THERESA May is to visit the Irish border today for the first time since becoming Prime Minister two years ago.
She will also spend time in Belfast selling her White Paper plan for future EU relations and insisting it will not affect people’s livelihoods nor put the peace process at risk.
The border is a major sticking point in the Brexit negotiations, with solving the question of how to keep the free flow of movement across the 310-mile frontier between Northern Ireland and the Republic a key aspect of the talks.
May is also due to meet with business representatives on the Northern Ireland side of the border, as well as the main political parties.
Speaking ahead of the two-day trip, the PM said: “I look forward to hearing views from businesses on the border in Northern Ireland on our departure from the European Union.
“I fully recognise how their livelihoods, families and friends rely on the ability to move freely across the border to trade, live and work on a daily basis. That’s why we have ruled out any kind of hard border.
“Daily journeys will continue to be seamless and there will be no checks or infrastructure at the border to get in the way of this.
May has been hit with 10 resignations from government posts since she agreed the plan for a softer Brexit with the Cabinet two weeks ago at her official country residence.
But ahead of her visit, Ireland’s foreign affairs minister described the UK Government’s handling of Brexit as “frustrating”.
Simon Coveney said there continued to be “confusion” in Westminster following the publication of May’s White Paper. “It is very frustrating for countries like Ireland and many other EU countries, and for the EU task force, to be negotiating with a country that keeps changing its position,” he said.
There has not been a properly functioning devolved government at Stormont since January 2017 because of a bitter dispute between Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionists. 10 DUP MPs prop up May’s minority Government having signed a “confidence and supply” agreement at Westminster.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here