BORIS JOHNSON was accused today of “misleading the public” for reportedly planning to scrap parts of the EU withdrawal agreement after claiming in the last general election campaign that he had an “oven-ready Brexit deal.”
The Brexit process has been thrown into new turmoil, after a hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic, by reports of government moves to bring in new laws which would override parts of the agreement.
The eight rounds of talks between Britain and the EU begin tomorrow, with the government expected to outline its proposed new Internal Market Bill tomorrow.
The Bill would axe requirements for new customs arrangements in Northern Ireland (NI), would end the legal legitimacy of the withdrawal agreement in areas such as NI customs as well as state aid and financial assistance.
At present, NI is supposed to adhere to some EU regulations after the Brexit transition period ends on December 31, in a bid to stop a “hard border” on the island of Ireland.
The government has indicated that the Bill is a necessary move in case trade talks with the EU fail before a trade agreement is worked out by the end of the year – when Britain stops adhering to EU rules.
Both sides have said that a deal would need to be done by mid-October in order for it to be ratified in time.
Labour has accused PM Mr Johnson of misleading people in December’s general election, which resulted in the Tories gaining 24 Labour-heartland seats with a promise to “get Brexit done.”
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth told the BBC: “Boris Johnson fought a general election telling us he had an oven-ready deal; now he suggests that he was misleading people in that general election.”
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney has branded Downing Street’s course of action “unwise.”
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said that he is “worried” and will be seeking clarification from the UK’s chief negotiator David Frost.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said she expects Britain to abide by the withdrawal agreement obligations.
Communist Party of Britain general secretary Robert Griffiths said: “It is difficult to see how the British government will square the circle in the face of EU intransigence.
“With the support of the Labour Party leadership, the EU is determined to control state-aid industry policy in Britain and Northern Ireland, while maintaining a large share of the fishing catch in UK waters.
“The danger is that Mr Johnson will sell out on both issues in order to appease Ulster unionists and City of London bond dealers.”
