Barnier stands firm on post-Brexit border in Irish Sea | The Guardian |

Michel Barnier is refusing to back down on erecting a border in the Irish Sea to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, and has publicly asked the British government for data to prove that the checks on goods flowing within the territory of the UK would be few in number.

The EU's chief negotiator, who has been strident on the issue during the behind-the-scenes negotiations, made public his request for the information as he warned he needed an agreement on Northern Ireland and other outstanding withdrawal issues "by November at the latest".

TRANSCRIPT: Read in full what @MichelBarnier had to say today following his meeting with @DominicRaab. English translation to follow shortly: https://t.co/VGfJ2QCEgQ #Brexit pic.twitter.com/buSlBwh4My

— Daniel Ferrie (@DanielFerrie) August 31, 2018