Boris Johnson and
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar have agreed they can see “a pathway to a possible deal” on Brexit.
Following more than two hours of “detailed and constructive” talks in the Wirral, the pair agreed to “reflect further” and brief their negotiating teams on their discussions.
The meeting had been billed as a make-or-break moment for the prime minister’s hopes of getting a
Brexit deal done in time for
Britain to leave the EU on October 31.
While the timescale is increasingly tight, the joint statement issued by Johnson and Varadkar at least keeps the possibility alive.
It comes after Johnson’s “two borders for four years” offer was rejected by the EU because it would give the Northern Irish DUP an effective veto on future trade arrangements on the island of Ireland.
Ireland also raised concerns about Johnson’s plans to introduce customs controls on goods travelling between Northern
Ireland and the Republic – with the idea of any kind of checks a highly controversial subject on the island.
Johnson and Varadkar focused on these two issues in talks, suggesting there is at least a willingness to try and bridge the divide between the two negotiating sides.
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier and
UK Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay will now meet Friday morning to take stock of the talks.
The joint statement from the two leaders read: “The prime minister and Taoiseach have had a detailed and constructive discussion
“Both continue to believe that a deal is in everybody’s interest. They agreed that they could see a pathway to a possible deal.
“Their discussion concentrated on the challenges of customs and consent.
“They also discussed the potential to strengthen bilateral relations, including on Northern Ireland.
“They agreed to reflect further on their discussions and that officials would continue to engage intensively on them.
“Following their discussions the Taoiseach will consult with the (EU) taskforce 50 and the Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay will meet Michel Barnier tomorrow morning.”