Johnson hits a Brexit brick wall
British leader told to stop blame game as leaving EU without deal grows more likely
Britain and the European Union have traded illtempered barbs, with Britain saying a Brexit deal might be impossible, while insisting it is still working for one with just over three weeks until its scheduled departure from the bloc.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office said EU intransigence had led to a breakdown in negotiations, but a top European leader warned against playing a “stupid blame game” — and chided Johnson in Latin.
Johnson’s office gave a gloomy assessment after a call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
In a statement to British media, Downing Street said Merkel had told Johnson that “a deal is overwhelmingly unlikely” unless the UK agreed to let Northern Ireland continue to follow EU customs rules in order to maintain an open border with EU member Ireland.
That is something the British Government says it can’t accept. Downing Street said that “if this represents a new established position, then it means a deal is essentially impossible not just now but ever”.
How people and goods will move across the Irish border is the main sticking point to a deal.
The German Government confirmed the leaders had spoken but wouldn’t comment on the substance of “confidential conversations”.
While European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said the EU wants a deal, European Council President Donald Tusk tweeted that “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,” he said, addressing Johnson. “You don’t want a deal, you don’t want an extension, you don’t want to revoke, quo vadis?” he added, using a Latin phrase that means “where are you going?”
British officials insisted they still hope to strike a deal before Britain’s scheduled October 31 departure date — although Johnson has also said the UK will leave even if one is not struck.
“We’ve moved — it is now time for the EU to move too,” said Michael Gove, the minister in charge of Brexit preparations. “If it does, then there is still every chance we can leave with a new deal.”
EU leaders have demanded more “realism” from Britain in response to a Brexit plan proposed by Johnson. The bloc says the proposals — which would require customs checks on some goods moving between Northern Ireland and Ireland — don’t fulfil the UK’s commitment to a frictionless Irish border.
An open border is key to both the regional economy and the peace agreement that ended 30 years of conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is part of the UK but shares an island — and a land border — with the Republic of Ireland.
“It’s not just about trade, it’s about so much more than that, and anybody who understands Ireland and the politics of this island understands that,” said Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney.
French President Emmanuel Macron has said the EU will assess by tomorrow whether a deal is possible.
Johnson’s opponents in Britain accused the Government of deliberately undermining the Brexit talks.
“Boris Johnson will never take responsibility for his own failure to put forward a credible deal. His strategy from day one has been for a nodeal Brexit,” said Keir Starmer, Labour’s Brexit spokesman.
Britain yesterday published more details of its plans for leaving without a divorce deal. The Government says those plans will minimise any resulting economic shock. However, economists and business groups warn that no amount of preparation can eliminate the pain of new barriers with the EU, which accounts for almost half of UK trade.