Responding to media reports, the Irish Prime Minister said he was glad the Government has distanced itself from leaked plans to replace the controversial border backstop. Mr Johnson was alleged to be considering a series of “customs clearance centres” on both sides of the Irish border to avoid a number of checks. But the Prime Minister has categorically rebuked any suggestions that this will be proposed to EU leaders in the coming days.

Mr Varadkar said: “I very much welcome Prime Minister Johnson’s words today when he disowned and distanced himself from those non-papers.

“Had he not, in my view, it would have been hard evidence of bad-faith on behalf of the British Government.”

Earlier today, Mr Johnson blamed “Brussels” for briefing details that were said to be contained within a so-called technical non-paper sent to Michel Barnier by the UK.

EU sources have said the UK’s non-paper focuses on customs arrangements for industrial goods on the Northern Ireland side of the border.

Businesses would be expected to file electronic pre-clearance customs declarations before shipping across the Irish border.

Lorries carrying “suspicious goods” would be asked to report to “designated locations” away from the border.

Any of the compulsory regulatory checks demanded by Brussels would be carried out at specially approved centres or business premises in Northern Ireland before shipping.

Trusted-trader schemes and GPS tracking would then be used to monitor goods crossing the border.

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EU negotiators will question how the threat of smuggling can be eliminated, amid fears that fraudsters could avoid electronic checks or offload suspicious cargo en route to checks.

Mr Johnson this morning said the “reality” of Brexit means there will need to be customs checks on the island of Ireland.

He said: “A sovereign united country must have a single customs territory.”

In a later interview, the Prime Minister explained: “What I can say is that, and I think this is crucial for everybody to understand, because it’s just the limit of what a sovereign country can do.

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“If The EU is going to insist on on customs checks as we come out as it as it is, then we will have to accept that reality.

“And there will have to be a system, for customs checks away from the border.

“Now, we think those checks can be absolutely minimal and non-intrusive and won’t involve new infrastructure.

“But that is absolutely… that is where the argument is going to be. And that’s where the negotiation will be will be tough.”

The confusion surrounding the Brexit negotiations has led France to declare no deal the most likely outcome.

“You know France’s position. It considers that the withdrawal agreement is the best solution, but today the most plausible scenario is an exit without a deal,” French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.

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