Will Boris jet off to meet Macron and Merkel next week?

BORIS Johnson could fly to Paris and Berlin next week to deliver his Brexit demands to Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel in person.

Downing Street is considering making the visits ahead of a G7 summit so the PM’s debut on the world stage is not overshadowed by rows over leaving the EU.

It had previously been suggested that Mr Johnson would not visit European capitals before the G7 in Biarritz, France, on August 24.

Despite the trips, government sources played down the chances of a Brexit breakthrough.

Downing Street expects the EU to wait until after they have seen whether rebel MPs are successful in their attempts to block No Deal.

Mr Johnson’s team have identified September 9 – a week after MPs return from their summer break – as the most likely date for a parliamentary showdown.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott yesterday refused to give details of when or if Labour was planning a no confidence motion.

She told Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘We are talking to all of the other parties in Parliament and if we move for a vote of no confidence we’ll want to do it with confidence that we can win it.’

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Mr Johnson remained determined to leave the EU with a deal.

He said: ‘He believes a deal is in the UK’s and the EU’s best interests and he has said he will be energetic in pursuit of a deal.

‘We very much want a deal but we’re also clear about what needs to be achieved in order to secure that.’ The spokesman added: ‘He has held a number of conversations with EU leaders, so has the Prime Minister’s sherpa David Frost.

‘We are also making very detailed preparations at home to ensure the UK is ready to leave the EU in all circumstances on 31 October.

‘There are daily meetings taking place to ensure that we are ready and there are bi-weekly strategy meetings taking place in relation to the negotiations if the EU is willing to sit down and negotiate.’