What the UK is saying about the Irish border

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson has said there will not be no hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after October 31st.

The UK is made up of four countries, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland is not a part of the UK and will not be leaving the European Union after Brexit.

Following the Good Friday agreement in 1998, the British and Irish governments agreed that there would be a soft border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. 

The agreement was interpreted as Ireland and Northern Ireland never having border checks. 

Speaking during a press conference on Monday, 9th of September, in Dublin, Johnson said the UK will never institute checks at the border. 

The Prime Minister who was in the company of Irish leader Leo Varadker also added that he believed that the good Friday agreement would be upheld. 

“I can understand that Brexit was never a problem that Ireland wished for, and there are certainly questions that we need to resolve. 

“As someone who went to the border a couple of times before the Good Friday agreement, I’m shocked to see watchtowers on UK soil. I can say now like I have said many times before, the UK will never institute checks at the border and I hope that our friends in the EU would say the same.”

Speaking about upholding the Good Friday Agreement in its entirety, Johnson said, “Our commitment to the peace progress is unshakeable”. 

Johnson also said Brexit would not affect the economic unity shared between the UK and Ireland irrespective of if a deal is agreed.  

The United Kingdom (UK) will leave the European Union on October 31, 2019, with or without a deal agreed.

Babylon Radio had previously reported that people who have bank accounts in the United Kingdom could face numerous difficulties accessing their accounts after the UK leaves the European Union.