Johnson accuses EU of making it impossible to leave with a deal

Support us and go ad-free

Downing Street has accused Brussels of making it “impossible” for Britain to leave the European Union with a deal.

Following a call between Boris Johnson and Angela Merkel, a Number 10 source said the German chancellor had made it clear that the EU had taken a “new position” following the tabling of the latest UK plan last week.

“She made clear a deal is overwhelmingly unlikely and she thinks the EU has a veto on us leaving the customs union,” the source, quoted by Sky News, said.

Germany The Netherlands
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is said to have made clear that a Brexit deal is ‘overwhelmingly unlikely'(Michael Sohn/AP)

Merkel is said to have told the prime minister that the north of Ireland is the UK’s “special problem” and that the Irish Republic must at least have a veto on it leaving the customs union.

“It was a very useful clarifying moment in all sorts of ways,” the source said. “If this represents a new established position, then it means a deal is essentially impossible, not just now but ever.

Read on...

Support us and go ad-free

“It also made clear that they are willing to torpedo the Good Friday Agreement.”

For Labour, shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said the comments represented a “cynical attempt” by Number 10 to “sabotage” the negotiations.

“Boris Johnson will never take responsibility for his own failure to put forward a credible deal. His strategy from day one has been for a no-deal Brexit,” he said.

Support us and go ad-free

We know everyone is suffering under the Tories - but the Canary is a vital weapon in our fight back, and we need your support

The Canary Workers’ Co-op knows life is hard. The Tories are waging a class war against us we’re all having to fight. But like trade unions and community organising, truly independent working-class media is a vital weapon in our armoury.

The Canary doesn’t have the budget of the corporate media. In fact, our income is over 1,000 times less than the Guardian’s. What we do have is a radical agenda that disrupts power and amplifies marginalised communities. But we can only do this with our readers’ support.

So please, help us continue to spread messages of resistance and hope. Even the smallest donation would mean the world to us.

Support us