By Ben Kerrigan
Tory Chairman James Cleverly has said the ball is in the EU Court after the Uk prime minister announced segments of his proposed deal for Brexit. His comments made to BBC Radio 4 comes as the prime minister and EU Commissioner Jean Juncker are scheduled to have a telephone conversation later today.
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”. Johnson re-iterated past commitments not to negotiate a further delay beyond August 31st.He made no reference to the terms of a law passed by Parliament last month requiring the prime minister to request another extension unless MPs back the terms of withdrawal by 19 October – two days after a summit of European leaders.
Johnson said some customs checks would be needed as the UK leaves the EU’s customs union and single market, adding that technology could keep them to an “absolute minimum”. He dismissed the solution reached by the EU and Theresa May in relation to the backstop, as “anti-democratic” and “inconsistent with the sovereignty of the UK”. He added that it offered no means for the UK to unilaterally exit and no say for the people of Northern Ireland over the rules that would apply there.
The proposals also suggest a time period for when the relationship between Northern Ireland and the EU could move on. Cleverly told The EU programme:
“We have been in negotiating for some while,” he said. “The UK has been flexible, but a negotiation means both parties need to be flexible.
“What we need to see now is the EU be flexible – and if they can be pragmatic and flexible, we can leave with a deal on 31 October. But we are going to leave on 31 October whatever”
Ready For Deal: Boris Johnson
BIG MOVE
Johnson’s proposals will be considered carefully by the EU, the Union said. However, Irish Fine Gael senator Neale Richmond told Today that the PM’s plans were a “big move” from the withdrawal agreement made by Theresa May.
Mr Richmond said, under the plan, Northern Ireland would leave the customs union and “come out of the single market in all areas, apart from agri-food products and industrial products, and indeed it only stays in those areas for four years”.
This, he added, would require “additional checks” on the island of Ireland .