Boris Johnson has been dealt a damning Brexit blow after the DUP rejected his hopes for a deal - hours before a crucial EU summit.
Boris Johnson spoke to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker this morning. Mina Andreeva, the European Commission's chief spokeswoman, tweeted: "Contacts between #EU and UK teams are continuing. JunckerEU just spoke to Boris Johnson. Every hour and minute counts before the #EUCO. We want a #deal."She is thought to be concerned about rumours of a customs border down the Irish Sea, and an ongoing row about whether EU VAT rates would apply in Northern Ireland.
But today Ms Foster and DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds said: “As things stand, we could not support what is being suggested on customs and consent issues and there is a lack of clarity on VAT. Last night Boris Johnson compared Brexit to climbing Everest and escaping Shawshank in a bullish address to MPs that lasted just eight minutes.
It would keep a transition period continuing EU rules and payments to December 2020. But it would scrap the Irish backstop, an insurance policy designed at preventing a hard border between Northern Ireland the Republic from 2021.Customs checks across the Irish border would only take place on a "very small number" of goods, away from the border itself to avoid new physical infrastructure.
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Source: IrishTimes - 🏆 3. / 98 Read more »