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Pro-Remain parties seek Brexit meeting with Theresa May

Stormont's pro-Remain parties meet Michel Barnier last week
Stormont's pro-Remain parties meet Michel Barnier last week Stormont's pro-Remain parties meet Michel Barnier last week

STORMONT'S pro-Remain parties have called for a meeting with Theresa May to discuss the impact of Brexit.

The call from Sinn Féin, the SDLP, Alliance and the Greens follows last Friday's joint meeting in Brussels with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said it was important to take the "pro-remain message to the heart of the UK government".

"It is about time they realised that there cannot be a hard border on the island of Ireland and must start to bring about sensible solutions to the table," he said.

Meanwhile, DUP leader Arlene Foster travelled to Brussels last night to meet Mr Barnier and representatives from other member EU states over the next two days.

Speaking before her departure, Mrs Foster said the 2016 referendum result needed to be "respected and implemented".

She also reiterated her belief that the UK as a whole must leave the EU.

"The United Kingdom single market must be protected with no new borders between Northern Ireland and Great Britain being created – from day one this has been the DUP’s only red line," she said.

The DUP leader said she wanted a Brexit that "works for each part of the UK" but also for "our nearest neighbour in the Republic of Ireland".