Irish border dispute could stall Brexit talks, says leader of MEPs
The European Parliament waded into the dispute as a senior Irish politician warned that any watch towers put up on a new hard border with Northern Ireland risked coming under attack within days.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s chief Brexit negotiator, demanded that Theresa May come up with fresh thinking to defuse the border stand-off, or risk stalling talks.
For us, dividing up Ireland is not an option at all, he said. The European Parliament fully backs the Irish government concerns about the negative impact of Brexit and the need to ensure the continuity and stability of the Northern Ireland peace process.
He insisted that a UK offer include a commitment to stick to European Union rules and regulations within Northern Ireland...