Johnson ‘will sabotage EU budget’ if exit’s delayed

ATTEMPTS could be made by Boris Johnson to cause chaos in the EU by vetoing its budget if he was forced to accept a Brexit delay, it emerged yesterday.

Ministers warned the PM could halt the EU’s seven-year budget and send a Eurosceptic commissioner to Brussels to ‘disrupt’ its workings.

There were even claims he would nominate Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage as commissioner. But this suggestion was dismissed last night by senior Tory sources.

Ministers are said to be considering a series of proposals to ‘sabotage’ the EU’s structures if Brussels refuses to agree a new deal or let Mr Johnson deliver Brexit without one.

Two Cabinet ministers told the Sunday Telegraph they were among those backing a more ‘aggressive’ approach towards Brussels. It is understood plans under discussion include blocking the EU’s 2021-27 budget.

They could also nominate a British commissioner who would cause disruption and senior ministers discussed the prospect of sending Mr Farage. Yesterday, the move was backed by Steve Baker, the former Brexit minister, who compared it to shooting ‘a nuclear weapon into the heart of the asteroid’.

Downing Street has already vowed to ‘sabotage’ a meeting of the EU Council on October 17 and 18 if a deal has not been agreed by that time. But since that pledge, MPs passed legislation to force Mr Johnson to ask the EU for an extension of Article 50 if he fails to secure an agreement by October 19.

In recent days ministers have been discussing ways to ‘ramp up’ the UK’s approach to Brussels, the paper reported. It added that senior Government figures have discussed how Mr Johnson could block the EU’s next seven-year budget if Brexit is delayed. However, decisions on the budget are likely to be made in the second half of next year, so it would be unlikely to affect it before the end of next year. The EU Parliament would also be able to block Mr Farage’s nomination as commissioner.

The Government had previously declined to put forward a candidate to represent the UK in the new commission from next month because of Brexit.