Politics

There is no progress on Brexit deal unless Irish border is resolved, says Verhofstadt

European Parliament's Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt said that as long as there is no solution for the Irish border, as long as the Good Friday agreement is not fully secured, that progress on the UK's withdrawal agreement is 0 per cent  PICTURE: PA
European Parliament's Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt said that as long as there is no solution for the Irish border, as long as the Good Friday agreement is not fully secured, that progress on the UK's withdrawal agreement is 0 per cent PICTU European Parliament's Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt said that as long as there is no solution for the Irish border, as long as the Good Friday agreement is not fully secured, that progress on the UK's withdrawal agreement is 0 per cent PICTURE: PA

THE European Parliament's Brexit negotiator told Theresa May that there is no progress on the withdrawal agreement without progress on the Irish border.

Guy Verhofstadt tweeted a message to the British Prime Minister: "Progress on the #Brexit negotiations can be 90%, 95% or even 99%, but as long as there is no solution for the Irish border, as long as the Good Friday agreement is not fully secured, for us in our Parliament progress is 0%.

"We need agreement on the Irish border. The Good Friday Agreement must be protected."

He also said he was "optimistic" that a deal can be reached "in the coming weeks in the interests of the union and in the interests of the UK".

He urged EU negotiators to offer a right to "unhindered onward movement" for UK nationals living in the EU, allowing them to move home and work between the 27 states, in return for a "right of lifelong return" for EU citizens living in Britain who move away from the country in future.

"I was in Downing Street and they are ready to go for such a trade-off. If the council were to push for such a solution, it is a trade-off that is possible," he said.

His comments were echoed by European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans.

"The bottom line is we don't yet have the decisive progress we need," he said.

"The goodwill and determination to find an agreement as soon as possible are there, but it's also clear that we will not rush a deal through at the expense of our principles or our agreed commitments, most notably on the Irish border question.

"With all of this in mind, we must now continue negotiating with patience, calm and an open mind. The Commission and our chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, received the full backing of all leaders to do just that.

"It is time to deliver and we are getting on with the job."

European Parliament president Antonio Tajani said that without a backstop arrangement to keep the Irish border open "it will be very difficult for Parliament to vote in favour of the Brexit treaty".

Meanwhile, European Council president Donald Tusk has said it was Britain, which said at last week's EU summit that more time was needed to reach a Brexit deal and raised the idea of an extension of the transition period.

Reporting back on the summit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Tusk said he was sure that leaders of the remaining 27 member states would consider a UK request for a transition extension "positively".

He told MEPs: "It was made clear by the UK that more time was needed to find a precise solution. Therefore there is no other way but to continue the talks.

"Since Prime Minister May mentioned the idea of extending the transition period, let me repeat that if the UK decided that such an extension would be helpful to reach a deal, I'm sure that the leaders would be ready to consider it positively.

"Of course, I stand ready to convene a European Council if and when the union negotiator reports that decisive progress has been made."

Mr Tusk said the EU is preparing for a no-deal Brexit, but hopes never to see it, adding: "The Brexit talks continue with the aim of reaching a deal."

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "Almost with every day that passes right now, instead of the UK government opening up negotiating space that increases the possibility of reaching a deal that then can attract political support, they seem to be closing down that negotiating space and digging themselves deeper into the hole they've got themselves in.

"As things stand just now I think no deal may actually be the most likely outcome, and that is deeply concerning.

"Given that we are two years on from the vote, five months away from exit, it is staggering incompetence that the government has allowed the situation to get to this stage.

"I think Brexit is frankly shaping up to be the biggest failure of government policy and handling of a situation that any of us have ever seen perhaps in our entire lifetimes."

Welcoming Czech prime minister Andrej Babis to Downing Street for talks, Mrs May said she hoped for strong business links after Brexit, stating: "I'm looking forward to our discussions, how we can strengthen our links, and build on very good trading relationships we have at the moment.

"But, also there are other areas where we have great partnership, in science, innovation, and I want to talk about how we can build on those in the future, and strengthen those links too."

Ukip MEP Nigel Farage denounced the UK negotiating team under Olly Robbins as an "enemy within" attempting to sabotage Brexit and said Britain was heading for humiliation unless the Conservative Party got rid of Theresa May.

Speaking to the European Parliament, Mr Farage thanked Mr Tusk for "confirming that it was Theresa May that asked for a one-year extension to the transition period".

He also dismissed the threat of a hard border in Ireland as a "red herring" that would never come to pass,

In a tweet, Donald Tusk said: "In response to Nigel Farage in EP (European Parliament): I don't know what the result of the #brexit talks is going to be. But I know that it is the Brexiteers who are 100% responsible for bringing back the problem of the Irish border."