FILE PHOTO: Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster holds a news conference at the European Parliament after a meeting with EUÕs Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels October 9, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Herman

DUBLIN (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May “could not in good conscience” back an EU proposal for checks on goods being imported to Northern Ireland from Britain, the head of the party that props up her government said on Thursday.

“The Prime Minister is a unionist. Many of her cabinet colleagues have assured me of their unionism. Therefore, they could not in good conscience recommend a deal which places a trade barrier on United Kingdom businesses,” Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster said in a statement.