15:56

The audience of Northern Ireland business owners and executives gave lukewarm applause to the prime minister’s speech.



Several expressed frustration that her plan to avoid a hard border and disruption to trade remained unclear. “We’re none the wiser,” said one.

Aodhán Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said he hoped a meeting with May after her speech would clarify how she intended to reconcile promises on the backstop with avoiding a hard border. “You’re talking about the disintegration of the supply chain. Northern Ireland is in the eye of the storm.”

Journalists challenged May over her credibility with Northern Ireland business leaders given that she had mobilised them to campaign for a deal with the backstop, only to dump it.

Connolly said she still had credibility. “We realise she is in a hard political game. But we need certainty and we need it now.”