UK: MPs to discuss backstop ‘alternative arrangements’ in Brexit talks

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay, MPs and government officials will discuss alternative arrangements to the Irish backstop as three days of talks begin.

The Alternative Arrangements Working Group, with Leave and Remain MPs, will meet for the first time on Monday after the Commons voted to find another way of avoiding a hard Irish border.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid has said “existing technology” could be used.

The Irish PM said the UK was reviewing ideas that had “already been rejected”.

The backstop is an insurance policy – designed to avoid a hard border “under all circumstances” between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.

Leo Varadkar told RTE radio it was “very frustrating” the UK government was “going back to the idea of technology”.