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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/08/boris-johnson-ready-to-give-up-on-brexit-deal
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| Boris Johnson ready to give up on Brexit deal | Boris Johnson ready to give up on Brexit deal |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Boris Johnson is poised to give up on Brexit deal talks with the EU after speaking to the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, with a No 10 source briefing that an agreement looked “essentially impossible not just now but ever”. | Boris Johnson is poised to give up on Brexit deal talks with the EU after speaking to the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, with a No 10 source briefing that an agreement looked “essentially impossible not just now but ever”. |
| The prime minister appears to be heading for a more explicit no-deal strategy after speaking to Merkel to discuss his Brexit proposals, which have been given a frosty reception by the EU. | The prime minister appears to be heading for a more explicit no-deal strategy after speaking to Merkel to discuss his Brexit proposals, which have been given a frosty reception by the EU. |
| An anonymous No 10 source briefed broadcast journalists, saying Merkel “made clear a deal is overwhelmingly unlikely and she thinks the EU has a veto on us leaving the customs union”. Downing Street did not deny the contents of the statement and Berlin is yet to give its side of the conversation. | |
| “Merkel said that if Germany wanted to leave the EU they could do it no problem but the UK cannot leave without leaving Northern Ireland behind in a customs union and in full alignment forever. She said Ireland is the government’s special problem and Ireland must at least have a veto on NI leaving. Merkel said the PM should tell Northern Ireland it must stay in full alignment forever but that even this would not eliminate customs issues,” the source said. | “Merkel said that if Germany wanted to leave the EU they could do it no problem but the UK cannot leave without leaving Northern Ireland behind in a customs union and in full alignment forever. She said Ireland is the government’s special problem and Ireland must at least have a veto on NI leaving. Merkel said the PM should tell Northern Ireland it must stay in full alignment forever but that even this would not eliminate customs issues,” the source said. |
| “It was a very useful clarifying moment in all sorts of ways. If this represents a new established position then it means a deal is essentially impossible not just now but ever. It also made clear that they are willing to torpedo the Good Friday agreement.” | “It was a very useful clarifying moment in all sorts of ways. If this represents a new established position then it means a deal is essentially impossible not just now but ever. It also made clear that they are willing to torpedo the Good Friday agreement.” |
| The briefing clashed with an earlier senior government source telling journalists there was no shift towards no deal and that No 10’s strong desire was still to leave with a deal. | |
| If the UK is poised to give up on talks, Johnson is likely to be heading for an election fought on a platform of delivering a no-deal Brexit in late November or early December. | |
| Labour has said it will agree to an election only after Johnson has secured a three-month extension to article 50, ruling out a no-deal Brexit on 31 October. No 10 still insists a no-deal Brexit on 31 October is possible, but it is more likely his government will be forced, potentially through the courts, to request and accept a delay. | |
| Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, said Downing Street was engaged in a “cynical attempt to sabotage the negotiations”. | |
| “Boris Johnson will never take responsibility for his own failure to put forward a credible deal. His strategy from day one has been for a no-deal Brexit,” he said. | |
| “It is now more important than ever that parliament unites to prevent this reckless government crashing us out of the EU at the end of the month.” | |
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| Angela Merkel | Angela Merkel |
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