Steve Shaw wrote: Your understanding is hazy (as ever). The backstop is no more than a proposal at the moment and is not in any way in force. It's to do with our leaving with a deal, nothing else. The backstop keeps Northern Ireland in the customs union in the event of the lack of a trade agreement with the EU. It comes into force only if we can't strike a trade deal at the end of the transition period. We get a transition period only if we leave with a deal, not otherwise. Do feel free to ask any of us, bar Iains, for further explanation.

What a stupid answer. Because of the backstop, admittedly a concept rather than ratified law, the UK is set on a path of leaving the EU without a deal. Without the Backstop we could leave the EU with a deal. The difference is considerable. How can something that can result in a considerable difference not exist?