Michel Barnier has given his most detailed account yet of the checks that will be required between Britain and Northern Ireland after the UK leaves the EU.

Speaking following a round of meetings with a range of Northern Irish political and business leaders, the EUs chief negotiator said 80% to 85% of the UKs withdrawal from the bloc had now been agreed.

He said the UKs decision to leave the Single Market and the Customs union means there must be checks “that do not exist today” between the two regions, noting that both sides had already agreed that these checks cannot take place at border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

He set out three areas whereby checks will have to be carried out – noting that the proposals were limited to “what is absolutely necessary to avoid a hard border.”

He said he understands that the checks are "politically sensitive" but noted that the plan offers unprecedented benefits for Northern Ireland.

• Customs and VAT

He said this would see companies in Britain filling out customs declarations online before shipping to Northern Ireland. He noted that the only “visible systematic checks” in the process would involve scanning bar codes on lorries and containers in ferries and transit ports.

• Regulatory checks on industrial goods

He said this could happen away from ports in British markets on the premises of Northern Irish businesses.

• Checks on live animals and animal-derived products

He said this would have to happen on the way into Northern Irish ports for food safety and animal health reasons. He noted that these checks are already carried out on 10% of animals arriving into the north from Britain, but warned this would now have to increase to 100%.

He said the checks are unavoidable if the erection of a physical border in Ireland is to be prevented, noting that the challenge for negotiators was to make them “as easy as possible and not too burdensome in particular for smaller businesses.”

“I understand why such procedures are politically sensitive but let me make three remarks on this point,” he said.

“First Brexit was not out choice. It was the choice of the UK and our proposal tries to help the UK in managing the negative fallout of Brexit in Northern Ireland in a way that respects the territorial integrity of the UK.

“Second, our proposal limits itself to what is absolutely necessary to avoid a hard border - customs procedures and the respect of EU standard for products.

“It does not include measures on free movement of EU citizens, services, healthcare or social and environmental policy.

“And yet our proposal gives Northern Ireland benefits that no other third country enjoys.

“In particular, continued access to the single market for goods and continued benefits from the EU Free Trade agreements.”

He noted that the proposals also include the continuation of Ireland’s single electricity market, “as requested by the UK.”

Backstop

He noted that the plan is simply a “safety net” that will remain in force until a future trading relationship is agreed.

He said the future relationship could make the checks unnecessary – and noted the EU remains open to some form of customs union with the UK which would eliminate the need for many of them.

Continuing discussions with Northern Irish political leaders today: @DUPleader, @DianeDoddsMEP & @RobinSwannUUP, @JNicholsonMEP. Working hard to explain and de-dramatise the backstop #Brexit pic.twitter.com/JLW2oQNYzG

— Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) October 9, 2018

He made the comments after the DUP again threatened to pull the plug on UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s Government if it does not get its way in the talks.

Mrs May’s minority Government is holding on to power by virtue of its confidence and supply arrangement with the Northern Irish party.

Yesterday, DUP leader Arlene Foster again insisted her party would not accept any deal that introduced new regulatory differences between Northern Ireland and Britain.

Earlier in the week she warned that this “red line is blood red” for her party.

DUP threats

Today DUP sources warned that the party would vote down the UK budget – and by extension the Government – if Brexit negotiators accepted any new checks.

Sky News reports that a source within the said: "It is unacceptable that we would be treated differently to the rest of the UK.”

"We will not be bounced into anything.

"If Theresa May doesn't take our concerns on board, she may not be the leader to take us through Brexit."