Britain committed to no hard Irish border, whatever outcome of Brexit talks - Davis
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain intends to prevent a hard border in Ireland after leaving the European Union whatever the outcome of talks with the bloc, UK’s Brexit minister said on Monday, saying comments that this was not legally enforceable were taken out of context.
European Union Chief Negotiator for Brexit Michel Barnier accompanied by a delegation of Irish ministers visits the Armagh and County Louth border between Northern Ireland and Ireland May 12, 2017. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Davis on Sunday said that a pledge on the Irish border agreed as part of a divorce settlement was “a statement of intent” rather than a legally binding move, but said the media had twisted his words.
“Of course it’s legally enforceable, under the withdrawal agreement, but even if that didn’t for some reason, if something went wrong, we would still be seeking to provide a frictionless, invisible border,” Davis told LBC radio.