We use cookies to personalise content, target and report on ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. For more information see our Cookie Policy. Stormont crisis: what happens next? Theresa May hopes to revive talks between the British and Irish governments to secure a deal that would avoid a hard border Thu, Jul 6, 2017, 01:36 Andrew C Marshall Theresa May hopes to revive talks between the British and Irish governments to secure a deal that would avoid a hard border. The outcome of this weekend’s meeting will determine if or when a deal can be made. Photo: PA Wire/PA Images Theresa May plans to get the British and Irish governments back around the table to discuss the details of a “backstop” solution that would safeguard the Irish border. She was hoping for significant progress towards a deal before the two-day meeting between the British prime minister and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Belfast, but her plans were thrown into turmoil by the DUP’s decision to join 10 opposition parties in the Commons in voting down her “withdrawal agreement” in late June. The defeat, coupled with Brexiters’ demands for a permanent customs union with the European Union to soften the impact of Brexit, plunged the prime minister into a battle to salvage her withdrawal agreement. The DUP has been seeking to use its 10 Westminster votes to force the government to change its approach and move towards a softer Brexit. The party claims this would remove the need for the backstop plan, which would keep the UK in a customs union with the EU until the future trading relationship was settled, even if there was no trade deal in the meantime. In addition, Mrs May is expected to propose amending her deal to reflect a “temporary” implementation period after withdrawal day (March 29, 2019) to allow businesses more time to adjust, as well as a greater role for parliament to agree the final deal. The deal has been rejected by the Democratic Unionist Party, which claims it would leave Northern Ireland aligned to the Republic of Ireland in EU rules, and that it is therefore unacceptable. A source close to the DUP said: “The prime minister and Taoiseach have agreed to have a further meeting to discuss the issue of the backstop. The DUP have always made it clear that we do not have the same issues with the implementation period as most of the EU would like to leave at the end of the backstop. “With regard to the backstop, we have always said that we need to have legal clarity about what we are agreeing to.” It is understood that the meeting will also look at the EU’s draft Brexit “declaration”, which will be published in the coming days and will detail EU expectations for the agreement. It is widely accepted that the DUP will try to use the meeting to secure a better deal on the backstop and greater involvement by parliament. A source close to the DUP said: “That is why we need more work on the issues surrounding the backstop and the ‘ins and outs’ of the agreement.” The meeting is likely to discuss the issue of whether any new deal would need to be approved by the devolved assemblies of Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and London. It is understood the DUP is open to some form of legally binding “UK wide” deal, but it wants to be clear on the terms of such a plan and the extent to which it can be reviewed. It is hoped this will also help the UK government “sell” a deal to Northern Ireland and the EU. Senior sources have expressed concerns that such a deal could weaken the backstop. The EU has insisted it will not reopen talks on the deal. A spokesman for the European Commission said that any future “interpretation” would have to be “in line” with the Withdrawal Agreement. Meanwhile, Downing Street is preparing a cross-government response to the EU’s draft declaration, which will be published in the coming days. The agreement is expected to state that the UK will respect the obligations it has under the Good Friday agreement (GFA) and avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, and be “consistent” with the principle of consent. The agreement will provide for an “implementation period” until the future trading relationship is agreed. It is likely to state that the relationship would end automatically on exit day if no trade deal was agreed. The UK would agree to continue to respect the Common Travel Area and would not seek to introduce new checks and controls. The government says the declaration will help in the task of delivering on the referendum vote to leave the EU. The Brexit secretary David Davis said: “This is a good outcome that delivers on the referendum result. We will continue to talk to the EU, so that we leave on October 31.” Meanwhile, the DUP is seeking reassurances from the British government that the UK will be free to “take our own decisions on trade in the future” after Brexit. It is understood the party is not interested in a model which would restrict the ability to strike new trade deals, although its leaders have been clear that a final deal must not damage the economy or put the border in the Irish Sea. It was claimed last week that a deal may be in the pipeline with the European Commission to offer Britain extra time to apply for an extension of its EU membership. The development comes as the party confirmed on Wednesday that it would vote against the deal in its current form, meaning the UK is expected to crash out without a deal on October 29. A DUP source confirmed a deal had been discussed, but insisted the party could not accept the deal as it stands. The Irish government is not expected to comment on the substance of the declaration. However, it is understood that it will make it clear that all of the EU’s commitments will be fully respected. The Irish Times reported on Wednesday that the EU is likely to say it will not reopen the agreement. A spokesman for the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs said: “The Taoiseach and the UK prime minister are expected to discuss the future of the Good Friday Agreement and the common travel area between Ireland and the UK, among other areas.” Meanwhile, the Irish Independent reported that the British government will propose that the DUP’s 10 votes be taken into account in the parliamentary arithmetic to help ensure the agreement passes. British government sources said this could be done through what is known as a “supply and confidence motion”, which would give the DUP “votes in the House of Commons” and allow the prime minister to argue that the agreement remains the only option on the table. A senior British government source said the DUP was “important”, adding: “I don’t know the exact numbers, but I think the important thing to note is that they don’t have any other alternative. “What they are trying to do is use the 10 votes to make their voice stronger than it otherwise would have been.” PA