Boris Johnson has been told on Tuesday by the German chancellor Angela Merkel a Brexit deal is “overwhelmingly unlikely,” Downing Street has confirmed.
During a 30-minute phone call to Merkel, Johnson stressed that negotiations with Brussels “are close to breaking down.”
It has been claimed that Merkel said a deal is not possible unless Northern Ireland is to remain in the customs union.
Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council tweeted, “What’s at stake is not winning some stupid blame game.
“At stake is the future of Europe and the UK as well as the security and interests of our people.”
.@BorisJohnson, what’s at stake is not winning some stupid blame game. At stake is the future of Europe and the UK as well as the security and interests of our people. You don’t want a deal, you don’t want an extension, you don’t want to revoke, quo vadis?
— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) October 8, 2019
Sir Kier Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary said the prime minister “will never take responsibility for his own failure to put forward a credible deal.”
He has called on the House of Commons to “unite to prevent this reckless government crashing us out of the EU.”
Johnson remains firm on his stance and has insisted the UK will leave on 31 October with or without a deal.
