DUP leader’s ‘lost the run of herself’
Sinn Fein hits out at Brexit red line claim
SINN Fein yesterday said Arlene Foster has “lost the run of herself” over the description of her Brexit red line as “blood red”.
Vice president Michelle O’neill accused the DUP leader of being “out of touch” after saying she would not support a rise in regulatory checks across the Irish Sea as a means to break the border deadlock.
The taunt came as the British Prime Minister told the Conservative party conference the UK “will never accept” a Brexit deal that leaves the North in the customs union.
It also emerged France is preparing a Bill that will pave the way for emergency laws should Britain crash out of the EU without a deal.
Mrs Foster’s claim the
Good Friday Agreement was “not sacrosanct” was still being criticised yesterday.
Mrs O’neill said: “When I look at the last few days and the behaviour of the DUP in England, particular in relation to the Tory party conference, they purport to speak for the people of the North, they do not speak for the people of the North.”
Meanwhile, at the Tory event in Birmingham Theresa May said she could not rule out leaving the EU without an agreement and criticised two possible options.
She added: “Either a deal that keeps us in the EU in all but name, keeps free movement, keeps vast annual payments and stops us signing trade deals with other countries.
“Or a deal that carves off Northern Ireland, a part of this country, effectively leaving it in the customs union. So, let us send a clear message from this hall today: we will never accept either of those choices.”
Separately, the Czech Republic warned that Britain and the EU must focus on getting a divorce deal with an Irish border at its centre before talks on post-brexit trade ties.
European affairs minister Nathalie Loiseau said she hopes a successful agreement is possible but “we must prepare ourselves for all the scenarios, including a no deal”.