Boris: Rishi's Deal Will Not Take Back Control

'I'm going to find it very hard to vote for this deal'

- Steph Sprye

BORIS BREXIT BOMBSHELL

BORIS Johnson was on a collision course with Rishi Sunak yesterday, after warning his Brexit deal does not "take back control" from the EU.

He also demanded the Prime Minister drops a corporation tax increase.

In a dramatic intervention, the ex-PM attacked Mr Sunak's Windsor Framework and revealed he would find it "very difficult to vote" for the trade pact - which replaces his own Northern Ireland Protocol. But despite defending his time in office, Mr Johnson downplayed any idea he may return to frontline politics.

In his first major UK speech since leaving No 10 last September, Mr Johnson said of Mr Sunak's deal: "This is not about the UK taking back control, and although there are easements this is really a version of the solution that was being offered last year to Liz Truss when she was Foreign Secretary.

"This is the EU graciously unbending to allow us to do what we want to do in our own country, not by our laws, but by theirs."

His concerns will resonate with Tory Brexiteers just days after Mr Sunak claimed his new framework "puts beyond all doubt that we have now taken back control".

Mr Johnson said at the Global Soft Power Summit in Westminster: "When I look at the deal we have now I, of course, have mixed feelings. I'm conscious of where the political momentum is and people's deep desire just to get on."

He claimed Northern Ireland will remain under EU law, as Brussels makes the rules but "with what they hope will be lighter bureaucracy" under Mr Sunak's deal.

Mr Johnson called some of the resulting checks on goods "pretty crazy". Goods from Britain destined for Northern Ireland will travel through a new "green lane", while items at risk of moving on to the EU have a red trade corridor.