Northern Ireland

DUP's Nigel Dodds says Brexit compromise 'cannot work'

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds. Picture by Aaron Chown/PA
DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds. Picture by Aaron Chown/PA DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds. Picture by Aaron Chown/PA

THE DUP's deputy leader Nigel Dodds has poured cold water on a reported Brexit compromise to end the deadlock over the Northern Ireland backstop.

He said the plan reportedly being discussed by EU and UK officials "cannot work", and Northern Ireland "must stay in a full UK customs union, full stop".

Reports from Brussels claim British prime minister Boris Johnson has sought to revive a proposal first suggested by Theresa May for a customs partnership to avoid customs controls on the island of Ireland.

It would see Northern Ireland remain politically in a customs union with the EU, but it would be administered by the UK.

The reported plan would create a customs border in the Irish Sea with goods travelling from Britain to Northern Ireland being subject to tariffs which Britain would collect on behalf of the EU. Businesses would then be able to claim a rebate once they had shown the goods were for consumption in the UK market.

But Mr Dodds – whose party's MPs prop up the minority Conservative government – told the Italian La Repubblica newspaper: "It cannot work because Northern Ireland has to remain fully part of the UK customs union.

"There is a lot of stuff coming from Brussels, pushed by the Europeans in the last hours, but one thing is sure: Northern Ireland must remain fully part of the UK customs union. And Boris Johnson knows it very well."

UUP chair Lord Empey criticised Mr Dodds, saying the DUP had already "opened the floodgates" by backing Mr Johnson's earlier proposal of Northern Ireland staying in the European single market for goods but leaving the customs union.

"Having realised their monumental blunder the DUP are now trying to run away. The DUP opened the floodgates by agreeing and advocating a regulatory border in the Irish Sea. This was the green light that Dublin and Brussels were waiting for," he said.

The EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier is due to brief ambassadors today on the progress of talks with the UK, but time is running out if they are to get an agreement ahead of a crunch meeting of EU leaders on Thursday.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald will today lead a party delegation in London as they hold a series of meetings.

Yesterday, she spoke on the phone with Mr Johnson. Her office said she reminded Mr Johnson of his obligations under the Good Friday Agreement and told him that there could be no unionist veto on protections for Ireland.

"Ireland did not consent to Brexit. The people of the north voted to remain," she said after the phone call.

She added: "There can be no customs border on our island. Our livelihoods, our economy and our peace must be protected."