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The draft EU Withdrawal Agreement flies in the face of British Government commitments on Northern Ireland, Nigel Dodds has said.<\/p>\nThe draft EU Withdrawal Agreement flies in the face of British Government commitments on Northern Ireland, Nigel Dodds has said.<\/p>\n
The DUP deputy leader met UK Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday along with his party\u2019s Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson and MEP Diane Dodds.<\/p>\n
He reiterated the party\u2019s concerns over the proposed border backstop, which proponents in Europe and Ireland have called an insurance policy to protect frictionless all-island trade.<\/p>\n
Mr Dodds said: \u201cThe Irish Republic\u2019s \u2018no deal\u2019 preparations published just before Christmas have laid bare the nonsense propaganda about a hard border.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo-one wants a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndeed, its becoming clearer by the day that no one is ever going to construct such a border.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith this clarity emerging in London, Dublin and Brussels, there is evidently no need for the aspects of the Withdrawal Agreement, which have been so vigorously opposed by a broad cross-section of the House of Commons.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Withdrawal Agreement, as currently proposed, flies in the face of the Government\u2019s commitments on Northern Ireland as we leave the EU.\u201d<\/p>\n
The UK Government has said it does not want a hard border reimposed on the island of Ireland.<\/p>\n
Mrs May has also said the country will exit the EU as one United Kingdom.<\/p>\n
Contrary to pro-EU spin, the border backstop keeping Northern Ireland aligned with the Republic on trade matters is not the best of both worlds, Mr Dodds said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is potentially indefinite in time, would place a barrier between us and our main trading partner in Great Britain and give enormous leverage to the European Union in the negotiations on the future relationship with the United Kingdom.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Dodds said the party would have further discussions with the Prime Minister and will continue to work with the UK Government in the interests of getting a better deal.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrussels must now demonstrate that if it truly cares about Northern Ireland, then erecting a new east-west barrier should be no more palatable than having any new north-south barriers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
We need to give the public a final say on Brexit with the option to stay and strengthen ourselves within Europe<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Best for Britain, which describes itself as an organisation attempting to keep the UK open to EU membership, said the DUP had \u201cpulled the rug out\u201d from underneath the Prime Minister.<\/p>\n
It claimed: \u201cHer Brexit deal is dead in the water. If Theresa May can\u2019t convince Nigel Dodds and her own party to back her deal after a one-to-one, why should the country support it?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt irritates Leavers and Remainers alike, and it actively concedes influence over British laws. It\u2019s a bad deal. There\u2019s only one solution to this nightmare.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to give the public a final say on Brexit with the option to stay and strengthen ourselves within Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n