Corbyn’s caretaker PM blow
BORIS Johnson’s “unrealistic” Brexit plan was slapped down by Brussels yesterday, increasing fears of a no-deal departure.
EU chiefs blasted the Prime Minister’s call to scrap the Irish Backstop from the Withdrawal Agreement ahead of his first trip to Europe since entering No10.
Mr Johnson is due to have talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin today and with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris before attending a G7 summit this weekend.
He was accused of “bluster” over the 310-mile frontier separating Northern Ireland and the Republic.
The Backstop would prevent a hard border in the event of no agreement on a future trading relationship.
EU Council chief Donald Tusk said: “Those against the Backstop and not proposing realistic alternatives in fact support re-establishing a border. Even if they do not admit it.”
The European Parliament’s Brexit JEREMY Corbyn’s plan to stop no-deal Brexit hit the buffers after a poll found most of the public think he would not make a good temporary PM.
Just 15% of people said he would make a good leader – even for the days it would take to delay Brexit and call an election.
More favoured picks included Labour’s Harriet Harman and Tory Ken Clarke – the most popular on co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt added: “It is a vital insurance policy. The time for bluster is fast running out.”
Mr Johnson wrote to EU chiefs saying the UK would agree to a “legally binding commitment” not to put in place infrastructure, checks or controls at the border, and urged them to do the same.
But European Commission spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud said of the letter: “It does not set out what any alternative arrangements could be.”
A Downing Street spokesman said: “We will never place infrastructure, checks, or controls at the border.”
The Government is now ramping up its no-deal plans. UK officials will stop attending most EU meetings from September 1 and the Ministry of Local Government will send £9million to councils to help deal with ports.
Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott suggested freedom of movement could form part of a Labour deal with Brussels – potentially keeping the door open to continued high net migration. 25%. Just 37% backed the plan to oust Boris Johnson and install a cross-party government, with 44% opposed to it. Two of Mr Corbyn’s closest allies piled pressure on the Labour leader to back Remain in a new referendum. Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott told the BBC: “If Remain is on the ballot paper, I, like [Shadow Chancellor] John McDonnell, will be campaigning.”