No-deal Brexit: Government accused of playing ‘blame game’ as Gove says EU refusing to negotiate

European Commission insists it will not reopen Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement but is ready for talks to ‘clarify’ UK position

The government has been accused of trying to play the “blame game” over a no-deal Brexit, as Michael Gove claimed that the EU was refusing to negotiate with Britain.

Speaking after a meeting of Boris Johnson’s Brexit war cabinet in Downing Street, the minister – who has been charged with making preparations for a no-deal crash out on 31 October – said it was “wrong and sad” that the EU did not want to talk.

His comments came shortly after the European Commission confirmed that president Jean-Claude Juncker had told Mr Johnson his team are available for talks by phone or in person for the UK to “clarify” its position over the coming weeks.

But commission spokeswoman Annika Breidthardt said the EU would not reopen the withdrawal agreement reached with Theresa May in November – something which Mr Johnson has made a red line before he will sit down with European counterparts.

Brussels would be ready to make changes to the political declaration agreed in draft form with Ms May, which sets out a blueprint for future EU/UK relations, she said.

The Irish premier, Leo Varadkar, also said there was “room for talks and negotiations”, and repeated his invitation for Mr Johnson to visit Ireland.

But he too held firm on the terms of the withdrawal agreement and its controversial border backstop, describing the document as “closed”.

Diplomats in Brussels were briefed on Monday that the new prime minister appeared to have no intention of renegotiating the agreement and had made no deal his “central scenario”.

And Mr Johnson’s stance since entering Downing Street a fortnight ago seems to have hardened resolve among Tory opponents of no deal, with up to 50 or 60 backbenchers understood to be involved in informal discussions on measures to be taken in the autumn to constrain the prime minister. These range from Remainers to second referendum backers to those wanting a negotiated deal or simply a parliamentary vote on no deal.

There had been expectations that Tory rebels might hold back until after the October EU summit to see whether a deal can be reached, but the failure even to begin negotiations has persuaded some that that they must act as soon as MPs return from their summer break in September.

Meanwhile, Labour’s leadership signalled it was happy to work with other parties to block no deal, but would not give its backing to proposals for a government of national unity to take control in the autumn to negotiate a further extension to negotiations.

Shadow cabinet member Rebecca Long-Bailey told Channel 4 News: “We are quite clear that we are happy to collaborate on a cross-party basis but we won’t countenance a national government of unity, because we think we need to have a clear majority for a government in parliament. That is why we are calling for a general election and we will be fighting for a Labour government.

“What we don’t want is a national unity government that gives Boris some sort of ‘get out of jail free’ card, so as soon as Brexit’s been sorted out he can sail back in without any problems.”

Mr Gove insisted that the government wanted to negotiate in a “spirit of friendliness” and the EU had to understand that Britain was leaving on 31 October “deal or no deal”.

“I am deeply saddened that the EU now seem to be refusing to negotiate with UK. The prime minister has been clear that he wants to negotiate a good deal with the European Union,” he told reporters.

“He will apply all the energy of the government and ensure that in the spirit of friendliness we can negotiate a new deal.

“But one thing is clear: the old deal that was negotiated has failed to pass the House of Commons three times now, so we do need a new approach.

“Whatever happens, while we remain ready and willing to negotiate, the the EU must appreciate that we’re leaving on 31 October, deal or no deal.”

Pro-EU Labour MP Mary Creagh described Mr Gove’s comments as “another classic Brexit trick – blame EU for the wounds no-dealers want to inflict on UK”.

And Conservative former minister Guto Bebb, a leading supporter of the People’s Vote campaign for a second referendum, said that it came after Mr Johnson’s lieutenant Dominic Cummings tried to point the finger of blame at former chancellor Philip Hammond for blocking no-deal preparations.

“Boris Johnson knows that no deal will be disastrous for jobs, for public services and for our security,” said Mr Bebb.

“No deal will cause havoc at the ports, chaos in the supermarkets and despair in doctors’ surgeries.

“We know he knows this because he’s already trying to blame other people, even senior former colleagues for it. But while he’s desperate to avoid getting the blame, Johnson is also determined to force his vicious Brexit on us, whether we agree to it or not.”

Former Tory minister Guto Bebb said PM was forcing his ‘vicious Brexit’ on country (PA)

The Aberconwy MP denounced briefing against the former chancellor as “cowardly”, and said Mr Johnson’s government was “turning its back on 50 years of Conservative statecraft and pragmatic pro-business policies to pursue an ideological obsession with quitting the EU, whatever the cost, by an arbitrary deadline”.

Mr Varadkar said he did not accept that a no-deal Brexit was now “unavoidable”.

On a visit to Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland, he said it was still possible to avert no-deal by ratifying Ms May’s deal, negotiating a new extension or revoking the UK’s notice of withdrawal under Article 50.

“I’m certainly not fatalistic about that,” he said. “In terms of the EU position, the withdrawal agreement – including the backstop – is closed.

“But there is always room for talks and negotiations. For example we’ve said we can make changes to the political declaration and we’ve demonstrated before it’s possible to offer clarifications.”

In Brussels, Ms Breidthardt said the EU27 were “prepared for no deal”, but added: “A no-deal scenario is not our preferred outcome and we continue to believe an orderly Brexit is the best outcome for all.”

She said: “The EU position remains unchanged. We have agreed the withdrawal agreement with the UK government. The deal we have achieved is the best possible deal.

“We are always willing to add language to the political declaration, but we will not reopen the withdrawal agreement.”

And she added: “President Juncker told prime minister Johnson that the commission does remain available over the coming weeks, should the UK wins to hold talks to clarify its position in more detail, whether by phone or in person.”