Barnier: We can seal Brexit deal in just six weeks

THE EU’s chief negotiator handed Theresa May a boost yesterday by insisting a Brexit deal could be reached within six weeks.

Michel Barnier said it was ‘realistic’ to expect a divorce deal by November, sending the pound to a five-week high against the dollar.

His remarks came as EU leaders prepare to discuss their negotiating strategy in Austria next week.

Diplomats say the 27 remaining member states could tell Mr Barnier to make compromises to ensure a deal is reached after talks stalled over the summer.

At a conference in Slovenia, Mr Barnier said: ‘I think that if we are realistic we are able to reach an agreement on the first stage of the negotiation, which is the Brexit treaty, within six or eight weeks. We have to solve the issue of Ireland and some others in the next six to eight weeks.

‘We must reach an agreement by the beginning of November. I think it is possible.’ He said the deal must be done no later than this to give Westminster, the European Parliament and the European Council time to ratify the deal before the UK officially leaves the bloc on March 29 next year.

The comments saw sterling rise about 1 per cent to a five-week high of $1.3052, and gain 0.3 per cent against the euro.

Mr Barnier will have a two-hour ‘working lunch’ with leaders of the EU’s 27 remaining member states in Salzburg next Thursday, which could see him issued with new negotiating guidelines.

One EU diplomat said: ‘If you look at the situation we have to move towards each other, and in order to move closer there must be found a compromise. It has been noticed that no progress has been made over the summer on this so maybe on the [Irish border], there can be found some kind of amendment of the guidelines for Barnier.

‘We just don’t know yet. It is yet to be discussed. Any changes could apply to absolutely everything ... the withdrawal agreement or future trading relationship. We want to close the deal this year.’

Any changes would have to be agreed by the European Council next month. They could then lead to a special summit in November to conclude talks on the divorce deal. Decisions on a trade deal, security, aviation and other issues are not expected until after March 29.

A second diplomat described Salzburg as a ‘save Theresa’ operation, as the Prime Minister comes under fire over her Chequers proposals.

However, some, EU members also have serious reservations about the PM’s plan. Mr Barnier

‘There must be a compromise’

We must reach an agreement by the beginning of November ... I think it is possible EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier ‘They don’t want Boris Johnson’

has suggested that it undermines the single market by proposing that Britain stays tied to the EU on goods, but not services or freedom of movement.

Theresa May’s official spokesman played down any suggestion that the EU would order Mr Barnier to be more helpful. ‘We have evolved our position, and we have set out that we want the EU to evolve theirs,’ they said.

‘How they do that is up to them, but we have said we want an approach that works with imagination and creativity.’

Former EU Commissioner Lord Mandelson said Brussels fears Boris Johnson could replace Mrs May if Brexit talks collapse. The Labour peer said: ‘The heads of government want to help, superficially at least, Theresa May stay in office.

‘They don’t want Boris Johnson – they think he would plunge Britain and Europe into a certain degree of chaos.

‘So, there will be a cosmetic applied for Theresa May in a couple of weeks’ time.

‘But it won’t alter the basic facts and rules of the negotiation, which are taking place on the EU’s terms.’