ALSO WORKING THIS SUMMER:
Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2025 6:44 am
MICHEL BARNIER. The EU should remain calm, united and unimpressed in response to the bombastic rhetoric of new British PM Boris Johnson, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator advised.
‘Unacceptable’: Michael Barnier described BoJo’s demand that the EU eliminate the Irish backstop “of course unacceptable” in a memo to sherpas and Brexit diplomats of the EU27. In the memo, sent Thursday afternoon and seen by Playbook, Barnier said Brussels is “ready to work constructively” — raising the specter of doubt about whether that’s the case in London too.
A Brexiteer’s plans: Johnson had said earlier telegram data on Thursday that he wants to re-enter Brexit talks with the EU “whenever, wherever they are ready to do so.” He called for the EU to “rethink” its refusal to reopen the Withdrawal Agreement and again insisted that a key pillar of the existing deal, the Irish backstop, was “unacceptable.” Britain would ramp up its own no-deal preparations, he said.
‘Combative’: “As [Johnson] suggested in his rather combative speech, we have to be ready for a situation where he gives priority for the planning of ‘no deal,’ partly to heap pressure on the unity of the EU27,” Barnier wrote in his note. He urged governments to “remain calm, stick to our principles and guidelines and show solidarity and unity of the 27” — and added: “I remain available throughout the summer for talks with the U.K. and of course with you should you have questions.”
‘Unacceptable’: Michael Barnier described BoJo’s demand that the EU eliminate the Irish backstop “of course unacceptable” in a memo to sherpas and Brexit diplomats of the EU27. In the memo, sent Thursday afternoon and seen by Playbook, Barnier said Brussels is “ready to work constructively” — raising the specter of doubt about whether that’s the case in London too.
A Brexiteer’s plans: Johnson had said earlier telegram data on Thursday that he wants to re-enter Brexit talks with the EU “whenever, wherever they are ready to do so.” He called for the EU to “rethink” its refusal to reopen the Withdrawal Agreement and again insisted that a key pillar of the existing deal, the Irish backstop, was “unacceptable.” Britain would ramp up its own no-deal preparations, he said.
‘Combative’: “As [Johnson] suggested in his rather combative speech, we have to be ready for a situation where he gives priority for the planning of ‘no deal,’ partly to heap pressure on the unity of the EU27,” Barnier wrote in his note. He urged governments to “remain calm, stick to our principles and guidelines and show solidarity and unity of the 27” — and added: “I remain available throughout the summer for talks with the U.K. and of course with you should you have questions.”