Brexit deal disastrous for unionists – by PM’s very own standards

The amendment is complicated, but in summary it withholds approval of the prime minister’s agreement due to a fear of a no-deal exit ten days from now.

We did not then get to see how many Tory MPs stood by the DUP in defence of the Union, but it was looking terrible.

By some informed estimates, not a single one of the eurosceptic European Reform Group (ERG) Tory MPs was going to oppose Mr Johnson’s deal. Not one, despite the major Irish Sea border that is at the heart of the plan.

And even if those estimates are wrong, it was only likely to be three or four out of 300+ Tories (including those MPs who are still in the party but have been banned from taking the party whip in Westminster), a pitiful number.

It is not easy for the DUP to see how to respond to this but they were right to back Letwin, to buy time for reflection.

Voices such as Lord Trimble and the economist Graham Gudgin are urging the party to back the deal. It is not hard to see arguments why they should do so, but we must be clear that they are defeatist arguments.

After all, the deal is disastrous for unionists by the very own words of the prime minister, and indeed his predecessor. Both said that a full regulatory and customs border was something that no British prime minister could accept.

Theresa May did at least try to keep the entire UK close to the EU to avoid such a border, but that notion had too little support amongst Brexiteers. Neither she nor Mr Johnson were prepared to insist to Dublin that UK sovereignty meant that divergence at the land border might have to increase (Mr Johnson briefly insisted on this, then collapsed).

NI will remain in the UK customs territory but only via a cumbersome tariff system that sets the scene for an all-island economy when UK trade is far more important to NI.