NEW EU ready to make a major concession on consent by allowing a double majority in the NI assembly to leave new Irish backstop after (as yet) unspecified number of years
thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/b…
thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/b…
EU diplomatic sources now prepared to concede unilateral revocation of the withdrawal treaty by Stormont after a period of time, the date of 2025 has been mooted, as long as both communities agree to it
Plan is for consent mechanism of double majority within Stormont, to leave, not to continue with the arrangements after X years, a source told The Times
Ireland + EU concerned that government’s current proposal gives the DUP a veto of the deal in the assembly allowing it to block arrangements
Diplomats cite Good Friday Agreement’s commitment to “parity of esteem” for both the unionist and nationalist communities as the reasoning behind have a “double majority”
In return for giving Stormont a “lock” over the deal in the future, the EU wants the government to accept a customs border in the Irish Sea because it is time limited if the people of NI decide against it
EU argument is that with the consent mechanism there is no real political reason for the UK to separate have a customs border that is distinct from another regulatory border
It is basically a Northern Ireland only backstop but with a time limit in the form of consent for Northern Irish people - unthinkable just a few months ago
Offer is seen as an eleventh hour attempt to find a “landing zone” for a deal before the weekend and a make-or-break” summit fo European leaders next week
