After rumors that Northern Ireland DUP has privately given conditional agreement to UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal, its deputy leader Nigel Dodds echoed that support. Dodds said “We want to reach a consensus which respects the constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom and which also works for our neighbours in the Republic of Ireland”. And, “the trap of the backstop is the problem,” he added. “There are ways forward which do not require this backstop and we need to see a willingness to explore such options.”
Meanwhile EU and Ireland are stepping up preparations for no-deal Brexit. European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas confirmed that Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar had spoken yesterday. And, they had “looked forward to continuing close cooperation … including on intensifying no deal contingency action in the coming weeks”.
