Brexit deal can be done by October 31, Ireland says after 'positive' Johnson meeting

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Brexit deal can be done by October 31, Ireland says after 'positive' Johnson meeting

By Elizabeth Piper and Peter Powell

 

Ireland's Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Leo Varadkar and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson meet in Thornton Manor, Cheshire, Britain October 10, 2019. Noel Mullen/Handout via REUTERS

 

THORNTON MANOR, England (Reuters) - A Brexit deal could be clinched by the end of October to allow the United Kingdom to leave the European Union in an orderly fashion, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said after what he called a very positive meeting with Boris Johnson.

 

With just three weeks to go before the United Kingdom is due to leave the world's biggest trading bloc, it remains unclear on what terms it will leave or indeed whether it will leave at all.

 

After Brexit descended into a public row between London and Brussels earlier this week, Johnson, the British prime minister, met Varadkar at Thornton Manor in Cheshire on Thursday in a last ditch bid to avert an acrimonious divorce or another delay.

 

"I think it is possible for us to come to an agreement, to have a treaty agreed, to allow the UK to leave the EU in an orderly fashion and to have that done by the end of October," Varadkar told Irish reporters.

 

"But there's many a slip between cup and lip and lots of things that are not in my control," he said.

 

When asked about who made concessions to break the impasse, Varadkar said: "I don't think this should be seen in the context of who's making concessions, or who the winners and losers are, I don't think that's the game any of us want to play."

 

In a joint statement, the two leaders said they "could see a pathway to a possible deal" and that the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier would meet his British counterpart Steve Barclay in Brussels on Friday.

 

A meeting between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Ireland's Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is said to have been "constructive," but no details were given. Matthew Larotonda reports.

 

Sterling shot up 1.5% to $1.2387. British 10-year government bond yields recorded their biggest one-day rise in nearly four years.

 

To get a done deal, Johnson must master the complexities of the Irish border before getting the approval of Europe's biggest powers and then sell any deal to the British parliament in which he has no majority and which he suspended unlawfully last month.

 

Johnson, the face of the 2016 Brexit campaign, made no further comment on the meeting with Varadkar. The details of what, if anything, had been agreed were unclear.

 

Ireland holds the key to any deal. It will have to consent to any solution to the hardest Brexit riddle of all: how to prevent the British province of Northern Ireland becoming a backdoor into the EU's markets without having border controls.

 

The EU fears controls on the 500-km (300-mile) Irish border with Northern Ireland would undermine the 1998 Good Friday Agreement which ended three decades of sectarian and political conflict that killed more than 3,600 people.

 

Although Johnson has insisted Britain will leave the EU on Oct. 31 even if no agreement is reached, the British parliament has passed a law saying he must request a delay.

 

IRELAND

Hopes of a Brexit deal were dented earlier this week when a Downing Street source said agreement was essentially impossible because German Chancellor Angela Merkel had made unacceptable demands. The EU said Johnson was playing a stupid blame game.

 

Ireland is the biggest issue of disagreement.

 

The Irish border has been largely invisible since army checkpoints were taken down after the 1998 peace deal largely ended the violence between the region's pro-British majority and an Irish nationalist minority.

 

Politicians have warned that the re-imposition of physical infrastructure on the border when it becomes the EU's external frontier would anger Irish nationalists in Northern Ireland who aspire to unification with the Republic of Ireland, and help militants opposed to the peace deal to recruit new members.

 

To get around the problem, the EU agreed an insurance policy - known as the backstop - last November with Johnson's predecessor Theresa May.

 

The Withdrawal Agreement that May struck says the United Kingdom will remain in a customs union "unless and until" alternative arrangements are found to avoid a hard border.

 

Johnson said that was undemocratic, undermined the unity of the United Kingdom and would keep it trapped in the EU's orbit for years to come.

 

Last week he proposed an all-island regulatory zone to cover all goods. Northern Ireland would leave the EU's customs area along with the rest of the United Kingdom and the province's institutions would be able to opt to exit the regulatory zone - a step too far for Ireland and the EU.

 

Johnson and Varadkar said they had discussed consent and customs.

 

Though Ireland is only about an eighth of the size of the United Kingdom's $2.8 trillion economy, Dublin is backed by the rest of the EU whose economy - minus the United Kingdom - is worth $15.9 trillion.

