Northern Ireland

Theresa May to visit the border tomorrow ahead of key Brexit speech

 British Prime Minister Theresa May is to visit the north tomorrow
 British Prime Minister Theresa May is to visit the north tomorrow  British Prime Minister Theresa May is to visit the north tomorrow

THERESA May is to visit the border tomorrow during a two-day visit to the north.

The Prime Minister will speak to border traders about the challenges posed by Brexit. On Friday, she will make a speech in Belfast about her government's approach to the Brexit negotiations.

The two-day visit was formally announced earlier today.

Mrs May said looked "forward to hearing views from businesses on the border in Northern Ireland on our departure from the European Union".

"I fully recognise how their livelihoods, families and friends rely on the ability to move freely across the border to trade, live and work on a daily basis.

"That's why we have ruled out any kind of hard border. Daily journeys will continue to be seamless and there will be no checks or infrastructure at the border to get in the way of this."

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Mrs May will also meet the north's main political parties about the possibility of restoring devolution. The north has had no devolved government since the Executive collapsed in January of last year.

Mrs May added: "I've also been clear we will not accept the imposition of any border down the Irish Sea and we will preserve the integrity of the UK's internal market and Northern Ireland's place within it.

"From the start of the negotiations, the UK Government has put Northern Ireland's unique circumstances at the heart of our negotiations. And nothing will undermine our commitment to protecting the Belfast Agreement.

"I also look forward to meeting political parties on working together to restore stable and effective devolved Government for the benefit of everyone in Northern Ireland."