“The days of Britain dictating to the people of Ireland are over and Theresa May needs to accept that reality if she is to avoid a no deal Brexit crash,” said Sinn Féin’s South Down MP Chris Hazzard.
Commenting after meeting with the British Prime Minister at Stormont on Wednesday, the South Down MP said: “We told Theresa May that we will not tolerate anything that undermines the Good Friday Agreement and that is precisely what a hard border in Ireland would do.
“The backstop is an insurance policy to prevent a hard border. It is supported by the majority of citizens, businesses and other key sectors of our society and people.
“Theresa May’s attempt to row back on it is an act of gross bad faith and an act of hostility against Irish interests.
“The days of Britain dictating to the people of Ireland are over, and Theresa May needs to accept that reality if she is to avoid a no deal Brexit crash.
“She continues to appease DUP opposition to the Backstop but an agreement will never be found in pandering to the DUP.
“The government here collapsed because of the DUP and they have now brought their dysfunctionality and chaos into the heart of the Brexit process.
“We are only six weeks away from a No Deal crash out. Of course, the ultimate guarantee against that scenario is the provision within the Good Friday Agreement for a referendum on Irish Unity.”
