Ireland : The Conservative MP told BBC News the difficulties surrounding the future of Northern Ireland post-Brexit were designed by Brussels to debilitate Britain in the negotiations. He claimed the solution to the issue of the border between the two nations on the island of Ireland could be resolved with the same frontier system the countries already adopt for VAT and excise duties.
Mr Jenkin argued customs checks could easily be done away from the physical border via existing technology.
He said: “The whole row about the potential for a hard border in Northern Ireland has been concocted in order to put the United Kingdom into a weak negotiating position.
“We have explained to the Commission and to the British Government why it is quite possible to have a customs frontier between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland by doing the checks away from the border like they do for VAT, like they do for excise duties.
“That would be the way to resolve this problem.”
Faced with the notion that such technological solutions do not exist yet despite both the EU’s and the UK’s endorsement, he replied: “That’s actually wrong because the techniques and procedures that have been recommended by customs experts, upon whose advice we have drawn, have not invented anything new.
“These are things that happen through the Mont Blanc tunnel for example.
“They happen between Switzerland and France, they happen across other frontiers in the world.”
Mr Jenkin’s comments come as Attorney General Geoffrey Cox revealed Britain will not be able to quit the vexed Irish backstop without the European Union’s permission.
Under the pressure of MPs, Theresa May’s trusted legal advisor was forced to publish his opinions on the backstop ahead of a House of Commons vote on the controversial Brexit deal.
The insurance policy, which prevents no hard border from emerging on the island of Ireland, has already caused a number of political casualties – including former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab.
