Coveney: 'We'll all be in trouble' if new British PM wanted to 'tear up' the backstop

Tánaiste Simon Coveney has indicated Ireland and the EU are prepared to open up fresh talks on ways to avoid the backstop amid fears of a looming no-deal Brexit.

Speaking to the BBC this morning, Mr Coveney nonetheless insisted the backstop would remain as the default option in the absence of acceptable alternative arrangements.

He said "we'll all be in trouble" if the new British prime minister-to be decided this week-entered power and just wanted to “tear up” the Irish backstop.

That's the equivalent of saying: 'give me the house or I am going to burn it down for everybody'.

Mr Coveney told the BBC that the new prime minister could want to change the future ambitions between Britain and the EU where the backstop could be avoided.

But the backstop could also not have a “time limit” he reiterated. Furthermore, Britain could not leave and expect a scenario where there was free trade.

Speaking about the implications of a no-deal, Mr Coveney also reiterated that Ireland would need to set up “verification mechanisms” if Britain crashes out of the EU.

This would be to protect the EU's single market. Those new checks though would be in Ireland and not in France or Belgium or Holland, he added.

The British conservative party on Tuesday will elect a new leader which will result in either Boris Johnson or foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt becoming the next British prime minister.