Ulster Unionist Leader, Robin Swann MLA, has repeated that the Prime Minister`s ‘plan B’ will be meaningless unless it addresses the backstop problem in legally binding text with the EU.
Mr Swann said:
“With speculation in the media that the Prime Minister`s ‘plan B’ will be acceptable to the DUP, as long as it guarantees a time limited backstop, it must be made absolutely clear to the government that any changes to the Prime Minister`s plan must remove the threat to the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom. And even if a ‘plan B’ is passed in Westminster, it will be meaningless unless there are changes in the legally binding text of the Withdrawal Agreement agreed at EU level.
“It is perfectly understandable that the Prime Minister wants to get a deal through Parliament with majority support to enable her to return to negotiations with the EU, but if she gets that she must go to the EU with the determination that any amended deal which addresses the backstop problem is legally binding. Otherwise, we`ll be back to square one again. Political declarations, platitudes and words of reassurance won`t deliver.
“We want a deal, as a no deal scenario would be potentially disastrous for all these islands and the EU. The EU needs to understand that too. Northern Ireland should not be the ransom which has to be paid to the EU for an agreement to be reached. I hope that the EU and the Republic of Ireland see sense.”