PM thanks Shropshire MP Owen Paterson for Brexit advice
The Prime Minister has thanked North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson for his advice about Brexit, after he proposed an alternative solution to the controversial 'backstop' customs arrangement for Northern Ireland.
Mr Paterson, the former Northern Ireland Secretary, met Theresa May earlier this week to explain his proposals on how to avoid a physical border between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
A prominent member of the eurosceptic European Research Group, Mr Paterson was joined by fellow Brexiteer Iain Duncan Smith at the meeting in Downing Street on Monday.
Former Northern Ireland first minister David Trimble and 'specialists' were also said to have been in on the meeting.
Addressing the House of Commons hours after publishing the first draft of the Political Declaration on the post-Brexit relationship between the UK and the EU, Mrs May revealed that "alternative arrangements" would supersede the controversial backstop agreed in the withdrawal agreement.
She praised Mr Duncan Smith and Mr Paterson for coming up with the proposal of the use of technology on the Irish border to ensure a smooth continuation of the trading relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
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The question of how to control the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish republic has been a bone of contention since Mrs May revealed her draft Brexit plan last week.
Under the plan, she proposed that Northern Ireland may be placed in a temporary customs union with the EU to avoid customs checks on the border with the Republic of Ireland, which will continue to be in the EU after Brexit.
But the plans were met with withering criticism from Mr Paterson, and also from the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland over fears it will lead to a break-up of the United Kingdom.
The Prime Minister said: “The text we have agreed is explicit about the determination of both sides to avoid the backstop altogether by getting the future relationship in place on January 1, 2021; and, in the unlikely event that we ever need the backstop, to ensure it is quickly superseded either by the future relationship or alternative arrangements.
“As part of this, there is an explicit commitment to consider facilitative arrangements and technologies which could avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland.
“And I’m grateful to my Rt. Honourable friends, the member for Chingford and Woodford Green and for North Shropshire for their ideas on this.
“Preparatory work on alternative arrangements to avoid the backstop will begin before we leave enabling rapid progress after our withdrawal.”
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Mrs May told Mr Paterson and Mr Duncan Smith that the EU was ready to accept the possibility of an 'alternative arrangement', and her promises have since been outlined in the 26-page political revealed on Thursday.
The document reads: “The parties will put in place ambitious customs arrangements, in pursuit of their overall objectives.
“In doing so, the parties envisage making use of all available facilitative arrangements and technologies, in full respect of their legal orders and ensuring that customs authorities are able to protect the parties’ respective financial interests and enforce public policies.
“To this end, they intend to consider mutual recognition of trusted traders’ programmes, administrative cooperation in customs matters and mutual assistance, including for the recovery of claims related to taxes and duties, and through the exchange of information to combat customs fraud and other illegal activity.”
“Such facilitative arrangements and technologies will also be considered in developing any alternative arrangements for ensuring the absence of a hard border on the island of Ireland on a permanent footing,” it adds.
