Breaking: Boris Johnson begins his Breixt renegotiation with a letter to Donald Tusk. In short, the backstop must go, completely.
PM proposes the backstop should be replaced with alternative arrangements in time for the end of the transition period. Here’s the new bit: he offers to look at new “commitments” if that doesn’t prove fully possible.
But, and a big but: those commitments must not clash with three major objections that he lays out to the backstop - on sovereignty, the destination of the future relationship, and undermining the GFA.
So: Boris is proposing a new backstop (but nobody will call it that) to keep the Irish border open. What does that look like? That's the million euro question... but still a significant move all the same tonight. It begins.
Meanwhile, Donald Tusk today... “Nanny competition settled”
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