Brexit: ‘We will negotiate until the last second’, says Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel has said Brexit negotiations will continue “until the last second”, and raised the possibility of a “special summit”, in a bid to secure a deal before Halloween.
This morning the DUP appeared to scupper hopes of a last-minute breakthrough, saying they could not back the deal as agreed in Brussels “as things stand”.
But Merkel was not to be deterred.
Speaking ahead of today’s European Council summit the German leader told reporters there had been “significant movement”, which meant the two sides were “on a better path”.
Merkel said: “The British side has proved willing to negotiate, and tabled concrete proposals. We are on a better path now, but let me say clearly this morning, we haven’t reached the goal. We have to and we will do everything to make this negotiation a success.
“I can’t say here and now how the European Council will end tomorrow, but I can say we will not allow hate and violence to return to the Irish island caused by a hard border,” she added.
Merkel said an emergency summit could be called “if necessary”.
“Even though we are prepared for a No Deal, an orderly Brexit is in everybody’s interest, particularly in the British interest. The UK remains an important partner in many issues.”
However shortly after Merkel made these comments, Reuters reported that a senior EU official had said there would be no negotiations at the summit because they had not received the legal text.
Even if a deal can be struck there are no guarantees Boris Johnson will be able to get it through parliament.
As well as the DUP, which account for 10 seats and act as the Conservatives’ confidence and supply partners, both the Eurosceptic ERG faction and the pro-Remain group within the Tories have stressed the need to see legal text before they vote on anything.
The vote is expected to take place on 19 October, in order to head off the Benn Act, which stipulates that the Prime Minister must seek an extension to Article 50 if no parliamentary approval has been reached.
Meanwhile Labour is preparing to back an amendment to the motion on Johnson’s deal, which will put it to a confirmatory referendum, ITV reports.
Main image: Getty