FILE PHOTO: Britain’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab participates in joint news conference with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the State Department in Washington, U.S., August 7, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
August 8, 2019
By Dave Graham
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Britain’s foreign minister on Thursday pressed the European Union to amend the terms of Britain’s EU withdrawal agreement, saying Brussels would have to take responsibility for a no-deal Brexit if it is not prepared to compromise.
In an interview with Reuters during a visit to Mexico City, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the British government wanted to leave the European Union with a deal, but would do so without one if EU negotiators did not change their stance.
“If the position from the EU is that the withdrawal agreement can’t be changed – whether it’s add-ons or subtractions – full stop, which is their position today, then let’s face it, they will be taking the decision to see the UK leave on no-deal terms, and that’s a responsibility they will have to bear,” Raab said.
The European Union has said the withdrawal agreement negotiated by the previous British administration will not be re-opened, but the new government under Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants a so-called Irish “backstop” scrapped.
The backstop is a provision put forward by Brussels aimed at keeping the border between the Republic of Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland open, and would oblige Britain to obey some EU rules if no alternative arrangement can be agreed.
Raab said “the backstop, certainly in its current form, is undemocratic and it’s something that will have to be removed.”
The minister took a firm line when asked if there were any circumstances under which Britain would countenance not leaving the European Union on Oct. 31, as is currently foreseen.
“The prime minister been very clear, we’ll leave at the end of October, preferably with a deal with our EU partners,” Raab said. “But in any event, if they don’t move, there’s no movement or flexibility from the EU side then we’ll leave on what’s called WTO (World Trade Organization) terms.”
(Reporting by Dave Graham; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Susan Thomas)
