The Times has run a story titled "DUP opens......>

UK: The Times has run a story titled "DUP opens door to new Brexit deal for

Johnson" suggesting that the DUP party has agreed that Northern Ireland could

agree to some EU regulations moving forwards. The Times understands that this

could come as part of a new deal to replace the disputed Irish backstop

mechanism.

- Also, significantly, the article suggests that the DUP has said privately that

it would drop objections to regulatory checks in the Irish Sea. It had

previously rejected such as a measure, deeming that it would separate Northern

Ireland both politically and economically from the mainland.

- The article suggests that in return, Brussels would be expected to drop its

insistence that Northern Ireland remain in a customs union with the EU and would

fast-track alternative arrangements re: duty payments in order to remove the

need for physical infrastructure at the border.

- The Time's government sources have noted that the move is "significant" but

cautioned that a deal is a "long way off."