Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Brexit negotiations descend into disarray as EU warns 'no solution' in sight

Irish PM says he has 'no legal texts or draft legal texts to consider'

Jon Stone
Brussels
Wednesday 06 March 2019 08:11 EST
Comments
Brexit talks are 'difficult' says EU commission spokesperson

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Efforts by British negotiators to win changes to Theresa May’s Brexit deal are going badly, after talks in Brussels broke up without any progress to report and the EU Commission warned that “no solution” is in sight.

Exasperated Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar has said he had “no legal texts or draft legal texts to consider” following several rounds of meetings between the UK and EU.

A spokesperson for the EU Commission said on Wednesday morning that “while the talks take place in a constructive atmosphere, discussions have been difficult” and that “no solution has been identified at this point that is consistent with the withdrawal agreement”.

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and Attorney General Geoffrey Cox have been meeting repeatedly with chief negotiator Michel Barnier and his team in recent weeks, most recently on Tuesday evening.

They are trying to secure legally binding changes to the controversial Irish backstop in order to convince British MPs to back the withdrawal agreement in a crunch vote next week.

But both sides ditched plans for a read-out of the negotiating meeting late on Wednesday, amid a lack of progress.

“The position as of today is that we have no texts or draft texts to consider or get legal advice on,” the Taoiseach said in the Irish parliament ahead of the latest meeting.

“I am not entirely sure what MPs are looking at in London but we have no legal texts or draft legal texts to consider, to propose amendments to, or to seek legal advice on. What happens a lot in London, as deputies will be aware, is internal negotiations.”

The prime minister herself is expected to visit Brussels this weekend in a bid to turn the tide of talks.

Earlier in the week Mr Varadkar, who has the support of the EU, effectively ruled out the two main asks by the UK for an exit clause or time-limit.

“The backstop is a means to an end but it's a really important end and that is a legally binding assurance that there won't be a hard border on our island," he told reporters.

“We need to know that that will apply and that it won't be time-limited and that there won't be a unilateral exit from it.”

The lack of progress appears to bode poorly for the Government’s chances of convincing Tory MPs to back the deal.

At the weekend Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 committee, said he would support the withdrawal agreement next if the Attorney General could produce “a legally binding guarantee that the backstop is temporary”.

If any concessions do come out of Brussels they are likely to be in the form of clarifications to the existing deal rather than anything that contradicts the “all weather” nature of the backstop.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in