Mike Pence has warned Ireland and the EU to negotiate “in good faith” with Boris Johnson and “respect UK sovereignty.”
The US Vice President also outlined how the US has already announced, through US President, Donald Trump, last week, that a US/UK trade deal has almost been brokered.
He then said that an EU/US one had not, although he hopes one will be.
The pro-Boris intervention from the second most powerful man in the US Administration comes as British Prime Minister, Mr Boris Johnson, faced a battle to keep the Tory party from falling apart in London tomorrow evening.
He lost the working majority he governed with when Tory MP, Phillip Lee, dramatically crossed the floor of the House of Commons and joined the Lib Dems in the middle of a raucous debate.
Mr Pence was in Ireland yesterday and he met with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and President Michael D. Higgins in Phoenix Park.
He was speaking after a ‘family lunch’ between the Pence and Varadkar families - including the partner of Mr Varadkar, Matt Barrett.
Mr Pence’s own mother, Nancy, was also at the lunch along with Mr Varadkar’s own mother and father too.
It led Mr Pence to joke that the two politicians had one thing in common, they were both blessed with Irish mothers.
Addressing the more serious issue of Brexit, Mr Pence said: “Let me be clear, the United States supports the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union in Brexit.
“But we also recognise the unique challenges on the Northern border and I can assure we will continue to encourage the United Kingdom and Ireland to ensure that any Brexit deal respects the Good Friday Agreement.
However, he added: “As the Brexit deadline approaches, we urge Ireland and the European Union as well, to negotiate in good faith with Prime Minister Johnson and work to reach an agreement that respects the
United Kingdom’s sovereignty and minimises disruption to commerce.”
Mr Varadkar said that he wanted Mr Pence to bring a message back to US President, Donald Trump, that Ireland is standing by the Withdrawal Agreement, which includes the backstop.
The Taoiseach said: “We must stand our ground on the Withdrawal Agreement, an agreement which was carefully negotiated to overcome all the risks.
“And so Mr Vice President, I ask that you bring that message back to Washington with you.
“This is not a problem of our making.
“It is one we want to solve - through an orderly Brexit and a withdrawal agreement that guarantees no re-emergence of a hard border on this island.”
But Mr Varadkar looked uncomfortable with Mr Pence’s response, which basically ignored his plea, and clearly indicated his support for the UK ahead of Ireland and the EU.
Mr Pence also spoke at length about his connections to Ireland where relations from both sides of his family hail from.
