SUMMIT’S GOT TO GIVE IN JOHNSON TALKS
Boris Johnson claims he is close to the summit of a Brexit deal but the peak is still shrouded in mist
BORIS Johnson was struggling last night to find agreement on a Brexit deal with Brussels.
As officials on both sides of the Channel confirmed there would be no deal last night, talks continued to find a breakthrough ahead of a crucial EU summit today.
Johnson told a meeting of his Tory MPs that he is “close to the summit” of a deal but that the top “is still shrouded in mist”.
Johnson said there was still a “chance” of success in talks, although officials in London and Brussels briefed that there are numerous obstacles still to overcome.
During a short address to the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers in the Commons, Johnson compared the situation to climbing Mount Everest.
Leading Brexiteer Mark Francois came out of the meeting with the Prime Minister to tell reporters: “He said, ‘We are not quite at the summit, we are at the Hillary Step’.”
It was an unfortunate choice of phrase as the vertical rockface that is the last barrier to the summit of Everest was destroyed in an BY TORCUIL CRICHTON earthquake four years ago. Francois added: “The other thing he said was if we cannot achieve a deal despite the best efforts of the United Kingdom, we will still leave the European Union at Halloween.”
The comments appeared at odds with remarks earlier in the day by Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay, who confirmed to SNP MP Joanna Cherry that Johnson will write a letter asking for an Article 50 extension if no deal is in place by Saturday – something the Prime Minister has repeatedly ruled out.
Johnson is under massive pressure to get a deal approved at the summit of EU leaders starting today if he is to avoid asking for a delay to the UK’s departure beyond his own “do or die” deadline of October 31.
There are still huge concerns over how the UK plan for Northern Ireland to have two borders, effectively remaining in the EU customs union while departing for a separate Brexit customs regime, could work.
The DUP, which has been camped out in Downing Street for the last two days, still has reservations on how consent for the plan would be given if, as expected, Johnson has compromised on a Stormont Assembly veto.
DUP leader Arlene Foster rejected a suggestion that her party had accepted the latest proposal on how Northern Ireland would give consent to a two borders solution, leaving the province taking on board EU and UK customs rules.
She tweeted: “Discussions continue. Needs to be a sensible deal which Unionists and Nationalists can support.” Earlier, Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he was “confident” a deal could be struck by the current deadline and raised the prospect of another EU summit being held in the coming weeks.
But he warned there were still numerous hurdles in the way.
If the PM manages to get an agreement over the line before Saturday, MPs will be asked to vote on it at a specially convened meeting of the Commons.
Saturday is a key date for the Prime Minister, with the Benn Act passed by MPs trying to prevent a no-deal Brexit stating he must write to Brussels asking for a delay if Parliament does not agree to a deal by then.
If Johnson succeeds in bringing a deal back, he would then face a battle to do what Theresa May failed to do three times and get it approved by Parliament.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was “deeply concerned” about the negotiations and ruled out his party backing a deal under Johnson’s terms.
Labour has signalled that it would expel any of its MPs that back the Johnson deal. Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson is to attempt to stage a vote on a second referendum on Saturday.