This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/sep/16/brexit-latest-news-boris-johnson-talks-juncker-eu-must-show-flexibility-says-raab-ahead-of-boris-johnsons-key-meeting-with-juncker-live-news-latest-news
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Brexit: EU must show flexibility, says Raab before Johnson-Juncker meeting - live news | Brexit: EU must show flexibility, says Raab before Johnson-Juncker meeting - live news |
| (39 minutes later) | |
| In an interview with the Today programme Jo Swinson, the Lib Dem leader, defended her party’s decision to go into the next election promising to revoke Brexit without a referendum if it won a majority. She said: | |
| I absolutely am determined that we keep our place in the EU. And I have not given up. I still believe we can stop Brexit. | |
| But Swinson would not be drawn on whether the Lib Dems would campaign to rejoin the EU if Brexit happened. | |
| The Belgian foreign minister, Didier Reynders, has said Boris Johnson needs to put forward concrete proposals for a revised Brexit deal at the European Council meeting in October. Reynders said: | |
| It is very difficult to react without any concrete proposals so we will see if it’s possible for Michel Barnier to receive something in the next days or in the next hours. | |
| Asked what his message was for Boris Johnson, Reynders replied: “To come to the council and to come, maybe, with some ideas.” | |
| There were two other important lines in Dominic Raab’s Today interview, in addition to what the foreign secretary said about it now being time for the EU to compromise in the Brexit talks. (See 9.07am.) | There were two other important lines in Dominic Raab’s Today interview, in addition to what the foreign secretary said about it now being time for the EU to compromise in the Brexit talks. (See 9.07am.) |
| Raab insisted that the UK was not considering extending the planned Brexit transition period. Under the withdrawal agreement negotiated by Theresa May, there would be a transition period after the UK left the EU during which it would effectively remain bound by EU law, to allow both sides time to adjust. Originally the transition was due to last 21 months, ending in December 2020, although there was an option to extend it for a year or two. It the UK were to leave on 31 October, as the government wants, it would only last 14 months. Yesterday Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, hinted the government might want to use the option to extend. But Raab seemed to rule out the idea. He told Today: | Raab insisted that the UK was not considering extending the planned Brexit transition period. Under the withdrawal agreement negotiated by Theresa May, there would be a transition period after the UK left the EU during which it would effectively remain bound by EU law, to allow both sides time to adjust. Originally the transition was due to last 21 months, ending in December 2020, although there was an option to extend it for a year or two. It the UK were to leave on 31 October, as the government wants, it would only last 14 months. Yesterday Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, hinted the government might want to use the option to extend. But Raab seemed to rule out the idea. He told Today: |
| No, it is not something under consideration. | No, it is not something under consideration. |
| This may be more wishful thinking than a firm guide to the future. The plan was for the transition to last until the UK and the EU had negotiated a future trade deal. But Phil Hogan, who has just been appointed as the EU’s new trade commissioner, told the Irish Times last week that it would take him up to eight months to put a new negotiating team together. After that negotiating a trade deal with the UK would take “a number of years”, he said. Even if the UK and the EU were to agree a withdrawal agreement next week, it is impossible to imagine a full trade deal being completed by December next year. | This may be more wishful thinking than a firm guide to the future. The plan was for the transition to last until the UK and the EU had negotiated a future trade deal. But Phil Hogan, who has just been appointed as the EU’s new trade commissioner, told the Irish Times last week that it would take him up to eight months to put a new negotiating team together. After that negotiating a trade deal with the UK would take “a number of years”, he said. Even if the UK and the EU were to agree a withdrawal agreement next week, it is impossible to imagine a full trade deal being completed by December next year. |
| Raab hinted that the government would want to test the Benn Act passed by parliament with the intention of ruling out a no-deal Brexit. Asked if the government would defy the law, as some briefing from Number 10 has implied, he replied: | Raab hinted that the government would want to test the Benn Act passed by parliament with the intention of ruling out a no-deal Brexit. Asked if the government would defy the law, as some briefing from Number 10 has implied, he replied: |
