This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The leader of the Democratic Unionist party has accused Brussels and Dublin of “intransigence” which could lead to the UK leaving Europe without a deal.

Arlene Foster, whose party’s votes are propping up Theresa May’s government as it seeks to push through a Brexit deal, said it was time for EU leaders to listen to DUP opinion or risk chaos.

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Her comments came as May prepared to fly to Belfast for talks on Brexit with local business people before meeting political leaders, including those from Sinn Féin.

Asked on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme if her party’s hardline stance on the border backstop was making a no-deal Brexit more likely, Foster said: “Well, actually, I could reverse that by saying, through the intransigence of the European Union and the Republic of Ireland in their attitude, they are actually more likely to bring about the very thing that they want to avoid.”

She said she would tell May and leaders in Dublin that there should be no backstop, a measure which ensures there is no hard border on the island of Ireland if the UK and EU fail to establish formal trade and security arrangements.

Foster said: “We will be reiterating our opposition to the backstops. The prime minister has a clear mandate to go back to Brussels.

“Brussels have been asking for a clear ask from the UK government. They now have that clear ask.

“The current backstop is toxic to those of us living in Northern Ireland and indeed for unionists across the UK because it would cause the break up of the UK into the mid and longer term.”

The DUP leader said she was encouraged by comments from the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, and the Irish foreign minister, Simon Coveney, who have both suggested a hard border could be avoided.

“It is important that the scaremongering stops,” she said.