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PM Johnson‘s moves to prorogue Parliament and to „step up the tempo“ of talks with Brussels ..are viewed by every EU diplomat/politician I speak to as being aimed primarily by the PM at a domestic audience in U.K. NOT at the EU /1
Merkel just pointed out that Johnson has not yet come forward with any new backstop proposals since his visit to Berlin 9 days ago (despite accepting a challenge that day to solve the backstop issue in 30 days) /2
Idea that shutting down Parliament allows „space“ to agree deal with EU is rubbished in Brussels. Bc ultimately Parliament has to approve a Brexit deal. So EU leaders won’t consider making compromises they are not very sure indeed would be accepted by majority of MPs /3
EU still divided roughly into two camps: 1) More politically-focused. Those that see possibility that maybe a compromise on the backstop could +should be found, considering no deal impact on EU. Germany is out in front in hoping for deal and being Germany that counts for a lot /4
And 2) Those more technically-minded and who’ve already been round the backstop block countless times over last two years. They insist a new shiny solution, respecting EU and UK red lines is unicorn-ville /5
