Irish PM Varadkar says: no-backstop equals no-deal Brexit

Reuters
Updated

DUBLIN, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Monday that the removal of the border backstop without any proper replacement would mean a no-deal Brexit for the United Kingdom.

"In the absence of agreed alternative arrangements, no backstop is no deal for us," Varadkar said ahead of talks with his British counterpart, Boris Johnson.

"All it does is kick the can down the road for another 14 months; another 14 months of uncertainty for business, another 14 months of uncertainty for people north and south of the border. So that's not an option that we find attractive at all."

Varadkar said he would not replace a legal guarantee with a promise. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Michael Holden)