Brexit: Nigel Dodds tells Leo Varadkar to ‘tone down his rhetoric’

Mr Dodds was speaking after Leo Varadkar told the World Economic Forum in Davos that the United Kingdom will find it “very difficult” to agree trade deals after it leaves the European Union if it has not resolved the Irish border issue.

The taoiseach said if no deal is agreed between the UK and EU, the UK would have to accept full regulatory and customs alignment in Northern Ireland.

Prime Minister Theresa May is currently consulting on a new departure deal with the European Union, after MPs voted down her Withdrawal Agreement.

The backstop arrangement to keep the Irish border open after Brexit was one of the main reasons it failed.

There is now just two months until the UK’s planned March 29 departure date.

Mr Varadkar said if the UK leaves without a deal it will face “enormous difficulties”.

“The United Kingdom would have a responsibility to abide by WTO rules and both the UK and Ireland would have responsibilities to honour the Good Friday Agreement and the peace process,” Mr Varadkar said.

“So I think we would end up in a situation where EU and Ireland and the UK would have to come together, and in order to honour our commitment to the people of Ireland that there be no hard border, we would have to agree on full alignment on customs and regulations, so after a period of chaos we would perhaps end up where we are now, with a very similar deal.

“The United Kingdom in a no-deal scenario will face enormous difficulties.”

Mr Dodds blasted Mr Varadkar’s points as “not constructive”.

“We want the 2016 referendum result to be honoured and leave the European Union through a sensible deal which works for every part of the United Kingdom and also our neighbours in the Republic of Ireland,” he said.

“I reject Leo Varadkar’s analysis. It is not a constructive contribution when we are focused on trying to reach a consensus.

“In any case, the Taoiseach’s comments about the Belfast Agreement actually ride a coach and horses through that agreement.

“Mr Varadkar is evidently and understandably concerned about the impact of a ‘no deal’ on the Republic of Ireland but this is a time to tone down the rhetoric and keep cool heads.”