Jacob Rees-Mogg slapped down by Irish deputy PM over post-Brexit border checks call
2 min read
Jacob Rees-Mogg has been criticised by Ireland’s deputy prime minister after he said “inspections” on the border such as those during the Troubles could be brought back after Brexit.
The arch-Brexiteer Tory was blasted by the Tánaiste after he was filmed telling a town hall meeting that the UK could shore up its border by "keeping an eye" on those crossing from the Republic.
Simon Coveney tweeted that the North-East Somerset MP had shown he was "ill-informed" about the sensitivities of the issue in Northern Ireland.
The obligation of the British and EU sides to minimise disruption on the Irish border through the Good Friday Agreement has been a major stumbling block in Brexit negotiations.
But Mr Rees-Mogg, who is leader of the pro-hard Brexit European Research Group faction of Conservative MPs, told the meeting that Ireland "would not be a free-for-all" and that "historic arrangements" could continue.
"There would be our ability, as we had during the Troubles, to have people inspected," he said.
"It's not a border that everyone has to go through every day. But, of course, for security reasons during the Troubles, we kept a very close eye on the border to try and stop gun-running and things like that.
"It’s not inconsistent to have a border that people can pass through but you are keeping an eye on."
But Labour's Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer Keir Starmer tore into the Tory Brexiteer, saying: "This man knows nothing of Northern Ireland."
Labour MP David Lammy meanwhile said peace on the island of Ireland could not be allowed to be torn apart by "hard right ideologues".
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