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Sky News

May says EU wants 'a backstop to the backstop': but says the UK won't accept that either

The UK Prime Minister was told by a fellow MP that for the people of Ireland, “Brexit means borders”.

LAST UPDATE | 15 Oct 2018

AFTER A BUSY day of Brexit manoeuvring, the Taoiseach and DUP leader Arlene Foster met in Dublin this evening. 

The meeting came after the UK Prime Minister told the House of Commons that the EU is looking at the possibility of including the entire UK under the backstop – but that there’s not enough time to explore the detail of this option in the time left to strike a deal. 

According to a spokesperson for Leo Varadkar, “there was a very pleasant atmosphere and a good discussion” around Brexit, devolution in Northern Ireland and the need to get power-sharing back up and running in Stormont. 

“Both parties emphasised that no matter what happens, it’s vital to have real and mutual understanding across the border and to maintain north south cooperation,” continued the spokesperson’s statement. 

Also on the list of topics discussed was the cross-border congenital heart disease network board, upcoming commemorations, transport and tourism cooperation and the Belfast-Dublin rail link. 

Brexit

Earlier today, May said that the EU wanted “a backstop for the backstop” as a solution to this: their suggestion was that Northern Ireland would be included in the customs union and single market until a more complete deal with the UK is agreed.

She said that this wasn’t acceptable to the UK.

“We cannot agree to anything that threatens the integrity of our precious union,” she told parliamentarians.

When the UK leaves the European Union… I’m very clear that there should be no border between Northern Ireland and Ireland… What we want to see in a backstop is that Northern Ireland businesses can export freely to Ireland and the UK. That would be good for Northern Ireland businesses.

During her speech to the House of Commons this afternoon, May aimed to calm concerns about what kind of Brexit deal her government is actually negotiating, saying that she wouldn’t accept a deal that would “carve off” Northern Ireland from the UK under a different customs arrangement.

She said that a Canada style deal was only on offer for Great Britain, and not for Northern Ireland, but that it “doesn’t guarantee frictionless trade” on the island of Ireland either.

She said that there were a number of customs solutions for Northern Ireland had been explored: including one that would involve customs posts “that would become targets”; one that would offer a level of surveillance that would be unacceptable for the people of Northern Ireland.

She said that they also wouldn’t accept a backstop agreement that would leave the entire UK within the customs union indefinitely, or that would restrain it from making trade deals with other countries outside the European Union.

May told the House of Commons that there were only two outstanding issues (prompting laughs from parliamentarians): what territories would be included in the backstop, and whether it would be indefinite or not.

Prime Minister's Questions Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street. Victoria Jones via PA Images Victoria Jones via PA Images

The statement prompted a series of questions, and laughter in some cases.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that “this really is beginning to feel like Groundhog day”: “Another ‘nothing-has-changed’ moment from the government.”

“The Chequers plan is dead in the water,” he said as May shook her head.

One parliamentarian questioned why the statement was being given now, and said that for the people of Ireland, “Brexit means borders”.

Another parliamentarian questioned whether they would need to extend Article 50 to give them more time to negotiate a deal.

The British premier announced that she would make a statement to parliament this afternoon after reports of an impasse over the backstop agreement for Northern Ireland.

The statement comes before EU leaders convene this Wednesday and Thursday for the European Council summit on Brexit, to discuss the outstanding details to a final deal. The major stumbling block is still the Irish border issue.

According to reports in the British media, the deadlock in talks is a ruse by the UK government in order to push Brexiteers in the Tory party to back a deal with the EU.

The Irish government, meanwhile, denies that a no-deal scenario (which would automatically result in a hard border reemerging on the island of Ireland) is the most likely outcome. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said, however that a Brexit deal could be delayed until December.

“We are at a sensitive phase and I know some people were optimistic about an agreement on the withdrawal protocol this week, I have to say I always thought that was unlikely, I figure November or December is the best opportunity for a deal.”

