Boris Johnson warns there is 'a way to go' on reaching Brexit deal with EU despite progress in talks
3 min read
Boris Johnson has played down hopes of an imminent breakthrough on reaching a Brexit deal following the EU's pledge to "intensify" talks.
The Prime Minister said that while both sides could see a “pathway” towards an agreement, there is still “a way to go”.
The European Commission has given the green light for negotiators to enter the so-called “tunnel”, where details of a potential agreement are thrashed out by both sides.
It followed talks on Friday morning between Michel Barnier, the EU's top negotiator, and Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay.
That meeting was prompted by lengthy discussions on Thursday between the PM and Irish Taoiseach in the Wirral, which Mr Varadkar described as “very positive”.
But speaking at a school visit on Friday afternoon, Mr Johnson said: “I had a good conversation with the Irish Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, yesterday and I think both of us can see a pathway to a deal but that doesn’t mean it’s a done deal.
“There’s a way to go, it’s important now that our negotiators on both sides get into proper talks about how to sort this thing out and if they can’t then we have to be ready, as this country is and will be, to come out with no deal if we absolutely have to.
“But in the meantime of course, we’re getting on with our priorities, funding our NHS properly, improving healthcare and levelling up education provision.”
A Whitehall source told PoliticsHome: “A lot of complicated pieces would have to fall into place at the same time. It’s in better shape than we were in on Wednesday but there’s a long way to go and a lot that can go wrong.”
The PM also refused to be drawn on whether the latest proposal could see Northern Ireland remain in the customs union, but added: “I can certainly tell you that under no circumstances will we see anything that damages the ability of the whole of the United Kingdom to take full advantage of Brexit.
"I think that’s what people would expect and that’s what I think we can achieve, but the best thing now really would be for the negotiators to get on and do their job.”
UK and EU officials will work through the weekend in an attempt to agree a form of words which can be presented to the European Council summit on 17 and 18 October.
At that gathering, the 28 national leaders will be asked to either accept or reject the new-look deal.
DUP leader Arlene Foster said: “We have been consistent in our opposition to the backstop, whether UK or NI only, and anything that traps Northern Ireland in the European Union, whether Single Market or Customs Union, as the rest of the United Kingdom leaves will not have our support. The Prime Minister is very mindful of that…
"As a consequence of the mandate given to us by voters in 2017 the DUP is very relevant in the Parliamentary arithmetic and regardless of the ups and downs of the Brexit discussions that has not changed.
"We will judge any outcome reached by the Prime Minister against the criteria above."
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