Johnson risks row if early agreement stays
Britain
Boris Johnson risks a row with Conservative Brexiteers after Downing Street indicated he may seek changes to the Irish backstop but could leave the rest of the Withdrawal Agreement intact.
No 10 said the Prime Minister might only ask the EU to remove the Irish backstop, which would keep the UK in a customs union with the EU if no other way was found to ensure the Irish border remained open after Brexit.
Johnson has said the Withdrawal Agreement, negotiated by Theresa May, is dead, but the suggestion that it could be retained will anger Brexiteers.
Asked whether the Prime Minister would accept the Withdrawal Agreement if the backstop was removed, a Downing Street spokesman said: ‘‘We have been clear that the changes we are seeking relate to the backstop.’’
The EU has signalled that it would not budge on the agreement but could be open to amending the backstop.
David Frost, the UK’S chief negotiator, will travel to Brussels today to meet his European counterparts in a bid to kick-start talks on a new deal.
It follows what has been regarded as a successful G7 summit for Johnson. An EU spokesman said it had seen new ideas from the UK, adding: ‘‘It is good that there is a vibrant discussion and that ideas are being put forward.’’
During a phone call with the Prime Minister yesterday, Jean Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, ‘‘repeated his willingness to work constructively’’ with Johnson on proposals that are ‘‘compatible with the Withdrawal Agreement’’.
A European Commission spokesman said: ‘‘President Juncker repeated his willingness to work constructively with Prime Minister Johnson and to look at any concrete proposals he may have, as long as they are compatible with the Withdrawal Agreement.’’
Meanwhile, at a rally to unveil candidates on Tuesday, Nigel Farage warned Johnson that dropping the backstop would not be enough to stop the Brexit Party standing – and offered a ‘‘non-aggression pact’’ if he went ahead with no deal. He warned: ‘‘If you go for the Withdrawal Agreement we will fight you in every single seat up and down the length and breadth of the UK.’’
Johnson is expected to meet Leo Varadkar, his Irish counterpart, next week to keep up the momentum, after discussions with Emmanuel Macron, the French president, and Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor.
A Downing Street source said: ‘‘We feel there has been a shift from the EU compared to a month ago where they were insistent the backstop and Withdrawal Agreement were sacrosanct. Whether it is substantive or not we are not sure, but we need to use it to prise open space for negotiations.’’
They added the UK detected a ‘‘willingness’’ from France and Germany, in particular, to listen to alternatives, and the Prime Minister ‘‘reinforced’’ the point in the telephone call with Mr Juncker yesterday.
Downing Street said: ‘‘The Prime Minister set out that the UK will be leaving the EU on October 31, whatever the circumstances, and that we absolutely want to do so with a deal.
‘‘The PM was also clear, however, that unless the Withdrawal Agreement is reopened and the backstop abolished there is no prospect of that deal.’’ –