Boris Johnson news: PM suffers fresh Brexit humiliation as EU systematically rubbishes plan, amid bizarre scheme to defy Queen
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Your support makes all the difference.The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier has delivered a brutal verdict on Boris Johnson‘s Brexit plans, saying the UK and Brussels are ”not really in a position” to find agreement.
Ahead of a critical EU summit, it emerged that the prime minister was preparing a historic Saturday Commons sitting on 19 October, in a last-ditch bid to avoid asking the EU for a Brexit delay.
Mr Johnson and his advisers are reportedly ready to tell the Queen she cannot sack him, even if he loses a no-confidence vote in the Commons later this month – a plan ridiculed by lawyers and historians.
Scotland’s highest civil court has also delayed ruling on whether to order Mr Johnson to ask for a Brexit extension – or have an official sign the extension letter if he refuses to do so – until 21 October.
Speaking in the European Parliament, Jean-Claude Juncker said Brexit was the choice of the British people, and not the choice of the European Union.
"Although we are respecting that choice. As it stands, we will remain in discussion with the United Kingdom on the terms of its departure.
"And, personally, I don't exclude a deal. We are, Michel [Barnier] and myself, working on a deal.
"And we are not accepting this blame game which started in London."
He added: "We will see in the next coming days how things will develop."
Mr Juncker said: "I would like to repeat to the attention of our British friends that there is not only a parliament in Westminster which has to agree, there is a parliament here."
Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, has also torn into the PM's Brexit plans.
Speaking in the European parliament, he said: "To put things very frankly, though, and to try and be objective, this particular point, we are not really in a position where we are able to find an agreement."
He added: "The thing is, though, time is pressing. We are one week away from the European Council summit."
He said the British proposals for alternatives to the backstop have lead to "serious concerns".
He said: "First of all, the issue of the border and checks on goods on the island of Ireland. Prime minister Johnson has always been very clear in rejecting the backstop, which is a sort of insurance, a safety net that we had come to an agreement with with Theresa May's government. So that is one point."
Mr Barnier said the UK's proposals for border checks avoiding physical infrastructure are "a system that hasn't been properly developed, that hasn't been tested".
The EU's chief Brexit negotiator has dismantled Boris Johnson's border proposals point-by-point in a comprehensive speech to the European Parliament.
Michel Barnier said that "to put things very frankly ... we're not really in a position where we're able to find an agreement".
He added that British proposals "have led to three serious concerns" - that they did not prevent a customs border, that they were not actually ready or "legally operational", and that they could be unilaterally scrapped by Stormont and even never actually come into effect act all.
More from our Europe correspondent Jon Stone:
The London Assembly says it cannot see the need for secrecy in Boris Johnson's response regarding his relationship with US businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri.
Len Duvall AM, chair of the oversight committee, said the papers contained "insufficient" details.
"We did finally receive a response from Boris Johnson, through his solicitors, which they have indicated may not be published. At this stage we are respecting that, but we are seeking further clarification," he said.
"Nothing in the response, in our opinion, reflects the need for confidentiality. In fact, the response is insufficient as far as our request for information is concerned."
Mr Johnson could be summoned before the committee, which is also liaising with the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Mr Duvall added: "We're now formulating our response to the statements made in the letter and may make further statements once that response is finalised in the coming days."
Moderate Tories have threatened Boris Johnson with a mass walk-out if No 10 tries to make the party back a no-deal Brexit explicitly at a snap general election.
The suggestion, made by a No 10 aide – widely believed to be Dominic Cummings – triggered a backlash from members of the ‘One Nation’ caucus, who demanded a meeting with the prime minister.
One MP told The Independent the idea was “mad”, adding: “It would be impossible for me to recommend that as the best option for my constituents.”
Information provided by Boris Johnson to an inquiry into his relations with a US businesswoman as London mayor has been deemed “insufficient” to resolve issues raised.
The prime minister’s response to a demand for details of his contacts with Jennifer Arcuri was handed over by his lawyers to the London Assembly oversight committee late on Tuesday.
But the committee said it was “frustrated” by the secrecy displayed in the PM’s submission and is now considering issuing a summons for Mr Johnson to give evidence in person.
More here:
Leo Varadkar and Boris Johnson are meeting tomorrow in the North West of England tomorrow, No10 has confirmed.
A spokesperson said: "This will be a private meeting to allow both leaders and their teams to have detailed discussions."
The European Parliament's Brexit chief has branded Brexiteers "the real traitors", in a significant escalation of rhetoric from Brussels.
Speaking in a debate in the EU's legislature, Guy Verhofstadt accused Boris Johnson of blaming everyone but himself for the situation the UK found itself in.
More from our Europe correspondent Jon Stone:
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