The Five Ways In Which Prime Minister Boris Johnson Personally Owns The Withdrawal Agreement And Northern Irish Protocol

- a thread

One - policy

Johnson changed the policy of his predecessor Theresa May

Her 'backstop' approach was different - as new PM he changed this to the Irish Sea border

His decision

Two - negotiation

Having changed the policy, Johnson then negotiated the consequential changes to the withdrawal agreement and Northern Irish protocol

His policy, his negotiation

Three - signature

Having negotiated the changes to the withdrawal agreement and Northern Irish protocol, he literally signed the legally binding agreement and protocol

Even posed for a photograph

His policy, his negotiation, his signature

Four - mandate

He also campaigned in a general election and obtained a mandate for this 'oven-ready' agreement

His policy, his negotiation, his signature, his mandate

Five - legislation

With a mandate, Johnson pushed the withdrawal agreement and Northern Ireland protocol through parliament - with hardly any scrutiny

His policy, his negotiation, his signature, his mandate - and his legislation

Rarely has there been so personal a connection of a PM to a treaty and its implementing legislation

From policy conception to implementation, and every step in between, this was Johnson

And now, we are told he is 'beginning to realise' what he did in these *five* distinct steps

The policy and law of the withdrawal agreement and Northern Ireland protocol is Johnson's creature

He owns it and should be known to own it

Nobody else would or could have made it happen in this way

/ends