United they stand

Johnson’s bid for truce with Davidson over No Deal Brexit

BORIS Johnson yesterday tried to heal his rift with Ruth Davidson during ‘positive’ talks – but insisted he must still step up plans for a No Deal Brexit.

The Prime Minister held a meeting north of the Border with the Scottish Tory leader just a day after she disclosed that she will oppose leaving the EU without a deal.

In an apparent effort at a truce, they both insisted afterwards they are focused on their ‘shared objectives’ of agreeing a new EU exit deal and opposing Nicola Sturgeon’s renewed bid to break up Britain.

Mr Johnson praised Miss Davidson as a ‘fantastic leader’ and said he wants to do ‘everything I can to assist her’.

But during the 45-minute meeting – their first since he entered No10 – he also rejected her demand that the UK Government does not pursue a No Deal Brexit.

During a visit to the Faslane naval base near Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, yesterday, Mr Johnson tried to play down the row by insisting he is ‘totally with Ruth in her political ambitions’ and will try to help her defeat Miss Sturgeon in the 2021 Holyrood election.

But he also said the existing withdrawal agreement secured by Theresa May is ‘dead’ and a new deal must be agreed or Britain will leave without one. He added: ‘There is ample scope to do a new deal and a better deal and that is what Ruth and I want to achieve.

‘But at the same time, it is right – as the Government has said for the last three years – to prepare for No Deal. And we are also going to be doing that very actively.’

In a newspaper column at the weekend, Miss Davidson said she did not think the UK Government should ‘pursue a No Deal Brexit’ and insisted that, if it came to that, she would not support it.

But Mr Johnson said: ‘I’m confident we will get a deal but it is also right we prepare for No Deal. That is the position of the UK Government and that’s the right position.

‘The more we prepare now, the less chance of any disruption at all at the end of October.’

Pressed on whether he had confidence in Miss Davidson’s judgment on the issue, he said: ‘I’m with Ruth very much. I think she has been a fantastic leader of Scottish Conservatives. I’m lost in admiration of what she has achieved.

‘I’m a massive fan of the way she has taken the argument to those who would destroy our Union and constitution and damage a brand that is loved and admired and recognised around the world.

‘I’m totally with Ruth in her political ambitions. I hope she succeeds here in Scotland and I will be doing absolutely everything I can to assist her. I’m with Ruth in wanting to avoid a No Deal Brexit. We are aiming for a new deal, as I’ve said, and that is what I think we can achieve with good will on all sides.’

He said there is a ‘very good chance’ of agreeing a new deal with Brussels but the UK Government must ‘get ready’ in case the EU ‘will not accommodate the will of Parliament’ and scrap the Irish backstop.

He held talks with Miss Davidson in the Scottish parliament shortly before a separate meeting with Miss Sturgeon at Bute House, her official residence in Edinburgh.

His meeting with Miss Davidson

‘She has been a fantastic leader’

was described as ‘positive’ and ‘constructive’.

A No10 source said: ‘They discussed their shared objective of leaving the European Union with a deal on October 31 and their shared determination to strengthen the Union.’

Asked if Mr Johnson tried to persuade Miss Davidson about preparing for No Deal, the source said: ‘It was more about the new deal and the shared objective of getting a deal and being fully prepared in case the EU don’t move.’

Earlier, Mr Johnson unveiled plans for a £300million funding package for the devolved nations during a visit to HMS Victorious at Faslane. Falkirk, the islands and Argyll and Bute will also benefit.

He gave a ‘guarantee’ that the UK will be out of the hated EU Common Fisheries Policy by December 2020 – and condemned the SNP plan to take Scotland back into the EU, ‘handing back control’ on fisheries to Brussels.

After their meeting, Miss Davidson said: ‘First and foremost, the Prime Minister and I spoke about our shared determination to strengthen the Union and to make the case against Nicola Sturgeon’s plans for a second referendum on independence. We also discussed the many ways the UK Government can work in Scotland, for Scotland, to boost our economy and support key Scottish businesses. On Brexit, the Prime Minister has made clear the Government’s preference is to leave the European Union with a deal. I back him wholeheartedly in that aim.’

She added: ‘The SNP’s warnings about No Deal are utterly hypocritical. Nicola Sturgeon has already made clear that SNP MPs will vote against any deal the new Prime Minister brings to Parliament, just as they voted against the deal brought forward by Theresa May three times.’