Wording of deal hailed on both sides of border

THE DEMOCRATIC Unionists yesterday welcomed the “substantial progress” achieved in the agreement between the UK and EU, just days after dramatically vetoing Theresa May’s attempts to solve the contentious issue of the Irish border.

Responding to the news that talks on Brexit would be able to move onto the second stage, DUP leader Arlene Foster said her party worked with the Government into the early hours of yesterday to secure changes to the original text it rejected on Monday.

She said Northern Ireland would now leave the single market and customs union and insisted there would be no border down the Irish sea, dividing Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.

“There will be no so-called ‘special status’ for Northern Ireland as demanded by Sinn Fein,” said Mrs Foster, whose party’s £1bn deal signed with the Prime Minister during the summer allowed her a working majority after the General Election.

In a separate press conference yesterday, Ireland’s premier described the UK and the EU’s joint commitment to the retention of a free-flowing Irish border post-Brexit as “rock solid and cast iron”.

Leo Varadkar described assurances outlined in the agreed text as “politically bulletproof ”.

“We have protected what we sought to protect and we achieved what we sought to achieve,” he said.

Reacting to the breakthrough at Government Buildings in Dublin, the Fine Gael leader downplayed changes in the wording of the text from Monday’s ill-fated draft. He said the amendments were “stylistic changes in language” or “just statements of fact” that his government had “no difficulty with”.

Earlier this week, after the DUP veto ended initial hopes of progressing talks, Mrs Foster said her party could not accept “regulatory alignment” between Northern Ireland and the Republic in order to avoid the need for a hard border, if that were to mean regulations diverged from the rest of the UK.

A hard border with customs checks over the 310 miles between Northern Ireland and its neighbour was considered by all parties to be damaging, with some suggesting it could put the peace process in jeopardy.

Mrs Foster yesterday: “Northern Ireland will not be separated constitutionally, politically, economically or regulatory from the rest of the United Kingdom, and the joint UK-EU report at the conclusion of phase one makes clear that in all circumstances the United Kingdom will continue to ensure the same unfettered access for Northern Ireland’s businesses to the whole of the UK internal market.”

The DUP leader made clear there was “still more work to be done”. She said more focus was needed on the areas of potential future alignment with the Irish Republic and how that could be achieved outside of the single market and customs union.

“We do however welcome the assurance given by the Prime Minister and Brexit Secretary in Parliament that any alignment will be done on a UK-wide basis, ensuring that there would be no barriers to trade between Northern Ireland and our most important market in the rest of the UK.”