Thread by @JP_Biz

GOVE: Renegotiate the backstop so it has a 'clear exit mechanism'. Have a 'Stormont lock' which would mean that a devolved administration could veto any backstop provisions which would lead to Northern Ireland being treated differently from the UK.

HANCOCK: Seek a time limit to the backstop. Have an Irish Border Council' which would involve Northern Ireland's political parties, the British and Irish governments and the EU. It will aim to find a 'long-term political, administrative and technological solution'.

HARPER: The Malthouse Compromise ie. ditch backstop for maxfac. 'Existing practices and sensible cooperation' would be sufficient to avoid a hardening of the border.

HUNT: The EU now accepts that the backstop will never be approved by Parliament. With 'the right approach the issue can be renegotiated.' (He takes this view following a recent conversation with Angela Merkel.) A technological solution is 'do-able.'

JAVID: Backstop not needed as about 'a new digitised' border, could be 'done in a couple of years' and would not involve any infrastructure. Would make a 'grand gesture' to the Irish government by paying for it all even if it cost hundreds of millions of pounds.

JOHNSON: The backstop is a "monstrosity" that wipes out the UK's sovereignty. Remove it entirely from the withdrawal agreement. Discuss border arrangements in the context of the second phase of the negotiations,
which is 'logically' where the border should be discussed.

LEADSOM: EU won't renegotiate so have a 'managed exit' Leadsom involving a basic trade deal& maxfac. Also proposing a UK-EU summit in Belfast in September where EU leaders 'will be invited to agree which measures we will all accept, to ensure a properly managed exit.'

McVEY: Also accepts Esther McVey EU will not renegotiate the backstop. The UK should therefore be prepared to leave without a deal and step up preparations for that eventuality.

RAAB: 'A targeted forensic change to the backstop' - which is replacing it with Malthouse compromise. Needs goodwill to make these solutions work. However he has a strained relationship with the Irish government having accused the Taoiseach of leaking a damaging story about him.

STEWART: Try again to get the current deal, backstop included, through Parliament. Urged the other candidates to 'stop pretending that you are going to be able to negotiate some alternative deal with Europe.'

BARNIER: 'The current withdrawal agreement is the only one possible.'

IRELAND'S EUROPE MINISTER: 'The Withdrawal Agreement will not change. The backstop cannot change. Much of what was in the Withdrawal Agreement was asked for by UK. They were not bystanders in the two years it took to negotiate. Bit of realism needed.'

Bit more detail in the online piece bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northe…