Politics

Brexit news latest: Boris Johnson set for first meeting with Jean-Claude Juncker in bid to seal new deal



Boris Johnson is preparing to hold talks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in his bid to seal a new Brexit deal.

The PM will travel to Luxembourg on Monday for his first meeting with Mr Juncker since entering Number 10 in July.

It comes after a turbulent week for Mr Johnson who was accused of lying to the Queen over proroguing Parliament and was forced by MPs to release Operation Yellowhammer no-deal Brexit files.

The PM even posted a bizarre video selfie from a plane on Friday, describing his “very very long week” and signing off: “This is your captain speaking”.

PM Johnson sends selfie update from his plane

Mr Johnson now wants the Irish border provision removed from a legally-binding Brexit agreement sealed by his predecessor. 

But the EU insists the so-called backstop must stay in so that goods can flow smoothly between member country Ireland and Northern Ireland when it leaves along with the rest of the UK.

A European Commission spokeswoman said Mr Juncker was “looking forward to working constructively” with the Prime Minister.

She said the “working lunch” would be held at a “neutral location” rather than the British Embassy of a commission venue.

“By common accord they agreed to meet in Luxembourg on Monday,” she told a briefing in Brussels. 

Theresa May has announced she will resign as PM on June 7 (Getty Images)

“They have been trying to arrange a meeting for a while now. They’ve already spoken on the phone, so I think it’s the willingness that comes from both sides.”

However, Number 10 sources has played down the prospect of the talks leading to an imminent breakthrough, insisting there was still “a long way to go”.

The PM’s Brexit envoy David Frost has been holding talks in Brussels this week, but Brexit negotiations have produced few signs of progress as the October 31 deadline looms ever closer.

But Mr Johnson has said he is “cautiously optimistic” that he will strike a Brexit deal at the European Union summit in October, insisting yesterday that both sides “can see the rough area of landing space” to do it.

Irish premier Leo Varadkar warns ‘stakes are high’

Meanwhile, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said “the gap is very wide” between the EU and the UK in reaching a deal and the DUP has rejected reports it is willing to soften its approach to the Irish border issue.

“We have always said we would be willing to look at alternative arrangements, but what we’re seeing falls far short,” Mr Varadkar told RTE radio.

“We are exploring what is possible. The gap is very wide but we will fight for and work for a deal until the last moment, but not at any cost.”

Parliament has passed a law obliging the Prime Minister to seek an extension if no deal is reached by mid-October.

Mr Johnson has said he would rather be “dead in a ditch” than do so. 

Meanwhile on Sunday, the Liberal Democrats officially adopted the policy that they would revoke Article 50 if they were voted into power.



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