British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s last-ditch attempt to clinch a Brexit deal has been thrown into disarray hours before a European Union summit when the Northern Irish party he needs to help ratify any agreement refused to support it.
Mr Johnson tweeted on Thursday he had secured “a great new deal that takes back control”.
President of the EU Commission Jean-Claude Juncker also tweeted the news: “Where there is a will, there is a #deal – we have one! It’s a fair and balanced agreement for the EU and the UK and it is testament to our commitment to find solutions.”
Mr Johnson had set his hopes on convincing EU leaders to seal a divorce agreement at the summit, followed by a vote at an extraordinary session of the British parliament on Saturday, to pave the way for an orderly departure on October 31.
Negotiators worked through several nights to agree a draft compromise on the Irish border issue, the most difficult part of Brexit, haggling over everything from customs checks to the thorny issue of consent from the Northern Irish administration.
We’ve got a great new deal that takes back control — now Parliament should get Brexit done on Saturday so we can move on to other priorities like the cost of living, the NHS, violent crime and our environment #GetBrexitDone #TakeBackControl
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) October 17, 2019
But the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which supports Mr Johnson’s government, said the text was not acceptable – a step that could spur hardline Brexiteers in his own Conservative party also to oppose ratification unless he secures additional changes.
“As things stand, we could not support what is being suggested on customs and consent issues, and there is a lack of clarity on VAT (value-added tax),” DUP leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds said in a statement on Thursday.
“We will continue to work with the government to try and get a sensible deal that works for Northern Ireland and protects the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom.”
Key section on the new protocol on the consent mechanisms in the draft Brexit deal. There is no DUP veto possible within the first eight years of the new arrangements taking affect. pic.twitter.com/m1cBlfDClh
— Mehreen (@MehreenKhn) October 17, 2019
The European Commission said it wanted a deal, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said one was still possible.
Ms Merkel said more work was needed on Northern Ireland customs and, if necessary, EU leaders could meet again to discuss Brexit.
Two weeks before the latest date for the UK’s departure from the world’s largest trading bloc, the possible outcomes still range from an orderly departure to a chaotic exit or even another referendum that could reverse the entire endeavour.
🇪🇺🤝🇬🇧 Where there is a will, there is a #deal – we have one! It’s a fair and balanced agreement for the EU and the UK and it is testament to our commitment to find solutions. I recommend that #EUCO endorses this deal. pic.twitter.com/7AfKyCZ6k9
— Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) October 17, 2019
Mr Johnson, who was the face of the campaign to leave the EU in Britain’s 2016 referendum, has repeatedly said he will not ask for a delay, even though parliament has passed a law to oblige him to do just that if it has not agreed and ratified a deal by Saturday.
Mr Johnson has no majority in parliament and in practice needs 320 votes to get a deal ratified in what will be the first Saturday session since the Argentine invasion of the Falklands in 1982.
The DUP has 10 votes.
To further complicate matters, Mr Johnson wants to call a snap election but needs opposition backing to do so.
Officials in Brussels said almost all the differences between the world’s fifth-largest economy and its biggest trading bloc had been resolved after marathon talks that extended into the early hours of Thursday.
A UK government source said the system of levying value-added tax remained an outstanding issue.
EU leaders will need to see the text of any agreement to allow them to give some form of approval.
But the British parliament, which defeated similar deals struck by Mr Johnson’s predecessor Theresa May three times, may present an even higher hurdle.
Johnson won the top job by pledging to renegotiate Mrs May’s agreement, though he is reviving the bulk of it now, with changes to the protocol on how to treat the border between EU member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland.
Mr Johnson had assured the EU that, after Mrs May’s three defeats, he could get a deal approved in the British parliament.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker spoke to Mr Johnson before the summit. “We want a deal,” the Commission’s chief spokeswoman said.
Merkel told the lower house of the German parliament: “There has been movement in recent days, significant movement … so we are on a better path than before.
“I cannot say today how the European Council will end tomorrow. But I can say that we will not allow hatred and violence to flare up on the island of Ireland again.”
-AAP
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