20/08/2019

Donald Tusk Rejects UK PM Call To Scrap Backstop

President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, has rejected a call from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to remove the Irish backstop from any Brexit deal.

It is understood that Mr Johnson wrote to the EC President, opposing the backstop element of the Withdrawal Agreement. However, in response to the letter Mr Tusk wrote on Twitter:

"The backstop is an insurance to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland unless and until an alternative is found. Those against the backstop and not proposing realistic alternatives in fact support reestablishing a border. Even if they do not admit it."

(MH/CM)

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