| The UK government is always going to behave lawfully. I think the suggestion otherwise is nonsense. | The UK government is always going to behave lawfully. I think the suggestion otherwise is nonsense. |
| But he also claimed that the legislation was “deeply, deeply flawed”. He went on: | But he also claimed that the legislation was “deeply, deeply flawed”. He went on: |
| So obviously we would look at all the implications and all the variables with it ... | So obviously we would look at all the implications and all the variables with it ... |
| I think the precise implications of the legislation need to be looked at very carefully. We are doing that. | I think the precise implications of the legislation need to be looked at very carefully. We are doing that. |
| At the weekend Jolyon Maugham, the barrister and director of the Good Law Project who helped to organise the Scottish legal challenge against the prorogation decision, published a blog identifying a loophole in the act. | At the weekend Jolyon Maugham, the barrister and director of the Good Law Project who helped to organise the Scottish legal challenge against the prorogation decision, published a blog identifying a loophole in the act. |
| In case you missed it: how a flaw in the Act designed to stop No Deal leaves a clear pathway to No Deal. https://t.co/oY8T88HYHJ | In case you missed it: how a flaw in the Act designed to stop No Deal leaves a clear pathway to No Deal. https://t.co/oY8T88HYHJ |
| The Finnish European affairs minister, Tytti Tuppurainen, has said the UK has still not put forward any proposals that could “compensate” for the removal of the Irish backstop. Speaking as she arrived at a meeting of EU ministers in Brussels, she said: | |
| We have to remain open and see what happens in the domestic politics of the United Kingdom. | We have to remain open and see what happens in the domestic politics of the United Kingdom. |
| Of course the European Union is always ready to negotiate when a proper proposal from the United Kingdom side is presented. So far I haven’t seen any proposal that would compensate the current backstop in the withdrawal agreement. | Of course the European Union is always ready to negotiate when a proper proposal from the United Kingdom side is presented. So far I haven’t seen any proposal that would compensate the current backstop in the withdrawal agreement. |
| Here is my colleague Peter Walker’s story about what Dominic Raab has been saying this morning. | Here is my colleague Peter Walker’s story about what Dominic Raab has been saying this morning. |
| Raab accuses EU of political posturing before Johnson talks | Raab accuses EU of political posturing before Johnson talks |
| Boris Johnson goes to Luxembourg today for what might be one of the most important meetings he has had with any of his EU counterparts in his quest for a Brexit deal. He is having lunch with Jean-Claude Juncker, the outgoing president of the European commission, and although the EU October summit, which is seen by many as the place where an agreement may or may not get finalised, is more than a month away, in an article for today’s Daily Telegraph (paywall) Johnson claims the next few days will be crucial in determining whether a deal can be done. He says: | Boris Johnson goes to Luxembourg today for what might be one of the most important meetings he has had with any of his EU counterparts in his quest for a Brexit deal. He is having lunch with Jean-Claude Juncker, the outgoing president of the European commission, and although the EU October summit, which is seen by many as the place where an agreement may or may not get finalised, is more than a month away, in an article for today’s Daily Telegraph (paywall) Johnson claims the next few days will be crucial in determining whether a deal can be done. He says: |
| If we can make enough progress in the next few days, I intend to go to that crucial summit on Oct 17, and finalise an agreement that will protect the interests of business and citizens on both sides of the Channel, and on both sides of the border in Ireland. | If we can make enough progress in the next few days, I intend to go to that crucial summit on Oct 17, and finalise an agreement that will protect the interests of business and citizens on both sides of the Channel, and on both sides of the border in Ireland. |
| In August, Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, appeared to give Johnson a 30-day deadline to come up with an alternative to the backstop that was acceptable to the EU and would allow the two sides to reach an agreement. Twenty-six days later EU figures are complaining that the UK still has not tabled any firm plans for a backstop replacement. But, in interviews this morning, Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, insisted the EU knew exactly what the UK was proposing and that a plan had just not been tabled formally because that would become a “trap”. He told Sky News: | |
