PM back to Brussels after Commons backing for plan to change backstop
DUP welcome support for Brady amendment
Last updated 30th Jan 2019
Theresa May is preparing to return to Brussels after Parliament backed a proposal for her to renegotiate her Brexit deal.
Last night MPs voted to reopen the agreement and find an alternative to the controversial backstop which aims to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland.
Theresa May had urged them to vote in favour of the proposal which sees the biggest sticking point replaced with so-far unspecified "alternative arrangements".
It was put forward by Tory backbencher, Sir Graham Brady.
The vote has been met with dismay by many of the political parties here who say it could damage the Good Friday agreement.
However, DUP MP Nigel Dodds said it was now time for the EU and Dublin to listen to the voice of the UK.
“The fact is that the current Withdrawal Agreement with the Irish backstop was defeated by 230 votes – the Irish backstop is the main problem,” he said.
“Sort that out and you are in the territory of getting an agreement and everybody in Dublin and Brussels has to recognise that.”
But the Irish Government has said the UK's Brexit Withdrawal Agreement is not open for re-negotiation.
The government in Dublin reiterated its stance that the ratification of the deal was the best way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the UK from the EU.
In a statement, the Irish government said: “The EU position on the Withdrawal Agreement, including the backstop, is set out in the conclusions of the December meeting of the European Council. It has not changed.
“The Withdrawal Agreement is not open for re-negotiation.''
The statement was issued after MPs in Westminster voted to give Theresa May their backing for her to go back to Brussels to seek changes to the Withdrawal Agreement with the aim of replacing the controversial backstop with unspecified alternative arrangements''.
Irish premier Leo Varadkar is expected to speak with Mrs May on Wednesday to discuss the outcome of the vote.
The statement added: “The agreement is a carefully negotiated compromise, which balances the UK position on customs and the single market with avoiding a hard border and protecting the integrity of the EU customs union and single market.
“The best way to ensure an orderly withdrawal is to ratify this agreement.''
The statement also said that changes could be made to the Political Declaration on the future relationship between the EU and the UK, if the UK was willing to change its red lines.
“A change in the UK red lines could lead to a change in the Political Declaration on the framework for the future relationship, and a better overall outcome,'' the statement read.
But the Irish government added that it would be continuing with its contingency planning for all eventualities, including for a no-deal scenario.
Ireland's deputy premier said the backstop remains a “necessary'' insurance policy to avoid a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
In a tweet following the outcome of the voting in the UK parliament, Simon Coveney said: Backstop was agreed by UK/EU as the insurance policy to avoid a hard border in all scenarios.
“We hope it will never be used, or be replaced quickly by a future relationship agreement. But it is necessary and tonight's developments at Westminster do nothing to change this. #Brexit''