UK and EU need to ‘knuckle down’ and resolve dispute over Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit rules, says Irish premier
The UK and EU need to “knuckle down” and resolve the dispute over Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit arrangements, the Irish premier has said.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he was encouraged progress was being made, and with the change in “mood music”.
Brexit Minister Lord Frost will hold further talks with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic on Friday.
The UK is still warning it could unilaterally suspend parts of the Northern Ireland deal unless major changes are made.
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Martin cautioned the UK against triggering Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol – which would suspend part of the arrangements.
The Northern Ireland Protocol prevents a hard border with Ireland by keeping Northern Ireland in the EU’s single market, but that meant checks on products crossing the Irish Sea from Great Britain.
It states that Northern Ireland will remain part of the UK’s customs territory however, it will have to stick to some EU rules to allow goods to move freely into te Republic and rest of the EU.
Mr Martin said this would have a “very negative” impact.
Taoiseach Michael Martin said he was encouraged by the progress being made
He added the European Commission had put forward a “comprehensive package of measures” to address the concerns raised about the protocol, adding that some EU members thought Mr Sefcovic had gone “too far” in the concessions he had offered to reduce checks.
The Taoiseach said “I get on well with Boris Johnson on a personal level” when asked if he trusted the UK Prime Minister.
The UK is still warning it could suspend parts of the Northern Ireland deal
In Parliament, Lord Frost said Brussels should not interpret his “reasonable tone” in talks to imply any softening of the UK’s position and Article 16 is still “very much on the table”.
He told the House of Lords: “Whatever messages to the contrary the EU think they have heard or read, our position has not changed.”
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Lord Frost said an agreement is the best way forward but “I would not recommend any outcome from the negotiations that I did not believe safeguarded political, economic or social stability in Northern Ireland”.
Meanwhile, Mr Martin will join ministers and leaders from across the UK and Ireland in Cardiff for a session of the British-Irish Council.
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Nigel Farage has confirmed he wants to deport women asylum seekers back to the Taliban in Afghanistan if he becomes prime minister.
The Reform UK leader’s position on the topic has not been clear, with him previously saying he would send women back to the fundamentalist regime that took over after western militaries withdrew, before now saying he would.
Mr Farage was speaking to Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby at the Reform UK party conference in Birmingham.
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When asked if he would “detain” women and children and “send them back”, the Clacton MP said “yes”.
Challenged on when he said in August that he was not “discussing” women and children, Mr Farage claimed this was a reference to his desire to seeing men detained on arrival in the UK.
At the time he said he was “very, very clear” on the “deportation of illegal immigrants”, adding: “We are not even discussing women and children at this stage – there are so many illegal males in Britain, and the news reports that said that after my conference yesterday were wrong”
Speaking today, Mr Farage claimed that the UK has a “duty of care” if a four-year-old arrives in a dinghy, for example – but not so for women and men.
“For clarity, those that cross the English Channel will be detained and deported, men and women,” Mr Farage went on.
“Children, we’ll have to think about.”
The Reform leader also rowed back on his pledge to stop all boats within two weeks if he is elected prime minister.
Speaking to the conference yesterday, Mr Farage said: “You cannot come here illegally and stay – we will stop the boats within two weeks of winning government.”
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But speaking to Beth Rigby today, he changed tack – saying “the passing of legislation” would be required.
He said the boats would then be stopped within two weeks, or sooner.
In the interview with Rigby, Mr Farage tried to claim he did not say he would end the boats within two weeks of “winning government”.
But the video of his speech, as well as the transcript released by Reform UK, clearly show him saying: “We will stop the boats within two weeks of winning government.”
When asked why he wouldn’t be able to stop the boats within two weeks of winning government, Mr Farage said it was impossible and “no one” can prevent them crossing the Channel.
The Reform UK leader said the law he wants to introduce will be called the Illegal Migration Act once it is passed by parliament.
He confirmed his agenda includes leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, shutting down asylum hotels and housing people at RAF bases instead, as well as deporting Channel migrants.
Mr Farage also claimed that deportation flights would also begin within two weeks of the law changing, and this combination of factors would stop people from wanting to travel from France.
This strategy all depends on Reform UK winning the next general election – which Labour does not have to call until 2029.
However, Mr Farage says he believes the government will collapse in 2027 due to economic pressure and other factors.
Reform are currently well clear of Labour and the Conservatives in the polling, and are targeting next year’s Welsh, Scottish and English local election to try and win more power in councils and national assemblies.
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