Macron ally sends Boris huge warning as no deal looms – ‘Brexit is not a game’

The Boris Johnson government is hopeful it can strike an amended deal with Brussels at an October 18-17 summit, and has repeatedly stressed a delay would be “pointless”. Paris is firmly opposed to any tax haven being set up on Europe’s doorstep, France’s Junior Minister for European Affairs said on Thursday when commenting on Britain’s Brexit plans. Amélie de Montchalin told CNews television: “London has made new proposals. But we need to make sure our standards are met. I do not want any tax haven to be set up at the gates of Europe.”

She also said that divorce talks had been made more difficult by lawmakers’ unclear position on Brexit.

Mrs de Montchalin tweeted later in the day: “The United Kingdom cannot become a tax haven, nor export goods that do not respect the bloc’s sanitary and security rules.

“Brexit is neither a game, nor a bargaining tool. We are not prepared to do anything just for the sake of getting a deal.”

With less than a month left until the UK is due to leave the EU, both sides are scrambling to avoid the blame for a delay or a no deal Brexit.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson made his “final” offer to Brussels on Wednesday, pitching a possible compromise for a last-minute divorce deal.

He urged Brussels to make concessions on the Irish border, warning that if it did not then he would take the country out of the bloc without a deal on October 31.

Mr Johnson went further than hoped on the most contentious issue – how to avoid a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland – with a proposal for an all-island regulatory zone to cover all goods, replacing the so-called ‘backstop’ he says must be dropped from any deal.

The prime minister also suggested giving Northern Ireland the ongoing power to abide by or exit the regulatory zone, a proposal likely to be rejected by both Ireland and the EU.

The main issue is how to prevent Northern Ireland from becoming a “back door” into the EU single market without reinstating border controls that risk to undermine the 1998 Good Friday Agreement (GFA) that ended decades of political violence.

The bloc’s outgoing Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker welcomed “positive advances” in London’s proposals, such as the full regulatory alignment for all goods, but underlined some problems.

Shortly after a phone conversation between Mr Juncker and Mr Johnson, the Commission said in a statement: “There are still some problematic points that will need further work in the coming days, notably with regards to the governance of the backstop.

“The EU wants a deal. We remain united and ready to work 24/7 to make this happen – as we have for over three years now.”

While initially branding the proposals as his “final offer,” Mr Johnson later admitted his plan was a “broad landing zone,” signalling a willingness to engage in intensive discussions.

Mr Johnson says he wants to strike an amended deal with Brussels at an October 17-18 summit, and has repeatedly insisted that asking for a second delay would be “pointless and expensive”.

But, despite early encouraging signals being mooted, the Prime Minister was hit with a huge blow on Thursday afternoon after the Irish Government snubbed the plans.

Irish Premier Leo Varadkar said the Brexit plan “falls short in a number of aspects” while deputy prime minister Simon Coveney said “if that is the final proposal, there will be no deal”.

source: express.co.uk