Customs Union avoids need for the backstop

THE protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland contained within the withdrawal agreement needs to be read to appreciate the time and care which has been devoted to its drafting.

To pretend that there could be a quick fix (detailed amendments to the backstop, agreed over the next few weeks) looks to be utterly unrealistic.

It should be remembered that the backstop was included — at the UK’s instigation — so as not to cross one of Theresa May’s ‘red lines’.

For the UK to seek to change it at this stage casts doubt on the integrity of the Government and shows a callous disregard for an extremely sensitive and potentially unsettling consequence for the island of Ireland.

A backstop ceases to be a backstop if it is time-limited or can be unilaterally dispensed with. It is already accepted by both the EU and the UK that the backstop, in all probability, will never be activated.

An agreement including the current backstop doesn’t command a majority in parliament.

A no-deal exit just makes the situation in Ireland more problematic and doesn’t command a majority in Parliament either.

Staying in a customs union would avoid the need for a backstop, or act as a backstop. This could probably command a majority in Parliament and be acceptable to the EU.

RICHARD AND PAM SMITH By email