpler travel for pets between Northern Ireland and Great Britain so long as the pet is microchipped
• Only 3% of EU laws would apply to Northern Ireland
• Northern Ireland will have a greater say over EU rules in a move called the Stormont Brake

Image source, PA Media

Rishi Sunak has begun to deliver remarks ahead of his Q&A at the Coca-Cola factory in Northern Ireland, laying out the basic details of his new deal to the assembled workers and journalists.

Stick with us and we'll bring you any interesting questions, remarks, or new lines from the prime minister, who is speaking while standing next to a pair of looming towers of red cans.

As we've been reporting, Rishi Sunak is in Northern Ireland to sell his new Brexit deal to businesses and politicians.

First up this morning, the prime minister will give a brief speech and host a question and answer session with factory workers in Northern Ireland at 10:00 GMT.

But that's not all the prime minister is up to today, later on he will return to Westminster to address Tory MPs at the meeting of the 1922 Committee of backbenchers at around 17:00 GMT.

After he speaks with the 1922, there will be a meeting of an influential group of of Eurosceptic Conservatives - the European Research Group - who are expected to discuss their own reaction to Sunak's plans at around 18:00.

Today's special Brexit phone-in on Radio 5 Live started with a lively debate between former UKIP spokesperson James Carver and anti-Brexit campaigner Femi Oluwole, who join the BBC's Nicky Campbell at the helm of the programme.

The first caller is David, from Bristol, who says the new Windsor Framework "sounds pretty great" because it helps the people of the Northern Ireland.

But he says he remains "pretty angry with the DUP" - Northern Ireland's largest unionist party - and questions why they have so much power in this situation. He says the DUP should recognise its "relative significance" to the wider United Kingdom.

Oluwole says he "agrees and disagrees" with David, because he believes something had to be done about the failings of the Protocol but that the DUP "on their own shouldn't have been able to control the government".

Eddie, from Belfast, is up next. He's less positive about the new deal, saying Northern Ireland is "now subject to EU law and governance". Eddie goes on to compare the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 to the position of Northern Ireland now, to which Campbell says: "For goodness sake."

"We've been annexed from our country," Eddie says, asking why Northern Ireland - an "integral part" of the UK - will have to answer to the EU in any way.

Important to remember: UK PM Rishi Sunak said yesterday that EU legislation would account for about 3% of law in Northern Ireland.

Image source, Getty Images

The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was asked if there was an emerging split in his party in its response to the new Windsor Framework deal.

"Absolutely not," Donaldson replied.

It followed comments by DUP MP Ian Paisley who said last night that his "gut instinct is that it doesn't cut the mustard" and that the deal has "fallen short on a number of key points".

Donaldson pointed out that Paisley went on to say he needed to study the detail of the legal text, something the whole party would do before delivering its "collective view".

"Our party officers, our assembly members, our MPs and ultimately even our party executive will determine the party's approach on this issue," Donaldson told BBC's Good Morning Ulster.

"We will consult and we will take our time. We will talk to people, we will listen to what they are saying. They will articulate their views."