What are EU up to Boris?
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It’s amazing his article on Brexit did not mention the Irish border PHIL HOGAN YESTERDAY
IRELAND’S EU Commissioner has hit out at Boris Johnson claiming his recent remarks are “completely at odds” with the UK government’s position on Brexit.
Phil Hogan also said Britain’s Foreign Secretary appeared be “acting strangely” and is a “diminished figure”, in a potential sign of Brussels’ reaction to his explosive interventions. It now appears Mr Johnson is attempting to row back from some of the claims he made in his 4,000-word Brexit blueprint. Agriculture Commissioner Hogan said he was shocked the Tory never mentioned his country’s only land frontier with the EU in his plan. He added: “It’s amazing the UK’S Foreign Secretary can publish a 4,000word article about the UK’S Brexit future and not mention the Irish border. “You’d think the Foreign Secretary would have ideas about how to manage the UK’S main land border with the European Union – but obviously not. “So if Mrs May is as vague as Mr Johnson was in her speech in Florence then the signs will not be good. “Clearly, he is not directly involved in the negotiations on behalf of the British Government with the EU. “He certainly has made very strange statements that are completely contradictory and completely at odds with his own government’s position as well as the possibility of being reasonable with the EU in finalising a deal. “So it strikes me he is completely out of the loop in relation to the concrete proposals that are required and being considered by the UK Government.” The threat to British Prime Minister Theresa May of Mr Johnson’s potentially damaging resignation from the Cabinet appears to have receded with agreement reportedly reached on her Brexit speech in Italy tomorrow. The Foreign Secretary has backed away from his previous insistence the UK should cease payments to the EU after Brexit in 2019. He has accepted Britain should “pay our dues” during any transition period, as well as meeting financial demands “where our lawyers say we are on the hook for stuff ”. During an interview with London’s Evening Standard, Mr Hogan said: “Mr Johnson is behaving and acting and speaking strangely. “It’s clear his reputation is not good and he is a diminished figure in the Government.”