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Britain has no plans to meet an EU deadline of next week over how the border with Ireland is managed after Brexit , Liam Fox has signalled.

The International Trade Secretary said a stance on movement between Northern Ireland and the Republic could not be reached before a trade deal with the EU.

His comments came as Dublin kept up pressure for a solution that left either the whole UK or just Northern Ireland in the single market and customs union.

Rejecting the proposal, Dr Fox said: “We don’t want there to be a hard border – but the UK is going to be leaving the customs union and the single market.”

(Image: Getty) (Image: Reuters)

He told Sunday with Niall Paterson, on Sky News: “We’ve always had exceptions for Ireland, whether it’s in our voting rights, our rights of residence in the UK… we have always accepted a certain asymmetry and that will have to be part of whatever agreement we come to.

“But we can’t come to a final answer to the Irish question until we get an idea of the end state. The quicker we do that the better. The EU doesn’t want to do that.”

Irish MEP Mairead McGuinness told the BBC’s Sunday Politics she was “troubled” by Dr Fox’s comments.

(Image: PA)

She said: “I hope the UK is not holding the Irish situation to ransom – it is far too serious and far too critical.”

But she added that if PM Theresa May wants the border to stay as it is after Brexit “the only way is to stay in the customs union and single market”.

Mrs May has been given until next Monday to come up with proposals on the border, the Brexit divorce bill and citizens’ rights before EU leaders will allow a move to the next phase of talks.