A third round of Brexit talks started with open hostility in Brussels this week between Britain and the EU. Britain wants to start talks on trade but the EU is refusing until there is sufficient progress on other priorities, including the Irish border.
The deadline of moving to trade talks in October is looking increasingly difficult to meet, given the widening gap between the two sides.
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told RTE Radio that the EU needs to put the British government “under pressure” in order to solve the Irish issues.
Britain’s main opposition party, Labour, on Monday changed its previous stance by committing to Britain retaining membership of the EU Single Market and Customs Union for up to four years after it departs the EU in 2019.
Jeremy Corbyn’s party hopes permanent membership of the Single Market and the Customs Union might be possible through continued negotiations with the EU.
Theresa May’s Tory government has rejected claims Britain can remain in the Customs Union or the Single Market after it cuts ties with the EU.
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