‘North cannot stay in EU Customs Union’

NORTHERN Secretary James Brokenshire yesterday insisted that the North could not stay within the Customs Union.

And he warned that arrangements for the Irish border must not eat into the UK’s integrity. Allowing Northern Ireland to retain some access has been floated by the European Parliament’s Brexit negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt.

However, Mr Brokenshire reiterated the British government’s approach as he met with European officials in Brussels.

The strong line will disappoint Leo Varadkar, who has being pushing for a resolution that won’t damage the economies north and south of the border.

Mr Brokenshire said: ‘As the prime minister [Theresa May] has made clear, leaving the EU will mean that we leave both the Single Market and the Customs Union.

‘I find it difficult to imagine how Northern Ireland could somehow remain in while the rest of the country leaves.’

However, he added that Britain has made it ‘equally clear’ that ‘we are determined to find bespoke solutions to Northern Ireland’s unique circumstances, not least as the only part of the UK to share a land border with an EU member state’.

However, Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson claimed it was hypocritical for Mr Brokenshire to talk about protecting the interests of Northern Ireland.

‘He talks about protecting the interests of the north but in reality his government’s Brexit agenda can only damage those interests,’ she said.

Mr Varadkar and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney have said they will not let Brexit negotiations move from the divorce talks to discussions about future trade relations between Britain and the EU – as London is pushing for – without more guarantees on the border.