Customs Union Demand Sparks Split Reaction

The Democratic Unionist Party has reacted angrily, in contrast to other Stormont parties, to Germany's insistence that Northern Ireland remains in both the single market and custom's union after Brexit.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel reportedly dismissed the Prime Minister's proposal, stating that NI must remain in both regulatory areas if a deal was to be achieved.

While the DUP hit out at the statement, which party leader Arlene Foster said is "beyond crazy", other local parties backed Mrs Merkel.

Boris Johnson's new proposal, designed to replace the backstop, planned to eventually take the whole of the UK out of the customs union, effectively creating a new customs border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The DUP has remained firmly on the side of Number 10. Mrs Foster launched a scathing attack on EU negotiators following Ms Merkel's comments.

"For the United Kingdom to be asked to leave a part of its sovereign territory in a foreign organisation of which the UK would no longer be a part and over which we would have no say whatsoever is beyond crazy," the Democratic Unionist leader said.

"The true purpose of the 'backstop' is now in the open for all to see. Those who eagerly supported the backstop as the best of both worlds can now see the error of that assessment. It was neither temporary nor an insurance policy."

Mrs Foster said the current proposal has "flushed out" both Europe and Ireland's "real intentions to trap Northern Ireland in the EU Customs Union forever".

However, the SDLP said the comments, made during a phone call between the Prime Minister and the German Chancellor, demonstrate that EU leaders are "more in tune" with the will of the people in Northern Ireland than both the UK Government and the DUP.

The Foyle MLA said: "EU leaders have listened to the concerns raised by people here and reacted with thoughtful proposals while London, supported by the DUP, has failed to step up to the mark.

"It is embarrassing, insulting and they are playing a dangerous game with the livelihoods of people in Northern Ireland.

"Angela Merkel is right. Retaining membership of the customs union and the single market is the only solution that prevents a hard border on this island. People here voted to remain in the customs union, we voted to retain the benefits of single market membership.

"The British Government, aided and abetted by the DUP, is setting out on a course of deliberate economic and constitutional vandalism for no reason. They should set aside the Downing street war games and finally listen to what people here are saying."



(JG/CM)