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The EU is pressing for \u201csubstantive progress\u201d from Britain on the future of the Irish border in time for a crunch European Council summit just six weeks away.<\/p>\nThe EU is pressing for \u201csubstantive progress\u201d from Britain on the future of the Irish border in time for a crunch European Council summit just six weeks away.<\/p>\n
Chief negotiator Michel Barnier told ministers from the remaining 27 member states that \u201clittle progress\u201d had been made on the issues of Ireland and governance since the Council last met in March.<\/p>\n
The comments came amid continuing uncertainty over the Government\u2019s preferred option for customs arrangements on the Irish border after Brexit, with a meeting of Theresa May\u2019s \u201cwar cabinet\u201d thought unlikely to unite behind a solution when they meet on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Members of two ministerial working groups spent Monday discussing possible tweaks to the \u201ccustoms partnership\u201d and \u201cmaximum facilitation\u201d plans which have divided Mrs May\u2019s Cabinet, while the Prime Minister herself briefed Tory MPs on details of the two options.<\/p>\n
Boris Johnson \u2013 a backer of the \u201cmax fac\u201d option, using technology to minimize customs delays \u2013 sought to play down reports of a rift with the Prime Minister after he branded the customs partnership \u201ccrazy\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Foreign Secretary batted away suggestions that he should consider resigning, insisting that he regarded the PM\u2019s vision of a Britain outside the customs union as \u201cthe way forward\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we need to do is, as she said, come out of the customs union in such a way as to enable us to have frictionless trade with no hard border in Northern Ireland and to do unhindered, unimpeded free-trade deals with the rest of the world,\u201d said Mr Johnson.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe think that is possible, she thinks that is possible, so that is the way forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
But the UK Government\u2019s hopes of settling on a scheme acceptable to Brussels were dealt a blow when Bulgaria \u2013 the current holder of the European Council\u2019s six-month presidency \u2013 said that neither option would avoid the need for a hard border.<\/p>\n
Speaking after Mr Barnier\u2019s address to the General Affairs Council, Bulgarian deputy prime minister Ekaterina Zaharieva said: \u201cWhat the UK proposed doesn\u2019t mean there is no hard border. Their proposals mean hard borders, unfortunately.\u201d<\/p>\n
Downing Street has repeatedly declined to set a timetable for reaching agreement on the border issue, insisting that the withdrawal agreement does not need to be finalized until October.<\/p>\n
But Ms Zaharieva said: \u201cIn June, we need to see substantive progress on Ireland, on governance and all remaining separation issues.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her comment was echoed by French foreign minister Jean-Yves le Drian following talks with Mr Johnson in London.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe time has come to decide and I think it is essential that at the meeting in June there should be important progress,\u201d said Mr le Drian.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow we have to go to definitive decisions, and the responsibility for those is with the British side.\u201d<\/p>\n
German foreign minister Michael Roth said: \u201cWe are concerned that there is no clear attitude and no clear position from the British side.<\/p>\n
\u201cTime is passing. We must now make substantial progress.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked about the progress that had been made, Michel Barnier said: \u201cI would say little, not very little.\u201d<\/p>\n
There were two rounds of negotiations before the \u201ckey rendezvous\u201d of the June European Council summit, he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Barnier added: \u201cThe clock is ticking and we have to conclude and to finalize this agreement \u2026 before October or November, because we have to keep the time for the ratification by the European Parliament, the European Council and the British side.\u201d<\/p>\n
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned Mr Johnson he was in danger of undermining Britain\u2019s negotiating position with his open criticism of the Government\u2019s proposals.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the EU side, if they see divisions in the open, they will exploit that,\u201d Mr Hunt told BBC Radio 4\u2019s Today programme.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we are going to have these lively debates, we should have them in private.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked if his message to Mr Johnson was to \u201cbelt up\u201d, Mr Hunt said: \u201cYou could say that. I\u2019d say he is a marvellous Foreign Secretary but let\u2019s work as a team.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Scottish National Party\u2019s leader at Westminster, Ian Blackford said Mrs May was \u201cheld hostage by her own ministers\u201d and lacked the leadership to \u201coverride her Hard Brexit wing\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheresa May is showing an absence of any kind of leadership, while her Government is divided and squabbling like cats in a sack in public,\u201d said Mr Blackford.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt beggars belief that there is still no coherent plan for one of the single most important elements of her chaotic, damaging Brexit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prominent eurosceptic Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg praised the PM\u2019s \u201cstraight bat\u201d approach.<\/p>\n
Mr Rees-Mogg told LBC Radio that Mrs May was \u201cthe Geoffrey Boycott of negotiations\u201d, saying: \u201cShe is playing a straight bat, she isn\u2019t giving a great deal away.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think this steady, stable approach is the right one to be taking and is in the national interest.\u201d<\/p>\n