Tag Archives: Boris Johnson

Tonight.

Earlier…

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Tanaiste Simon Coveney in 2017

This afternoon.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin around about NOW where he is expected to reiterate his call for the backstop to be scrapped.

Via BBC:

Mr Johnson has said the arrangement to avoid a hard border after Brexit is “anti-democratic” and must be removed to secure a deal.

But the EU has rejected the possibility of any changes to the backstop.

Mr Coveney said the government will not abandon its approach for “some kind of promise on the basis of trust”.

“We are not in the business of being steam-rolled at the end of this because a British prime minister has rolled out new red lines,” he said.

Brexit news – live: Boris Johnson accused of ‘steamrolling’ Ireland as EU unites against British PM ahead of Berlin visit (TheIndependent.co.uk)

Earlier:

“The UK government needs to take responsibility for its choices before it is too late. Prime Minister Johnson’s hero is Winston Churchill and he seems to view himself as a modern day Churchill.

“However, in the event of a no deal Brexit, the UK government’s only Churchilian legacy will be –‘never have so few done so much damage to so many’.”

Phil Hogan this morning.

Um.

Phil Hogan launches scathing attack on Boris Johnson: ‘Unelected PM… gambling with the peace process’ (Independent)

Donald Tusk, president of the European Council with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublin last March


Hmm.

Brexit: Boris Johnson says ‘anti-democratic’ backstop must be scrapped (BBC)

Last night: Contact

Rollingnews

Update:

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson (left)  and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar have spoken by phone this evening.

Tonight.

On the blower.

“They shared perspectives on the Withdrawal Agreement. The Prime Minister indicated that the Withdrawal Agreement in its current form will not get through the House of Commons, that the backstop would need to be removed, and that an alternative solution is required.

“The Taoiseach reiterated the EU27 position that the Withdrawal Agreement cannot be reopened, and emphasised the importance of the legally operable guarantee to ensure no hard border and continued free trade on the island of Ireland.

“The Prime Minister made clear that the Common Travel Area, which long predates the UK and Ireland joining the EU, would not be affected by the ending of freedom of movement after Brexit.

“They agreed that their teams would maintain close contact over the coming weeks, while recognising that negotiations take place between the UK and the EU27 Task Force.

“They also agreed to meet in Dublin in early September.”

Government statement tonight

Johnson tells Varadkar that Common Travel Area will remain after Brexit (RTÉ)

Pics: Getty

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson

RTÉ reports:

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has no meeting scheduled with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to discuss Brexit, Mr Johnson’s spokesman said.

A report in yesterday’s Sunday Telegraph said an offer to meet the Taoiseach to talk about the backstop had been accepted and dates were being discussed.

The spokesman also said Mr Johnson had been clear he still wanted to get a Brexit deal but hoped the European Union understood the British government’s determination to leave the bloc on 31 October, “no ifs or buts”.

Johnson has no meeting scheduled with Vardakar – spokesman (RTE)

Boris Johnson accepted an offer from Irish premier Leo Varadkar to meet to try to break the Brexit deadlock (Sunday Telegraph, August 11, 2019)

Varadkar and Johnson to meet for talks on Brexit (RTE, August 11, 2019)

Earlier: Bryan Wall: Madman Johnson

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson

…In Brussels, the European Commission insisted it was open to talks but made clear Theresa May’s Brexit agreement was “the best possible deal” Britain was going to get.

That position was underlined by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who insisted that the Withdrawal Agreement, including the backstop, could not be re-opened.

The latest exchanges followed reports from Brussels that EU officials had concluded that Boris Johnson’s new government had no intention of negotiating and that its “central scenario” was a no-deal break on 31 October.

The fight over no-deal Brexit: how might the crisis pan out? (The Guardian)

The fight over no-deal Brexit: how might the crisis pan out? (RTÉ)

Rollingnews

Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, left, arrives at Stormont House in Belfast this morning

UPDATE:

Via The Guardian:

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has sent his most senior EU adviser and Brexit negotiator to Brussels to deliver in person his message that the UK will leave without a deal unless the bloc abolishes the backstop.

David Frost, a former British ambassador to Denmark who was also an adviser to Johnson when he was foreign secretary, is to hold talks with EU officials over the next 48 hours.

Earlier…

Ah.

Boris Johnson in Northern Ireland for talks over power-sharing deadlock (BBC)

Earlier: Disorder, Disorder

Pic: Getty

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (left) and Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney

Oh.

Pound falls lower on no-deal Brexit prospect (BBC)

Rollingnews

Meanwhile…

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson (flanked by Dominic Raab, left, and Sajid Javid) addresses the House of Commons last Thursday

This morning.

“The PM has been setting out to European leaders the position … that the Withdrawal Agreement with the backstop has not been able to pass parliament on the three occasions it was put in front of parliament. Therefore it needs to change,”  a spokeswoman said on Monday.

“The prime minister would be happy to sit down when that position changes. But he is making it clear to everybody he speaks to, that that needs to happen,”

Earlier…

….Britain’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the backstop must go and that £4bn has already been allocated for leaving the EU, with further funds to be set out by the finance minister.

He described Brexit as a “win win” for the UK and the EU.

“We want a good deal with EU partners and friends but that must involve the abolition of the undemocratic backstop,” he told the BBC.

Johnson ready to talk if EU changes position on Brexit deal (RTÉ)

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the House of Commons today

“No country that values its independence and indeed its self-respect could agree to a treaty which signed away our economic independence and self-government as this backstop does,” Mr Johnson told the Commons.

“A time limit is not enough. If an agreement is to be reached, it must be clearly understood that the way to the deal goes by way of the abolition of the backstop.”

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson demands removal of Irish backstop for Brexit deal (FT)

Meanwhile…

When questioned about Mr Johnson’s comments on the backstop, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he looks forward to discussing the issue with him.

The Taoiseach said that the threat of no-deal Brexit is a British one and he hopes Mr Johnson has not chosen it.

Mr Varadkar repeated that he hopes to meet Mr Johnson soon and did not want to start negotiating with him over the airwaves.

Backstop must go to move Brexit forward – Johnson (RTÉ)

Pic: Reuters