Thu 03 October 2019:
The UK faces days of intensive talks with the EU to try to convince them to back a last-minute Brexit plan to avoid a damaging split on October 31.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined new plans on Wednesday in an attempt to break months of deadlock and secure an agreement that paves the way for a trade deal.
The proposals are an attempt to avoid border checks in Northern Ireland but senior EU officials indicated they fell short of what they needed. Mr Johnson wants a new deal in place before October 17 before a summit of EU leaders.
Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar said the approach “did not fully meet the agreed objectives of the backstop” amid concerns that the proposals threatened the hard-won peace after decades of civil strife in Ireland. The EU also expressed concerns that it could disrupt the single market across the 28-nation bloc.
The plan involves continuing customs checks on the island of Ireland – split between EU member the Republic of Ireland and the North, which is part of the UK – but continued alignment of regulations struck during 45 years of EU membership.
But Northern Ireland’s Assembly and Executive will be able to veto arrangements with a vote every four years. The proposals would also allow the UK to try to strike trading agreements with countries outside of the EU.
Mr Johnson is due to brief his government on the moves on Thursday morning amid signs that the proposals could receive the necessary parliamentary backing.
But key to any agreement is convincing EU leaders. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said the plan was “flexible and creative” and told the BBC on Thursday that he hoped to be involved in intensive talks by the weekend with EU leaders.
“Both sides recognise that the best way forward is to have a deal,” he said.
The UK opposition has accused the government of not being serious about a deal. Jeremy Corbyn claimed the deal was worse than the one secured by Theresa May, but was rejected three times by parliament.
The government is continuing to prepare for leaving the EU by October 31 even if a deal is not reached in the face of parliamentary opposition, which has moved to block such a move.
It has blocked the export of more than 20 medicines that are in short supply, in case of supply problems.
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