That is "politically impossible" for either the Irish government or Brussels, according to one senior EU27 diplomat.

"It's pretty desperate stuff," the diplomat said, rejecting the claim that the backstop itself undermined the Good Friday Agreement. "It's a bit rich. It's something of the devil quoting scripture for his own benefit."

I'll also freely admit that this game of three-dimensional chess is way too subtle for my understanding. I suppose it's like the rules of cricket: you have to be English to understand.