Alliance Deputy Leader Stephen Farry MLA has said reports UK and EU negotiators have agreed the text of a potential Brexit Withdrawal Agreement are encouraging but expressed caution on a number of grounds ahead of any publication of an agreed text.He said: “These reports are encouraging, but we must remain cautious ahead of the publication of any text and in anticipation of the internal politics of the UK Government and Parliament playing out.
“For Alliance, an open-ended backstop in place until or unless it is superseded is critical to protect the Good Friday Agreement and to avoid a hard border in Ireland. It is useful in many ways of aspects of the backstop can apply UK-wide.
“It is important people are measured in their reaction to the backstop and do not contribute further to unnecessary dramatising of something that should be seen in pragmatic terms.
“Ultimately, the backstop is only an insurance approach to Brexit. There is no such thing as a good or sensible Brexit.”