Our best days are NOT behind us, Boris Johnson tells G7…

Boris Johnson will tell the G7 that Britain’s best days are NOT behind it as he makes his debut on the world stage

  • Johnson to heap pressure on Donald Tusk to reopen Brexit talks on the backstop
  • Warned that any Brexit deal will be hard fought and people should not ‘get their hopes up too soon’
  • Also said ‘mood music’ from visits to Merkel and Macron was ‘very good’

Boris Johnson has vowed to prove wrong those who ‘think Britain’s best days are behind us’ as he prepares to make his debut on the world stage today.

The Prime Minister will use the G7 summit in Biarritz to heap pressure on the EU chief Donald Tusk to re-open Brexit talks on the Irish backstop.

Mr Johnson last night warned that getting a deal will ‘not be easy’ and people should not ‘get their hopes up too soon’.

But he said the ‘mood music’ from Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron this week on his visits to Berlin and Paris was ‘very good’.

The Prime Minister will use the G7 summit in Biarritz to heap pressure on the EU chief Donald Tusk to re-open Brexit talks on the Irish backstop

In a briefing ahead of the gathering, Mr Johnson said his message to his fellow G7 leaders would be that ‘the Britain I lead will be an international, outward-looking, self-confident nation’.

He pledged the country will remain ‘an energetic partner’ that ‘never flinches’ from its responsibilities on the world stage. ‘Some people question the democratic decision this country has made, fearing that we will retreat from the world,’ he added.

‘Some think Britain’s best days are behind us. To those people I say: you are gravely mistaken.’

Angela Merkel gave Boris Johnson a lifeline on Wednesday, telling the UK a deal could be reach if an alternative were found to the Irish backstop which Boris has insisted cannot be agreed

The Prime Minister will hold a one-on-one meeting with Mr Tusk, the European Council president, tomorrow lunchtime when he will seek to build on assurances from Mrs Merkel and Mr Macron that they are willing to look at possible changes to the Brexit deal.

Britain risks an ‘unprecedented’ reduction in its international influence if it leaves the EU without a deal, 25 former ambassadors have warned. The group urged Boris Johnson to reassure leaders at the G7 meeting that he wants a deal and close ties with Europe. In a letter to The Times, they highlighted the importance of Britain’s ‘unique position’ of closeness to the US and the EU. 

Mr Johnson last night said the two leaders could ‘see that we want a deal’ and ‘can see the problems with the backstop’.

But he added: ‘I want to caution everybody, OK? Because this is not going to be a cinch, this is not going to be easy. We will have to work very hard to get this thing done. To persuade our EU friends and partners, who are very, very, very hard over against it, will take some time.’

It was ‘always on the steps of the court, as it were, that the deal is done’, he said, adding: ‘I must urge people – we are going to be working very hard on this but they shouldn’t necessarily get their hopes up too soon.’

The French President (right) echoed the German Chancellor’s suggestion that the deadlock over the Irish backstop could potentially be broken to prevent No Deal during a meeting with Boris Johnson at the Elysee Palace

The French President (right) echoed the German Chancellor’s suggestion that the deadlock over the Irish backstop could potentially be broken to prevent No Deal during a meeting with Boris Johnson at the Elysee Palace

It is understood that in their meeting this week, Mrs Merkel told Mr Johnson that she doesn’t believe it will be decided whether there is a deal or not until the last moment of the European Council summit on October 17 and 18.

Meanwhile, the Government yesterday confirmed that it will not appoint a European Commissioner for when the new Commission takes office on November 1 to show it is serious about leaving on October 31 come what may.

Under EU law, all member states are required to nominate a Commissioner. By not appointing one it creates a block on getting a further Brexit extension. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said: ‘We are leaving the EU on 31 October.

‘As a departing member state we will not be involved in the new Commission so it would be a distraction to nominate a new Commissioner.

‘This is part of the UK’s ongoing preparations for Brexit which allows us to focus on our future relationship with the EU while continuing to explore new opportunities with partners across the world.’ Tory rebels are thought to be planning to hold their own talks with the EU as part of their plans to block a No Deal Brexit.

Some have suggested former ministers such as Philip Hammond could use their contacts to urge Brussels to grant a further extension if a deal has not been passed by MPs. A spokesman for Mr Hammond last night said they had nothing to say on the matter.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk