IRISH QUESTION

Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, which props up May's minority government, has said it would try to block the deal because it binds London to many EU rules and the DUP fears it could weaken the province's ties to Britain.

DUP leader Arlene Foster said on Sunday she would "review" the agreement to back May's Conservative government if the Brexit divorce is passed by Britain's parliament.

Sunday newspapers said different factions in her own Conservative party were preparing alternative plans to keep Britain closer to the EU should May's deal fail.

Wrangling over how to keep open troubled Northern Ireland's land border with the EU without creating barriers with the Irish Republic dogged much of the Brexit talks.

Britain's 300-year-old naval base in Gibraltar on Spain's southern coast, had also threatened to derail plans.

Reuters