Not going to work
Theresa May will try to convince Tory Brexiteers and DUP MPs to back her withdrawal deal by attempting to resolve their Irish backstop concerns.
How she will do this is unclear but The Telegraph reported on Sunday night that Theresa May was looking into amending the Good Friday Agreement in an attempt to unblock the Brexit impasse.
According to the report, May was considering rewriting the 1998 accord to assure Ireland that the UK is committed to no hard border on the island after the UK leaves the European Union in March.
Some in the UK cabinet believe such a plan would avoid having to commit to the Northern Irish backstop, which is the main reason that May’s withdrawal plans were rejected resoundingly by the House of Commons last week.
However, since it was initially reported by The Telegraph, Senior Ireland Correspondent for Sky News David Blevins has said that Number 10 Downing Street has rejected these claims, because they’re not allowed to rewrite the Good Friday Agreement.
Downing Street sources have rejected reports in the Daily Telegraph that the Good Friday Agreement could be re-written to avoid the need for a backstop in the Withdrawal Agreement… because it couldn’t be.
— David Blevins (@skydavidblevins) January 20, 2019
Over the weekend, the Tánaiste (deputy head of government) and Minster for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney reiterated his belief that the Good Friday Agreement must be protected.
As #Brexit dominates news coverage, no surprise that some analysis today gets it wrong. I can reassure you the Irish Govt’s commitment to the entire WA is absolute – including the backstop to ensure, no matter what, an open border between Ire + NI and the #GFA are protected. pic.twitter.com/ToAt6o0B6P
— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) January 19, 2019
