Brexit: NI knows how pointless it is to bend deadlines, says Arlene Foster

But whilst the DUP leader criticised the prime minister’s decision to open up the possibility of extending the Brexit deadline, the UUP said that such a postponement may prove to be “worth it”.

Mrs Foster made her remarks in a statement after meeting privately with Theresa May today.

Her deputy Nigel Dodds has said “no deal is better than a bad deal,” and Mr Foster said: “We support a sensible deal and a managed exit from the EU. Parliament has mandated the prime minister to seek a replacement of the backstop.”

She said Mrs May should deliver on it, adding: “Experience in Northern Ireland has shown that extending deadlines does nothing to encourage a deal. A no-deal outcome can be avoided and it can be agreed long before March 29.

“The EU have it in their hands to avoid such an outcome. They know exactly what is required to achieve a deal which Parliament can support. It’s time for Dublin and Brussels to be in a deal-making mode.”

In recent years, NI political talks have been subject to repeated “deadlines” imposed by the government, but there were no consequences at all when these went unheeded, allowing stalemate to drift on.

Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann, meanwhile, said in his own statement: “The UUP has previously called for an extension to Article 50 and it seems the prime minister has been listening. If it ensures we get a deal, then a short extension is unfortunate but worth it in the end.”

He said they wanted to honour the referendum result, but oppose the backstop.