British Prime Minister Theresa May tried to break the deadlock over Brexit on Wednesday by thrashing out alternative proposals for the Irish border with political parties in Northern Ireland.
The UK is on course to leave the European Union on March 29 without a deal unless May can convince the bloc to reopen the divorce deal she agreed to in November – and then sell it to sceptical British legislators.
At meetings in Belfast, May tried to tackle the biggest obstacle to getting a deal ratified by the British parliament – an insurance policy covering the possible future arrangements for the border between EUmember Ireland and British province Northern Ireland.
“We will find a way to deliver Brexit that honours our commitments to Northern Ireland,” May said on Tuesday.
The prime minister said she would seek an alternative arrangement which avoids the need for a hard border or legally binding changes to the border backstop to introduce a time limit or create an exit mechanism.