‘Best of both worlds’

Speaking this afternoon in Dublin ahead of a meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, DUP leader Arlene Foster said that “the whole of the United Kingdom” must leave the European Union together. 

Calling for “a sensible Brexit”, Foster reiterated her position that there should be no barriers between Northern Ireland and the UK. 

Unionism is united on that issue, not just in Northern Ireland, but right across the United Kingdom.

Foster said that “the way forward” was to have no internal barriers between Northern Ireland and the UK. 

We send 3.5 times more to Great Britain than we do to the Republic of Ireland.

Following a meeting with Foster this afternoon, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said that Northern Ireland has the opportunity to get the “best of both worlds” post-Brexit.

(Can’t see this video? Click here.)

Staying within the EU customs union while still having access to the UK market makes sense, Martin said, “given the relative underdevelopment of Northern Ireland”.

If Northern Ireland could only see it, some of their representatives could only see it, particularly if their Unionists representatives could see it, there is the opportunity to get the best of both worlds. 

The Fianna Fáil leader added that a no-deal Brexit would be damaging and that “everyone you talk to wants to avoid” it.

And I think that includes Arlene Foster

- with reporting from Christina Finn and Daragh Brophy.

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57 Comments
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    Mute O'Reilly
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    Jun 16th 2014, 7:57 AM

    Fair play to them…

    133
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    Mute Martin Ryan
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    Jun 16th 2014, 8:29 AM

    Every bit as important as the nurse or doctor the utmost respect should be shown to cleaners doing the jobs no one else wants to, or thinks they are to good for.

    131
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    Mute Joseph Siddall
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    Jun 16th 2014, 8:34 AM

    If the Marketing Dept didn’t show up for a week, virtually no-one would notice. If the cleaners didn’t, the whole company would know about it.
    They’re real people doing a job. Be nice to ‘em.

    230
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    Mute Shane Walsh
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    Jun 16th 2014, 10:16 AM

    Joseph I couldn’t agree more..

    32
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    Mute Joseph Siddall
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    Jun 16th 2014, 1:44 PM

    Presume the red thumbs are the considered input from the small minority of Marketing people who just know that the western world revolves around them. Or other deluded souls. Cleaners are amongst the most important people in any organisation and you really should get to know them if you want to know what’s going on in a company. Being “invisible” they see and hear things that those further up the food chain do not. Also on my list are Receptionists, Secretaries and Security………the good ones in each category, at least. The old fashioned tea lady was a brilliant source of information, but now sadly disappeared. The modern coffee machine sees all, hears all and says nowt – and the tea is usually cr4p. Treat everyone with respect on your way up, ‘cos you never know who you might meet on the way down.

    21
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    Mute Noel Peare
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    Jun 16th 2014, 1:58 PM

    Well if you will try to get tea from a coffee machine you have to expect poor results

    18
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    Mute Joseph Siddall
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    Jun 16th 2014, 2:25 PM

    Noel, well spotted. Probably explains my abiding dislike of machine-made tea. :-)

    7
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    Mute Thors Big Hammer
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    Jun 16th 2014, 8:39 AM

    Tough thankless job.

    90
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    Mute Summer Bay Devil
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    Jun 16th 2014, 7:49 AM

    We need more Lemon Pledge

    88
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    Mute Liam
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    Jun 16th 2014, 8:16 AM

    I only notice good looking cleaners to be honest…

    61
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    Mute Summer Bay Devil
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    Jun 16th 2014, 8:23 AM

    Meeester Superman no home

    31
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    Mute Shane Walsh
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    Jun 16th 2014, 8:53 AM

    I have the utmost respect for cleaners, very hard working people doing jobs that many would turn there nose up at.

