No 10: NI in customs union is a ‘matter for negotiation’

Downing Street today claimed leaving Northern Ireland in the customs union after Brexit is a ‘matter for negotiations’.

In remarks that will alarm Theresa May’s DUP allies, the Prime Minister’s spokesman did not reject suggestions the province could be left behind after Brexit.

Ireland has suggested leaving Northern Ireland in the customs union as the simple way of ensuring there is no hard border inside the island of Ireland. 

It would effectively move the international border to the middle of the Irish Sea, meaning customs checks inside the United Kingdom.  

Britain has rejected this and earlier this month Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire said in Brussels ‘we will leave the EU in 2019 as one United Kingdom’.

Downing Street today claimed leaving Northern Ireland in the customs union after Brexit is a ‘matter for negotiations’. Theresa May is in Brussels today (pictured) for a security summit and Brexit meetings 

Ireland has suggested leaving Northern Ireland in the customs union as the simple way of ensuring there is no hard border inside the island of Ireland

Ireland has suggested leaving Northern Ireland in the customs union as the simple way of ensuring there is no hard border inside the island of Ireland

Downing Street’s intervention today came after DUP leader Arlene Foster claimed the Republic was being ‘reckless’ by suggesting Northern Ireland stays inside.

Asked if Northern Ireland could stay in the customs union after Brexit, Mrs May’s spokesman said: ‘That is a matter for negotiations. 

‘Our position on Northern Ireland has been set out in the papers and we need to continue to negotiate to find an innovative way forward.’

Earlier, Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney insisted EU leaders would not give the green light for the phase two negotiations to begin at their summit in December unless there was progress on the border issue.

He said British assurances on the issue were ‘aspirational’ and that there had to be a ‘credible roadmap’ from the UK setting out how they would ensure there was no return to a hard border.

With the UK committed to withdrawing from customs union and the single market, Mr Coveney said it was difficult to see how they could avoid border checks if it resulted in ‘regulatory divergence’ between the North and the Republic.

In remarks that will alarm Theresa May's DUP allies led by Nigel Dodds and Arlene Foster (pictured in Downing Street last week), the Prime Minister's spokesman said Northern Ireland staying in the customs union was a 'matter for negotiation' 

In remarks that will alarm Theresa May’s DUP allies led by Nigel Dodds and Arlene Foster (pictured in Downing Street last week), the Prime Minister’s spokesman said Northern Ireland staying in the customs union was a ‘matter for negotiation’ 

‘We can’t move to phase two on the basis of aspiration.

‘We have move to phase two on the basis of a credible road map or the parameters around which we can design a credible road map to ensure that it doesn’t happen,’ he said.

‘The truth is that if we see regulatory divergence between the two jurisdictions on the island of Ireland it is very hard to see in that scenario how you avoid hard border checks. So we need progress on this issue in the context of the regulatory divergence issues.

‘I hope and expect that we can get that by December so that we can all move on.

‘If we can’t, then I think there is going to be a difficulty coming up.’

Mr Coveney added that the other member states were fully behind Ireland’s stance on the issue.

‘I don’t think Ireland will have to block anything on its own. There is absolute solidarity across 27 countries here. They are with Ireland on this,’ he said.

‘We are not talking about a ‘no deal’ here. What we are talking about is whether we can move on to opening up phase two in parallel with phase one issues in December.

‘Without sufficient progress on the Irish issues that can’t happen.’

Earlier, Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney (left with Boris Johnson in Dublin last week) insisted EU leaders would not give the green light for the phase two negotiations to begin at their summit in December unless there was progress on the border issue

Earlier, Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney (left with Boris Johnson in Dublin last week) insisted EU leaders would not give the green light for the phase two negotiations to begin at their summit in December unless there was progress on the border issue

 

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