The Prime Minister vowed to ensure there is no return to the ‘borders of the past’ as she delivered a speech in Belfast with negotiations at a critical stage.

She said the people of Northern Ireland and the Republic did not have to ‘rely’ on the EU to avoid a hard line being drawn between them. 

‘The UK government will not let that happen,’ she said. ‘I will not let that happen.’

She infuriated Tory Eurosceptics by saying she is not proposing to scrap the backstop from the Brexit deal altogether – despite previously acknowledging it must be replaced with ‘alternative arrangements’.

Mrs May also hinted there was little prospect of technological solutions proposed by Brexiteers being ready in the short term.

While saying she was ready to ‘look’ at ideas, she added: ‘These must be ones that can be made to work for the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland.’ 

After the speech a senior source on the Tory European Research Group (ERG) issued a thinly-disguised threat, saying: ‘Even if she doesn’t mean what she said, we still do.’

The row came as Mrs May was offered hope of a Brexit breakthrough by Angela Merkel.

Despite the UK facing crashing out in less than eight weeks, the German Chancellor said there was ‘still time’ to end the impasse. 

Angela Merkel (pictured in Japan today) has insisted there is ‘still time’ to strike a Brexit deal

Angela Merkel (pictured on a visit to Japan today) hinted yesterday that she was hopeful the Brexit ‘riddle’ can be solved

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