UK seeks Brexit without Ireland borders

The UK has proposed there be no hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland in ongoing Brexit negotiations with the EU.

The British government is confident it can enforce new immigration controls on EU citizens without a hard border with Ireland.

Controlling access to things such as the labour market and welfare systems form an integral part of the UK's immigration system, according to proposals for the Irish border outlined in a government position paper.

The document says the UK will preserve the Common Travel Area (CTA) between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after Brexit, allowing people to enter Britain free from routine border controls.

This is despite Ireland remaining part of the EU and accepting the free movement of citizens from the bloc.

Critics say this could offer a "back door" into the UK for people from the European Union after Brexit.

The document says: "Along with many other member states, controlling access to the labour market and social security have long formed an integral part of the UK's immigration system.

"The nature of this range of control mechanisms means that the UK is confident that it will be able to: maintain existing movement to the UK from within the CTA without requiring border controls, as now; respect Ireland's ongoing EU free movement obligations; and put in place a new UK immigration system and controls for EEA (European Economic Area) citizens."

Avoiding check points or any other physical infrastructure on the Irish border is the UK Government's number one priority when negotiating post-Brexit arrangements for its only land frontier with the EU.

Officials say the UK has an ongoing program of security cooperation with the Irish government, while Ireland is not a member of the Schengen free movement area, meaning passports of EU citizens are checked as they enter the country.