By: Newsdesk Team
City of London Newsroom
The UK prime minister Boris Johnson will address the Tory conference today [Wednesday, 2nd October] to outline details of his "final" negotiating offer to the EU before submitting his new proposals, intended to form the legal text of a new Brexit deal, to Brussels.
While Johnson maintains his proposals have been drafted in pursuit of a "fair and reasonable" Brexit compromise, however his critics, of which he has many, say this is designed to be unacceptable to the EU edging the UK towards a "no deal" brexit.
Only by leaving the EU on 31 October can the UK "move on", he will argue.On the eve of his speech, Mr Johnson told a conference fringe meeting in Manchester, hosted by the DUP, that he hoped to reach a deal with the EU over the course of "the next few days".
The government has insisted it will not negotiate a further delay beyond the Halloween deadline, saying this would be unnecessary and costly for the UK.
"This is the moment of truth" James Cleverly BBC NewsHowever, under the terms of a law passed by Parliament last month, the prime minister faces having to request another extension unless MPs back the terms of withdrawal by 19 October - two days after a summit of European leaders.
On Tuesday, Mr Johnson dismissed leaked reports that customs posts could be set up on either side of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The public will no longer be "taken for fools" by those who want to delay or block BrexitHe said suggestions the UK wanted "clearance zones" for goods as part of a package of alternative arrangements to replace the Irish backstop were wide of the mark.
While he conceded some customs checks would be needed as the UK leaves the EU's customs union and single market, he said technology could keep them to an "absolute minimum".
