NI Has Been 'Sold Out' In Brexit Negotiations- DUP

Deputy DUP leader Nigel Dodds has accused Prime Minister Theresa May of "selling out" Northern Ireland in her draft Brexit deal.

The proposed withdrawal agreement was debated for an hour in the House of Commons today, Thursday 15 November, and has been widely criticised by MPs.

Mr Dodds accused the PM of ignoring concerns over Northern Ireland, despite multiple previous meetings on the issue.

"I could stand here and take the Prime Minister through the list of promises and pledges that she made to this house and to us privately about the future of Northern Ireland and the future relationship with the EU, but I fear it would be a waste of time since she clearly doesn't listen."

Mr Dodds also congratulated the Cabinet ministers who have so far resigned over the deal, adding: "The choice is now clear, we stand up for the United Kingdom, the whole of the United Kingdom, the integrity of the United Kingdom, or we vote for a vassal state."

Former Labour minister Kate Hoey also hit out at the agreement being tabled by the Prime Minister and UK Brexit negotiators.

She said: "Outside this House when people read these hundreds of pages of eurospeak, they will realise that in any way we are being sold out, we’ve been sold out by our negotiators who have allowed the EU to take the lead.

"Will she not accept that at this stage not only are we all being collectively sold out, but the people of Northern Ireland are being sold out absolutely?"

The Prime Minister responded that she does not accept Mrs Hoey's allegation that the EU has offered nothing to the UK, but said it is a "complex matter".

"The backstop is something which neither side, neither the United Kingdom nor the European Union wish to ever see being exercised," the Conservative Leader added.



(JG/MH)