The UK’s Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said that Britain’s departure from the European Union may need to be delayed if the parliament is to pass vital legalisation that will be needed should Teresa May’s government come to a new agreement with Brussels.
However, the likelihood of a new agreement being made still looks highly unlikely as EU officials have once again reaffirmed it will not reopen negations on Britain leaving the EU despite UK parliament rejecting the current agreement.
As it stands the UK is on course to leave the EU without a deal as both sides refuse to blink in an unprecedented game of brinksmanship.
Meanwhile, the Irish government and its counter-parts across the EU are stepping up preparations for a no-deal Brexit.
Key to the British parliament’s rejection of the Teresa May’s Brexit agreement is the Irish Back-stop which is designed to the Republic and the North in regulatory alignment for a limited period so as to avoid a hard border.
The current provision for a backstop is considered by Irish government and the EU to be sacrosanct with EU officials ruling out even discussing the possibility of renegotiating it.