DUP rejects Theresa May's 'fairly meaningless' proposal to give North 'veto' if Brexit backstop triggered

At the outset of the debate, Mrs May’s deputy David Lidington announced a series of assurances on Northern Ireland aimed at winning the support of more MPs for the deal.

The pledges are due to be included in a written statement that will be published this afternoon.

One of them appears to offer the Stormont assembly a veto on any new areas of law under the backstop.

This morning, however, DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson said the proposals were “fairly meaningless” and will not win his party’s support.

The party continues to prop up Mrs May’s minority government under a confidence and supply agreement.

"We are concerned that this falls far short of what we agreed last December, which was a veto for Stormont on the backstop," said Mr Wilson.

"This says we would be consulted if it were to be introduced, and that if it were to be introduced we would have the ability to stop any new EU regulations.

"These would be outside the scope of the 300 areas of law set out in the withdrawal agreement and of course it's possible that existing EU laws could be extended to new industries which could not be vetoed.

"This is fairly meaningless. We have had detailed discussions with the government and they know this doesn't go near to meeting the requirements."

He confirmed that the DUP plans to vote against the deal next Tuesday – and said he hoped Mrs May would return to Brussels to carry out more negotiations if the deal is rejected.

The EU has already warned that the agreement, which has been accepted by 28 EU Governments including the UK, cannot be renegotiated.

The Irish Government, the EU and the majority of Northern Ireland’s political parties have rejected calls for a veto on the backstop.