Chris Grayling urges the EU to soften its stance on the Irish border to reach a deal with the UK
Transport secretary Chris Grayling has said there will be no deal with the EU unless it softens its stance on the Irish border.
Grayling – who is feeling the pressure after refusing to take responsibility for the rail timetable chaos – came to the Prime Minister's defence after she met with EU leaders in Salzburg where they appeared to reject her proposed Chequers plan.
EU Council president Donald Tusk said Chequers, in which the UK would share a common rule book for trade in goods and agriculture but not services "will not work" because it would threaten the integrity of the single market.
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Theresa May has said Chequers in the only "credible" way to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland. The EU says the alternative is an "operational and legally-binding Irish backstop" that would effectively keep Northern Ireland in the customs union and single market and so prevent the need for checks at the border.
May has said this is a red line because it would cut off Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK
Grayling said the UK should expect "tough language" from the EU during the negotiations but that he was still confident deal could be done.
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