Boris Johnson to meet EU leaders in bid to secure new Brexit deal

The tour follows the leaking of a government report that outlines a number of potentially dire ‘aftershocks’ should the UK leave without an agreement

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be holding meetings with European leaders including France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Angela Merkel in a bid to secure a new Brexit deal for the UK.

While Johnson is expected to insist on a new deal, he is expected to bring across the message that the UK would still be ready to leave without an agreement come 31 October.

Documents leaked yesterday by the Sunday Times describe a three-month “meltdown” at Britiish ports, a hard Irish border and shortages of food and medicine if the UK were to leave without a deal.

The documents also suggest that the introduction of petrol tariffs would lead to the closure of two refineries, with the likelihood of protests across the country.

Michael Gove, the minister responsible for planning for a no-deal Brexit played down the report, stressing that it envisaged a “worst-case” scenario.

Media reports also claimed that the UK’s new hardline Home Secretary is pushing for border restrictions to come into effect on 31 October, effectively ending freedom of movement for EU citizens.  

The meetings come ahead of a two-day G7 summit starting Saturday in Biarritz, France. They are Johnson’s first meetings overseas since replacing Theresa May.

Despite the new government’s insistence on finding a new deal, European leaders have repeatedly said that there was no other deal on the table.

The UK on Sunday also announced the scrapping of the European Communities Act, which saw it join the EU 46 years ago. The order was signed by Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay on Friday and was described as a clear signal to the people that “there is no turning back”.