The Legal Clause That Makes Brexiteers Furious—And Why They Have a Point

On at least one crucial issue when it comes to Brexit, Boris Johnson has a point, though not entirely for the reasons many of his supporters claim.

The new British prime minister has threatened to take Britain out of the European Union on October 31, the deadline by which the country must exit the bloc, without a deal unless a contentious clause is removed wholesale from the exit package negotiated by his predecessor, Theresa May. This clause, known as the backstop, aims to ensure that no matter what, the border remains open between Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom and thus set to leave the EU, and the Republic of Ireland, a separate EU member state.

This clause became the focus of Brexit supporters’ opposition to May’s negotiated withdrawal agreement, ensuring that she would never get it passed by Parliament, and thus leading to her resignation. Johnson has claimed that the backstop is “” and something no British government could ever accept. His opening position dramatically increases the chances of Britain leaving the bloc without a deal this autumn, sparking an economic and diplomatic crisis at the heart