EU insists it will not renegotiate deal
As leaders praise Mrs May, Brussels insists that her Withdrawal Agreement will not be reopened
‘I think Britain needs to be careful. From an EU perspective, I think patience has run out in many ways’
THE European Union insisted it would not renegotiate the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement no matter who succeeds Theresa May.
Brussels said it was irrelevant whether the next prime minister was Boris Johnson, who called yesterday for a reopening of the Brexit deal, or his Tory leadership rivals.
Leo Varadkar, the Irish taoiseach, warned that both his country and the EU would “hold their nerve” if Mr Johnson stuck to his demand that the border backstop be ditched.
Senior EU figures warned that even if the former foreign secretary was to take over, he would face exactly the same problems and negotiating stance that Theresa May had.
They demanded that MPS ratify the Withdrawal Agreement or face a damaging no-deal Brexit on October 31. The European Commission said that nothing had changed in the EU’S negotiation position, which is that the Withdrawal Agreement will not be reopened but the aspirational political declaration could be changed if British red lines alter.
A European Commission spokesman said: “President Juncker followed Prime Minister May’s announcement this morning without personal joy.
“Theresa May is a woman of courage for whom he has great respect. He will equally respect and establish working relations with any new prime minister, whoever they may be.”
The spokesman added: “Our position on the Withdrawal Agreement and everything has been set out. There is no change to that.”
Michel Barnier, the EU’S Brexit negotiator, said: “I would like to express my full respect for Theresa May and for her determination, as prime minister, in working towards the UK’S orderly withdrawal from the EU.”
He added: “On our side we will work exactly in that direction in the next few weeks and months. What could happen now? Just let me say clearly here, in Brussels, that it’s for the UK to decide – nobody else.”
Pressed on the prospects of Mr Johnson becoming prime minister, Mr Barnier repeated: “That is for the UK to decide.”
Philippe Lamberts, a member of the European Parliament’s Brexit steering group, told The Daily Telegraph that Mrs May’s resignation speech was “a chronicle of a death foretold”.
“Bojo will face exactly the same constraints,” said the Belgian MEP, who leads the European Greens.
Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, said Brexit was “a deep break”.
“We in the government will continue to do everything, irrespective of the events in the UK, to ensure a good, cooperative partnership with the UK and an orderly exit,” she said in Bavaria yesterday. Her spokesman said the only way to guarantee an orderly exit would be a successful vote in favour of the deal in the House of Commons.
Mr Varadkar praised Mrs May as “principled, honourable, and deeply passionate about doing her best for her country, and her party”.
He said: “We may see the election of a Eurosceptic prime minister who wants to repudiate the Withdrawal Agreement and go for no deal or we may see a British government that wants a closer relationship with the EU and goes for a second referendum.
“But whatever happens we are going to hold our nerve,” Mr Varadkar said, “we will make sure we see Ireland through this.” Simon Coveney, his deputy, warned, “I think Britain needs to be careful. From an EU perspective, I think patience has run out in many ways.”
“The Withdrawal Agreement is not up for renegotiation,” Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said.
He said “the problem was not Theresa May” but that she was “bogged down in that Brexit swamp”, especially on issues such as the Irish border.
“I am not going to comment on Boris Johnson or any of the other candidates – we have to await the outcome and at the end of the day you have to work with everyone,” he added
Sebastian Kurz, Austria’s chancellor, and Charles Michel, the prime minister of Belgium, also urged the next prime minister to back the Brexit deal.
EU diplomats insisted that Britain’s only option was to back the agreement or face a damaging no-deal Brexit. They suggested that the chances of no deal would increase if Mr Johnson became prime minister.
Mrs May is due in Brussels for a summit on May 28 to discuss the appointment of the new European Commission after this week’s elections. EU27 leaders are expected to discuss Brexit.