EU will consider any proposal from Britain on backstop plan
Any new proposal from British prime minister Theresa May about the backstop proposal to avoid a hard border will be considered by the EU taskforce on Brexit, the Government has said.
Ms May told MPs yesterday that the issue of the border and the last resort to guarantee a frictionless border remained the sole issue to resolve in the withdrawal deal for Britain.
But Dublin reiterated that any negotiations would take place in Brussels, behind closed doors and that a backstop could not be temporary in nature.
Tánaiste Simon Coveney yesterday said that any move by Britain to move away from the backstop “is not going to fly with Ireland or the EU as a whole”.
Furthermore, the deputy Fine Gael leader stressed that commitments made still need to be honoured.
Mr Coveney will this week lead further Brexit conferences in Dublin and Monaghan, where businesses and the public will discuss how to prepare for Britain’s withdrawal from the EU.
There has been speculation this week that Ms May could face a vote of no confidence from Tory Brexiteers. The embattled prime minister will hold further talks with her cabinet over the impasse to agreeing a withdrawal deal with EU negotiators.
Speaking yesterday, she said she was prepared to “explore every possible option” to break the deadlock in Brexit talks.
She told MPs 95% of the terms of the exit were agreed but the Irish border issue was still a “considerable sticking point”.
She again ruled out supporting a second referendum.
EU leaders last week discussed extending the Brexit transition period, due to end in December 2020, to resolve future contingency plans, including the so-called Irish backstop.
EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier says the taskforce is ready to resume talks. But no dates have yet been agreed.
Dublin sources last night said they had listened to Ms May’s comments and that any fresh proposals should be considered by Mr Barnier and his team.
Ireland’s position remained the same and as part of an overall future relationship between the EU and Britain, there was still a need for a backstop to avoid a hard border, a spokesman said.
