Is Boris Johnson about to U-turn and reopen Brexit negotiations with the EU?

Politics Explained: The prime minister vowed not to ‘sit down’ with EU leaders until they gave ground on Brexit, but he will be in both Berlin and Paris in the next few days, reports Rob Merrick

Boris Johnson’s spokesperson was emphatic, when the new prime minister entered No 10 – there would be no fresh talks with EU leaders until they budged on Brexit.

Any greetings in Germany planned? A parley in Paris perhaps, for the new leader? Nope, nothing. Not until the other side agreed to bin the hated Irish backstop, we were told.

“The prime minister would be happy to sit down with leaders when that position changes,” the spokesperson said. “But he is making it clear to everybody he speaks to that that needs to happen.”

But what’s this? The red carpet will be rolled out for Mr Johnson in Berlin next Wednesday and again in the French capital the following day, The Independent has learned.

Let’s be clear, the EU has not budged on the backstop – something our prime minister himself admitted when he warned a crash-out Brexit on 31 October was becoming “more likely”.

Perhaps the leaders will simply find other things to talk about? They could reminisce over the time Mr Johnson insulted both of our allies by accusing France of Nazi-style “punishment beatings” on Britain over Brexit. Perhaps not.

Downing Street’s position is that the visits will not be “a negotiation” but simply a chance to clear the ground, face to face before a mass gathering at the G7 summit in Biarritz next Saturday.

That assembly could be dominated by a blond-haired, right-wing, tub-thumping, gaffe-prone populist – and his first meeting, as prime minister, with his pal Donald Trump.

In all seriousness, there is clearly merit in clearing the air with Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron ahead of the frenzy of an international summit, when other issues will distract.

But that logic only underlines that Brexit is certain to dominate proceedings in Paris and Berlin, regardless of No 10’s denial that any negotiations will take place.

Presumably, the German chancellor and French president will be looking for any chink of light in Mr Johnson’s insistence that the divorce deal, in in its current form, is dead and buried.

He, in turn, will be trying to convince them he is deadly serious about a no-deal Brexit in 74 days’ time, if they refuse to strip out the backstop, and that a divided parliament is not about to ride to the rescue. They will then point him to the agreed red lines of all 27 EU countries.

Perhaps only when they get in the room together will they learn if any real “negotiation” is possible. On the face of it, the chances are next to non-existent.