Only answer we can give the UK on Brexit backstop is ‘No’

BREXIT is one of the most significant political declarations made in Europe since WWII. One of the members of the EU, one of the most powerful and richest countries in the world, has declared economic war on nearly 30 other democracies with which it had signed a treaty to co-operate in matters of mutual interest.

From an Irish point of view Brexit is significant since, in addition to its economic costs, it virtually tore up an international agreement – the Good Friday Agreement – the UK signed with this country to draw a line under both of our colonial pasts.

When Ireland states these facts it gets the riposte from political and media circles in London that Paddy should know his place and should shut his gob.

Given the significance of Brexit in European and Irish terms the answer to that has to be ‘No’. A Leavy

Sutton, Dublin 13