EU official says Johnson's Brexit offer 'can't fly'

By John Chalmers, Gabriela Baczynska

 

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he gives a closing speech at the Conservative Party annual conference in Manchester, Britain, October 2, 2019. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

 

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s last ditch Brexit proposal “can’t fly” because it an unworkable move backwards that leaves Britain and the European Union far apart, a senior European Union official said on Thursday.

 

Just 28 days before the United Kingdom is due to leave the EU, both sides are positioning themselves for a delay or else a disorderly no-deal Brexit. Johnson says he wants a deal but insists there can be no delay to Brexit beyond Oct. 31.

 

The cool reception from Brussels to Johnson’s proposal indicates just how far apart the two sides are on the first departure of a sovereign state from the EU project, which was forged from Europe’s ruins after World War Two.

 

A European Parliament Brexit group believes that Johnson’s proposals “do not represent a basis for an agreement”, according to the draft of a statement seen by Reuters ahead of release later in the day.

 

Separately, a senior EU official said Johnson’s proposal “can’t fly”, largely because it did not offer a solution for the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland once the UK province has left the EU’s customs union.

 

“It does not contain any decent solution for customs. And it erects a hard border on the island of Ireland,” said the senior EU official.

 

“It would have to be fundamentally reworked,” an EU diplomat said, adding that time was short before the bloc’s leaders meet in Brussels in two weeks for a make-or-break Brexit summit on Oct. 17-18.

 

In Dublin, which is crucial to any deal, Junior Finance Minister Patrick O’Donovan said Johnson’s offer was the basis for discussions but not of an agreement.

 

Johnson made what he said was his final Brexit pitch to the EU on Wednesday, offering a possible compromise on the Irish border that initially drew a cautious welcome by the EU.

 

Johnson went further than many expected on the most contentious issue - the border between British-ruled Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland - with a proposal for an all-island regulatory zone to cover all goods, replacing the so-called backstop arrangement he says he cannot accept.

 

Besides the concession, however, Johnson proposed giving Northern Ireland institutions the ongoing power to abide by or exit the regulatory zone - a possible step too far for Ireland and the EU.

 

“CREATIVE AND FLEXIBLE”

 

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said it was now up to the bloc to help avert a disorderly Brexit on Oct. 31.

 

“It is now for the EU to respond and also show they can be creative and flexible. This sets out the broad landing zone,” he said on Thursday, adding that London was prepared to negotiate the details.

 

When asked if there was enough time to deliver a Brexit deal, Barclay said: “We don’t want an extension and we do believe there is enough time.”

 

“We are focused on getting a deal because we think this is the best way forward,” Barclay said. “These are serious proposals and clearly we need to have a negotiation with the EU on taking them forward.”

 

Johnson says he wants to strike a deal at an Oct. 17-18 EU summit. A law passed by his opponents in parliament forces him to delay Brexit unless he strikes a deal, but Johnson has said further delay is “pointless and expensive”.

 

Amid so much pessimism about the possibility of a deal in just weeks, many diplomats say a phoney struggle is underway between London and Brussels to apportion blame.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-03

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Johnson's offer never was meant to "fly". It's just more fodder for his base. It's a pathetic attempt to create a cover story. He'll come back from Europe and say, "I gave them a perfectly viable offer and they threw it in my face. Blame the EU for us having to leave with no deal on October 31st."

 

He's really not concerned that the World will see his plan for what it is, completely inviable and a sham. As long as he takes his base with him  (watch them post on this thread that it's a genius plan and the EU should bite his hand off) and that we crash out of Europe making Mogg and his backers many millions as the UK economy burns.

17 minutes ago, DannyCarlton said:

Johnson's offer never was meant to "fly". It's just more fodder for his base. It's a pathetic attempt to create a cover story. He'll come back from Europe and say, "I gave them a perfectly viable offer and they threw it in my face. Blame the EU for us having to leave with no deal on October 31st."

 

He's really not concerned that the World will see his plan for what it is, completely inviable and a sham. As long as he takes his base with him  (watch them post on this thread that it's a genius plan and the EU should bite his hand off) and that we crash out of Europe making Mogg and his backers many millions as the UK economy burns.

you beat me to it.... as I said before he's running down the clock while playing the blaming game.... it's not me it's them

48 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

 

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said it was now up to the bloc to help avert a disorderly Brexit on Oct. 31.

