BREXIT: UK simply 'cannot meet' EU Brexit requirements
By: Newsdesk Team
City of London Newsroom
The EU has set Britain a task it simply cannot meet in the allotted timescale.
Speaking in Madrid yesterday [Thursday, 19 September] Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said "We are told the UK must provide legally operative text by the 31st October" "Yet the alternative to the backstop is not necessary until the end of the Implementation Period in December 2020.
"And this will be shaped by the future relationship – which is still to be determined" "In short why risk crystallising an undesirable result this November, when both sides can work together – until December 2020. "In summary, the EU risks continuing to insist on a test that the UK cannot meet and that the UK Parliament has rejected three times."
"Bluster, Bluff & Double Bluff!"
The UK still hasn't meet EU requests to propose a concrete alternative to the Irish backstop, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted it be scrapped. EU officials fear they may be "led up the garden path" by British negotiators, who had been visiting the EU capital frequently for talks, but with little sign of actual progress.
Mr Barclay's latest statement is essentially a request for the EU to drop any demand for a backstop in the withdrawal agreement, and let the UK have a transition period without a backstop in place and it seems to have worked somewhat after EU Negotiator Jean-Claude Junker completely softened his tone and has effectively said the the UK "can have a deal"
"You can have a deal!" - Pound reaches a two month high
The transition period can be extended by another two years beyond December 2020 with the agreement of both the EU and UK, though the Boris Johnson has said he has had no "intention" to do so.
A European Commission release said that they could confirm that they had received documents from the UK which will be the subject of "technical discussions" today [Friday, 20 September] and tomorrow.
Editors Note:
Parliament could remain suspended even if court finds against PM
Boris Johnson has not ruled out suspending parliament for a second time. Speaking at the three-day supreme court hearing held to determine whether the current suspension (prorogation) is lawful came to an end.
President of the Supreme Court, Lady Hale said the court hopes to publish a decision early next week. In the final session Lord Pannick QC, representing petitioner business magnate Gina Miller, said that if the government lost parliament should reconvene next week, with the Speaker and Lord Speaker summoning MPs and peers back to work. MC
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