In full: Theresa May's frustration at Boris Johnson's Irish Brexit 'backstop' plea | ITV News

Theresa May has told ITV News Political Editor Robert Peston of her "frustration" towards Boris Johnson after he urged her to tear up her Brexit Irish "backstop" agreement with the EU. The Prime Minister specifically highlighted Mr Johnson's argument that discussions on the issue of a Northern Ireland backstop should only take place once the UK has left the European Union. Mrs May said what she found "frustrating" about Mr Johnson's proposals was that "he appeared to be saying that he wanted to tear up something that is effectively a guarantee for the people of Northern Ireland. "I believe, as a unionist, that it is important that we recognise the needs and concerns of people in Northern Ireland, as they're the one part of the UK that has a land border with a country in the EU," the Prime Minister said. While Mrs May said that Mr Johnson had been a "good foreign secretary", she maintained his Brexit proposals were wrong, adding a backstop is "designed never to be used because what we want to get is the overall trading relationship that ensures frictionless trade and no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland." Mrs May continued that a backstop would "only be necessary in limited circumstances", such as if there was a time lag after March 29, 2019, on putting new arrangements into place. The DUP - who the Prime Minister may have to rely on to get a Brexit deal through Parliament - has said it will not support a plan which could lead to any new checks on goods coming into Northern Ireland from elsewhere in the UK, as it would lead to a border in the Irish Sea which would "separate" them from the rest of the UK. Both sides have agreed the need for a backstop but not how it should operate. Mrs May said the Government was currently working on a new offer on the issue of the Irish border to put to the European Commission, and at the heart of it is "the nature of the backstop" and the "future economic partnership and how we deliver on frictionless trade which delivers for others as well, that protects jobs here in the UK and how we deliver on that". Mrs May said she currently could not "accept what the EU has put forward. "If they say there are problems with what we've put forward on the Chequers plan, then let us know what they are in detual, if they have counter-proposals, let us know what those counter-proposals are." In an interview with ITV News Political Editor Robert Peston, Mrs May also said she remained "committed" to reducing immigration to tens of thousands, as set out in her General Election manifesto. Read more: https://bit.ly/2IwXq0r • Subscribe to ITV News on YouTube: http://bit.ly/2lOHmNj • Get breaking news and more stories at http://www.itv.com/news Follow ITV News on Facebook:   / itvnews   Follow ITV News on Twitter:   / itvnews   Follow ITV News on Instagram:   / itvnews