February 6, 2025
Boris Johnson's 'plan was always WTO' - EU's trade talks doomed
Mr Johnson on Monday virtually met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Michel Barnier and European Parlament President David Sassoli.
Mr Johnson on Monday virtually met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Michel Barnier and European Parlament President David Sassoli.

BORIS JOHNSON is on track to conclude Brexit trade talks with the European Union with a no deal as neither he nor the bloc is willing to “blink first”, expert Professor John Ryan claimed.

Boris Johnson and the top echelons of the European Union agreed on Monday Brexit trade talks require “new momentum” to ensure a deal is agreed on time. But despite the Prime Minister showing the UK negotiating team is ready to work harder for an agreement, Prof John Ryan from Brexit Partners forecast Britain will not give in to demands. Speaking to RT UK, Prof Ryan said: “I don’t think either is actually going to blink first because I’ve always been of the opinion that the Government’s main idea is to go out on WTO rules and that means a no deal Brexit.

“That would call into question one major issue, which would be Northern Ireland. With no agreement, the Withdrawal Agreement loses its effect and so the protocol there won’t be in place and we would have a hard border.

“On the EU side, I don’t think they are going to compromise. They have actually been more hardline.”

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier is believed to have launched an attempt to convince EU member states to tone down their demands but has not succeeded so far.

Prof Ryan continued: “Barnier has tried to get them to lighten their touch a bit but member states and other institutions, like the European Parliament, have been saying, ‘no, we’re going to stick by this.’

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See Also:

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(2) EU finally admits European fleets don’t have automatic right to fish in UK waters

(3) France horror as violence erupts on streets – Gangs brandish axes and fire guns

(4) Brexit deal ‘next month’ as EU crumbles under Boris push

(5) EU prepares to knuckle down for summer of Brexit talks