Boris Johnson news: Ireland government says it ‘cannot possibly’ accept PM's Brexit plan, as he faces fresh Jennifer Arcuri claims
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Boris Johnson’s government has said the EU must enter 10 days of “intensive discussions” by the weekend, as the PM seeks backing for his Brexit proposal. But European Parliament’s Brexit steering group and the Irish government labelled them unacceptable.
Jean-Claude Juncker spoke to Leo Varadkar about Mr Johnson's latest Brexit proposals on Thursday, and a European Commission statement later reiterated yesterday's immediate response to their release - thanks for this, but it needs work.
"The Withdrawal Agreement must have a legally operational solution now, and cannot be based on untried arrangements that would be left to negotiation during the transition period," the statement added.
Opposition parties also reacted with hostility. Labour warned the proposals put the Good Friday Agreement in jeopardy, while the SNP and Lib Dems claimed they were “designed to fail” and push the country towards a no-deal exit.
Also on Thursday, Mr Johnson was hit by fresh claims over his relationship with Jennifer Arcuri, with a former aide alleging the PM asked for his friend to be included in a trade trip to Israel while he was mayor of London.
In Northern Ireland, the Belfast High Court ruled that the country's abortion restrictions breached the UK's human rights law. Sarah Ewart, who was forced to travel to England to terminate her pregnancy in 2013, brought the case. “It feels like a weight is lifted off my shoulders. It has been a long journey," she said.
The Irish government would accept unification as way to avoid a hard border, but its preferred solution is the backstop, Leo Varadkar has said.
the Taoiseach said the UK reversing its decision to leave the EU, or deciding to stay in the single market and customs union, were other potential ways to resolve the border impasse.
He said a fifth theoretical solution, Ireland re-joining the UK, would never happen.
Good morning and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of events at Westminster and Brussels, where EU leaders are considering the prime minister's Brexit proposals.
Boris Johnson wants to enter 10 days of “intensive discussions” as he seeks backing from EU leaders for his Brexit blueprint.
So far, however, European leaders have reacted coolly to the plan, set out in a letter to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday.
Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s premier said the Brexit plan – which would see some new customs checks – “did not fully meet the agreed objectives of the backstop”.
Jean-Claude Juncker noted the proposal’s “problematic points”.
Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, reportedly told a group of EU officials: “The EU would then be trapped with no backstop to preserve the single market after Brexit.”
All the details here.
Brexit secretary Steve Barclay has indicated the EU has just two days to decide whether it can move forward with the government’s Brexit proposals and enter the “tunnel” of negotiations.
The European parliament’s Brexit steering group – coordinated by Guy Verhofstadt – is ready to issue a response to the UK plan today.
And Verhofstadt has strongly suggested MEPs will not vote in support for Boris Johnson’s proposed replacement for the Irish backstop.
“The reaction of the Brexit steering group was not positive,” Verhofstadt told reporters.
Tony Lloyd, Labour’s shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland, has been talking about the proposals this morning.
Lloyd told the Today programme: “This is simply not Good Friday Agreement compatible. It simply doesn’t do that.”
He added: “These aren’t technical issues. And that’s the point. These are issues about real people, real people and their lives.”
Lloyd said: “I can’t believe that this is a point on which Brussels or Dublin would be prepared to compromise because it’s so fundamental.”
Jeremy Corbyn, incidentally, poured scorn on the published plan. “It’s worse than Theresa May’s deal. I can’t see it getting the support that [Johnson] thinks it will get,” he said.
The UK government has made clear wants to enter an intense, secret, 10-day negotiating period with the EU known as “the tunnel” by this weekend.
If the EU refuses, No 10 has suggested Johnson will walk away from any further talks.
According to ITV’s Robert Peston, the prime minister wouldn’t even turn up for the EU Council summit in mid-October.
Here’s Brexit secretary Steve Barclay saying the EU must agree to enter serious talks with the UK on the Brexit proposals by this weekend.
It’s wasn’t clear whether Boris Johnson or his Brexit secretary Steve Barclay would appear before MPs in the Commons today. But we now have confirmation it will be the prime minister, around 11.30am.
If you missed his appearance on Peston, Michael Gove said he thought there was now a “pretty solid majority” ready to back the government’s Brexit plan in the Commons – if it turns into a deal with the EU.
Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg told the BBC “It’s looking very good” as he entered cabinet this morning, while Tory MP Steve Baker – the ERG chief – has already called the plan “fantastic” and described Johnson a “hero”.
Three Labour MPs have indicated they are ready to back the plan, but the government would need more than that for a majority.
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