Can advanced technologies solve the Irish border problem?

As Boris Johnson’s Brexit strategy begins to take from, the new prime minister has doubled down on promises that he will dump the notorious Irish backstop – the ill-fated customs arrangement intended to act as an insurance against needing a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, but which many blame for the failure of Theresa May’s Brexit deal. But even if Brussels can be persuaded to drop the backstop itself, the issue of the Irish border – and the practicality of carrying out the necessary checks associated with being outside the EU’s customs union – is unlikely to disappear entirely.

One solution often put forward by Brexiteers is to use technological solutions to carry out the necessary checks without installing physical infrastructure. In February, it was revealed that Whitehall had begun conversations with the technology company Fujitsu on a ‘secret plan’ to do just that. The scheme would use technologies like GPS tracking to keep the border open, while minimising disruption to traders – and ordinary citizens.