‘No Brexit side deal by Germans’

GERMANY will not offer the UK a vague Brexit deal to prevent them crashing out of the EU, German officials said yesterday.

Although the EU negotiates as a single entity, there have been rumours emanating from Brussels that Germany and France are ready to step in and allow Britain to defer the major negotiation stumbling blocks.

This is supposedly because most member states are seriously concerned about the prospect of a no-deal Brexit.

The Financial Times reported that the European heavyweights were getting ready to accept a ‘fudged’ Brexit deal, ahead of a meeting between British prime minister Theresa May and French president Emmanuel Macron that takes place today.

Irish officials fear the border issue could become lost if a border deal is not made before October.

London believes that Mrs Merkel is spearheading the softening of the EU’s position after a positive engagement with Theresa May earlier this month.

Fianna Fáil Brexit spokeswoman Lisa Chambers said it was ‘unhelpful’ to have these sort of rumours coming from Brussels at such a crucial juncture in Brexit talks.

‘It’s unhelpful in the context of the negotiations and where we are right now. I don’t think it’s really helpful to talk about backroom deals which may or may not exist,’ she said.

‘Theresa May has been visiting European capitals and the suggestion was that the UK would attempt to divide and conquer. But the EU27 has remained as one throughout these negotiations and I don’t believe that is about to change,’ she added.

Ms May is hoping that Mr Macron will become a persuader for Britain’s cause after today’s meeting, but the chances are slim.

The British prime minister cut short her summer holidays in Italy to try to convince Macron to soften his hardline position in Brexit negotiations.