A Brexit deal is “overwhelmingly unlikely” unless Britain leaves Northern Ireland in the customs union, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a phone call on Tuesday, a British source told Reuters.
The source added that “Merkel said that if Germany wanted to leave the EU they could do it with no problem but the UK cannot leave without leaving Northern Ireland behind in a customs union and in full alignment forever”.
The German leader also reportedly told her British counterpart that she thinks the EU has a veto on Britain leaving the customs union.
The British leader has repeatedly said he wants the UK to leave the bloc by October 31, with or without an agreement in place. He has reiterated this position despite MPs passing legislation that forces him to demand a third Brexit delay if a deal is not struck before October 19.
But Johnson has demanded the EU scrap the backstop arrangement — a policy designed to prevent a hard border in Ireland that could threaten peace on the island — which the bloc has rejected, putting the onus on the UK to find an alternative solution.