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Boris Johnson denies leaked Brexit backstop proposal is 'actual' plan

He insists "we don't want to see new border posts just away from the border" after Ireland branded the idea a "non-starter".

LONDONDERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 18: Irish police stand on the southern side of the border as US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits the border between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland on April 18, 2019 in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The leading Democrat politician is on a four day visit to the island of Ireland discussing Brexit among other matters
Image: RTE reported the plan was to set up customs checks away from the border
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Boris Johnson has denied a leaked plan to break the Brexit deadlock rubbished by Ireland is the "actual" version he will propose soon to the EU.

The prime minister claimed the government "don't want" to set up new customs check posts 5-10 miles away from the Ireland-Northern Ireland border.

He vowed to "protect the integrity of the UK" and honour the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to the island with his blueprint to be revealed to the EU after this week's Conservative Party conference in Manchester.

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'We have to protect the integrity of UK'

The contentious idea came from discussion papers submitted to Brussels negotiators, which were leaked to the Irish broadcaster RTE.

It relates to the prime minister's promise to renegotiate Britain's current withdrawal agreement and demanded the abolition of the Irish border backstop arrangement.

What is the backstop - and how could Boris Johnson try to solve the conundrum?
What is the backstop - and how could Boris Johnson try to solve the conundrum?

Sky News upicks the different versions of it - and why the concept itself has proved so contentious.

The backstop is designed as an insurance mechanism to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland regardless of the future EU/UK trade relationship.

RTE reported on Monday night that Mr Johnson's plan to replace the backstop could include "customs clearance sites" on both sides of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

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BALLYCONNELL, IRELAND - FEBRUARY 22: A Welcome to Northern Ireland sign is marked with bullet holes on February 22, 2019 in Ballyconnell, Ireland. Britain will leave the European Union on March 29 following the referendum in 2016. Many people in Northern Ireland are concerned about a return of a so called hard border which could lead to a return to the violence of the Troubles. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
Image: The backstop is an insurance policy to prevent a hard border reforming

These could be perhaps five to ten miles back, the broadcaster added.

The plan was said to be included in one of four so-called "non-papers" submitted by UK officials during recent discussions in Brussels.

A non-paper is an informal document, usually used to test the reaction of other parties to possible solutions, without necessarily committing the proposer.

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But Mr Johnson insisted the UK is still in the "early days" of negotiating the abolition of the backstop.

"We don't want to see new border posts just away from the border," he said on Tuesday.

"There may be some confusion about that."

He added the reported plans "don't actually relate to what we are going to table".

Brexit
Image: Boris Johnson has vowed to scrap the backstop of part of any deal

Speaking in his country's parliament on Tuesday, Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar welcomed Mr Johnson's comments.

"I very much welcome Prime Minister Johnson's words today when he disowned and distanced himself from those non-papers," he said.

"Had he not, in my view, it would have been hard evidence of bad faith on behalf of the British government."

Earlier, Ireland rubbished the plan reported by RTE, with foreign minister Simon Coveney calling it a "non-starter".

"Time the EU had a serious proposal from the UK Govt if a #Brexit deal is to be achievable in October. NI and IRE deserves better!" he tweeted.

And an Irish government spokesperson said they had yet to see "any credible alternatives" to the current backstop.

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'I don't have erotic relation to backstop'

They said: "The EU taskforce has indicated that any non-papers it has received from the UK to date fall well short of the agreed aims and objectives of the backstop.

"The UK's non-papers were given to the taskforce on the strict understanding they would not be shared with anyone. The taskforce has said it has received no credible proposals from the British.

"Ireland's priorities are protecting the Good Friday Agreement, avoiding a hard border and protecting the all island economy, and protecting the EU single market and its benefits for Irish businesses and consumers.

"We have yet to see any credible alternatives to the backstop."