‘We’re all ready’: how Sunak’s push for Brexit deal set up his biggest leadership test

PM has been deeply involved in Northern Ireland protocol talks and must now face a possible Tory backlash

Rishi Sunak has found out the hard way what it is like to become embroiled in the cycle of the Brexit forever wars. Despite desperate attempts to keep his party in line, a row that plagued his predecessors is at risk of erupting again over a reworking of the Northern Ireland protocol which he hopes to announce next week.

The wariness of some in government was betrayed by the foreign secretary, James Cleverly, who told a group of journalists at the start of the week - when momentum towards getting a deal on the protocol appeared to be stalling - that it would be announced at some point between now and the end of time".