Eastwood says UK-EU agreement must include backstop

SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood has welcomed reports that the British government and European Union have agreed a text on the border in Ireland.

Mr Eastwood was commenting after Downing Street said today that “some small outstanding issues” remained to be resolved between the British Government and EU officials.

Said the Foyle MLA: “The SDLP are glad to hear that an agreement might have been reached and we look forward to reading the text of that agreement in detail.

“If the agreement involves a backstop that protects Ireland from a hard border then we would hope it will gain support in Westminster.”