Time for Leo & Boris
Angela Merkel had hit a brick wall on Brexit during a phone call.
It was reported a no-deal was now inevitable after a disagreement between the pair on the North staying in a customs union with the UK.
Reports claiming there was a big row between the two leaders that threatened any chance of an agreement were mostly coming from London. When asked about this emerging crisis at a Budget press conference, Mr Coveney said: “There is a lot of misinformation going around today, so let me say this loud and clear to everybody – the Irish Government and the EU is working flat out to achieve a deal that sees an orderly Brexit at the end of this month.
“However, that deal cannot come at BORIS Johnson’s reckless Brexit strategy is putting Britain’s future at risk, furious EU chiefs have claimed.
His deal seemed to be falling apart last night after rogue aides angered Brussels by briefing against German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
European Council president Donald Tusk responded by saying: “Boris Johnson, what’s at stake is not winning some stupid blame game.
“At stake is the future of Europe and the UK as well as the security and interests of our people. You don’t want a deal, you don’t want an extension, you don’t want to revoke, quo vadis?”
Quo vadis is a latin phrase meaning
“Where are you going?”.
His anger erupted following a No10 source claiming the EU had made a Brexit deal “impossible” after the German Chancellor told Mr Johnson that reaching an agreement was now “overwhelmingly unlikely”.
The Downing Street insider – believed to be the PM’S erratic senior aide Dominic Cummings – caused Cabinet unease after predicting Brexit talks would end this week.
The source claimed Mrs Merkel had insisted that the Irish must have a veto over Northern Ireland leaving the EU’S customs union.
The comments prompted Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer to slam the “cynical” attempt by No10 to “sabotage” negotiations with the EU. He said: “Boris Johnson will never take responsibility for his failure to put forward a credible deal. His strategy from day one has been no-deal
Brexit.”
EU insiders suggested Mrs Merkel may actually have said the only option in the any cost. The British Government has responsibilities on the island of Ireland.
“The Taoiseach wants to find a compromise here that works but he is not willing to be boxed into a corner and to accept proposals that are not consistent with the current Withdrawal Agreement or the outcomes of the backstop. He’s been very clear time left was a Northern Ireland-only backstop. The PM’S spokesman said there had been a “frank exchange” of views with the German Chancellor. The PM’S brinkmanship has increased the risk of plunging the UK into a potentially disastrous no-deal departure.
Mr Johnson will meet Taoiseach Leo Varadkar this week to try to rescue relations. The pair spoke last night and both sides “strongly reiterated” a desire to get a deal, No10 said.
Amid the row between London and Brussels, there was alarm among some UK ministers at the prospect the Government may withdraw security co-operation with the EU if it tries to stop no-deal.
The furore follows signals from EU leaders such as Mrs Merkel that Mr Johnson’s “two borders” plan is unacceptable.
The unnamed No10 source told the BBC: “She has made clear a deal is overwhelmingly unlikely and she thinks the EU has a veto on us leaving the customs union.”
The DUP said Mrs Merkel’s apparent plan was “beyond crazy”. Other sources suggested Mr Johnson begged her to help him “get the boat off the rocks”.
Another explosive No10 briefing the previous night contained threats to punish EU nations that back an extension.
Former Tory minister Amber Rudd claimed this briefing was also from Mr Cummings, adding the “language used, I do not believe should be the language of a UK government”.
The briefing also suggested No10 would do “all sorts of things to scupper a delay”.
This is despite the Benn Act which is designed to force the PM to ask for a delay if he has not struck a deal by
October 19. about that and I expect an element of that briefing was to try to put pressure on Ireland and put pressure on the Taoiseach and for us, this isn’t about pressure or personalities, it’s about solving a problem.”
Mr Coveney said Ireland wanted a close future relationship with the UK.
He added: “A no-deal Brexit will not be Ireland’s choice, it will never be the EU’S choice.
“If it happens, it will be a decision made by the British Government.” Michel Barnier and Tanaiste