Hopes revived after successful talks
Boris Johnson can secure a Brexit deal as early as next week, the Irish prime minister claimed yesterday, with both men saying that they could now see the “pathway” to an agreement.
In an unexpectedly upbeat assessment after three hours of talks between the two leaders, Leo Varadkar said that there was a clear basis for detailed negotiations in Brussels.
The pound rose sharply after thbe statement and by last night was 2 per cent higher against the US dollar at $1.245, its biggest one-day gain in seven months. Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, is briefing Michel Barnier, the chief EU negotiator, on the proposals in Brussels this morning.
Mr Varadkar said: “I hope what happened today will be sufficient to allow negotiations to resume. I do see a pathway towards an agreement in the coming weeks.”
However, with little detail on the substance of the talks, cabinet ministers gave mixed messages on the likelihood of a breakthrough. Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, told BBC One’s Question Time: “I don’t think we should get too excited.” Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I had a very nice briefing this morning which was very much appreciated.”
Although each side was tight-lipped about the basis of a potential deal, it is understood to involve a “substantial” offer from Mr Johnson on customs checks and a consent mechanism to give the Northern Ireland assembly a say on how long a new backstop should last. Critically, he is understood to have dropped his insistence that the Tories’ DUP allies be given a veto on new arrangements coming into effect.
The Times understands that Mr Johnson spoke to Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, before the meeting and last night party sources did not dismiss what had been agreed out of hand.
However, they cautioned that there was a long way to go in the negotiations and suggested that Mr Varadkar may have been overly optimistic. Even if it can be agreed in Brussels, if the DUP rejects the plan it could still be turned down by the House of Commons.
Nevertheless, there was a feeling in London and Dublin that genuine progress had been made before next week’s European Council meeting.
Sources said that it had also rebuilt trust between the two sides after a fractious few days during which Downing Street accused Mr Varadkar of putting obstacles in the way of a deal. It had said that he had reneged on private assurances not to openly attack Mr Johnson’s previous proposals. Mr Johnson’s aides accused the Irish administration of leaking the plan to the media before it was published.
Significantly, Dominic Cummings, Mr Johnson’s chief adviser, who was blamed for the briefings, attended yesterday’s meeting at a country house hotel outside Liverpool. Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, also took part with his Irish counterpart.
“Both [leaders] continue to believe a deal is in everybody’s interest. They agreed that they could see a pathway to a possible deal,” the two governments said in a joint statement.
“They agreed to reflect further on their discussions and that officials would continue to engage intensively on them.”
It is understood that Irish officials in Brussels briefed their counterparts on the EU’s “taskforce 50” negotiating team last night. If a deal is seen to be possible then British and European negotiators could meet at the weekend to hammer out a legal text before Thursday’s summit. Mr Johnson made no public comment after the meeting but Mr Varadkar said that what had been agreed should be “sufficient to allow negotiations to resume in Brussels”.
“I had a very good meeting. It was very positive and very promising. I am now absolutely convinced that both Ireland and Britain want there to be an agreement that’s in the interests of Ireland and the UK and the EU as a whole,” he said.
He added: “I think it is possible for us to come to an agreement, to have a treaty to allow the UK to leave the EU in an orderly fashion, and to have that done by the end of October, but there’s many a slip between cup and lip.
“In terms of how long it will take, I can’t predict that with any certainty, but I think all sides would like there to be an agreement next week at the council if possible.”
Mr Varadkar said that any deal would include mechanisms for co-operation between Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic.
“We had a good discussion looking forward to how relationships might look after Brexit, how we can strengthen co-operation North and South economically and politically and also between Britain and Ireland,” he said.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/hope-of-path-to-a-brexit-deal-after-johnson-meets-irish-pm-varadkar-5xrl88xj7
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