UK sends EU draft plans regarding future relationship; sides scramble to seal Brexit deal

RT
Wed, 16 Oct 2019 10:21 UTC

© AFP/Don Emmert

President of the European Council Donald Tusk • UK PM Boris Johnson

The UK government has confirmed that the all-important draft texts for the political declaration required to complete a Brexit agreement have been submitted to Brussels for approval, with time running out to seal a deal.

During questions by UK lawmakers on the parliamentary select committee on Wednesday, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay revealed that the government had sent the critical documents that outline the future relationship to EU officials.

Barclay also confirmed that PM Boris Johnson will write a letter to the EU on Saturday requesting a delay to Brexit if no deal is agreed at the European Council meeting later this week. He told MPs that Johnson will "comply with the law and comply with undertakings given to the court." Under the terms of the Benn Act, it would mean an extension until January 31, 2020.

However, Barclay was insistent that the UK would be leaving the bloc on October 31 - the Brexit deadline day - and would not accept a delay, even to tie up some loose ends on a deal.

Downing Street has been conducting meetings in recent days with their Northern Irish allies in government, the DUP, and members of the hardline Brexit group European Research Group (ERG). Johnson is mindful that their support is critical in any Brexit deal getting through the UK Parliament.

Comment: RT, 16/10/2019: Tusk says 'basic foundations' for Brexit deal are ready

President of the European Council Donald Tusk has reportedly claimed that a Brexit agreement between the bloc and the UK could be signed off tomorrow in what could be a momentous event in the intractable two-and-a-half year saga.

Tusk told journalists in Brussels on Wednesday afternoon that a deal was within sight, as London and Brussels intensify negotiations that center on solving the Northern Irish border issue.

"The basic foundations of an agreement are ready and theoretically tomorrow we could accept this deal with Great Britain," Tusk said via a live broadcast on Poland's TVN24 news channel.

Earlier in the day, Tusk had reportedly claimed that "theoretically, in seven or eight hours everything should be clear" - implying that Brexit negotiations had arrived at a highly significant juncture.

The growing positive soundings from UK and EU officials around prospects of a Brexit deal finally being agreed in time for the crucial European Council Summit on Thursday and Friday has been somewhat tempered by key Brexit players in the UK.

Talk of an agreement including a customs border in the Irish Sea, ostensibly meaning Northern Ireland would be treated differently to the rest of the UK, has antagonized the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), PM Boris Johnson's allies in government.

A spokesperson for the UK prime minister reported that Johnson said "we are not there yet" on an agreement and that negotiations are still ongoing with the DUP.

It comes after UK Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay revealed to a select committee of MPs on Wednesday morning that the government had sent the all-important critical documents outlining the future relationship to EU officials.

"Everything is going in the right direction, but you will have noticed yourselves that with Brexit and above all with our British partners anything is possible," Tusk said, adding that there were still "certain doubts" on the UK side.

Johnson has until Saturday to finalize a deal with Brussels, otherwise UK law states he must request a delay past the October 31 Brexit deadline.

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