UK’s Johnson promises no physical checks on Irish border, says backstop must go

Source: France 24

July 30, 2019 at 11:52

Rui Vieira, AFP | Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he gives a speech on domestic priorities at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, northwest England on July 27, 2019.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised Ireland's Leo Varadkar on Tuesday there would be no physical checks on the border between their two countries after Brexit, but he didn’t say how he planned to replace the so-called Irish “backstop”.

In their first phone call since he took office, Johnson repeated that the current "backstop" plan to keep the frontier open, which is included in the EU's draft divorce deal, was unacceptable.

The backstop would require the United Kingdom to remain aligned to EU customs rules if a future trading relationship falls short of ensuring an open border.

"On Brexit, the prime minister made clear that the UK will be leaving the EU on October 31, no matter what," a Downing Street spokeswoman said.

"He said that in all scenarios, the government will be steadfast in its commitment to the Belfast Agreement and will never put physical checks or physical infrastructure on the border," the spokeswoman added.