Brexit truce among Conservatives shattered as May says there is ‘no suggestion’ of scrapping Irish backstop

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The fragile Tory truce over Brexit has been shattered after Theresa May admitted there is “no suggestion” of scrapping the Irish backstop – triggering fresh anger from her anti-EU MPs. The reaction from the hardline European Research Group of Tory MPs was swift, with one source saying: “Even if she doesn’t mean what she said, we still do.” One prominent Brexiteer, John Whittingdale, pointed out the prime minister had set up a “working party” to explore ideas leading to trade deal that “would not need the backstop”. “It’s very important that we replace that backstop – that we deal with it – because, currently, it creates a hard border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom, and that’s totally unacceptable.” The ERG will restate its determination to replace the backstop with – unproven – technology at an event on Wednesday, as the prime minister holds talks with the Northern Ireland parties. “What parliament has said is that they believe there should changes made to the backstop.” Told that some in Northern Ireland believed she had “shafted them”, she said again: “There is no suggestion that we are not going to ensure that, in the future, there is provision for this – it’s been called an insurance policy, the backstop.” However, the Brady amendment – passed by the Commons last week in a rare show of Tory unity – “requires the Northern Ireland backstop to be replaced with alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border”.