Theresa May campaigns in N.Ireland Brexit Roundup – Tuesday

Theresa May has denied claims from DUP leader Arlene Foster that she had “given up” on negotiations before agreeing the Brexit deal. Mrs Foster said the PM’s trip to promote the deal to businesses in Wales and Northern Ireland was a “waste of time” as Parliament would not back it. Meanwhile, former defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon told the BBC the deal was “doomed” and must be renegotiated. BBC

While in Northern Ireland, the PM was due to meet all five political parties in Belfast. Away from the DUP’s opposition to her deal, the PM was likely to find more supportive voices elsewhere.

Sky News reports that Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry said his party “don’t believe there is any such thing as a good or sensible Brexit” and would rather remain in the EU. But, he added the Irish border backstop must remain in the PM’s Brexit deal. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood also stressed the need to protect the border backstop. “No matter what happens on the 11th of December, no matter what happens in the House of Commons, the backstop needs to be banked,” he said. “It needs to be banked in the event of an extension Article 50, it needs to be banked in the event of a people’s vote or another election, or any of those outcomes. “People here will not be used in the political machinations that are going in Westminster – we need to be protected.

“We cannot be left at the mercy of a hard Brexit and a hard border in Ireland.” Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said the Brexit deal was “imperfect” but represented the “least worst option”. “Any talk about ditching the backstop is fanciful,” she said.

“Without a backstop, without the necessary protections for the island of Ireland, there can be no withdrawal agreement, so those who wish to ditch the backstop I don’t think are living in the real world.” Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann urged an extension of Article 50 to give the government more time to strike a better deal.