Brexit: Why can’t the EU and UK find a solution to the Irish backstop controversy?

Latest Brexit talks were branded ‘difficult’ and ‘robust’ – and the British stance ‘insane’ – so what hope for a way out, asks Rob Merrick

Geoffrey Cox, the attorney general, abandoned plans for a return trip to Brussels on Friday (Reuters)

Downing Street admitted the latest Brexit talks were “difficult” and “robust” – the acknowledged code for an almighty row – while an EU official branded the British stance “insane”.

After Geoffrey Cox, the attorney general, abandoned plans for a return trip to Brussels for another go, why exactly is a breakthrough to rescue Theresa May’s stalled deal proving so difficult?

The first point is that what the UK is now demanding is a million miles from what the Commons ordered in January, which was “replacing” the Irish backstop with “alternative arrangements”.