Section:GDN 1N PaGe:8 Edition Date:190731 Edition:01 Zone: Sent at 30/7/2019 20:39 cYanmaGentaYellowbl
- The Guardian Wednesday 31 July 2019
(^8) National
xSubjectxxxx
National
Politics
EU will not scrap
backstop, Var adkar
tells Johnson in
testy exchange
Rowena Mason
Jessica Elgot
Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar have
clashed over the Irish backstop in their
fi rst phone call since the prime minis-
ter entered Downing Street, in a testy
exchange in which the taoiseach said
the EU was united in the view that it
could not be scrapped.
Johnson fi nally spoke to Varadkar
almost a week after becoming prime
minister, telling him the UK would
never put physical checks or infra-
structure at the border with Northern
Ireland after Brexit but demanding the
backstop be scrapped.
He will travel to Northern Ireland
today with the aim of boosting pro-
gress in the Stormont talks by meeting
leaders from fi ve Northern Irish polit-
ical parties. His pre-briefed remarks
made no reference to the border.
Johnson had been accused of snub-
bing Varadkar by leaving it so long to
speak to him, even though he will be
central to whether a new withdrawal
deal with the EU can be agreed.
Varadkar’s spokesman said he
“emphasised to the prime minister
that the backstop was necessary as a
consequence of decisions taken in the
UK and by the UK government”.
He said Varadkar “explained that
the EU was united in its view that
the withdrawal agreement could not
be reopened. Alternative arrange-
ments could replace the backstop in
the future ... but thus far satisfactory
options have yet to be identifi ed and
demonstrated.”
An Irish government spokesman
said Varadkar had invited Johnson
to Dublin for further talks on Brexit
and “ restated the need for both gov-
ernments to be fully committed to
the Good Friday agreement, the pro-
tection of the peace process and the
restoration of the Northern Ireland
institutions”.
A No 10 spokesman said both
leaders committed to maintaining a
warm and deep relationship , but John-
son made clear his view the UK would
be leaving the EU on 31 October regard-
less of whether a deal was struck and
that any new agreement must be “one
that abolishes the backstop”.
Varadkar has ruled out a deal with-
out the backstop, which Eurosceptic
Tory MPs refused to vote for because
they argued it could indefi nitely trap
the UK in a customs union after the
end of the transitional period.
Ireland regards the backstop as inte-
gral to preventing a return to a hard
border with Northern Ireland if new
customs arrangements have not been
put in place by the time the UK leaves.
The No 10 spokesman said: “On
Brexit, the prime minister made clear
that the UK will be leaving the EU on
31 October , no matter what. He said
that, in all scenarios, the government
will be steadfast in its commitment to
the Belfast agreement and will never
put physical checks or physical infra-
structure on the border.”
Pressed later on how he would com-
promise with Ireland, Johnson said
in a TV interview it had been a “very
good conversation ”. “What we are
willing to do ... we’re willing to make
absolutely clear what is the case, that
the UK under no circumstances will
have checks at the border in North-
ern Ireland.
“We will throw all our energies into
sorting out the problems of friction-
less trade at the border. We can do it.
We have all the sorts of technological
solutions that are necessary to do it.
But let’s solve those issues in the con-
text of the free trade agreement that
we’re going to do after we come out on
31 October. That’s what we want to do.”
Johnson has not put forward a clear
proposal for replacing the backstop,
but some senior Tory MPs believe the
solution lies in using technology to
conduct customs checks away from
the border.
Julian Smith, the Northern Ireland
secretary, said today’s visit by Johnson
underlined the importance of restor-
ing the Northern Ireland executive.
Varadkar’s warning to Johnson
came as another sacked ex-minister
told the Guardian he was prepared to
take decisive action in Parliament to
stop a no deal Brexit.
Stephen Hammond, the former
health minister said he had not been
prepared to sign up to a “do or die
pledge” to leave on 31 October 31 even
without a deal.
He will join a number of ex-cabinet
ministers who have said they are pre-
pared to work across party to stop no
deal, including the former chancellor
Philip Hammond.
Journal Stephen Hammond Page 4
Journal Zoe Williams Page 5
Wales Sheep farmers left
in dark over how they can
avoid no-deal catastrophe
Rowena Mason
Peter Walker
Lisa O’Carroll
Boris Johnson failed to give specifi c
details yesterday about how his gov-
ernment would help agriculture in the
event of a no-deal Brexit after farming
groups said it would be catastrophic
for the sheep and lamb industry.
Before his trip to Wales , where he
visited a chicken farm near Newport,
the prime minister was urged to “stop
playing Russian roulette” with farming
and warned that leaving the EU with-
out a deal could spark civil unrest. But
Johnson dismissed those concerns,
saying it was important for people to
be confi dent about the government’s
no-deal plans.
The prime minister failed, however,
to allay the fears of Mark Drakeford,
the Labour fi rst minister, about the
impact of Brexit. After the pair met
yesterday, a Welsh government
spokesperson said: “ The fi rst minister
repeatedly warned of the catastrophic
impact Brexit would have on Wales
and pressed the prime minister on
what support would be available for
Welsh industry and agricultural sec-
tors. No details were given about new
or alternative markets.”
During Johnson’s farm visit , he
declined twice to provide details on
what sort of help farmers would get,
beyond saying they had the support
they needed and that the government
would help them to fi nd new markets if
other ones became trickier to do busi-
ness with.
“ We have interventions that are
aimed to support them and their
incomes ,” he said. “As you know,
Defra, the [agriculture] ministry, has
done a huge amount already to pre-
pare in advance to 29 March, and will
do even more to prepare in the run-
up to 31 October, when we come out.”
Pressed on what help would be pro-
vided, he said: “The more you prepare,
and the more confi dent you are about
the measures you put in place, the less
likely it is that there will be diffi culties
when it comes to 31 October.”
Johnson reiterated his belief that
a no-deal outcome was unlikely and
said it was up to the EU whether the UK
left the bloc without a new withdrawal
agreement: “It’s their call if they want
us to do this.”
He said the EU had to accept the
removal of the Irish backstop. “If
they understand that then I think
we’re going to be at the races ,” said
Johnson. “If they can’t compromise,
if they really can’t do it, then clearly
we have to get ready for a no-deal exit,
and I think we’ll do it. I think the peo-
ple of this country are full of resolve
and purpose, and we will look after the
farming sector.”
Before yesterday’s trip to Wales ,
Johnson was warned that 40% tariff s
on meat exported to the EU could lead
to the mass slaughter of sheep.
Helen Roberts from the National
Sheep Association in Wales said it
would be “absolutely catastrophic”
▲ Leo Varadkar explained to Boris
Johnson that the EU was united
37,
The number of carcasses sent by
UK farms to Europe each week,
regulated by strict EU import rules
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