Boris Johnson to try ‘love bomb’ in trade talks with on EU chief

Boris Johnson will this week urge European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to push on with trade talks.

Ursula von der Leyen will meet Boris Johnson at No 10 for opening talks on Britain’s post-Brexit trade deal with the EU on Wednesday. Picture: AP

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will this week urge the president of the European Commission to push on with trade talks as he seeks to secure a deal with the EU by the end of the year.

Mr Johnson will host Ursula von der Leyen at No 10 Downing Street for opening talks on Britain’s post-Brexit trade deal with the EU on Wednesday.

It will be the first time the president of the European Commission has come to Downing Street since May 2017, when Theresa May hosted Jean-Claude Juncker.

A partial account of that meeting was subsequently leaked to the German press amid claims Mrs May had begged for help and appeared “anxious” and “tormented”. This prompted an ­extraordinary diplomatic row, with Mrs May subsequently ­accusing the EU of trying to “run us over” in Brexit talks before the snap election that year.

Mr Johnson is said to be determined to avoid a repeat of the fractious trade talks under Mrs May in the first phase of Brexit negotiations.

He is said to want to “love bomb” the EU, and avoid using the word Brexit after Britain leaves on January 31.

The Prime Minister is being urged by some ministers, including Trade Secretary Liz Truss and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, to hold trade talks with the EU and the US in parallel.

They argue that doing so will give Britain more “leverage” in negotiations with the EU. Other ministers, however, feel that doing so could jeopardise chances of getting a deal by December. One said: “I just don’t think it’s ­realistic, especially when the timetable is so tight.”

Iain Duncan Smith, the Eurosceptic MP and former Tory leader, said US trade talks could help speed up negotiations with the EU.

Sir Iain wrote in The Sunday Telegraph: “We must also recognise that the EU will deliberately drag its feet in the first few months of the year as they want the UK to be forced to extend the implementation phase at the end of 2020, giving the EU billions more in contributions to its ­budget.

“Which is why we shouldn’t sit waiting for the EU to be ready; we should underline our sovereign position by embarking on parallel trade negotiations with the USA.”

Mr Johnson is determined that the next phase of Brexit talks will be significantly smoother than the first, which were beset by infighting and hostile briefings on both sides.

Ms von der Leyen has previously cast doubt on the chances of reaching a deal by the end of next year. Other senior figures in the EU have insisted that the transition period will have to be extended.

Keeping talks about a future trade agreement civil may, however, prove challenging. Last week, Phil Hogan, the EU’s new trade commissioner, said Mr Johnson would abandon his pledge not to extend the post-Brexit transition period beyond the end of next year.

In an interview, Mr Hogan pointed to how the Prime Min­ister had broken his promise to take Britain out of the EU on ­October 31.

Mr Hogan told The Irish Times: “We saw the way the Prime Minister promised to die in the ditch rather than extend the deadline for Brexit, only for him to do just that.

“I don’t believe Prime Minister Johnson will die in the ditch over the timeline for the future ­relationship either.”

Mr Johnson has introduced a clause in legislation ruling out an extension of the transition period beyond December 31. Mr Hogan said this was “very odd indeed”, adding: “From our point of view, it is important we move from stunt to substance.

“It would be helpful if the focus was on content rather than timetables.”

Ms von der Leyen said she had “serious concern” over the idea Brussels could negotiate a trade deal with Britain within Mr Johnson’s 11-month timetable.

She told French newspaper Les Echos: “It seems to me that on both sides we must ask ourselves seriously if all these negotiations are feasible in such a short time.”

The Times