Former DUP leader Arlene Foster has said a meeting today between King Charles and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen "will go down very badly" as a new post-Brexit deal on the Northern Ireland protocol is expected to be unveiled.
The head of state and president will sit down to tea late this afternoon during their meeting where a range of topics are expected to be discussed including climate change and the situation in Ukraine.
There had been concerns the meeting at Windsor Castle despite will drag the monarchy into a political announcement as the deal is expected to be unveiled.
Ms Foster said it was "crass" of the British government to request that the monarch meet Ms von dear Leyen as the deal is set to be finalized.
I cannot quite believe that No10 would ask HM the King to become involved in the finalising of a deal as controversial as this one. It’s crass and will go down very badly in NI.
— Arlene Foster DBE PC #ProudofNI. (@ArleneFosterUK) February 27, 2023
We must remember this is not the King’s decision but the Government who it appears are tone deaf.
Buckingham Palace confirmed a meeting will take place today, with a spokesperson saying: "The king is pleased to meet any world leader if they are visiting Britain and it is the government's advice that he should do so."
Leading Conservative Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said it was wrong to involve the king in the “immediate political controversy” on the day the prime minister will sign a new agreement with her.
British prime minister Rishi Sunak wants to win the support of the DUP so they agree to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland to get Stormont back up and running.
Conservative Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg put Mr Sunak on notice of a possible Tory revolt if the DUP does not support the deal, despite major concessions expected from the EU.
The former Cabinet minister told GB News: “It will all depend on the DUP. If the DUP are against it, I think there will be quite a significant number of Conservatives who are unhappy.”
He said that the position of Boris Johnson, who he described as the “biggest figure in UK politics”, will be “fundamental”.
The prime minister will speak to the EU chief at lunchtime before briefing his top ministers in a virtual meeting of the Cabinet.
Mr Sunak and Ms von der Leyen will then set out the deal to voters in a joint press conference before the prime minister makes a statement to MPs in the Commons.
Tory Brexiteers on the European Research Group (ERG) will convene MP Sir Bill Cash’s so-called “star chamber” of lawyers to scrutinise the deal before deciding whether to back it.
The protocol, signed by Mr Johnson as PM in 2020, was designed to prevent a hard border with Ireland after Brexit.
Northern Ireland continues to follow EU rules on goods to prevent checks being needed when crossing into the Republic.
But the trade barriers created between Northern Ireland and Great Britain has angered Unionists.
The DUP collapsed powersharing in Stormont last year in protest at its impact, leaving Northern Ireland without an executive or an assembly.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has issued seven tests that Mr Sunak’s new pact will have to meet in order to win the party’s backing.
Chief among them is addressing what he calls the “democratic deficit” of Northern Ireland being subject to EU rules while not having a say on them.
No 10 officials said Mr Sunak would be entering into the talks with Ms von der Leyen looking to “return sovereignty to the people of Northern Ireland”.
