- Tweeter
republish
Boris Johnson's stinging defeat in the UK Parliament does nothing to ease the EU-27 relationship with the United Kingdom, while EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier believes the Brexit talks are in a state of paralysis. The Europeans were very careful not to react to the Commons votes on Wednesday.
With our correspondent in Brussels, Pierre Benazet ,
The Europeans have carefully refrained from reacting to the new ups and downs of Westminster but for them the new defeat of Boris Johnson in the House of Commons only adds to this puzzle which they feel has somehow lost control.
The 27 granted in April a new postponement of Brexit until October 31 stating that it would be the last. They also reiterated loudly that the hardly negotiated agreement with the UK was the only one possible. These two statements are supposed to constitute the concrete basis of the position of 27. In theory, they leave no room for the extension voted Wednesday by the Commons or any prospect to Boris Johnson for the renegotiation he says he can open.
However, the threats of the British Prime Minister to subject European citizens to a limit of their right to reside in the United Kingdom or his rejection of the safety net for Ireland materialize the scenario of the worst feared by the 27. Resignation to see a steep Brexit happen October 31 could evolve towards a desire to get a minimum agreement to save the furniture.