Is Boris Johnson approaching a Brexit breakthrough? That’s the question being asked among Conservative MPs after there appeared to be movement last week from the government and DUP that could help to secure a deal with the EU. Today the Prime Minister met with EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Luxembourg to discuss the prospect, over a lunch of pollock and risotto.
On the conclusion of the meeting, a No. 10 spokesman said the pair had agreed to step up discussions and for Michel Barnier and Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay to hold talks on a political level:
‘The leaders agreed that the discussions needed to intensify and that meetings would soon take place on a daily basis. It was agreed that talks should also take place at a political level between Michel Barnier and the Brexit Secretary, and conversations would also continue between President Juncker and the Prime Minister.’
However a European Commission spokesperson had a somewhat more gloomy readout – saying they still had not received from Boris Johnson specific proposals on replacing the backstop:
‘President Juncker recalled that it is the UK’s responsibility to come forward with legally operational solutions that are compatible with the withdrawal agreement.
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