EU countries woo Boris Johnson to thrash out a new Brexit plan that would avoid a no-deal

EU countries court Boris Johnson to thrash out a new Brexit plan that would avoid a no-deal as he prepares to take over as PM this week.

Boris Johnson’s team are hoping to secure 60 per cent or more of the vote when the results of the Conservative leadership contest are announced this week.

EU countries are secretly wooing Boris Johnson in a bid to thrash out a new Brexit plan that would avoid a no-deal disaster as he prepares to take over as prime minister this week.

Senior Irish politicians and diplomats have held peace talks with two of Mr Johnson’s cabinet allies in recent days.

German and French figures, as well as the Dutch and Belgian governments, have also established contacts with Mr Johnson’s team and signalled an intention to do a deal.

In an article today for The Sunday Times, Simon Coveney, Ireland’s deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs, indicates that Dublin is prepared to compromise.

Coveney writes that the withdrawal agreement concluded with Theresa May, which includes the controversial Northern Ireland backstop, is “not up for negotiation”. But he also makes clear that his country wants to avoid a no-deal Brexit at all costs.

“If Britain decides to leave without a deal it would cause huge damage to us all,” he admits in his article. “A no-deal Brexit will devastate the Northern Irish economy.”

Extending an olive branch to Mr Johnson, he adds: “The goal on our side remains a future relationship between the EU and the UK that makes the backstop unnecessary.”

Geoffrey Cox, the attorney-general, who is helping to devise Mr Johnson’s Brexit plans, met his Irish counterpart, Seamus Woulfe, and the Irish ambassador, Adrian O’Neill, last Monday and made clear that Johnson will pursue a no-deal Brexit unless the EU gives ground.

Protesters with a large effigy of Nigel Farage which is controlling puppets of Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt march to Parliament Square in Westminster during the "No To Boris, Yes To Europe" march on the weekend.

James Brokenshire, a former Northern Ireland secretary, has also held talks with Irish politicians. A source in Mr Johnson’s transition team claimed the Irish are “rethinking their position”. Another suggested that the talks could pave the way for a bilateral deal with Dublin that would render the backstop irrelevant, although Irish sources downplayed that prospect.

Ambassadors from Belgium and Holland last week met Andrea Leadsom, another senior Johnson ally, and signalled a desire to come to a new deal.

Mr Johnson is also being urged to invite the French president and the German chancellor for talks at Chequers, the prime minister’s country retreat.

Mr Johnson’s team are hoping to secure 60 per cent or more of the vote when the results of the Conservative leadership contest are announced on Tuesday morning (Wednesday Australian time).

After a final appearance at prime minister’s questions (PMQs) on Wednesday local time, Ms May will travel to Buckingham Palace to resign. Mr Johnson will follow an hour later and is expected to make his first speech as Prime Minister at about 5pm local time.

Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, left, vs British Conservative Party politician Boris Johnson, right .... the victor become the new leader of the Conservative Party and new UK Prime Minister this week.

In other developments:

● His old foe Michael Gove will be promoted in Mr Johnson’s cabinet reshuffle this week;

● David Gauke, the justice secretary, today uses an interview with The Sunday Times to announce that he will resign to May on Wednesday after PMQs rather than serve in a Johnson cabinet pursuing no-deal, which he says will lead to national “humiliation”.

● Up to six Tory MPs are in talks with the Liberal Democrats about defecting and leaving Johnson with no majority

● Senior Tories are also discussing creating a government of national unity under Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer or Philip Hammond, the outgoing chancellor

● Mr Johnson is set to appoint several key figures from the victorious Vote Leave campaign to his Downing Street team.

The peace feelers come as Mr Johnson’s team is bitterly divided between the pragmatists, led by Mr Cox, who want a new deal and the hardliners, led by Iain Duncan Smith, who want to leave with a bare-bones trade deal before October 31.

In talks last week with Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, Johnson made clear that he wants the civil service to launch a big advertising campaign to prepare business for no-deal.

Whitehall sources say the presumptive prime minister was left “visibly shaken” after being briefed by civil servants to expect civil unrest if he goes through with his threat.

‎A senior government source revealed that importing fresh food through the port of Dover would be only the third highest priority in the event of no-deal, with clean water only fifth. Top of the list are lifesaving drugs, followed by medical devices and fresh food.

Nuclear power plant parts are then given priority over the import of chemicals to purify drinking water.

Contingency planning provides for 8500 troops to be deployed to deal with transport blockages and possible civil unrest and Ministry of Defence staff are receiving training to deploy to ports to deal with traffic jams and tailbacks.

The details of no-deal planning are likely to stoke support from MPs for a new referendum to resolve the issue.

THE SUNDAY TIMES