PM Theresa May will cast doubt on the Irish government’s insistence that the deal is secured in Brussels on Friday (8 December) is binding.
May will insist that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” on the terms of Brexit after the Irish government claimed that last week’s preliminary deal is binding.
The prime minister will say in the House of Commons today (11 December) that although she is optimistic that a deep and special future deal can be agreed, last week’s agreement is contingent on such an outcome.
May will also face her first meeting with Cabinet ministers as discussions begin about Britain’s long-term relationship with the EU.
However, the dispute with the Irish government may now overshadow discussions between EU leaders later this week.
It was sparked when David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, insisted the deal guaranteeing no hard border was not “legally enforceable”.
The Irish government insisted that the agreement was “binding” and it would hold the UK “to account” on it.
Brexit-supporting MPs are worried that the UK has already committed to “full alignment” with the EU on regulations and standards that impacted on Northern Ireland.
