EU's Tusk says "backstop" part of Brexit deal not renegotiaable

European Council President Donald Tusk said the EU-UK divorce deal was not up for renegotiation after Britain's House of Commons on Tuesday voted to replace the Irish backstop border arrangement contained in it with unspecified "alternative arrangements".

"The Withdrawal agreement is and remains the best and only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union," Tusk said via a spokesman.

"The backstop is part of the Withdrawal Agreement, and the Withdrawal Agreement is not open for renegotiation." (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Kevin Liffey)