Brexit boss Michel Barnier dashes Tory leadership hopefuls’ chance of getting a better deal
EU Brexit boss Michel Barnier has dashed Tory leadership hopefuls' chance of a better deal - saying this is the only one they're offering.
And he blasted Brits who voted for Brexit as being stuck in the past with too much "nostalgia" for how things used to be.
He said in an interview with the : "Looking at the causes of Brexit, we also find typically British reasons: the hope for a return to a powerful global Britain, nostalgia for the past—nostalgia serves no purpose in politics."
It was "too late" to stop the rise of populism in Britain but not elsewhere across the EU, he claimed.
And he added: "If the UK wants to leave in an orderly manner, this treaty is the only option."
He said it would be "fine" for the UK to leave without a deal - or even to stay in the EU too.
But his deal can't be changed legally, he said.
Despite this, several Tory leadership hopefuls have said they want to try and re-open the Brexit deal to get it over the line in Parliament.
The Brexiteers are at war over who can actually deliver our EU exit, exposing bitter divisions already.
And today top Tory Iain Duncan Smith demanded the rules be changed so they can speed up the race and get a new PM in quicker.
He said that MPs should have to have 10 MPs nominations behind them in order to officially run, rather than the usual 2.
11 are in the running already, with nominations not set to close for another 10 days.
Today Chancellor Philip Hammond upped his threats to vote down a Government who embraced a No Deal Brexit - if there were a motion of no confidence.
He told Sky News: "The national interest trumps the party interest.
"If I am presented with a difficult choice, I will act in the best interests of this country."
Dominic Raab and Boris Johnson want to replace the hated Northern Irish backstop with another solution to win over the support of the DUP.
Mr Barnier also gave a hint that alternative arrangements to the Irish border such as "technology, drones, invisible controls, could be found.
But that "the backstop is insurance, in case we do not find this solution," hinting he won't get rid of it.
"You cannot leave the single market and customs union without introducing border controls," he added.
Today one of the candidates, Rory Stewart, got an endorsement from Match of the Day's Gary Linekar.
The former footballer, who wants us to Remain in the EU, wrote: "This chap seems to be by far the most sensible and straight talking of the Tory candidates."
Today he was forced to apologise for once smoking opium at a wedding in Iran.
But he's been sweeping the internet in recent days after his video addresses to the public went viral online.
Corbyn edging closer to backing second referendum
JEREMY Corbyn is edging closer to all-out backing a second referendum - saying there should be one no matter what Brexit deal Parliament agrees.
He's already said he would embrace an election or a referendum to stop a Tory No Deal Brexit, but now appears to be offering more options to another vote.
The leftie Labour boss said a public vote and "going back to the people" was the "only way out" of the Brexit crisis.
He's under huge pressure from Remainers in his party to give his full support to another vote after the disasterous EU elections results for the party.
Both Labour and the Tories suffered from their stances on Brexit as millions flocked to the Brexit Party and the Lib Dems instead.
Mr Corbyn is in Dublin for talks with Irish politicians today.
Mr Barnier, who has been charge of the bloc's negotiations for almost three years, said the debate in Britain over Brexit was "very stimulating" and insisted "we are waiting" for this to be tied down so the real Brexit talks can start on a trade deal.
"The negotiations on the future are much more interesting than the divorce negotiations," he said.
And he acknowledged that in the EU "people feel lost, that they have been abandoned, they feel their cultural identity is in danger" too.
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