The DUP has attacked the Irish Government over its response to Boris Johnson's Brexit demands.
Earlier this week, the new British prime minister claimed a Brexit deal could only be done if the backstop to avoid a hard border in Ireland was abolished.
That was swiftly rejected by Irish and EU leaders, who've ruled out the withdrawal agreement being renegotiated.
In Belfast yesterday, Tánaiste Simon Coveney said Boris Johnson appeared to have chosen to put the UK on a 'collision course' with the EU and Ireland.
The Taoiseach, meanwhile, said that the new British prime minister will have to row back on some of the things he has said in recent days if he truly wants to secure a Brexit deal.
Leo Varadkar sticking by his position on the backstop. On Boris Johnson's statements: 'if he means what he says about wanting a deal then he'll have to depart from some of what he's said in the last few days'
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) July 26, 2019
A number of DUP MPs have criticised the Irish Government for their response.
DUP MP Sammy Wilson claimed: “The hysterical and self-centred response from the Irish government to the reasonable demands of the Prime Minister to have the backstop removed from any exit deal from the European Union speaks volumes.
"The megaphone reaction demonstrates that the blatant attempts by Leo Varadkar and co to use the Irish border as a means of undermining Britain’s referendum has [backfired] on them and they know it."
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has reiterated his call for the "anti-democratic" backstop to be abolished.
Speaking in Manchester earlier today, he said: "If we get rid of the backstop, whole and entire, then we're making a lot of progress."
