Brexit shock: Why Brussels believes Boris will blink first – ‘This humiliation must end!’

Within his first week in Downing Street, Mr Johnson made clear that the backstop, the insurance policy to prevent a hard border on Ireland, is unacceptable and must be abolished. The Prime Minister’s hardline Brexit strategy has him at loggerheads with the European Union’s most influential leaders – including Leo Varadkar, Emmanuel Macron and Jean-Claude Juncker. Despite the threat of no deal, which key EU figures have claimed would be a tragedy, Brussels is yet to cave as its chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, stands his ground against the growing popularity of Mr Johnson.

Martin Selmayr, the European Commission’s outgoing secretary-general, once claimed Mr Johnson becoming Britain’s prime minister would be a “horror scenario” for Brussels.

Claude Moraes, a Labour Party MEP with over 20 years experience in the European Parliament, told Express.co.uk: “There has been a lot of game-planning for Boris Johnson becoming prime minister, even more so than many other scenarios.

“Amongst officials in the Commission and the Council, I would say there is less surprise than people would imagine in the UK.

“They are taking seriously the issue of no deal with this Cabinet but they also understand that this is a tactical issue being played by Boris Johnson, which blames the EU side for what happens before a general election.”

And it is Mr Johnson’s tactical posturing that leaves Brussels thankful that its no-deal Brexit preparations are up to scratch.

Eurocrats believe that their planning far outweighs the contingency work undertaken by the British Government under Theresa May.

One EU source said: “Brussels will stand fast on the backstop and the issue of no deal because our contingency planning is way further advanced than Britain’s.