The mantra is the prime minister is focused on securing a deal with Brussels, something Johnson
confidently told journalists there was “bags of time” to achieve.
However, his refusal to compromise on the removal of the backstop – a key red line for the EU – has led
to brinkmanship from both sides and the very real prospect of a no-deal Brexit in the autumn.
With this in mind, the prime minister now seems to be laying the groundwork for the inevitable fallout if
he cannot get Brussels on side.
Pro-EU Tories are nervous about when they should act to thwart a no-deal Brexit, as they don’t want to be
blamed for derailing Johnson’s efforts to get a deal
In a recent Facebook Q&A session, he attacked the “terrible collaboration” between no-deal rebels and the
EU, saying the so-called rebel alliance of pro-EU MPs was destroying his efforts to secure a deal.
He said that the EU was “sticking with every letter, every comma of the withdrawal agreement, including
the backstop, because they still think that Brexit can be blocked in parliament”.
This message enables Johnson to blame both MPs and European leaders for a failure to agree a deal, so the
UK will be “forced to leave with a no-deal Brexit”.
Trips to Berlin and Paris this week made it clear that the prime minister is not the only one trying to shift
the responsibility. Both Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel also said they wanted to get a Brexit deal but
they maintain that the Irish backstop is a vital part of any agreement.
Merkel caused excitement when she appeared to give Johnson a 30-day deadline to find a replacement for
the backstop – before later clarifying that it was only an example of how short a time was left. What she was
really doing was placing the responsibility firmly with Johnson, something Macron also did when he
dismissed Brexit as a “British political problem”.
Meanwhile back in Westminster, pro-EU Tories are nervous about when they should act to thwart a no-
deal Brexit, as they don’t want to be blamed for derailing Johnson’s efforts to get a deal.
Some Conservative rebels have rejected Jeremy Corbyn’s invitation to meet to discuss tactics on fighting no
deal, as he pushes for opposition MPs to instal him in Downing Street as a caretaker prime minister if
Johnson is ousted.
Labour intends to bring a no-confidence vote in the prime minister when parliament returns in September
but it is unclear whether Corbyn can secure the numbers to get into No 10.
One ex-cabinet minister Tory rebel told The Sun: “Boris needs to be given a chance to get a new deal. Most
Tories in the rebel alliance will be reluctant to be the obstruction to that by acting prematurely.”
With so much at stake, and so many unnatural alliances in place, it is unsurprising that everyone is nervous.
But when it comes to the prospect of a catastrophic no-deal Brexit, no amount of finger-pointing will
absolve Johnson of blame.