more-inU.K. Prime Minister Theresa May warned on Wednesday that Britain would never allow the EU to “undermine” its constitutional integrity, as she rejected a draft divorce treaty unveiled by the bloc’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier. “The draft legal text will, if implemented, undermine the U.K. common market and threaten the constitutional integrity of the U.K. by creating a customs and regulatory border down the Irish Sea and no U.K. Prime Minister could ever agree to it,” Ms. May told Parliament. Mr. Barnier said the draft treaty on the future relationship included a “backstop solution” under which British-ruled Northern Ireland would remain in “full alignment” with Ireland, which is a member of the single market and customs union. Referring to the European Commission chief, Ms. May said she will “be making it crystal clear to President (Jean-Claude) Juncker and others that we would never” agree to a customs divergence with Northern Ireland.

Source: The Hindu February 28, 2018 17:15 UTC