DUP leader Arlene Foster insisted on Tuesday that her party would not accept customs or regulatory checks on goods travelling in either direction between Northern Ireland and Great Britain after meeting European Union chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels.
The party's 10 MPs have propped up the Tory government since May lost her Commons majority in the snap general election past year.
The Government is well aware of our position on this issue.
Brexit negotiators are working "day and night" to try to reach a deal, the EU's Michel Barnier has said.
In Westminster, the Prime Minister urged MPs to do their "duty" to implement the result of the Brexit referendum as she struggled to maintain discipline within the Tory ranks.
It highlights how Theresa May's "precious Union" has little meaningful support among the British prime minister's own supporters or those in other parties who regard themselves as unionist.
Eurosceptic Tories claim dozens of Conservatives are also prepared to vote against a Chequers-style deal.
The former Brexit Secretary has written to his colleagues predicting a "dire" result for the Conservatives unless the Prime Minister ditches her so-called Chequers proposal, which would see the United Kingdom follow Brussels' rules on goods and agri-foods.
The European Union is doing all it can to ensure checks on goods moving across Northern Ireland's borders would be made "in the least intrusive way possible", for example on ferries, at ports or in factories of origin, he said.
- National Audit Office chief Sir Amyas Morse said it was "not impossible" that flights would be grounded if there was an "unfriendly" break-up with Brussels.
Both sides want to avoid a return to checkpoints on the Irish border as this would hinder trade and risk reigniting violence in the province two decades after a peace deal.
At his latest appearance in parliament, where divisions over how to leave the European Union were on display, Raab moved to downplay one of the thorniest parts of the talks - a so-called backstop arrangement to prevent the return of a hard border between the British province of Northern Ireland and European Union member Ireland. But he stressed: "Brexit was not our choice".
British security commissioner Julian King said: "There are some issues that will need to be addressed in the context of a future partnership, including on security".
Just minutes before the news broke that the DUP is considering voting down the budget, a Downing Street source was asked if Mrs May felt she could rely on DUP votes in parliament. If they jump the gun at the Budget before the Withdrawal Bill votes later, they're playing very hard ball indeed - and before they can know exactly what's going on in Brussels.
But Mr Barnier's comments suggest there is still a long way to go before the crucial issues are settled.
Recommended:
-
‘Walking Dead’ Season 9 Premiere Is Lowest-Rated in Series History
These numbers make the season 9 opener stand as the lowest-rated premiere in the history of the series. The lowest season premiere ratings still belong to Season 1, which garnered 5.35 million viewers.What McGregor/Khabib Camps Are Saying After Fight-Night In Las Vegas
White said that it would be now up to the Nevada State Athletic Commission to decide if Nurmagomedov would face further sanctions.Fixed Windows 10 October 2018 Update Released to Insiders for Testing
Microsoft has now fixed this problem, and Windows 10's October 2018 Update should stop deleting these "old" folders full of files. If there are still files in the "Documents" folder then you're not affected by the issue, according to another tweet from Sarkar. -
Democrat-Backing Taylor Swift Stays Political At American Music Awards
While accepting the award for artist of the year , Swift once again urged fans to vote during the upcoming midterm elections. Despite having the year's top-selling album and three No. 1 hits, Drake didn't win a single award.Manitobans Encouraged to Roll Up for Annual Flu Vaccine
For pregnant women, the vaccine may also be available through maternity services. "Vaccines are enormously safe and effective". Hilderman said Manitoba saw a rise a year ago in the number of people getting a flu vaccine - 22.5 per cent of the population.Financial services jobs 44% more likely to cause stress-related mental illness
Children's mental health may seem like a huge problem to tackle, but everyone can take small steps to help. At Community, we believe good mental health should be a priority for every workplace. -
Hurricane Michael expected to rapidly intensify; Tropical Storm Watch for Mississippi
As of the 4pm CDT advisory Monday evening, Michael was a category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour . It will weaken into a tropical storm near the Carolinas and Virginia on its way back to the Atlantic Ocean, forecasters said.DC Comics hires James Gunn after Disney fires him
And Suicide Squad , unlike Guardians , was considered a total critical disappointment. Gavin O' Connor is more than capable of handling this movie.Michael strengthens to Category 2 hurricane; expected to intensify
These storm surges can cause more damage from flooding than the winds. "Do not think you can survive it", Scott said. The center of Michael is expected to move inland over the Florida Panhandle or Florida Big Bend area on Wednesday. -
Google Pixel USB-C earphones launched with real-time Assistant, translation support
Don't get me wrong: The Pixel 3 XL is a wonderful phone, but it is still a Google phone that I believe is not yet at its best. The camera of Pixel will be 12.2 MP dual Pixel single rear camera with autofocus with optical+electronic image stabilization.A Nobel Economics Prize for the Long Run
Two U.S. academics focusing on the subject of sustainable growth were honored on Monday with the 2018 Nobel Prize in Economics . Just like Romer, Gates believes that we can solve the most pressing problems of the world with new ideas, if we move quickly.Viktoria Marinova: Arrest over Bulgarian journalist's murder
Marinova served as a member of the management team of the private television station TVN and hosted an investigative program. The Bulgarian government has indicated Marinova's attack was not about her work.