It’s Barnier & friends ahead of Brexit ruck
EU chief negotiator dines with Leo and hits Aviva
MUST try harder. That was the aptly rugby-nuanced message coming from Michel Barnier ahead of the UK’s crucial Brexit vote tomorrow.
Once again nailing his colours to the mast, the EU chief Brexit negotiator jetted in to Dublin for an entente cordiale with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and ministers before attending the Six Nations match between Ireland and France at the Aviva in Dublin.
And while he may have been feeling ‘bleu’ after Ireland’s victory, Mr Barnier’s friendly dinner with Mr Varadkar, Tánaiste Simon Coveney, European Affairs Minister Helen McEntee and their respective partners sent out a message that the EU still has Ireland’s back in the ongoing Brexit wrangle.
The Irish Daily Mail understands that Mr Barnier and his family dined with the Taoiseach at an informal gathering on Saturday evening.
Over dinner there was a discussion about ‘the state of play’ in Brexit negotiations and ‘what will happen next’, according to a source close to the Taoiseach.
‘It was an informal gathering, although the state of play in Brexit negotiations did come up. There was also some discussion on what will happen next,’ the source said.
‘Needless to say the Irish position remains the same.
‘We are happy to discuss any assurances that can be added to help the deal pass through the House of Commons, but the Withdrawal Agreement will not be reopened.’
Yesterday Mr Barnier and his sons attended the Ireland versus France Six Nations match, along with Mr Varadkar and Mr Coveney, which Ireland won 26-14.
The Irish Farmers’ Association shared a picture of Mr Varadkar, IFA president Joe Healy, Mr Barnier and Mr Coveney at Lansdowne Road on Twitter, with the caption: ‘Rugby aside, the Irish & French in lockstep on the backstop and Brexit.’
Tomorrow, the Withdrawal Agreement returns to the UK’s House of Commons for a second meaningful vote, but is widely expected to suffer a heavy defeat, similar to the 230 vote margin it suffered last time.
On Wednesday Westminster MPs are scheduled to vote on whether to take a no-deal Brexit off the table, but there is speculation that both votes could yet be pulled. If the Brexit deal is defeated, as expected, the UK will be on course to crash out of the EU without a deal in just over two weeks, with no clear path to avoiding it.
Yesterday, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan accused the UK of reneging on the agreement that was struck with the EU and approved by Prime Minister Theresa May’s cabinet. ‘Ultimately this is the responsibility of the UK, they had agreed certain terms of the agreement. They now seem to be reneging on that, resiling from that. I still think there’s time,’ he told RTÉ’s The Week In Politics.
One option is the extension of Article 50, delaying Brexit, but there are disagreements in London and Brussels over how long an extension should be.
One stumbling block is May’s European elections and the issue of whether British politicians would have to run, or if plans to redistribute Britain’s seats will proceed.
The DUP warned against a delay at the weekend.
Mr Flanagan said: ‘The Irish Government wouldn’t stand in the way of [an] extension, but from an EU perspective they need to know what is going to be achieved during that extension.’
‘Brexit state of play did come up’