BELFAST (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May denied “shafting” Northern Ireland in a visit to the province after she said she would seek changes to the backstop border arrangements to secure support for her withdrawal agreement with the European Union.

May was asked at a speech by a local reporter why business should believe May’s commitment to avoiding a hard Irish border between the province and the republic when they may feel “betrayed and shafted” over her approach to the so-called backstop.

“There is no suggestion that we are not going to ensure that in the future there is provision... that ensures that... we deliver no hard border,” she said in response.