May voices confidence in striking Brexit deal DUP leader speaks to May about Brexit

■ Deal will open dialogue on post- Brexit trade

London, Dec. 6: British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday voiced confidence in striking a deal that would allow Britain to open negotiations on post- Brexit trade ties with the EU despite this week’s setback.

“We are at the point of progressing to the next stage,” Ms May told Parliament in London, after Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party ( DUP) blocked a proposed agreement on the Irish border being discussed in Brussels on Monday.

“We will ensure that there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. We will do that while we respect the constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom and we will be able to do that while we respect the internal market of the United Kingdom,” she said.

The DUP is Northern Ireland's biggest party. It is pro- British and backs Brexit.

It has been propping up May's government in London ever since a general election in June in which she lost her Conservative parliamentary majority. AFP Belfast, Dec. 6: The leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party Arlene Foster spoke to British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday but she has no plans to fly to London for talks, a party spokesman said.

Ms Foster’s party effectively vetoed the text of a deal between UK and the EU on the future of Northern Ireland’s border, blocking UK progress to the next stage of Brexit talks. Ms Foster said she has no plans to travel to London for Brexit talks the spokesman said.

— Reuters

We will ensure that there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. We respect the constitutional integrity of the UK. — Thresa May UK PM