 

While Ireland would be very badly affected by a no-deal Brexit, the relative importance of Ireland in the negotiations up-ends centuries of history in which it has had a much weaker hand than London, both before and after winning independence from Britain.

 

The EU's two most powerful leaders, Germany's Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron, will meet at the Elysee Palace on Sunday ahead of next week's summit.

 

"We want to reduce the negative effects, even if there is a disorderly Brexit, in both countries," Merkel said.

 

Macron said on Thursday Britain would have to pay the price should it decide to proceed with a position over Brexit that is unacceptable for the other 27 EU countries.

 

"If they don't want to make any move or make something which is not accepted, they will have to take the responsibility," he said.

 

(Additional reporting by William James; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Alistair Smout Janet Lawrence)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-11

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[englishoak]

Ireland blinked first. EU Plan B N Ireland the price for leaving just became more likely... until it goes to Parliament that is

[pegman]

So did Ulster just get given to the Republic of Ireland? 

[englishoak]

4 minutes ago, pegman said:

So did Ulster just get given to the Republic of Ireland? 

 

Very possibly, if the DUP back it which it seems they would then its much more likely to pass if put to Parliament... the devil though will be in the other details such as the ECJ, fisheries, ability to make own trade deals etc 

[Chomper Higgot]

2 hours ago, englishoak said:

 

Very possibly, if the DUP back it which it seems they would then its much more likely to pass if put to Parliament... the devil though will be in the other details such as the ECJ, fisheries, ability to make own trade deals etc 

You understand Johnson doesn’t do detail?!

 

 

[BritManToo]

Yay, up from 37 to 37.8, just made this months transfer after thinking it's gonna get worse, no wait it's gonna get better.

 

[Basil B]

Without knowing the details no one knows if it has a chance in hell, OK they have one of twenty seven, 26 to go ...and Parliament, of which anyone can torpedo whatever Boris has cooked up.

 

One thing for sure Parliament will be suspicious if Boris holds back on publishing the full details until shortly before voting on it, not giving MP's time to scrutinise it full.

[Loiner]

 
Very possibly, if the DUP back it which it seems they would then its much more likely to pass if put to Parliament... the devil though will be in the other details such as the ECJ, fisheries, ability to make own trade deals etc 

Yes, so why is there no speculation on those issues? Most of them are more important than this over hyped stretch of insignificant border.

If Boris’s Deal is only 50 pages about NI, I hope the other 39 horrors of the Merkel/May Surrender Treaty are dead in Boris’s ditch.
If the cost of a clean cut Brexit is the NI border, then let it go.

[sanuk711]

All those "Know it all's" telling us how the pound will crash if we leave the EU.......it does the opposite on just a possibility ---the same day the Euro dropped by the way.......

[Krataiboy]

Begorrah! The auld devil could talk the knickers off a nun!

[beautifulthailand99]

59 minutes ago, Loiner said:

 

Yes, so why is there no speculation on those issues? Most of them are more important than this over hyped stretch of insignificant border.

If Boris’s Deal is only 50 pages about NI, I hope the other 39 horrors of the Merkel/May Surrender Treaty are dead in Boris’s ditch.
If the cost of a clean cut Brexit is the NI border, then let it go.

 

The horrors are in there Mr Loiner - surely you must have learnt that by now. As Aaron Banks has said Remaining is a better option than the WA. Plus the 39 billion +++ you know the rest. Anyways let the people decide and then move on. Election time. And no need for Johnson's deadline - he made that up - if the deal is good and the people want it then a few more months won't make any difference. But No Deal isn't on the ref ballot paper. End of. Clear blue water then between the Faragists and the Jonsonsists. Hard Brexiteers Nigel awaits your support,money and votes. 

[tebee]

6 hours ago, pegman said:

So did Ulster just get given to the Republic of Ireland? 

Seems to be the plan - the brexiters seem happy to sacrifice the union on the altar of their blessed brexit.

 

[beautifulthailand99]

Hard Brexiteer lingo   "of course I always wanted a deal"  just not May's Deal which be in no doubt this will be 99% May's deal with a time limited backstop and some weasel words. And let's remind ourselves what the saintly Mogg said about that ....

