Britain's international trade secretary on Sunday welcomed proposals drawn up by hard-line Brexit supporters that outline what it will take for them to support Prime Minister Theresa May's deal with the European Union.
Liam Fox told the BBC that proposals outlined by the European Research Group in the Sunday Times could be seen as an attempt to find common ground on the sticky issue of the Irish border.
"I hope it's a genuine attempt, and I think it is, to try to map out ground where we can have common territory" before the House of Commons votes on the deal next week, Fox told the BBC.
Parliament rejected May's deal in January, largely because of concerns about the so-called backstop, which is designed to prevent the need for physical border checks along the Irish border if negotiators fail to agree on a free-trade deal.
Lawmakers on all sides opposed the provisions because they could leave Britain tied to the EU indefinitely.
In its published proposal, the European Research Group demanded a "clear and unconditional route out of the backstop."
"The attorney general needs to give a legally binding guarantee that the backstop is temporary."