 

“It is now for the EU to respond and also show they can be creative and flexible. This sets out the broad landing zone,” he said on Thursday, adding that London was prepared to negotiate the details.

Yeah, let’s put something unworkable and clearly unacceptable on the negotiating table and then say ‘up to you’. If you don’t want a deal, please say so and leave, but don’t try - again - to put the responsibility wholly with the EU.

Edited October 3, 20196 yr by damascase

5 minutes ago, damascase said:

Yeah, let’s put something unworkable and clearly unacceptable on the negotiating table and then say ‘up to you’. If you don’t want a deal, please say so and leave, but don’t try - again - to put the responsibility wholly with the EU.

I agree with not putting the responsibility wholly on the EU.

 

Teresa May should accept 50% of the responsibility. It took her over 3 years to screw up Brexit for the EU and people are blaming Boris for the problem now, when he cannot do the job properly due to parliament and lawyers restricting from doing his job.

Of course it wont fly.

Ole Bungle never intended it too.

 Last ditch Brexit proposal ,  spot on.

    A ditch in time , so smoothing ,  Oct 31..

 ps ,  what has happened to Lies n Ties farage .  Silence is Golden ..

 

 

 

  

Edited October 3, 20196 yr by elliss

3 hours ago, billd766 said:

I agree with not putting the responsibility wholly on the EU.

 

Teresa May should accept 50% of the responsibility. It took her over 3 years to screw up Brexit for the EU and people are blaming Boris for the problem now, when he cannot do the job properly due to parliament and lawyers restricting from doing his job.

 

     Teresa May ,  was under orders ,  her mission completed. 

      Gong expected soon...

 

4 hours ago, damascase said:

Yeah, let’s put something unworkable and clearly unacceptable on the negotiating table and then say ‘up to you’. If you don’t want a deal, please say so and leave, but don’t try - again - to put the responsibility wholly with the EU.

Remember he like to win an election …. so he has to show some (fake) achievements ….like " look I tried , but they don't want to compromise …"

Edited October 3, 20196 yr by david555

4 hours ago, billd766 said:

I agree with not putting the responsibility wholly on the EU.

 

Teresa May should accept 50% of the responsibility. It took her over 3 years to screw up Brexit for the EU and people are blaming Boris for the problem now, when he cannot do the job properly due to parliament and lawyers restricting from doing his job.

The same Parliament and lawyers you will be depending on once Corbyn announces his plans for extermination camps for the elderly, housing to be abolished and for the entire UK population to live under sheets of tarpaulin and eat grass. 

Just because you don't happen to agree with their findings when you do not like what they have to say, doesn't mean they have it in for you. That is the domain of morons, opportunists and hooligans. You are none of the three.

Who cares? Brexit is Boris’ problem. If he wants transition service from the EU, he can have it at the EU’s terms. Otherwise he can find another way to manage it. 

 

 

 

Let's face it, the EU are never going to accept terms that are remotely fair to the UK. It's time to end this charade and get out with no deal.

 

We can sort out a trade deal to facilitate the EU's 70 Billion pound trade surplus with the UK after we've left.

 

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The cool reception from Brussels to Johnson’s proposal indicates just how far apart the two sides are on the first departure of a sovereign state from the EU project, which was forged from Europe’s ruins after World War Two.

A tad melodramatic, forged from the ruins of WWII!  The ruins would have been pretty cold in 1993 when the EU was formed; and not exactly furnace hot in 1957 when the EEC was first formed.

I like the way the EU handles this. Let Boris contradict himself in public.

 

“I am reassured by what Prime Minister Johnson said today: that he is not proposing that there should be any new physical infrastructure on the island of Ireland linked to customs or customs checks – but that is actually in contradiction to the papers presented by the UK government yesterday,” Varadkar told reporters. “I don’t fully understand how we can have Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in a separate customs unions and somehow avoid there being tariffs and checks and customs posts between north and south.”

 

EU calls on Boris Johnson to publish Brexit plan in full 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/03/eu-calls-on-boris-johnson-to-publish-brexit-plan-in-full

 

 

Looks like another delay without Boris being PM anymore .

7 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

Looks like another delay without Boris being PM anymore .

Is that the best you can come up with...?  ????

