May to seek Brexit Irish backstop changes

British prime minister Theresa May is on a fresh collision course with the EU after a majority of MPs voted to renegotiate the Brexit Irish backstop.

The vote came as the Irish Government delivered a stark warning about the impact of a no-deal Brexit, saying it could wipe 4% off economic growth.

Within minutes of the vote in the House of Commons, the EU and the Irish Government firmly shot down the British prime minister’s new plans, saying the withdrawal agreement was not open for renegotiation.

A 16-majority vote for the British prime minister’s Plan B to renegotiate the Irish backstop came after several amendments were rejected by MPs.

Afterwards, Ms May pledged to return to Brussels with her new mandate to renegotiate the backstop while still promising to ensure there would be no new hard border on the island of Ireland.

“It’s now clear there is a route that can secure a substantial and sustainable majority in this House for leaving the EU with a deal.

“We will now take this mandate forward and seek to obtain legally binding changes to the withdrawal agreement that deal with concerns on the backstop while guaranteeing no return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland,” she said.

But within just minutes of the dramatic vote on the Graham Brady amendment, the Government and European Council president Donald Tusk rejected the move.

Mr Tusk’s spokesman said the backstop was part of the withdrawal agreement and that this was not open for renegotiation.

Dublin agreed, immediately rejecting attempts to open up the Brexit deal on the backstop to prevent a hard border. A statement said changes could only be agreed in the political declaration for a future EU-UK relationship.

Tweeting last night, Tánaiste Simon Coveney also defended the backstop, saying: “Backstop was agreed by UK/EU as the insurance policy to avoid a hard border in all scenarios.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Ms May are expected to resume discussions by phone later today.

Amid the fallout, Tory MPs were accused in the House of Commons by Scottish National Party member Ian Blackford of “ripping apart” the Good Friday Agreement and reneging on peace in the North.

During the evening, several amendments, some designed to prevent a no-deal Brexit and to allow for ways to explore alternatives through parliament, were defeated by British MPs.

While the House of Commons rejected Labour MP Yvette Cooper’s substantial amendment to avoid a no-deal Brexit, MPs did approve Tory former minister Caroline Spelman’s amendment seeking to prevent the UK leaving the EU without a deal. However, this is non-binding.

Doomsday projections in the event of a Brexit no-deal were released by the Government, forecasting job losses and a potential 4% slowdown in economic growth.

Unemployment, with a no deal, would increase by 2% to 7.25% while employment numbers would increase at a slower pace, with 55,000 fewer new jobs created by 2023. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said food producers, manufacturers, and small businesses could be sectors worst hit by job losses with a no deal.

“There remains considerable uncertainty surrounding the format the UK’s exit from the EU will take. The assessment by my department shows that a disorderly exit would be particularly severe,” he said.

The Cabinet also discussed the gloomy projections for a no deal, with Agriculture Minister Michael Creed later warning that trade fines of some €1.7bn could be slapped on Irish exports to the UK.

However, addressing concerns last night at the AGM of the Irish Farmers Association, Mr Varadkar pledged to protect farmers.

“We have already alerted the European Commission that we will seek emergency aid in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The purpose of this aid would be to help cope with the impact on Irish trade, particularly for the beef, dairy, and fishing sectors,” he said.

During the day, Mr Varadkar had told the Dail that, amid fading hopes for a Brexit deal, that Ireland may need to “find a lot of money” in the coming weeks.It is also likely now that more pressure will fall on the government to open up the backstop or agree to concessions with the

UK.