Brexit: Boris Johnson's plan 'not even remotely' acceptable

The committee of MEPs representing the parliament’s views on Brexit said the prime minister’s proposals could not form the basis for an agreement, describing them as a “last-minute” effort.

European Council president Donald Tusk has said the EU stands “fully behind Ireland” after the UK published its new Brexit proposals, adding in a tweet that the union remains “open but still unconvinced” by the UK plans.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson unveils his Brexit plan

Ireland’s prime minister, Leo Varadkar, also accused Mr Johnson of contradicting his own proposals during an appearance by the British prime minister in the Commons, in which he sought to convince MPs there would be no return of a hard Irish border.

Downing Street said the proposals to address problems with the Irish border were the "broad landing zone" and the "basis for discussion" in a conciliatory move after Number 10 sources had previously claimed they represented a final offer to Brussels.

Mr Varadkar said he could not fully understand how the UK envisages Northern Ireland and Ireland operating under different customs regimes without the need for checkpoints.

The EU Parliament's Brexit Steering Group issued a strongly-worded assessment of the Prime Minister's proposals saying: "The BSG does not find these last minute proposals of the UK government of 2 October, in their current form, represent a basis for an agreement to which the European Parliament could give consent."

The statement went on: "The proposals do not address the real issues that need to be resolved if the backstop were to be removed, namely the all-island economy, the full respect of the Good Friday Agreement and the integrity of the single market.

"While we remain open to workable, legally operable and serious solutions, the UK’s proposals fall short and represent a significant movement away from joint commitments and objectives."

They went on: "In summary, the BSG has grave concerns about the UK proposal, as tabled. Safeguarding peace and stability on the island of Ireland, protection of citizens and EU’s legal order has to be the main focus of any deal.

"The UK proposals do not match even remotely what was agreed as a sufficient compromise in the backstop.

"The European Parliament remains open to explore all proposals, but these need to be credible, legally operable, and in practise have the same effect as the compromises found in the withdrawal agreement."

European Commission spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud added that "we have many questions on the text" of the Brexit proposal that "need to be answered by the UK and not the other way around".

Mr Varadkar while "reassured" that there should be not be any new physical infrastructure on the island of Ireland linked to customs or customs checks, had serious misgivings.

He said he could not fully understand how the UK envisages Northern Ireland and Ireland operating under different customs regimes without the need for checkpoints.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson plans to prorogue Parliament on October 8

"We need to explore in much more detail the customs proposals that are being put forward as it's very much the view of the Irish government and the people of Ireland, north and south, that there shouldn't be customs checkpoints or tariffs between north and south," he said.

Mr Varadkar said there were five ways to avoid a hard border - the reunification of Ireland; the Irish Republic re-joining the UK; the UK remaining in the single market and customs union; the border backstop mechanism; or the UK reversing the Brexit decision.

On the prospect of the UK abandoning Brexit and staying in the EU, he said: "All the polls since Prime Minister Johnson became prime minister suggest that's what the British people actually want, but their political system isn't able to give them that choice."

Mr Johnson's plans would see Northern Ireland apply EU rules on goods but stay in a customs territory with the UK.

This would create a regulatory barrier for goods crossing the Irish Sea and create a customs border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland - but Mr Johnson has insisted there would be no need for checks or infrastructure at the frontier.

Critics of the plan say that there is no clear idea on how customs checks will be carried out.

The PM said his plans had been driven by the need to "protect" and "fortify" the peace agreement.

Philippe Lamberts MEP, a member of the European Parliament Brexit Steering Group gives an even more stark assessment of Johnson's 'proposals' saying believing the were not a serious attempt to do a deal.

He told Channel 4 News that he believes the Prime Minister does not want a deal and wants to exit the EU without one.

"No-one can blame the European Union to refuse something that no state on the planet would ever even consider," he said. Do you imagine even the UK would keep an open border?

"Accepting Boris Johnson's proposals 'as is' would be much more damaging to us than a no-deal Brexit.

"Some very fundamental elements of the proposals of the Prime Minister are very removed from what would be required to achieve a deal at any day. It is not a question of time, it is a question of political willingness.

"Frankly speaking, what we have seen is so far from what is needed to achieve an agreement, that you might question whether there is a real will to achieve an agreement.

"My deep conviction is that Boris Johnson does not want a deal. What he wants is to be able to shift the blame to the European Union if no deal Brexit happens.

"But no deal Brexit is what he really wants, but without wanting to pay the political price for it."