Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NEW BREXIT DEAL IS BORDERLINE
Unionist fury as PM appears to back border in the Irish Sea
A NEW Brexit deal hung in the balance last night as the DUP railed against a customs border in the Irish Sea. Boris Johnson was said to be making the concession as the UK and Europe were on the brink of a historic agreement.
But defiant DUP leader Arlene Foster stormed: “No. We must remain within the UK’S customs union. It is a principle we have... and that will forever be there.”
And last night after a 90-minute meeting at No10 the party said “gaps remain”.
BORIS Johnson was struggling to convince hardline allies to back his Brexit plans after it emerged the UK had agreed in principle to a customs border in the Irish Sea.
Downing Street officials were trying to win over MPS from all sides to any potential deal the Prime Minister strikes as Brussels talks went down to the wire.
Brussels sources indicated a draft treaty could be published in London as early as this morning. But the DUP indicated they would not support any more concessions to the EU.
Ruling out the customs border, party leader Arlene Foster said: “We must remain within the UK’S customs union.
“It is a principle we have and that will forever be there. We have to be integrally within the UK. We want to get a deal but it has to be a deal that respects the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom and that means all of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland included,”
“People have to get real and have to understand that we are part of the United Kingdom, will remain part of the United Kingdom and there has to be respect for that.”
After meeting with the Prime Minister last night, the DUP said in a statement: “We respect the fact negotiations are ongoing therefore cannot give a detailed commentary but it would be fair to indicate gaps remain and further work is required.”
Mr Johnson also reached out to Labour MPS in Leave seats, who set out demands for guarantees on workers’ and consumer rights, the Mirror was told.
Senior Tory Brexiteer Steve Baker said he believed a deal he could vote for was in sight. Brussels’ chief negotiator Michel Barnier said he needed the legal text of the PM’S proposals by midnight if EU leaders are to approve it at a summit tomorrow. But diplomatic sources suggested more talks would be needed next week, with an emergency summit pencilled in for October 28.
We must remain in the UK’S customs union. It’s a principle that will forever be there ARLENE FOSTER REJECTS CUSTOMS BORDER IN THE IRISH SEA