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| Brussels baffled by Boris Johnson's Brexit progress claims | Brussels baffled by Boris Johnson's Brexit progress claims |
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| Brussels has responded with bafflement at Boris Johnson’s claims of progress in the Brexit talks, with EU officials warning that discussions are going nowhere. | Brussels has responded with bafflement at Boris Johnson’s claims of progress in the Brexit talks, with EU officials warning that discussions are going nowhere. |
| The prime minister and his cabinet have insisted that the outlines of a deal are in the making and that attempts by MPs to rule out a no-deal exit will kill that positive momentum. | The prime minister and his cabinet have insisted that the outlines of a deal are in the making and that attempts by MPs to rule out a no-deal exit will kill that positive momentum. |
| But officials said that nearly two weeks after Johnson’s meeting with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, no alternatives to the backstop had been tabled and that there had instead been a renewed clash over Brussels’ need for an immediately legally operable solution for Ireland. | |
| The Guardian understands that Johnson’s senior EU adviser, David Frost, has so far highlighted the legal articles relating to the trade in goods that the government wants removed from the Irish protocol in the withdrawal agreement. | The Guardian understands that Johnson’s senior EU adviser, David Frost, has so far highlighted the legal articles relating to the trade in goods that the government wants removed from the Irish protocol in the withdrawal agreement. |
| Frost has suggested that “maximum facilitation” technology could provide a solution to the problem of avoiding a hard border. The government insists that parliament will not accept a deal that would involve, even temporarily, the whole of the UK staying in a customs union and Northern Ireland remaining in the single market. | Frost has suggested that “maximum facilitation” technology could provide a solution to the problem of avoiding a hard border. The government insists that parliament will not accept a deal that would involve, even temporarily, the whole of the UK staying in a customs union and Northern Ireland remaining in the single market. |
| But EU sources said that the talks so far had offered little confidence that any proposals made by London would be close to acceptable to the European commission which wishes to ensure frictionless trade on the island of Ireland in all circumstances, and to maintain the all-Ireland economy as it is today. “Where have these people been for the last two years?” asked one EU official. | But EU sources said that the talks so far had offered little confidence that any proposals made by London would be close to acceptable to the European commission which wishes to ensure frictionless trade on the island of Ireland in all circumstances, and to maintain the all-Ireland economy as it is today. “Where have these people been for the last two years?” asked one EU official. |
| Johnson’s adviser had been expected to table some proposals on paper on an alternative way forward on Wednesday but sources said they believed the prime minister would “conveniently” use the developments in Westminster to hold off. | Johnson’s adviser had been expected to table some proposals on paper on an alternative way forward on Wednesday but sources said they believed the prime minister would “conveniently” use the developments in Westminster to hold off. |
| “Frost has said that the government wants a simple Canada-style free trade deal which makes it all the more important to have the backstop maintaining the all-Ireland economy because that sort of free trade deal in the future will not go anywhere near to providing frictionless trade”, said an EU diplomat. | “Frost has said that the government wants a simple Canada-style free trade deal which makes it all the more important to have the backstop maintaining the all-Ireland economy because that sort of free trade deal in the future will not go anywhere near to providing frictionless trade”, said an EU diplomat. |
| Downing Street on Tuesday denied claims that Johnson’s strategist, Dominic Cummings, has privately described the talks in Brussels as a “sham”, but EU officials are increasingly concerned that this is the case. | Downing Street on Tuesday denied claims that Johnson’s strategist, Dominic Cummings, has privately described the talks in Brussels as a “sham”, but EU officials are increasingly concerned that this is the case. |
| The former chancellor Philip Hammond also told Radio 4’s Today programme that it was “nonsense” to suggest there had been any progress in Brussels, adding that the British government did not even have a negotiating team. | The former chancellor Philip Hammond also told Radio 4’s Today programme that it was “nonsense” to suggest there had been any progress in Brussels, adding that the British government did not even have a negotiating team. |
