Deal done: Rishi Sunak and EU chief strike deal on Northern Ireland Protocol

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Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reached a historic Brexit deal, delivering what could be the most important decision of his premiership minister.

“A deal has been reached. Deal is done,” a senior government source said.

The pound surged as markets welcomed the move in the hope that it will usher in a new, easier relationship between the UK and the EU after Brexit.

The Prime Minister and the EU chief agreed the new arrangements during a a meeting in Windsor.

The President of the European Commission will now have tea with the King at Windsor Castle despite criticism that the meeting would embroil Charles in the politically contentious issue.

< p>The Northern Ireland Protocol agreement is designed to address the issues of post-Brexit trade deals with the EU.

To avoid a hard border in Ireland after Brexit, NI remains in the EU's single market for goods.

But trade unionists say this simply replaces one unacceptable border with another - this time in the Irish Sea, separating NI from the rest of the UK. The new arrangements should ease these tensions, in particular by reducing checks on goods traveling to Northern Ireland from GB.

Mr. Sunak is now hoping his new deal wins the backing of the DUP, Northern Ireland's largest unionist party, and convinces them to reinstate power-sharing in government, which is currently on hold.< /p>

The Prime Minister received a massive boost earlier when Northern Ireland Minister and Brexit supporter Steve Baker emerged smiling from No 10 and told reporters: 'I can only say this, the prime minister is on the verge of a truly fantastic outcome for everyone involved.”

His wholehearted support seemed to make nonsense of claims that he was set to step down at because of a compromise that maintained a role for the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Northern Ireland.

Brexite Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg has put...