Today the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, will speak at the Conservative Party annual conference, where he is expected to reveal details about the proposal he sent the European Union this week.
On Monday, there were leaks about the proposal, stating that it includes multiple customs checks between Ireland and Northern Ireland that will happen away from the physical border, but would still be customs checks nonetheless. The Republic of Ireland has been critical of this rumored proposal, stating that it is a hard border in all aspects except in name, and violates the Good Friday Agreement.
Johnson has denied that the leaks are accurate. However, he did strike a deal with the DUP about what he calls a “two-border” Ireland. The full details of the deal are unclear, but reportedly it would include a four-year transition period for Northern Ireland where the country would have to comply with both EU and UK rules, and after the four years are up, decide for itself which side it prefers to stay aligned to.
So far, EU officials have stated that they have not received anything that properly addresses the issue with the Irish border. Any new agreement will have to be approved by all EU states, and if it violates the Good Friday settlement, Ireland would like block it.
Johnson still insists that if he fails to secure a new deal by October 17, he will not be asking for an extension and would instead take the UK out of the European Union without a deal.
