Boris Johnson prepares for first meeting with Juncker

The UK is not prepared to postpone Brexit beyond the current 31 October deadline, Boris Johnson is to tell European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at talks on Monday.

The lunchtime meeting in Luxembourg will be the first time the pair have met since the PM took office in July.

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier will also attend the meeting in Luxembourg, while Mr Johnson will be accompanied by Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay and Downing Street’s Brexit representative David Frost.

The prime minister has also said he is “cautiously optimistic” a Brexit deal can be reached, although Mr Barnier said last week there were no “reasons to be optimistic”.

A Downing Street source says Mr Johnson will stress he wants to secure a deal by 18 October, after a key EU summit.

But if not possible, he will “reject any delay offered” and leave with no deal.

The source said Mr Johnson “would make clear that he would not countenance any more delays”.

Johnson has said he believes he can strike a Brexit deal in the next few weeks.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Johnson also reiterated he wants to take the UK out of the EU by 31 October – with or without a deal.

 

Via BBC/Sky News/ The Telegraph