Tory MP Responds To DUP Statement Over Johnson's Brexit Deal

11 October 2019, 17:49 | Updated: 11 October 2019, 17:56

"Are you positive about this deal? No one will answer me," Eddie Mair said, while challenging a Tory MP over the DUP's latest statement about Johnson's Brexit proposal.

The DUP statement said that "there will need to be a clear acceptance that the economic and constitutional integrity of the whole United Kingdom will have to be respected we leave."

Eddie read this out and asked for the response of Tory MP and member of the 1922 Committee Bob Blackman.

"The DUP have been consistent from the word go. What they want is to make sure that Northern Ireland doesn't get left behind and it enjoys the opportunities that will be available for the rest of the United Kingdom," said Blackman.

He continued that the DUP will "clearly look for what improvements can be made to ensure Northern Ireland gets what it needs which is the international trade deals that we do."

Eddie said: "They might see Theresa May's customs partnership, or some version of it, as the worst of all worlds of course."

Blackman said that we have to wait and see what comes out of these talks for the Northern Ireland and the UK.

Eddie asked how much optimism the Tory MP has about these discussions.

Arlene Foster, DUP leader, issues positive sounding statement about the nascent Johnson plan pic.twitter.com/IvpOgxThTu
— Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) October 11, 2019

"The first thing is, for many people they've been very pessimistic about what was going to happen. I've been one of those people that believed that this would go right down to the wire because that's what always happens with the European Union.

"They want to do these last minute deals and that's why you have to be very careful with these last minute deals to see what exactly has been agreed in detail. That tends to be the whole approach from the European Union.

"Everyone recognises that it's in the benefit of the European Union and the United Kingdom to have a managed exit and a deal on the table that both sides can agree on."

Eddie asked if the UK is close to getting out of the EU, but not there, what should we do?

"Clearly what we'll have to do is wait until the European Council next week."

"You're not going to answer either," said Eddie.

Blackman said: "No look, we've got to see what comes out of that because if there's an agreement to a deal and what we're looking at is crossing the Ts and dotting the Is" then "effectively we've left on the 31st October."

He continued: "I think the trap we'd all be concerned about is if this just dragged on and on and on. Everyone wants a resolution to this one way or another."