    82
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    Mute Simon Barnes
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    Jun 16th 2014, 8:08 AM

    Cant miss our cleaner . She’s fit as fcuk :-)

    72
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    Mute Robbie Doyle
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    Jun 16th 2014, 9:00 AM

    Reminds me of a song Ewan MacColl wrote about his mother called Nobody Knew She Was There, heartbreaking stuff.

    Glistening sheen of new-washed floors is fading, There where office clocks are marking time, Night’s black tide has ebbed away By cliffs of glass awash with day, She hurries from her labours still unseen.

    31
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    Mute Glangan
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    Jun 16th 2014, 9:30 AM

    Thanks for doing your job – well done!

    29
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    Mute Julian King
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    Jun 16th 2014, 9:24 AM

    But who’ll give recognition to the cleaners of these venues being used to give recognition to cleaners?

    20
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    Mute Justin Moran
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    Jun 16th 2014, 7:58 AM

    Great to see this given some profile but that was 1990, not 1900, when striking janitors were attacked in Los Angelus.

    19
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    Mute Jay Warner
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    Jun 16th 2014, 10:38 AM

    What about the legions of Cleaners working in Hotels, restaurants, shops and offices etc? Typical of SIPTU to just cherry pick their own little inch of the world and ignore everyone else.

    17
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    Mute david journal
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    Jun 16th 2014, 10:29 AM

    Cabin crew giving out last week, cleaners this week, why cant people just go to work and do the job without needing a parade about it.
    Its your job, just do it and be quite.

    17
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    Mute art vandelay
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    Jun 16th 2014, 9:33 AM

    Mr. Lippman: It’s come to my attention that you and the cleaning woman have engaged in sexual intercourse on the desk in your office. Is that correct?
    George Costanza: Who said that?
    Mr. Lippman: She did.
    George Costanza: [pause] Was that wrong? Should I not have done that? I tell you, I gotta plead ignorance on this thing, because if anyone had said anything to me at all when I first started here that that sort of thing is frowned upon… you know, cause I’ve worked in a lot of offices, and I tell you, people do that all the time.

    10
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    Mute JGermanotta26
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    Jun 16th 2014, 11:21 PM

    Cleaners are the tiny wheels that keep the clock working. Without them it just wouldn’t work.

    Nice people know we all have a part to play, how dare anyone assume they are more ‘worthwhile’ based on their title ~ usually lazy buggers who wouldn’t work on batteries, prancing around looking more important than they are!

    This day for justice and to encourage respect for the cleaners is long overdue

    5
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    Mute Jho Harris
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    Jun 16th 2014, 11:29 AM

    @ Joseph Siddall I agree 100% and have been saying that for years.
    @ David Journal. Do your job and be quite what? or did you mean quiet? Hope your job does not include journalism as your user name suggests or you have made a right laughing stock of yourself, you see they are not giving out. If you read the article you will see that this “It’s a celebration, not a protest” There are no big or complicated works for you to look up in their quote ” “We are often invisible to the public. Yet without the work we do, many of our most important facilities including hospitals, railway stations and universities simply could not function. This day is about reminding people about the value of our work in society.”

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    Mute david journal
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    Jun 16th 2014, 11:40 AM

    I misspelled a word, what a laughing stock I must look. In your simple little world maybe.
    There cleaners, they want a day of appreciation, ridiculous notions, just get on with there jobs.

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    Mute That's a paddlin'
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    Jun 16th 2014, 11:57 AM

    *They’re cleaners and *their jobs.

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    Mute Jho Harris
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    Jun 16th 2014, 10:14 PM

    @ David Journal. You know nothing about my world and I aim to keep it that way, I do try to keep it simple or at least uncomplicated but it is not little. I suspect your use of the word Journal in your user name does anything but reflect your skills as you have and my comment was not just about misspelling a word it also alluded to your begrudgery.

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    Mute Paddy Hannigan
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    Jun 16th 2014, 10:50 PM

    “Bonjour, je m’appelle Victor, Nettoyeur.”

    Oh!! Not that sort of cleaner.

    1
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