‘We are looking for a solution’ to the border dispute

The UK is looking for ways to keep the border open as it prepares to leave the EU, the Home Affairs Minister has said.

David Davis said the UK was in the process of assessing how best to leave but said there was no timeline on the issue.

The UK has not formally agreed to stay in the EU by default and it has insisted it wants to continue negotiating with Brussels to achieve that.

“We are not yet ready to have that conversation,” Mr Davis told Sky News.

“But there is a very real possibility that we will.”

UK Brexit spokesman said the issue of border posts was “a matter for negotiation” Read more”We are working with the EU to make that happen, we are making progress and we are very hopeful that we can achieve that outcome, but I think that is a matter for negotiations.”

He said it was also “in the interest of both sides” to agree on a timeframe for leaving the EU.

“I think that it is a political question.

It is not a political issue,” Mr Davies said.

He also said that Mr Davis had been in contact with his Irish counterpart, Micheál Martin, on the subject.

He said the two had “made some progress”.

“The Irish people will be a key part of any future negotiation,” he said.

“The two sides are in contact and I know there is mutual respect for one another’s positions.”

Brexit talks to begin in June, but UK has said it wants a ‘meaningful’ deal by September – and Mr Davis said it would be possible to have talks in September 2019 in order to get a Brexit deal in place by then.

The Brexit secretary also said there would be no “shortcut” to a “meaningful” deal and said that the UK wanted a deal that would allow it to “have the freedom of movement of people across the border” in the UK, which it would need to maintain trade with other European countries.

He has previously said there were “no shortcuts” in negotiations.