 

 

https://brexitcentral.com/text-jacob-rees-moggs-letter-urging-mps-oppose-draft-withdrawal-agreement/

[wombat]

leave first, deal later.

[beautifulthailand99]

1 minute ago, wombat said:

leave first, deal later.

Well Johnson's 100 majority with the help of the Speaker will aid with that. And a ref on the deal which is the fairest way. 

[tebee]

6 hours ago, englishoak said:

 

Very possibly, if the DUP back it which it seems they would then its much more likely to pass if put to Parliament... the devil though will be in the other details such as the ECJ, fisheries, ability to make own trade deals etc 

Can you really see the DUP backing a a plan to re-unify Ireland, no matter how big a bribe they were offered ? Or is it just you know nothing of the last 600 years or Irish history??? 

[dunroaming]

Let's wait and see.  Surely we all want some progress and if this is it then that has to be a positive.

[SheungWan]

Yes, so why is there no speculation on those issues? Most of them are more important than this over hyped stretch of insignificant border.

If Boris’s Deal is only 50 pages about NI, I hope the other 39 horrors of the Merkel/May Surrender Treaty are dead in Boris’s ditch.
If the cost of a clean cut Brexit is the NI border, then let it go.

The best current joke is the Hard Brexiteer one about no-deal Brexit equals a "clean" Brexit. [emoji1782]. Never mind, whatever it is called, its retreating. Now we can see the Hard Brexiteers splitting. Have fun.

Sent from my SM-N935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[SheungWan]

leave first, deal later.

Looking forward to a nice cartoon if they make a deal.

Sent from my SM-N935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[SheungWan]

All those "Know it all's" telling us how the pound will crash if we leave the EU.......it does the opposite on just a possibility ---the same day the Euro dropped by the way.......

Sterling going up anticipating a deal vs no-deal Brexit. So sorry to disappoint the Brexiteer story.

Sent from my SM-N935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[SheungWan]

Ireland blinked first. EU Plan B N Ireland the price for leaving just became more likely... until it goes to Parliament that is

Hard Brexit blinkers on.

Sent from my SM-N935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[SheungWan]

Yay, up from 37 to 37.8, just made this months transfer after thinking it's gonna get worse, no wait it's gonna get better.
 

Too much uncertainty ahead. Take the position OK IMHO.

Sent from my SM-N935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[SheungWan]

Yes, so why is there no speculation on those issues? Most of them are more important than this over hyped stretch of insignificant border.

If Boris’s Deal is only 50 pages about NI, I hope the other 39 horrors of the Merkel/May Surrender Treaty are dead in Boris’s ditch.
If the cost of a clean cut Brexit is the NI border, then let it go.

Falling apart over the Border. Fancy that.

Sent from my SM-N935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[beautifulthailand99]

56 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

Falling apart over the Border. Fancy that.

Sent from my SM-N935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/brexit/varadkar-shows-eu27-dinner-guests-border-bomb-horror-picture-brexit-deadlock-over-ireland-backstop-37433917.html

[tebee]

so surly if Brexit is going to involve such a major change to the constitutional framework of the UK as re-uniting Ireland, we should have another referendum to confirm that is what the people want?

 

It's not something that was ever mentioned as a possibility in the last referendum campaign  .... 

[joecoolfrog]

8 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Yay, up from 37 to 37.8, just made this months transfer after thinking it's gonna get worse, no wait it's gonna get better.

 

38.50 now , thats what a sniff of a deal does. Do the deluded Brexit no dealers get the message now ?

[joecoolfrog]

4 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

All those "Know it all's" telling us how the pound will crash if we leave the EU.......it does the opposite on just a possibility ---the same day the Euro dropped by the way.......

Oh grow up and stop being dishonest, Sterling has been stuffed for 3 years because of Brexit.

As you well know , the threat of no deal was pushing Sterling further down , the promise of a deal has revived it.

[Thingamabob]

Sounds interesting, but the EU will never approve. Remember the Danish experience. Best to get out on a no deal basis, otherwise this will go on forever. 

[Samuel Smith]

18 minutes ago, joecoolfrog said:

38.50 now 

Bought another beer to celebrate ????

[Gillyflower]

5 minutes ago, Samuel Smith said:

Bought another beer to celebrate ????

I got quite a nice little bit more this month too.