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May pulled out of Brexit border deal 'after fierce resistance from DUP'

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (left) and Tanaiste Simon Coveney during a press conference at Government Buildings in Dublin. Picture by Laura Hutton/PA Wire
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (left) and Tanaiste Simon Coveney during a press conference at Government Buildings in Dublin. Picture by Laura Hutton/PA Wire Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (left) and Tanaiste Simon Coveney during a press conference at Government Buildings in Dublin. Picture by Laura Hutton/PA Wire

THERESA May pulled out at the last minute from a deal to break the Brexit border logjam after meeting fierce resistance from the DUP, it has been claimed.

Crunch talks between Mrs May and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker ended in Brussels without agreement after DUP leader Arlene Foster - which props up the minority Conservative government - insisted it would not accept any arrangement which saw Northern Ireland treated differently from the rest of the UK.

Taioseach Leo Varadkar said he was "surprised and disappointed" by the break-up of talks just hours after all sides confirmed they were satisfied with a text which would guarantee "regulatory alignment" between Northern Ireland and the Republic to prevent the imposition of a hard border.

Downing Street made no response to claims the DUP torpedoed the deal although it is understood that as well as the border impasse, disagreement remains over the role of the European Court of Justice in overseeing EU citizens' rights in the UK after Brexit.

Both Mrs May and Mr Juncker said they were "confident" of reaching agreement in time for a key summit of the European Council on December 14, but there was a mood of pessimism in some quarters last night.

The Prime Minister is expected back in Brussels for further talks before the end of the week.

European Council president Donald Tusk later disclosed that he had been preparing to move negotiations on to the second phase - dealing with trade and the transition to the post-Brexit EU/UK relationship - until the last-minute call for more time.

Mrs May arrived for her lunchtime talks with Mr Juncker with expectations high for a breakthrough on remaining "divorce" issues, easing pressure on businesses to activate contingency plans to move staff and activities outside the UK.

But suggestions of an imminent deal on the border sparked a firm response from the DUP, which has warned it could withdraw its support for the Tories in Westminster if a customs border is effectively established in the Irish Sea.

Arlene Foster's warnings were swiftly followed by statements from the leaders of devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and London, making clear that any special status for Northern Ireland would prompt demands for their own tailor-made Brexit.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that if one part of the UK could stay in the single market, there was "no good practical reason why others cannot do the same".

Wales would "fully expect" to be offered the same deal, said First Minister Carwyn Jones, while London's Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan said it could help preserve tens of thousands of jobs in the capital.

Mrs May broke off from talks with Mr Juncker to speak by phone with Mrs Foster, and it was confirmed shortly afterwards that talks were ending without a deal.

The Prime Minister said "a lot of progress" had been made, with "a common understanding" on many of the divorce issues.

But she added: "On a couple of issues some differences do remain which require further negotiation and consultation."

Mr Juncker said that the EU and UK were "narrowing our positions to a huge extent", but that two or three issues remained "open for discussion".

However, in a press conference in Dublin, Mr Varadkar said representatives of the UK government and Mr Barnier's team had informed Irish negotiators early in the day that a form of words had been found which might satisfy the Republic's demand for a "cast-iron guarantee" of no hard border after Brexit.

"I am surprised and disappointed that the British government now appears not to be in a position to conclude what was agreed earlier today," he said.

"I accept that the Prime Minister has asked for more time, and I know that she faces many challenges and I acknowledge that she is negotiating in good faith.

"Ireland wants to proceed to phase two - it's very much in our interests to do so. However we cannot agree to do this unless we have firm guarantees that there will not be a hard border in Ireland under any circumstances."

On the DUP's objections, Mr Varadkar said while it was important to listen to the DUP they "don't represent the majority of people in Northern Ireland" and the region had voted to remain in the EU.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the failure of talks showed Mrs May's government was "completely ill-equipped to negotiate a successful Brexit deal for our country", while former Ukip leader Nigel Farage said she should "leave office now".