30 minutes ago, transam said:

Is that the best you can come up with...?  ????

Desperation will only increase as the clock runs down.

Of course he said it won't fly. Nothing will fly. Just ask the French, the Danes, the Italians, the Irish and now the Brits. Only one way to get off the EU dung heap, leave with no deal. Fast.

 

15 hours ago, Mavideol said:

you beat me to it.... as I said before he's running down the clock while playing the blaming game.... it's not me it's them

 

His own sister confirms that, and even explains exactly why he wants to crash out and deliver a no deal to his millionaire backers making them even richer. 

 

Will be interesting though to see what the law does if he doesn't respect the legal requirement to request an extension, complying with the letter and spirit of the law. Granting an extension is the best way for the EU to call his bluff and expose him to the Boris-koolaid mob who refuse to see what's blatantly obvious.

11 hours ago, david555 said:

Remember he like to win an election …. so he has to show some (fake) achievements ….like " look I tried , but they don't want to compromise …"

 

No deal crash out - he calls snap election and the mindless Brexiteers reward their hero with a new term as PM and probable Tory majority in the Commons. All his millionaire backers who've bet on the GBP crashing make billions. 

 

Win Win - for them!

 

Meanwhile the economy tanks, the GBP crashes and will never recover much, unemployment rockets, poverty and homelessness rocket, people are forced to accept low paid jobs with little employment protection or rights. Win Win for Boris and his backers.

Walk away Boris and stuff the compensation the EU are seeking.......

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Let's face it, the EU are never going to accept terms that are remotely fair to the UK. It's time to end this charade and get out with no deal.

 

We can sort out a trade deal to facilitate the EU's 70 Billion pound trade surplus with the UK after we've left.

 

dreamers!

46 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

No deal crash out - he calls snap election and the mindless Brexiteers reward their hero with a new term as PM and probable Tory majority in the Commons. All his millionaire backers who've bet on the GBP crashing make billions. 

 

Win Win - for them!

 

Meanwhile the economy tanks, the GBP crashes and will never recover much, unemployment rockets, poverty and homelessness rocket, people are forced to accept low paid jobs with little employment protection or rights. Win Win for Boris and his backers.

You don't know what you're talking about. Find a grown up to hold your hand.

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

 

No deal crash out - he calls snap election and the mindless Brexiteers reward their hero with a new term as PM and probable Tory majority in the Commons. All his millionaire backers who've bet on the GBP crashing make billions. 

 

Win Win - for them!

 

Meanwhile the economy tanks, the GBP crashes and will never recover much, unemployment rockets, poverty and homelessness rocket, people are forced to accept low paid jobs with little employment protection or rights. Win Win for Boris and his backers.

My gloat-dance can expect more hits than gangnam style come 01 Nov ????

4 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Let's face it, the EU are never going to accept terms that are remotely fair to the UK. It's time to end this charade and get out with no deal.

 

We can sort out a trade deal to facilitate the EU's 70 Billion pound trade surplus with the UK after we've left.

 

You do realize that there won't be much of a UK left though? Little Britain, more like it. Get on with it!

4 minutes ago, Caldera said:

You do realize that there won't be much of a UK left though? Little Britain, more like it. Get on with it!

And what Big Country do you come from...? One that the UK at the mo is bolstering perhaps.....????

If they had accepted May's deal the UK would by now have swallowed the bitter pill & be well on the road to recovery by now. Business would have picked up, companies know where they stand etc

but no ,,,,, dither, dither,,,

4 minutes ago, transam said:

And what Big Country do you come from...? One that the UK at the mo is bolstering perhaps.....????

Perhaps. ????

7 hours ago, natway09 said:

If they had accepted May's deal the UK would by now have swallowed the bitter pill & be well on the road to recovery by now. Business would have picked up, companies know where they stand etc

but no ,,,,, dither, dither,,,

Many folk in the UK are/were too savvy to have fallen for it....patience is a virtue....we will walk away shortly saving ourselves billions in compensation and all the UNELECTED bureaucrats in Brussels on fat salaries will have their ar*eho*es twitching as to what to do next as their gravy train has been derailed

3 hours ago, transam said:

Is that the best you can come up with...?  ????

Deal = refused by EU -

Boris will not be able to brexit without deal by the end of this month - against the law -

He will have no choice but resign -

EU will agree to another delay -