Chief raps officers
MET POLICE chief Cressida Dick has insisted ex-officers were wrong to make comments regarding allegations that porn was found on a Commons computer belonging to Damian Green in 2008. THERESA May pulled out of a possible deal to break the Brexit logjam at the last moment after meeting fierce resistance from Unionists to proposals which would align Northern Ireland’s regulations with the Republic, Ireland’s prime minister has claimed.
Crunch talks in Brussels between Mrs May and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker ended without a deal, after the PM broke off from negotiations for urgent telephone talks with Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster.
Discussions are set to resume later this week, with Mrs May and Mr Juncker declaring themselves “confident” a solution can be found in time for a key summit of the European Council on December 14.
Mr Juncker said “significant progress” had been made, but it was not possible to reach a “complete agreement” on Monday, while Mrs May said it was clear both sides wanted to “move forward together”.
Ireland’s Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, said he had been informed that agreement had been reached on the key issue of the Irish border before the DUP’s intervention.
Reports that Mrs May was on the verge of agreeing a deal on “regulatory alignment” between Northern Ireland the Republic led the DUP to warn it would oppose the deal if it meant Northern Ireland being subjected to different rules from the rest of the UK.
The DUP, which props up Mrs May’s minority Government, previously warned it could withdraw its support in Parliament if a deal is proposed which threatens the integrity of the United Kingdom.
Speaking at Stormont, Mrs Foster said: “We have been very clear. Northern Ireland must leave the EU on the same terms as the rest of the United Kingdom. We will not accept any form of regulatory divergence which separates Northern Ireland economically or politically from the rest of the United Kingdom.”
In Dublin, Mr Varadkar said he was “surprised and disappointed” by the break-up of talks, which came after UK representatives and EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier informed Irish officials that a form of words had been found which might satisfy the Republic’s demand for a “cast-iron guarantee” there would be no hard border with Northern Ireland after Brexit.
“The Irish negotiating team received confirmation from the British Goverment and the Barnier taskforce that the United Kingdom had agreed a text on the border that met our concerns,” said Mr Varadkar.
“I am surprised and disappointed that the British Government now appears not to be in a position to conclude what was agreed.” He added: “I acknowledge that the Prime Minister is negotiating in good faith.”
Since the break-up of talks, Mr Juncker had confirmed “Ireland’s position remains Europe’s position”, said Mr Varadkar. “I still hope this matter can be concluded in the coming days, as was agreed.”