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Boris Johnson and Liz Truss will vote against Rishi Sunak's Brexit deal in Parliament. Johnson confirmed on Wednesday that he would not back the deal when MPs vote on the Stormont brake in the House of Commons later on Wednesday, and Truss will do the same. In a statement, Johnson said: "The proposed arrangements would either mean that Northern Ireland would remain under the legal order of the EU, and would become increasingly alienated from the rest of the UK, or would it mean that the whole of the UK would not be able to diverge and benefit of Brexit.
Instead, the best course of action is to go ahead with the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill and make sure we regain control.
"This is not acceptable. I will vote against the proposed arrangements today.
"Instead, the best course of action is to follow the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill and make sure we regain control."
A source close to Truss said she, too, planned to vote against it.
Ms Truss is believed to believe that the Prime Minister's Windsor Pact does not "satisfactorily resolve the issues raised by" the Northern Ireland Protocol and "almost fatally affects" the UK's ability to deviate from the rules and regulations of The EU.
With Labor backing the Windsor Framework Agreement signed last month, the government is expected to win the Commons split handily, despite criticism from some hardline Conservative Brexiteers.
The DUP has already said that its eight MPs will vote against the deal to implement Stormont Brake while it continues to seek changes to the overall framework.
Johnson's confirmation of his opposition to the UK-EU deal comes ahead of his appearance before the Privileges Committee, where he will be questioned by MPs investigating allegations that he knowingly misled Parliament on the party matter.
The former prime minister, who accepted Northern Ireland's original protocol with Brussels as a way to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, said earlier this month that it would be "very difficult" to support the Windsor deal.
It remains to be seen how much rebellion Mr Sunak will face when the secondary legislation on Stormont Brake comes before MPs.
On Tuesday, the European Research Group (ERG) said the brake, which aims to veto the imposition of new EU regulations in Northern Ireland, is "virtually useless" following an analysis of the framework by its " starry chamber" of lawyers.
Eurosceptic members have yet to decide how to vote, and the group will meet later on Wednesday.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will meet the EU's Maros Sefcovic in London on Friday to formally adopt the Windsor Pact at a meeting of the Joint Committee on the Withdrawal Agreement.
Although the DUP cannot block him, his opposition suggests that he is highly unlikely to return to power-sharing in Stormont quickly.
The executive and assembly have been suspended since the DUP resigned last year to protest the working of the protocol, saying it weakened Northern Ireland's position in the UK.
Downing Street has indicated that there may be further votes in the coming weeks on the regulatory texts needed to implement other elements of the framework.
However, some MPs are frustrated that Mr Sunak is resisting calls for a blanket vote on the entire framework document.
Conservative backbench Peter Bone said he was "quite upset" by the government's approach to voting, having signaled that he might join Johnson in voting against this part of the 'OK'.
"I'm really quite upset that the government is avoiding scrutiny of this, and of the brake itself, it seems to fail all the tests," said Bone, who served as deputy head of the House for three months last year. .
“If so, I will listen to the debate. I am going to the meetings this morning, but if I were to vote right now, I would have to vote against it.
PA files
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