Tony Blair says hard Irish border after Brexit would be a disaster

Former British Prime minister has called for a British-Irish agreement on border with Northern Ireland to limit Brexit damage,

"A deal between Britain and Ireland on the future of the border with Northern Ireland is the best way of limiting damage from Brexit". Blair said. 

 The former prime minister told a meeting in the Irish Republic of Europe’s centre-right political groups that a “hard border” on the island would be a disaster.

“If the UK and the Republic were able to agree a way forward on the border, then we would have the best chance of limiting the damage. It is in the interests of us all, including our European partners, for this to happen,” Blair said.

He said achieving consensus on the border would be crucial to the Brexit negotiations. “Some disruption is inevitable and indeed is already happening. However, it is essential that we do all we possibly can to preserve arrangements which have served both countries well and which command near universal support,” Blair said.

 “A hard border between the countries would be a disaster and I am sure everyone will and must do all they can to avoid it.”

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, is also attending the European People’s party conference in County Wicklow. The association is the largest group in the European parliament and includes the Christian Democrats, the German chancellor Angela Merkel’s party.

Barnier will then travel to the Republic’s border with Northern Ireland where he will hold discussions at a business centre in County Monaghan.