Theresa May is seeking legally binding changes to the Irish Backstop between the UK and EU. She travelled to Dublin to discuss the changes with Leo Varadkar, but he has stated that no negotiations will take place tonight.

While the two leaders will discuss the impasse, he denied their dinner date amounted to bilateral talks.

The Irish government has always maintained that it cannot get into direct conversations with the UK on the controversial backstop as they are represented in negotiations by the EU taskforce.

The “Irish backstop” is effectively an insurance policy in UK-EU Brexit negotiations. It’s meant to make sure that the Irish border remains open (as it is today) whatever the outcome of the UK and the EU’s future relationship negotiations.

Her trip comes as reports emerged that a secret Whitehall group has been working on emergency plans to slash taxes and tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Speaking to reporters in Belfast ahead of his meeting with Mrs May, the Taoiseach Varadkar said: “Today is not a day for negotiations. It’s a day for us to share our perspectives and listen to each other.”