Merkel tells Johnson Brexit deal is ‘extremely unlikely’ without compromise from the UK
Europe

Merkel tells Johnson Brexit deal is ‘extremely unlikely’ without compromise from the UK

08 October 2019, 15:19
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A Brexit deal is “overwhelmingly unlikely” unless Britain leaves Northern Ireland in the customs union, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a phone call on Tuesday, a British source told Reuters, Euronews reports.

The source added that “Merkel said that if Germany wanted to leave the EU they could do it no problem but the UK cannot leave without leaving Northern Ireland behind in a customs union and in full alignment forever”.

The German leader also reportedly told her British counterpart that she thinks the EU has a veto on Britain leaving the customs union.

The British leader has repeatedly said he wants the UK to leave the bloc by October 31, with or without an agreement in place. He has reiterated this position despite MPs passing legislation that forces him to demand a third Brexit delay if a deal is not struck before October 19.

But Johnson has demanded the EU scrap the backstop arrangement — a policy designed to prevent a hard border in Ireland that could threaten peace on the island — which the bloc has rejected, putting the onus on the UK to find an alternative solution.

UK proposals released last week would see the introduction of a temporary all-island regulatory zone under which Northern Ireland would come out of the customs union but follow EU rules for goods. Customs checks would therefore still have to be conducted but the UK proposed that they take place electronically or at other points on the supply chain to avoid physical border infrastructure.

Arlene Foster, leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Union Party (DUP), said in a statement that “for the United Kingdom to be asked to leave a part of its sovereign territory in a foreign organisation of which the UK would no longer be a part and over which we would have no say whatsoever is beyond crazy.”

“No UK Government could ever concede such a surrender,” she added, warning: “we will not accept any such ultimatum or outcome.”

However, Keir Starmer, the Brexit spokesperson for the main opposition Labour Party, said that “this is yet another cynical attempt by Number 10 to sabotage the negotiations”, arguing that Johnson’s “strategy from day one has been for a no-deal Brexit”.

“It is now more important than ever that Parliament unites to prevent this reckless Government crashing us out of the EU at the end of the month,” he added.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, from the anti-Brexit Scottish National Party (SNP), accused the UK government of attempting “to shift the blame for the Brexit fiasco to anyone but themselves”.

The outgoing EU Council President Donald Tusk echoed Sturgeon, warning Johnson on Twitter that “what’s at stake is not winning some stupid blame game”.

“At stake is the future of Europe and the UK as well as the security and interests of our people. You don’t want a deal, you don’t want an extension, you don’t want to revoke, quo vadis?” he asked.

Simon Coveney, the Irish Foreign Minister backed Tusk’s statement and said the bloc “remain open to finalise a fair Brexit deal but need a UK government willing to work with EU to get it done”.

The Commission has also rejected the accusation with spokesperson Mina Andreeva telling reporters that “under no circumstances will we accept that the EU wants to do harm to the Good Friday Agreement. The purpose of our work is to protect it in all its dimensions.”

“The EU position has not changed: we want a deal. We are working for a deal,” she added.

Meanwhile, the UK also released a 159-page “No Deal Readiness Report” on Tuesday.