Irish leader dismisses deal — suggesting Britons now want to ‘remain’ in the EU!
The Irish premier Leo Varadkar was accused of trying to ‘derail’ any prospect of a Brexit deal last night after he delivered an extraordinary dismissal of Boris Johnson’s plan.
In an incendiary press conference, the Taoiseach said the Prime Minister’s Brexit proposal ‘falls short in a number of aspects’ and claimed that British people now wanted to remain in the eU.
he then went on to insist there were only five ways to avoid a hard border in Ireland, including Irish reunification and the reversal of Brexit. Mr Varadkar also questioned how Mr Johnson’s proposals, which include customs checks, could be implemented.
he said: ‘I am reassured by what Prime Minister Johnson said today [in the Commons]: that he is not proposing that there should be any new physical infrastructure on the island of Ireland linked to customs or customs checks. But that is actually in contradiction to the papers presented by the UK government yesterday.’
his most controversial remarks came in response to a question about the prospect of Britain staying in eU, to which he replied: ‘All the polls suggest that’s what the British people actually want, but their political system isn’t able to give them that choice.’
Simon Coveney, Mr Varadkar’s deputy, also criticised Britain’s new Brexit offer yesterday as Ireland emerged as the main roadblock to Mr Johnson’s hopes of a deal before October 31.
he warned: ‘If that is the final proposal there will be No Deal. There are a number of fundamental problems... there are elements of this proposal that simply will not be part of any deal.’
Both tore into the idea of giving Northern Ireland a say over whether it joins and remains in the single market after January 2021, when the transition period ends. Under the current backstop Ulster could be trapped inside the single market indefinitely with no say.
Last night Brussels backed Dublin. eU Council chief Donald Tusk spoke to Mr Varadkar and Mr Johnson for 20 minutes before tweeting: ‘ My message to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar: We stand fully behind Ireland. My message to PM Boris Johnson: We remain open but still unconvinced.’
eU Commission chief JeanClaude Juncker, who also spoke with Mr Varadkar, said ‘further discussions with the United Kingdom negotiators are needed’.
Last night, the DUP launched a furious attack on both Mr Varadkar and Mr Coveney, accusing the pair of risking a no- deal Brexit with their hostility.
Deputy DUP leader Nigel Dodds MP said their ‘incendiary and outrageous’ response represented a ‘ clear ramping up of rhetoric designed to derail any realistic prospect of a deal’.
‘Our message to Leo is simple. he should reflect on his comments and his intransigent approach. he is destined to go down in history as the Taoiseach who restored a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland because his friends in Brussels will insist on it.’
DUP leader Arlene Foster added: ‘Simon Coveney’s remarks are deeply unhelpful, obstructionist and intransigent. Mr Coveney’s rejection of a reasonable offer is paving the road for a No Deal exit because unionism will not allow Northern Ireland to be trapped at the whim of Dublin or the eU.’
Brexiteers also reacted with fury. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said: ‘This is a set-up with Mr Tusk. It’s clear that he just plans to bully the UK back into the eU by the use of the border. It is utterly cynical.’
Tory MP Nigel evans said: ‘he will sacrifice Irish jobs simply because he is not prepared to negotiate. It’s disgraceful.’
A UK government source said: ‘The eU has clearly said it wants a deal. There has to be creativity, flexibility and political will from both sides if we are to get one.’
Mr Johnson’s top Brexit adviser, David Frost, travelled to Brussels last night in a bid to keep the government’s strategy on track.
The eU’s response to Mr Johnson’s new Brexit offer will determine whether it has any chance of success. It is understood that member states will decide next week whether a deal could be
‘British people want to stay’ ‘A cynical set-up’
done in time for a crunch summit on October 17.
The deadline was set following a briefing with the bloc’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier.
But, according to a diplomatic note seen by the Mail, Mr Barnier told them UK proposals were ‘not operational in any way’ and ‘just refer to future technologies and arrangements to be discussed during the transition period’.
Brussels has always insisted any alternative arrangements should be operational on Brexit day.
eU diplomats told the Mail that although they believe Mr Johnson’s offer could form the basis for a re- negotiation, there is not enough time for leaders to sign off on a deal ahead of Britain leaving on October 31.