Theresa May’s Northern Irish partners in government have raised the stakes in the on-going Brexit talks, saying there is “no need” for parts of the deal she agreed with the EU.
DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds argued that the withdrawal agreement she is seeking “flies in the face” of the government’s own commitments relating to the border between the north and the Republic.
His comments came after a meeting in Downing Street, and are a blow to the prime minister as she desperately tries to convince the party and her own MPs to back her proposals.
Mr Dodds – whose party has vehemently opposed the so-called ‘Irish backstop’ – said it is “becoming clearer by the day” that politicians in both the Republic of Ireland and the north would not resort to building a border between their countries in any circumstances.
He said: “The withdrawal agreement, as currently proposed, flies in the face of the government’s commitments on Northern Ireland as we leave the EU.
“Contrary to pro-EU spin, the backstop is not the best of both worlds.
“It is potentially indefinite in time, would place a barrier between us and our main trading partner in Great Britain and give enormous leverage to the European Union in the negotiations on the future relationship with the United Kingdom.”
He added that his party would nonetheless continue to work with the government in the interests of getting a better deal, giving some reassurance that the confidence and supply arrangement which keeps the Conservatives in power is still in place. Downing Street declined to comment on Mr Dodds’ comments.
Under Ms May’s plan, the backstop comes into play if the UK and EU have failed to reach a deal on future relations by the end of the Brexit transition period.
It would keep the whole UK in a customs union with the EU, with Britain only able to leave the arrangement with the mutual agreement of Brussels.
Ms May has spent Christmas in talks with EU leaders as she seeks further concessions from Brussels to mitigate displeasure among the DUP and her own MPs at the inclusion of the Irish backstop.
Her proposals are set to come back to the House of Commons for a vote in the week beginning January 14, though there have been some suggestion that it could be delayed further.
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