U.S.-Canada border arrangement possible solution for Ireland: UK PM

LONDON, March 5 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May told lawmakers Monday that the government is looking at the U.S.-Canada border to see if similar arrangements could be applied to the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.

How the Irish border will work once Britain leaves the European Union has become one of the most pressing issues in the ongoing Brexit negotiations.

May said the British and Irish governments both agreed there should be no post-Brexit hard border on the island of Ireland.

After updating MPs in the House of Commons on her latest Brexit speech last Friday at the Mansion House in London, May faced questions from MPs.

Asked by one MP to give examples of countries not in a customs union which had no borders checks, May said there are many examples of different arrangements for customs around the rest of the world.

"We are looking at those, including the border between the United States and Canada for lessons that could be applied to Ireland," May said.

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labor Party, said May had failed to bring clarity to Brexit talks, adding the Brexit proposals she announced last Friday were barely papering over the cracks.

Saying the last 20 months since the EU referendum had been wasted, Corbyn said the arrogance of some of the members of May's front-bench ministers who said Brexit would be the easiest deal in history has turned into debilitating infighting.

Corbyn told MPs: "The prime minister's speech on Friday promised to unite the nation, but it barely papered over the cracks in her own party."

He said May had failed to offer a real solution over Northern Ireland. Instead, he added, May had rehashed an already discredited government idea to use a mix of technology and goodwill to ensure no hard border In Ireland.

The Irish republic will remain an EU member, meaning after Brexit the border with Northern Ireland will become the only EU border within the UK.

May told MPs she was confident Britain can reach an agreement with Brussels about a future trading arrangement, adding that a deal was in the interests of both sides.

She added: "We cannot escape from complexity of the task ahead. But with pragmatism, calm and patient discussion, I am confident we can set an example to the world."

May said there will be ups and downs over the months ahead, adding: "but we will not be buffeted by the demands to talk tough or threaten or walk out, and we will not give in to the counsels of despair that this simply cannot be done, for this is in both the UK's and EU's interests.

"We must build a new and lasting relationship while preparing for every scenario," May said.

On Wednesday the Chancellor Philip Hammond is scheduled to make a keynote speech spelling out Britain's Brexit proposals for the financial and banking services, largely focused in and around the City of London. Enditem