| On all sides, for those that don’t want a deal, or who want to put pressure on the UK, there’s an attempt to elicit more and more concessions, and more and more detail, as a diplomatic pressure exercise. We are not going to fall into that trap. | On all sides, for those that don’t want a deal, or who want to put pressure on the UK, there’s an attempt to elicit more and more concessions, and more and more detail, as a diplomatic pressure exercise. We are not going to fall into that trap. |
| But I can reassure you that the details and the shape of the deal have been discussed at a political level, and Boris Johnson is out there talking to Jean-Claude Juncker today about that. They’ve been discussed at technical level. | But I can reassure you that the details and the shape of the deal have been discussed at a political level, and Boris Johnson is out there talking to Jean-Claude Juncker today about that. They’ve been discussed at technical level. |
| Raab said it was now up to the EU to compromise. He told Sky: | Raab said it was now up to the EU to compromise. He told Sky: |
| So this isn’t about whether enough technical content has been provided. It is about whether there’s the political will on the EU’s side to do a deal which I still believe would be in both sides’ interests. | So this isn’t about whether enough technical content has been provided. It is about whether there’s the political will on the EU’s side to do a deal which I still believe would be in both sides’ interests. |
| And he delivered the same message on the Today programme, when he said it was up to the EU to show “pragmatism and flexibility”. He said: | And he delivered the same message on the Today programme, when he said it was up to the EU to show “pragmatism and flexibility”. He said: |
| We’ve been clear [what the UK is proposing] and will continue to flesh out and respond to any questions. But of course, at some point, the EU is going to have to put up its hand and say: ‘OK, we know that there’s the requirement for some pragmatism and flexibility to get this deal over the line’, because the previous deal, which I understand why they want to stick to, failed so dramatically ... | |
| I think it has come to that moment in time, as we lead into the October council, for the decisions to be made. We’re willing and able to do a deal on the terms I’ve described. The question now is whether the EU has got the political will to meet us to get that deal which is good for both sides. | |
| I will post more from his interviews shortly. | I will post more from his interviews shortly. |
| Here is the agenda for the day. | Here is the agenda for the day. |
| 11am: Downing Street lobby briefing. | 11am: Downing Street lobby briefing. |
| 11am: Paschal Donohoe, the Irish finance minister, gives a speech on Brexit in Dublin. | 11am: Paschal Donohoe, the Irish finance minister, gives a speech on Brexit in Dublin. |
| 11am: Chuka Umunna, the former Labour MP who is now the Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman, speaks at the Lib Dem conference. | 11am: Chuka Umunna, the former Labour MP who is now the Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman, speaks at the Lib Dem conference. |
| 11am (UK time): Boris Johnson meets Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European commission, for lunch. | |
| 1pm (UK time): Johnson holds a meeting with Xavier Bettel, the prime minister of Luxembourg. At around 2.15pm UK time they are due to hold a press conference. | 1pm (UK time): Johnson holds a meeting with Xavier Bettel, the prime minister of Luxembourg. At around 2.15pm UK time they are due to hold a press conference. |
| 4.10pm: Sir Ed Davey, the Lib Dem deputy leader and Treasury spokesman, speaks at the Lib Dem conference. | 4.10pm: Sir Ed Davey, the Lib Dem deputy leader and Treasury spokesman, speaks at the Lib Dem conference. |
| As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web, although I will mostly be focusing on Brexit-related matter. I plan to publish a summary when I wrap up. | As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web, although I will mostly be focusing on Brexit-related matter. I plan to publish a summary when I wrap up. |
| You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. | You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. |
| If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. | If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. |
| I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. | I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. |
| If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. | If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. |