The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party has claimed that the Good Friday Agreement is 'not sacrosanct.'
In an interview with the Telegraph Arlene Foster claimed the Belfast peace deal could be changed to accommodate a final Brexit deal.
“It has been deeply frustrating to hear people who voted remain and in Europe talk about Northern Ireland as though we can’t touch the Belfast Agreement,” she said.
“Things evolve, even in the EU context.
She claimed it was a “misinterpretation” to hold the Belfast peace agreement up as a“sacrosanct piece of legislation.”
British Chancellor Philip Hammond
It comes as the British Prime Minister Theresa May faces calls to clarify UK policy – after UK Chancellor Philip Hammond warned the Conservative Party conference that a ‘no-deal’ outcome was likely to lead to a hard border in Ireland.
He said the border would have to be compliant with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules if the UK crashes out without a deal.
"We are depending on the WTO to regulate our relations with the rest of the world, we will have to comply with the rest of WTO regulations or we will find we can't enforce our WTO rights against others," he said.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May
It is the first time a senior British government minister has admitted a hard border may have to be imposed.
Sinn Féin has warned that if there is a change in UK Government policy, Mrs May "needs to say it and she has to come out and be very clear and very honest with people.”
