Johnson’s Brexit plan dismissed by Barnier

The EU’s chief negotiator has immediately dismissed Boris Johnson‘s latest Brexit plan just hours after he unveiled it to MPs.

In an email to member states seen by The Independent Michel Barnier said the proposal unveiled by Mr Johnson on Thursday afternoon was “of course unacceptable” as it crossed red lines laid down by EU leaders.

Johnson used his first statement to the House of Commons as prime minister to call on Brussels to drop the controversial Irish backstop from the Brexit withdrawal agreement as the price of further talks.

In the email, Mr Barnier told member states that the demands contained in the “rather combative” statement by Mr Johnson were very clearly a no-go.

“PM Johnson has stated that if an agreement is to be reached it goes by way of eliminating the backstop. This is of course unacceptable and not within the mandate of the European Council,” he wrote.

Via The Independent