The Government has rejected a fresh appeal from Theresa May to reopen the withdrawal agreement, saying it was concerned about London’s “unreasonable expectations” about changes to the backstop. She reiterated her commitment to the peace process, and said her promise to avoid a hard border was “unshakeable”. “Northern Ireland does not have to rely on the Irish Government or the European Union to prevent a return to borders of the past. Mr Varadkar will also meet Irish commissioner Phil Hogan, and the European Parliament’s Brexit chief Guy Verhofstadt. It reflects growing concern in US circles about the impact of Brexit on the Border in Northern Ireland.

Source: The Irish Times February 06, 2019 00:22 UTC