BREXIT BREAKING: Kilkenny’s Big Phil lays down the law to British Government
IRELAND’S EU Commissioner – the former Kilkenny TD Phil Hogan – has bluntly told the British Government there will be no renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement.
New British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said the backstop, the insurance policy to avoid a hard border, must be abolished in order to prevent a chaotic no-deal Brexit at the end of October.
However, the EU has stood firm in its stance that the current withdrawal agreement, which contains the backstop, will not be reopened or renegotiated.
Reports today confirmed new UK Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay reaffirmed Mr Johnson’s position in a phone call with Commissioner Hogan earlier this week.
However, the Kilkenny man categorically stated that the backstop would not be changed.
Commissioner Hogan also challenged Mr Barclay and the British Government to come up with some ideas of their own to break the impasse.
After the phone call, Mr Barclay said: “We’re leaving the EU on October 31 with or without a deal.”
Mr Hogan has been nominated for another five-year term at the European Commission by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. He will find out what portfolio he will be given in the new commission next month.
