Brexit: Deal with backstop toxicity, says Arlene Foster
(about 4 hours later)
Dealing with the "toxicity" of the backstop would allow the EU and UK to move forward towards a Brexit deal, Arlene Foster has said.
Dealing with the "toxicity" of the Irish border backstop would allow the EU and UK to move towards a Brexit deal, Arlene Foster has said.
Mrs Foster she was hopeful of finding alternatives but it depended on the "willingness" of the Irish government.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader she was hopeful of finding alternatives but it depended on the "willingness" of the Irish government.
Tánaiste (Irish Deputy PM) Simon Coveney said the EU would not renegotiate.
But Irish PM Leo Varadkar said the need for the backstop was proven by events at Westminster this week.
Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill said the backstop was "the bottom line".
He said the UK had "resiled from an agreement that they made" with the EU.
She told the BBC's Sunday Politics "nothing good" would come from Brexit.
MPs voted on Tuesday to seek "alternative arrangements" to replace the backstop in Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal.
Earlier on Sunday, the Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald said the backstop was "the absolute bare minimum" required.
But the EU said it would not change the legal text it had agreed with Mrs May.
The backstop is a position of last resort, to maintain an open border on the island of Ireland in the event that the UK leaves the EU without securing an all-encompassing deal.
'Not giving up'
Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Sunday News programme, the DUP leader said that if the EU wants a deal, it has to be acceptable to both sides.
The backstop is a last-resort insurance policy to maintain an open border on the island of Ireland in the event that the UK leaves the EU without securing an all-encompassing deal.
"I think we really need to focus on trying to get a deal. That's what the DUP want, that's what the government wants and I believe it's what the European Union wants," Mrs Foster said.
Speaking to Irish national broadcaster RTÉ, Mr Varadkar said: "More so than even it's been demonstrated why we need a legal guarantee so a prime minister, or a government or a parliament of the day, can't abrogate it."
'Toxicity'
Mrs Foster told the BBC Radio Ulster's The Sunday News programme that if the EU wants a deal it has to be one that is acceptable to both sides.
"I'm certainly not giving up. I think it's the right thing to do to go back and say that whilst there are other issues with the withdrawal agreement, if this issue around the toxicity of backstop was dealt with then we would be able to move forward."
"I think we really need to focus on trying to get a deal - that's what the DUP want, that's what the government wants and I believe it's what the EU wants," she said.
She said she believed it was possible to find an "alternative" to the backstop "if there's a willingness from the Republic of Ireland and the rest of the European Union, but mainly the Republic of Ireland".
"I'm certainly not giving up.
The UK is scheduled to leave the EU on 29 March and Mrs Foster said she hoped coming closer to that date would help to "focus minds".
"It's the right thing to do to go back and say that, whilst there are other issues with the withdrawal agreement, if this issue around the toxicity of backstop was dealt with then we would be able to move forward."
"I very much hope the compression that is now happening will lead people to come and make a deal that is good for everyone," she said.
She said she believed it was possible to find an "alternative" to the backstop "if there's a willingness" from the EU "but mainly the Republic of Ireland".
But writing in The Sunday Times, Mr Coveney said: "The EU will not renegotiate the withdrawal agreement and there will be no withdrawal agreement without the backstop."
The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March and Mrs Foster said she hoped that coming closer to that date would help to "focus minds".
"However, the EU is prepared to look again at the political declaration to make it more ambitious in terms of the future relationship, if the UK so wishes.
"I very much hope the compression that is now happening will lead people to come and make a deal that is good for everyone," she added.
"There is a deal on the table, and walking away from it will have serious consequences for us all."
'Absolute bare minimum'
"Mrs Foster said that she believed there was an opportunity in international law to say that no-one will put a border in the island of Ireland.
Mr Varadkar said that a no-deal Brexit "can be taken off the table at any time".
She reiterated her endorsement of the 'Malthouse' proposal, which seeks to find an alternative to the backstop.
"This threat of no deal is not a threat that Ireland or Europe is making," he added.
The Malthouse proposal includes redrafting the backstop.
"It's in the hands of Britain to extend Article 50 or revoke it if they so choose."
Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show Mary Lou McDonald said: "There was a common resolution on the part of the British government, on the part of Europe, certainly from the Irish side, to protect the Good Friday Agreement in all of its parts.
Also speaking on Sunday, the Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald said the backstop was "the absolute bare minimum" required.
"That is why a backstop, or a set of very specific protections were landed on.
"There was a common resolution on the part of the British government, on the part of Europe, certainly from the Irish side, to protect the Good Friday Agreement in all of its parts," she told the BBC's The Andrew Marr Show.
"They are minimal, but they are the absolute bare necessities to ensure that our economy, that our society and crucially our peace agreement isn't disrupted."
"That is why a backstop or a set of very specific protections were landed on.
'Absolute disaster'
"They are minimal but they are the absolute bare necessities to ensure that our economy, that our society and crucially our peace agreement isn't disrupted."
Meanwhile, the president of the Ulster Farmer's Union, Ivor Ferguson, told Sunday Politics it would be an "absolute disaster" for farmers if the UK left the EU without a deal.
The Ulster Farmer's Union president Ivor Ferguson told the BBC's Sunday Politics that it would be an "absolute disaster" for farmers if the UK left the EU without a deal.
"When we are looking at this no-deal situation, we are looking at the facts, and the facts are if we are outside the EU we would face tariffs.
"When we are looking at this no-deal situation we are looking at the facts - the facts are if we are outside the EU we would face tariffs.
"It would just be unsustainable and we could not handle a no-deal situation.
"It would just be unsustainable and we could not handle a no-deal situation.
"It would be an absolute disaster for us and for everybody in the agri-food business."
"It would be an absolute disaster for us and for everybody in the agri-food business."
'Throw away remark'
On Tuesday, DUP MP Sammy Wilson was criticised for responding to a suggestion that in event that a no-deal Brexit could lead to food shortages by saying: "Go to the chippy."
Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, who was sitting in front of the DUP MPs, said the party should be "ashamed".
Mrs Foster said that Mr Wilson had made a "throw away remark" that should not be taken seriously.
"People forget the atmosphere in the House of Commons. There were a number of comments made," she said.
"He was reacting to the completely over the top assessment that was made by the SNP."
Listen to the full interview with Arlene Foster on The Sunday News on BBC Radio Ulster at 13:00 GMT on Sunday, 3 February.
