Davis’ Irish border ‘buffer zone’ is rubbished within hours by all sides

Downing Street has backed away from a proposal from David Davis’ Brexit department for a ten-mile wide “buffer zone” to be created straddling the Irish border, in a bid to break the deadlock over customs arrangements after the UK leaves the EU.

The plan would see Northern Ireland have “joint status” within the EU single market and the UK, with small traders and farmers operating within the buffer zone free to trade locally. However, Number 10 disowned the plan despite reports that it might have commanded the support of Theresa May’s divided cabinet. The plan was also dismissed by the DUP, which described the proposals as “contradictory at best”. All parties in Scotland have joined the DUP in ruling out any solution that gives “special status” to Northern Ireland.

Earlier a spokesman for Mr Davis’ department did not deny the plan was under consideration, saying only: “We have set out two viable future customs arrangements with the EU and work is ongoing to refine these.”

The UK is under pressure to resolve the issue of how to prevent a hard border in Ireland before a summit of EU leaders on 28 June. EU chief Brexit negotiator Barnier underlined the urgency yesterday, saying he had “no certainty” about the UK’S future relationship with the EU.

“I can see the difficulty and intensity of this debate,” he said. “We are waiting for the British to have clear positions and choices.”