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20.08.2019 | Boris to confront Macron and Merkel in fierce Brexit standoff as he delivers ultimatum
Source - The Daily Express

In face-to-face meetings over the next two days, the Prime Minister will tell German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron that he will not discuss a new withdrawal agreement as long as the controversial “backstop” proposal remains in the package. He is also expected to inform them both that Britain will be fully prepared to quit the EU on schedule on October 31 if they fail to compromise.

Mr Johnson will fly to Berlin tomorrow to deliver his ultimatum in person to Chancellor Merkel before moving on to Paris to repeat his message to President Macron.

He wanted to “deliver the message face to face” about the UK’s readiness to quit the EU on schedule this autumn to the two most influential national leaders in the bloc, a Number 10 spokeswoman said.

Downing Street yesterday stepped up the pressure on the EU by announcing that tough new border checks to stop criminals convicted of serious offences will be in force “from day one” after a no-deal Brexit.

Officials also indicated that a massive publicity blitz to inform households and businesses about the need to prepare for a sudden break with the EU will be launched within the next fortnight.

Both moves were designed to show the Government is fully focused on preparations for a possible no-deal Brexit in just over two months.

Mr Johnson yesterday acknowledged that EU leaders had so far shown some “reluctance” to re-open the proposed Brexit deal thrashed out with his predecessor Theresa May but insisted he was “confident” they would eventually cave in.

“Of course our friends and partners on the other side of the Channel are showing a little bit of reluctance at the moment to change their position.

“That’s fine, I am confident that they will. But in the meantime we have to get ready for a no-deal outcome,” the Prime Minister said during a visit to Truro in Cornwall.

“I want a deal. We are ready to work with our friends and partners to get a deal.

“But if you want a good deal for the UK you must simultaneously get ready to come out without one.”

He added: “We are very confident that by October 31 we will be ready.

“That is the crucial thing. That is what people want. People are very confident themselves that they can do it.

“I am not pretending that there won’t be bumps on the road. There will be.

“But if everybody puts their minds to it I have absolutely no doubt that we can get ready.’

Asked if he expected talks with Chancellor Merkel and President Macron to lead to a breakthrough, he said: "Well that is, I'm afraid, very much up to our friends and I hope that they will compromise.

"They have seen that the UK parliament has three times rejected the Withdrawal Agreement, the backstop just doesn't work, it's not democratic and I hope that they will see fit to compromise but in the meantime we get ready to come out on October 31."

Downing Street officials said Mr Johnson’s visits to Berlin and Paris did not mean he had dropped his vow not to begin negotiations until they scrapped the backstop proposal for the Northern Irish border.

His meetings with the two leaders would focus primarily on preparations for this weekend’s G7 Summit of world leaders at Biarritz in France, a Downing Street spokeswoman said.

But he would take the opportunity to tell the pair directly that he is determined to lead the UK out of the EU without a deal unless they make concessions.

“The Prime Minister is going there to deliver the message that he has been speaking to them about on the phone face to face ahead of the G7,” the spokeswoman said.

“You’ve heard the PM speak numerous times in recent weeks about the importance of getting the message across that the UK is leaving, whatever the circumstances, on October 31.

“We obviously have a very close relationship with both of those countries and I’m sure other issues will be discussed.

“Ahead of the G7, it is likely they will discuss other issues – foreign policy, security and so on – but clearly Brexit will form a part of both meetings.”

The spokeswoman added: “You’ve heard the Prime Minister speak in recent weeks about our commitments to preparing to leave whatever the circumstances and the work that we have done to step up preparations and I am sure they will discuss that.”

Officials also dismissed demands from around 100 MPs for the Commons to be recalled from the summer break to debate the Brexit crisis.



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