British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has told Tory MPs to give the Democratic Unionist Party the "time and space" to consider his Brexit deal as they were warned it is the best offer they will get.
The Tory leader said he was "confident" they would back it as he urged colleagues not to create another "Westminster drama" after his new Windsor agreement for Northern Ireland was broadly welcomed.
But Conservatives were waiting with "bated breath" to see if the DUP will back the deal which is hoped to restore powersharing to Stormont after a year-long absence.
Mr Sunak addressed Tory backbenchers at the 1922 Committee in the Commons after a visit to Northern Ireland in an attempt to shore up support.
He was understood to have told colleagues he had "spent a lot of time" with DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson as he seeks to break the deadlock in the region.
"And I would just say one thing to you all: we should give him and the DUP time and space," Mr Sunak said as he acknowledged a "spectrum of views" within the unionist party.
"So let's not pressure them for an instant answer," Mr Sunak added.
"Let's also remember that the last thing the public want is another Westminster drama."
Earlier, Mr Sunak said Northern Ireland would become the world's most exciting economic zone if the new Brexit deal with the EU results in the restoration of power-sharing at Stormont.
Speaking during a visit to Co Antrim this morning, Mr Sunak said he was over the moon with the Windsor Framework agreement, but the DUP has said it will take its time before delivering its verdict.
Speaking to business representatives and employees at the Coca-Cola factory in Lisburn, the British Prime Minister gave the framework the hard sell.
"If we get this right, if we get this framework implemented, if we get the Executive back up and running here, Northern Ireland is in the unbelievably special position, unique position in the entire world, European continent, in having privileged access, not just to the UK home market, which is enormous, fifth biggest in the world, but also the European Union single market," he said.
"Nobody else has that. No one, only you guys, only here. That is the prize, that's like the world's most exciting economic zone."
Mr Sunak said that with his hand on his heart he believes the Windsor Framework addresses the concerns of unionists about the Northern Ireland Protocol, which he said had not been working properly.
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Addressing DUP concerns about what he called a small and limited role for European law and the European Court of Justice, he said a new mechanism called the Stormont brake would allow the Stormont Assembly to block any new laws from Brussels.
If 30 Assembly members from at least two different parties sign a Petition of Concern, the British government would be asked to intervene and veto the proposed new law.
"Your Assembly is going about to have a look at any of the new EU laws that come down the pipe and say 'hang on', if there's something that's really serious that we think is going to have a really big impact and we can't find any way to resolve it, then we have the ability to say no, we can block it," he explained.
"That puts you in the driving seat."
Speaking to the media afterwards, Mr Sunak thanked the Irish Government for its help in finding a solution to the protocol dispute.
Mr Sunak also said that border posts for checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea were mainly aimed at consignments destined for Ireland and the EU - the so-called "red lane".
"The border posts are there very specifically for the red lane. Because as part of having a green lane, where goods flow freely within our UK internal market, if goods are actually going to the Republic of Ireland, i.e., going into the EU, well, that's not our country and it's entirely reasonable that we have checks for those types of goods," he said.
"And we also check when we suspect criminality or smuggling. And that's something that the government's always said that it would do and has been long-standing practice, actually."
In the green channel, for goods remaining in the UK, "there won't be routine checks" but "there will be checks where we suspect criminality or smuggling".
Mr Sunak said it was important to restore power-sharing and to provide "stability" in Northern Ireland following the shooting last week of an off-duty police officer in Omagh.
Police are investigating an unverified claim by a dissident republican group, the New IRA, that they carried out the attack which left Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell critically injured.
"People in Northern Ireland need and deserve their government to be up and running. That is what democracy is about," he said.
"Stability in Northern Ireland is really important and it (the shooting) is a reminder of that."
Mr Sunak met Naomi Long, leader of the cross-community Alliance Party and Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie in Co Antrim.
Ms Long said: "I think we are in the right space.
"Key for us now is we need to get this done. We need to get a decision from the DUP and we need to get back to our day jobs.
"We want to be sitting in committee rooms and in the Assembly chamber doing our jobs."
She did say her party had some concerns about how the Stormont brake, adding that "it remains unclear in terms of how it will function, at what level the trigger will be set".
Mr Beattie said: "I think the Stormont brake is one of those things which sounds good when you talk about it, but as soon as you start delving into it and understanding how it actually works, it throws up more questions than it does answers.
"But I can see the prime minister is working hard to sell this deal and we will work hard to scrutinise it.
"Anyone who is saying this should take weeks and months, I think, is being disingenuous."
As well as his trip to Northern Ireland, Mr Sunak will continue efforts to win over Tory Eurosceptics and his predecessor Boris Johnson, who is yet to give a verdict on the new deal which replaces the Northern Ireland Protocol he signed.
Mr Sunak indicated he had discussed the deal with Mr Johnson - "of course I speak to the former prime minister" - and is expected to address Tory MPs at a private meeting in Westminster later.
Britain's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, one of the architects of the deal, said it would be "hugely disappointing" if the DUP does not return to the Stormont power-sharing executive.
"I think they will know that I have been very, very focused on the concerns they have expressed on behalf of their community," he told Sky News.
"They will have real authority when it comes to the Stormont brake.
"If they don't re-enter the power-sharing executive, that will be hugely disappointing. It won't be good news for the people of Northern Ireland."
Additional reporting PA
