during the interim period it will be able to sort of leave certain foreign policy decisions and opt out of those so there are some good sides but in the end they say negotiations like these are always give and take and give and take and they might have to do some give and take on the issue of the irish border which is still a thorn in the side of a fully comprehensive or breaks a deal but now britain has agreed to a backstop what does that mean. the backs up means that if britain doesn't come up with a different solution to the fall of this year when the divorce agreement will have to be signed and the tradition is part of the divorce agreement so if britain hasn't found a solution that is practical and legally possible tool that date then the backstop that is the fallback option is that northern ireland will sort of largely continue