French President Macron 'to help May end Brexit stalemate with legally-binding assurance that Irish backstop is only temporary'
The French president has reportedly softened his stance after an eleventh-hour bid by the EU to help get the withdrawal agreement finalised.
Senior European diplomats said the British government would be given enough in terms of legal assurances to persuade attorney general Geoffrey Cox to change his advice that the backstop could be used to trap the country in a customs union.
A veteran European ambassador said: "There will be sufficient changes to allow Mr Cox to give a pass to the agreement."
Cox and Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay are expected in Brussels on Monday for talks with Michel Barnier, the EU’s lead negotiator.
Strategy May has failed. She needs to go cross-party but if you look at her letter in response to Corbyn she is not widening but limiting the space
Theresa May is also due to hold further talks with Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, next week.
During a meeting of EU ambassadors today Barnier said May needed to move towards Labour.
He said: “Strategy May has failed. She needs to go cross-party but if you look at her letter in response to Corbyn she is not widening but limiting the space."
UK-WIDE CUSTOMS UNION
He also briefed that during his meeting with Barclay, the Brexit secretary “asked for legal guarantee of exit or time limit . . . but gave no further details”.
He added: “Cox's advice is considered crucial."
The withdrawal agreement includes measures for a UK-wide customs union to avoid a hard Irish border if negotiations failed to secure EU-UK trade after the transition period, which is due to end in 2021.
In November Macron hinted the EU will resort to the Irish backstop and make Britain stay in the customs union if he doesn't secure access to our waters.
According to Brussels diplomats, the EU has begun work on a protocol to be added to the withdrawal agreement and, potentially, for some “very minor keyhole surgery” to the backstop.
Jeremy Corbyn is also due in Brussels for talks with Mr Barnier next Thursday.
His proposal for a “a permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union” is dismissed in Brussels as “cakeism”.
A source told the Times: “His policy is laughed at."
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