Brexit news latest: Boris Johnson's plan will fail unless UK makes 'major shift' on its red lines, Brussels sources say

EU warning at start of critical week of negotiations with Brussels Follow out live politics updates HERE
Boris Johnson need to make a 'major shift' on his Brexit red lines if he wants a deal, according to EU sources
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Boris Johnson's new Brexit blueprint will fail unless the UK makes a “major shift” on its so-called red lines, Brussels sources said today.

The warning came as the Prime Minister’s chief negotiator David Frost began talks with the EU Commission with the clock ticking towards the scheduled exit date of October 31.

EU sources told the Standard: “Michel Barnier was very clear: the Johnson deal is never going to fly unless there is a major shift by the UK.”

They said the two major stumbling blocks were the issue of consent for Northern Ireland and the UK’s insistence that Northern Ireland comes out of the EU’s customs union. In order to get a deal, the source said it would require further concessions from the UK and this could only be done at the “highest political level”.

However, they admitted the UK had made a major concession by offering to follow EU rules for all products in Northern Ireland, instead of just farming and food products.

Under the new plan, the Northern Ireland Assembly will be able vote every four years on whether to remain aligned to EU regulations or to follow the rest of Britain.

Concerns were raised that the mechanism could effectively hand the DUP a veto on post-Brexit arrangements.

Meanwhile, Government ministers struck an optimistic tone with Health Secretary Matt Hancock stating that there was a “good chance” of a deal as Downing Street embarked on a week of last-ditch diplomacy.

Matt Hancock was optimistic about the UK's chances of getting a deal
AFP via Getty Images

He told talkRADIO: “We’ve made some significant compromises. It’s time for the EU to do the same. Let’s get it done. We’ve made compromises, it’s time for the EU to move.”

Mr Frost was due to have discussions with the EU today while Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay was visiting EU capitals.

In a phone call yesterday, French leader Emmanuel Macron told the PM that the EU will decide at the end of the week whether a Brexit deal is possible, in advance of the European Council summit on October 17 and 18.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn was meeting the leaders of other opposition parties to scrutinise the Government’s new proposals. He was set to meet the SNP’s Ian Blackford, Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson and the Greens’ Caroline Lucas — as well as Anna Soubry of the Independent Group for Change and Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville Roberts.

He said: “The cross-party meeting will decide what next steps we can take together to hold the Government to account, and to ensure the Prime Minister adheres to the law in seeking an extension if no deal is reached by October 19. It’s already clear that Johnson’s proposal would slash food safety and standards.”

Shadow cabinet ministers John McDonnell, Valerie Vaz and Shami Chakrabarti will also be in attendance, along with the Lib Dems’s Brexit spokesman Tom Brake.

A senior Number 10 source said: “This is the chance to get a deal done. The UK has made a big, important offer but it’s time for the Commission to show a willingness to compromise too. If not the UK will leave with no deal.”

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