A Conservative leadership hopeful has proposed giving £500 million (€560 million) to Ireland in a bid to resolve the Brexit border deadlock.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid made the suggestion in an interview with the Mail on Sunday.
The Northern Ireland border issue has been a main sticking point in Brexit talks - with strong opposition in Westminster to the backstop to avoid a hard border.
Theresa May's withdrawal agreement has been rejected several times in parliament, with members of her own Conservative party among the backstop's most vocal opponents.
Mr Javid - one of 11 MPs bidding to become Mrs May's successor - said the UK should pay Ireland millions of pounds to find a way through the impasse and set up new technology-driven border checks.
He claimed: "I think it's morally justified to pay for that because we both have signed the Good Friday Agreement.
"We are both absolutely committed to peace on the island of Ireland and - given that we voted to leave and that's what's changing the status quo on the island of Ireland - I think it's morally right that we say 'look, we'll pay because we've caused this'".
He further claimed the costs of such a payment to Ireland would be offset by a "mini economic boom" if Britain secures a Brexit deal.
A number of pro-Brexit MPs have previously claimed technology could solve border concerns - but experts have said the necessary technology for seamless border checks either doesn't exist yet or is untested.
Boris Johnson
File photo dated 10/01/19 of Boris Johnson. Picture by: Brian Lawless/PA Wire/PA ImagesMeanwhile, the current Tory leadership frontrunner Boris Johnson has insisted he'd scrap the backstop if he becomes prime minister.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, he suggested the border issue would only be addressed when the EU was ready to agree to terms on the post-Brexit future relationship.
While the EU has said they're open to discuss plans for the future relationship, the bloc has repeatedly refused to reconsider the backstop or reopen the withdrawal agreement.
Mr Johnson has also claimed he'd refuse to pay the €43bn divorce bill - unless Britain gets better exit terms.
He said: “I think our friends and partners need to understand that the money is going to be retained until such time as we have greater clarity about the way forward.”
The Tory leadership contest is now well underway following the formal resignation of Theresa May as party leader.
After nominations close tomorrow, the coming weeks will see Tory MPs hold a series of votes - eliminating candidates until only two remain.
General members of the party will then vote for the new leader in late July.
