British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says claims his government has proposed creating two lines of customs posts on either side of the border as part of its plans to replace the backstop is "not what we are proposing".
Documents which RTE News reported on would mean customs posts north and south but set back some distance from the physical border.
"Farcical", "unacceptable" and a "complete political non-runner".
That's how proposals from the UK to the EU on how to manage the border have been described.
Non-Paper = Non-Starter. Time the EU had a serious proposal from the UK Govt if a #Brexit deal is to be achievable in October. NI and IRE deserves better!
— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) September 30, 2019
It's reported that in the non-papers delivered to the EU the UK has proposed a string of customs posts on both sides of the border after Brexit.
They'd set up 'customs clearance sites' north and south, but both a bit back from the actual border - maybe 5 or 10 miles they say.
Goods would be checked and cleared at one end - then tracked by GPS in real-time until they reach the other customs post.
The full text of the non-papers hasn't been received by EU member states yet, but Boris Johnson is expected to start briefing other leaders today.
A government spokesman said the EU task force has indicated proposals received to date fall well short of the agreed aims of the backstop, and the government has yet to see credible alternatives.
This plan that would effectively see two borders created rather than one has been widely panned and condemned from parties across the political divide - with many saying the non-papers, are a non-runner.
However, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, speaking to the BBC has said the reporting "is not true.
"I've seen some briefing already from, I don't know where it came from possibly Brussels which is not quite right," said Boris Johnson. "That's not what we are proposing at all.
"And there are very good reasons why that would not be a good idea. I think everybody familiar with the situation in Ireland and Northern Ireland can understand why."
