Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BREXIT ON A KNIFE-EDGE
EU chief negotiator claims last-ditch agreement is close But DUP blast claims they have signed up as ‘nonsense’
BORIS Johnson’s Brexit plans were last night hanging in the balance after frantic last-minute talks failed to secure a deal.
Brussels chief Donald Tusk had raised hopes a pact could be signed before today’s summit with the EU by insisting “basic foundations” are ready.
Sources in Europe also claimed the DUP supported the deal.
But leader Arlene Foster said: “EU sources are talking nonsense.”
EU chiefs had raised hopes a Brexit deal was finally near last night, but despite hours of frantic talks with the UK the breakthrough never came.
Leaders in Brussels appeared to be ready to sign on the dotted line after they made positive noises about the end being in sight.
And Boris Johnson compared Brexit to being on Everest’s “Hillary Step”, saying we “can see the peak”.
But with less than 24 hours to go before the PM’S crucial EU summit with Brussels, niggles between the Government and the DUP which props it up appeared to have left his deal on a knife-edge.
No 10 said “thorny issues” included arrangements for customs in Northern Ireland and how best to secure “consent” for plans to avoid a hard border with the Republic. The DUP was thought to be being held mainly responsible for the latest impasse as it resisted giving further ground.
VAT was also thought to be a sticking point as Brexit’s October 31 deadline looms.
The optimism from EU leaders appeared to give the impression they were happy with Mr Johnson’s deal and it was now up to our own politicians to agree to it.
That would also deflect any attempt by the PM to blame Brussels if he leaves empty-handed. DUP leader Arlene Foster and its Westminster chief Nigel Dodds were in and out of Downing Street yesterday as Mr Johnson desperately struggled to keep them onside. It was thought he was checking what last-minute concessions he could offer the EU without losing their backing.
But cracks began to show after reports suggested “EU sources” said the DUP had accepted the consent plans. Mrs Foster hit back: “‘EU sources’ are talking nonsense. Discussions continue. Needs to be a sensible deal which unionists and nationalists can support.” The sharp words were in contrast to those from EU chiefs.
After meetings with leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron, European Council President Donald Tusk said yesterday: “The basic foundations of this agreement are ready and theoretically we could accept a deal tomorrow.”
Mr Macron added: “I want to believe an agreement is being finalised and that we will be able to endorse it tomorrow.”
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: “We have a pathway to a possible deal but there are issues still to be fully resolved.
“First is the issue of consent and democracy, ensuring any long-term arrangement that applies to Northern Ireland has the assent of the people of Northern Ireland.
“Second is the whole issue of customs, ensuring that there is no customs border between north and south and no tariffs on trade.”
Mr Johnson rallied Tory backbenchers in the Commons
with his climbing comparison. He said: “If you’ll excuse a mountaineering metaphor, we are at the Hillary Step and the summit, you can see but it’s shrouded in cloud. But we can see it and we will get there.”
Sources also said Mr Johnson compared Brexit to Hollywood film The Shawshank Redemption in which the hero escapes jail by wading through a tunnel of sewage.
The PM then had talks with the 1922 Committee, followed by a Cabinet meeting.
A source said: “He said there was a chance of securing a good deal but we are not there yet and there remain outstanding issues.”
EU leaders are due to gather from 2pm today. Talks between UK and bloc negotiators are to resume this morning in a fresh race against time as they fight to thrash out a pact which can be agreed at the make-or-break summit.
The Commons will vote today on triggering a rare Saturday sitting of Parliament this weekend, from 9.30am to 2pm, for the first time since the Falkland Islands invasion in 1982.
Mr Johnson then has the task of trying to get his deal agreed in the Commons. He needs 320 votes for a majority. That requires the support of all 288 Tory MPS, 10 DUP and all 21 former Tory MPS he booted out last month for helping torpedo a no-deal departure.
He would still be one vote short of the finish line so would require a Labour MP to back a deal. In reality, it is unlikely all of the 21 expelled Tories would support a Withdrawal Agreement, but up to about a dozen Labour backbenchers could. Others may abstain, lowering the threshold for a Government victory. A vote would be incredibly close but Mr Johnson could triumph.
While details of a possible act are sketchy, critics accuse the PM of wanting to place a customs border down the Irish Sea, something Theresa May during her time in No10 claimed no British leader could accept. Republican terrorists last night warned any border infrastructure in Northern Ireland could be an attacked.
The chilling threat came from the Real IRA. One terrorist said: “As an army we are committed to armed struggle for political and social change in Ireland.
“Any installation or aspects of British occupation within the Six Counties, be it at the border or elsewhere, would be a legitimate target for attack and armed actions against those infrastructures and against the people manning them.”
If the PM fails to get a deal through the Commons by 11pm on Saturday, he is legally bound to ask Brussels for a fresh Brexit delay.
Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay said yesterday: “I can confirm, as the Prime Minister has set out, that firstly the Government will comply with the law.”
But the PM’S spokesman insisted: “We will be leaving on October 31.”
A Comres/channel 5 poll found 50% of voters still want to leave the EU, as opposed to 42% for Remain. Up until now 204 out of 226 polls since July 2017 have shown Remain ahead.
Brexit has cost almost £70billion since the 2016 referendum thanks to the economy being 2.9% smaller than if the UK voted Remain, according to the Centre for European Reform.
We have a pathway to a possible deal but there are still issues to be resolved LEO VARADKAR IRISH PREMIER ON YESTERDAY’S BREXIT TALKS