Johnson confronts EU doubts

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson confronted scepticism from across Europe on Thursday as he sought to muster support for his new approach to avoiding a messy divorce at the end of the month.

Johnson warned that the EU’s refusal to accept his “final” offer would see it share the blame for the damage that might come from an unregulated end to the 46-year relationship. The British government on Wednesday submitted its proposal for a new withdrawal agreement from the European Union to back up Johnson’s vow to pull his country out of the bloc on October 31.

But EU Council President Donald Tusk said “we remain open but still unconvinced” the plan can preserve an open border between British-run Northern Ireland and EU-member Ireland after Brexit, a key point of disagreement. The European Parliament’s Brexit steering group also dismissed what it called “these last-minute proposals” as neither “credible (or) legally operable”.

“The proposals do not address the real issues that need to be resolved,” it said in a statement.

Johnson has until the end of the month to try to shore up support for a fresh approach to end the three-year political impasse since the Brexit referendum.

Johnson reaffirmed on Thursday he had no intention of seeking an extension despite parliament’s instruction to do so should he fail to secure a compromise over the next two weeks. “We have shown great flexibility with our European friends,” he told lawmakers. “If our European neighbours choose not to show a corresponding willingness to reach a deal, then we shall have to leave on October 31 without an agreement - and we are ready to do so.”