Boris Johnson launches fresh attempt to reopen Brexit negotiations seeking the removal of the Irish backstop
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched his attempt to reopen Brexit negotiations on Monday night, writing to European Council President Donald Tusk seeking the removal of the Irish backstop.
In the letter, published by his office, Johnson repeated his calls for the device — an insurance policy to avoid the return of a hard border in Ireland — to be removed from the deal reached with his predecessor Theresa May.
In its place, he proposes a commitment to have alternative border arrangements by the end of a post-Brexit transition period.
Claiming his plan would be “more stable more long-lasting”, he says: “The problems with the Backstop run much deeper than the simple political reality that it has three times been rejected by the House of Commons. The truth is that it is simply unviable.”
He sets out three reasons, saying it is “anti-democratic and inconsistent with the sovereignty of the UK”.
Secondly, he claims it is “inconsistent with the UK’s desired final destination for a sustainable long-term relationship with the EU”.
astly, he says it “has become increasingly clear that the backstop risks weakening the delicate balance embodied in the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement”, which brought peace to Northern Ireland.
The PM says he would make a “legally-binding commitment” not to install “infrastructure, checks or controls” along the border.
The Conservative leader jets to Berlin on Wednesday for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, followed by a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday.
Mr Johnson spent nearly an hour on the phone with Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar on Monday, before tabling his demands to EU leaders.
Britain is due to leave the EU with or without a deal on October 31.