| Rising EU confidence immediately after the G7 meeting in Biarritz that Johnson did want to strike a deal has been dashed in recent days, sources added. “It now seems like it was all just about surviving September, and electioneering”, one official said. | Rising EU confidence immediately after the G7 meeting in Biarritz that Johnson did want to strike a deal has been dashed in recent days, sources added. “It now seems like it was all just about surviving September, and electioneering”, one official said. |
| A second senior EU diplomat said: “We have now got a biweekly negotiations but for what purpose? If it’s an election nothing will move until they have the numbers in parliament. Worse they can’t even be seen with the contours of a deal for fear of Nigel Farage calling Brino [Brexit in name only].” | A second senior EU diplomat said: “We have now got a biweekly negotiations but for what purpose? If it’s an election nothing will move until they have the numbers in parliament. Worse they can’t even be seen with the contours of a deal for fear of Nigel Farage calling Brino [Brexit in name only].” |
| Johnson’s letter to the European council president, Donald Tusk – with its suggestion to replace the backstop with a promise to agree alternative arrangements later – has been seen by one Brussels insider as “we haven’t got any ideas, trust us”. A similar approach by Theresa May failed, as the EU insisted on a guaranteed fallback plan to manage the Irish border. | Johnson’s letter to the European council president, Donald Tusk – with its suggestion to replace the backstop with a promise to agree alternative arrangements later – has been seen by one Brussels insider as “we haven’t got any ideas, trust us”. A similar approach by Theresa May failed, as the EU insisted on a guaranteed fallback plan to manage the Irish border. |
| “This is a government that seems to be extremely comfortable with no deal,” one official said. “In that context it is normal to ask yourself what are they really going after. Are they serious and engaging in the content of what we are trying to achieve or are they trying to run down the clock?” | “This is a government that seems to be extremely comfortable with no deal,” one official said. “In that context it is normal to ask yourself what are they really going after. Are they serious and engaging in the content of what we are trying to achieve or are they trying to run down the clock?” |
| EU insiders are sceptical that a solution that has eluded experts for two years can be devised in a few weeks. “Boris Johnson hasn’t tabled a concrete plan … but the British government tells us right now that it’s possible to find another solution and we say ‘OK perfect, great’,” said an EU diplomat. “The ball is in London’s court and it’s something Britain has to come forward with.” | EU insiders are sceptical that a solution that has eluded experts for two years can be devised in a few weeks. “Boris Johnson hasn’t tabled a concrete plan … but the British government tells us right now that it’s possible to find another solution and we say ‘OK perfect, great’,” said an EU diplomat. “The ball is in London’s court and it’s something Britain has to come forward with.” |
| In response to the EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier’s statement over the weekend that the EU would not renege from the backstop, the Brexit secretary, Stephen Barclay, told the German newspaper, Die Welt on Tuesday, that he believed the member states were coming round to the UK position. | In response to the EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier’s statement over the weekend that the EU would not renege from the backstop, the Brexit secretary, Stephen Barclay, told the German newspaper, Die Welt on Tuesday, that he believed the member states were coming round to the UK position. |
| “This is in contrast to the position I have heard in several EU capitals. They are open to creative and flexible solutions and are interested in seeing the details from the UK,” said Barclay “we will leave the EU on 31 October, with or without a deal.” | “This is in contrast to the position I have heard in several EU capitals. They are open to creative and flexible solutions and are interested in seeing the details from the UK,” said Barclay “we will leave the EU on 31 October, with or without a deal.” |
| A commission spokesman declined to comment on whether the current “technical talks” were yet to produce any results. | A commission spokesman declined to comment on whether the current “technical talks” were yet to produce any results. |
| She said: “We are progressively making progress in the talks because we are meeting now more often. I will not go into any substance ... because if there is any substantive progress to be made you will surely be informed by our chief negotiator or other politicians.” | She said: “We are progressively making progress in the talks because we are meeting now more often. I will not go into any substance ... because if there is any substantive progress to be made you will surely be informed by our chief negotiator or other politicians.” |
| The spokeswoman added: “We are an honest broker as always and so we try to move things forward.” | The spokeswoman added: “We are an honest broker as always and so we try to move things forward.” |
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