EU Rebuffs Johnson Bid to Reopen Brexit Deal as Deadlock Remains
- Bloc welcomes PM’s ‘engagement’ but says letter lacks detail
- Johnson demanded removal of Irish backstop from divorce deal
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The European Union poured cold water on Boris Johnson’s attempt to renegotiate the Brexit deal, saying the so-called backstop to prevent a hard Irish border -- which the British prime minister wants scrapped -- was a vital part of the divorce agreement.
It means that with just over two months to go until Johnson has said the U.K. will leave the bloc “do or die,” the two sides are completely deadlocked -- with Britain on course to leave on Oct. 31 without the safety net of an agreement and a transition phase to smooth the process.