Boris Johnson fires warning at EU over no deal Brexit – ‘UK will easily cope’

The Prime Minister warned it was “touch and go” whether Britain will quit the bloc with a deal following a dismissive response from European Council President Donald Tusk to his proposals for ending the stalemate. He said £30billion from the divorce fee will be withheld if the EU fails to dump parts of Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement. “I think we can get through this,” said the PM. He added: “This is a great, great country, the UK. We can easily cope with a no-deal scenario.” Mr Johnson launched his latest salvo amid tetchy exchanges with Mr Tusk in the run-up to their meeting at the G7 Summit in Biarritz, France, yesterday. He acknowledged that Brussels’ stonewalling was increasing the likelihood of no-deal. “It all depends on our EU friends and partners,” he said.

“It depends very much on the willingness to co-operate and the Commons. I think they understand there’s an opportunity to do a deal. It’s going to be touch and go.”

After the meeting, a senior EU official launched a scathing attack.

“There was really no detailed discussion at all. It was essentially just a reconfirmation of the views of both sides,” the diplomat said.

“There were no new substantive efforts from any side. Mr Johnson outlined the political situation in the UK and why the deal agreed between the EU27 and Mrs May could not get through Parliament,” the diplomat added.

“The ball is really squarely and firmly in the UK court.”

He said Mr Johnson had no new proposals. “The brutal fact is that there is nothing. Alternative arrangements have always been part of the agreement – but we still don’t know what they look like.”

The Prime Minister confirmed he will not hand over at least three quarters of the £39billion Brexit severance payment agreed if the EU refuses to scrap the “backstop” proposed for the Irish border.

“I think what the entire European Union understands is that if we come out without a deal, then the £39billion is no longer legally pledged,” he said just before meeting Mr Tusk.

He said the money could support “our farmers and indeed for investment in all sorts of areas”.

Mr Johnson said it was “highly unlikely” that the UK could face food shortages in the event of a no-deal on October 31, adding: “There may be bumps on the road but we will get through them.”

During their 20-minute confrontation, the Prime Minister told Mr Tusk he was willing to work “in an energetic way” to renegotiate a new deal.

A senior UK source said of the meeting: “The PM said the deal is anti-democratic. The people of Northern Ireland would have no say in rules covering large swathes of their economy and it would actually be harder for us to exit the new arrangements than it is to leave the EU itself.”

The Prime Minister used his 7am swim around the Roche Ronde mountain, off Biarritz, as a metaphor for the talks.

He said: “From here you cannot tell there is a gigantic hole in that rock. There is a way through. My point to the EU is that there is a way through, but you can’t find it if you just sit on the beach.”