European Union ministers on Thursday urged Britain to choose an orderly Brexit, with some openly expressing concern that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s move to suspend parliament increased the risk of a chaotic split.
As EU foreign and defence ministers met in Helsinki, Johnson’s government challenged opponents in the British parliament to try to bring it down or change the law to stop Britain’s departure from the bloc on Oct. 31.
“We still hope it will be possible to avoid a no-deal Brexit and we are looking forward to any proposals from the British government that fit into the Withdrawal Agreement,” Dutch Foreign Minister Stephan Blok said. “It’s in nobody’s interest to see a no-deal Brexit.”
Johnson’s Brexit negotiator David Frost was in Brussels for talks with the executive European Commission on Wednesday, but Blok said the sides had not managed to bridge divisions.
“I know that there have been serious talks in Brussels but we are not there yet,” he said.
An EU diplomat briefed on the meeting said the British side presented no detailed ideas on what could replace the most contentious part of the divorce deal called the backstop, a mechanism that would keep the sensitive Irish border open after Brexit by tying Britain to EU trading rules.
“They presented nothing concrete but are to return next week and said they want to test ideas with the Commission,” the diplomat said.
“In the meantime, Johnson has taken everyone by surprise and put the opposition firmly on the spot. He is pushing for an early election - we just don’t know if before, or after Oct.31.”