BRITAIN: Johnson Sees Backlash Over Irish Border Plan

The Guardian reports:

Boris Johnson has signalled to the EU that he would make a major U-turn on his plans for the Irish border to successfully secure a 48-hour window of intensive negotiations over a potential Brexit deal.

EU diplomats gave the green light to a weekend of talks after being told by the bloc’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, that Johnson seemed to better understand the importance of not having a customs border on the island of Ireland.

“Barnier said that the UK seemed to now accept that a deal involving a customs border on the island of Ireland was not possible,” according to an EU source. In a pooled television clip released on Friday afternoon, the prime minister appeared to echo that briefing by refusing to say whether Northern Ireland would definitely leave the customs union.

If Northern Ireland can have a better deal, then why can’t the whole country stay in a customs union?
Or just not leave the EU at all? 🤞#StopBrexit #BorisJohnsonhttps://t.co/Xc9STCF58a

— Slough for Europe 🇪🇺🎪 (@SloughForEU) October 11, 2019

Varadkar says a new “treaty agreement” is possible by the end of October. We didn’t vote Brexit to leave one EU treaty and sign up to another.

— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) October 11, 2019

Exclusive: The government is facing an unprecedented backlash from five key industries over Boris Johnson’s plans for post #Brexit trading arrangements

🚀 Aerospace
🚗 Automotive
🧪 Chemicals
🍲 Food and drink
💊 Pharmaceuticalshttps://t.co/adszmpFOhZ

— BBC Business (@BBCBusiness) October 11, 2019

The public see the subterfuge.

If Boris campaigns for No Deal “a huge Brexit majority awaits. If we work together against the real enemy, Jeremy Corbyn and his bunch of wreckers, we would deliver a positive campaign with a decisive result,” says an “optimistic” Nigel Farage.

— Leave.EU (@LeaveEUOfficial) October 10, 2019

Hate crime spiked during parliamentary debates around what Boris Johnson labelled a “surrender bill” aiming to prevent a no-deal Brexit, police have revealedhttps://t.co/D448pQ7xZ7

— Lizzie Dearden (@lizziedearden) October 11, 2019