The European Union’s top official rebuffed efforts by prime minister Boris Johnson to renegotiate a deal that would allow the UK to leave the trading bloc on October 31.
Jean-Claude Juncker, the head of the European Commission, met Mr Johnson for a working lunch over snails and salmon but discussions remained deadlocked over the key issues that have remained unresolved for months.
Downing Street said the talks in Luxembourg were “constructive” but Mr Juncker said that the UK had failed to come up with new proposals that could resolve problems over checks and at the land border in Ireland.
Following the first meeting between the two men since Mr Johnson came to power in July, EU officials underscored their continuing “willingness” to examine any new proposals if any were ever put forward.
President Juncker told Mr Johnson that it was the UK’s responsibility to come up with solutions that were compatible with the agreement reached with the EU by his predecessor Theresa May, a statement from the Commission said.
He underlined the Commission's continued “willingness and openness” to examine such proposals. “Such proposals have not yet been made,” the statement said.
Earlier on Monday, Mr Johnson said the next “few days” would decide if Britain could strike a deal with the EU, with few signs that the two sides are close to an agreement.
The talks came as the prime minister faced ridicule at home and abroad after likening the UK’s efforts to leaving the EU to the movie, The Incredible Hulk.
“Hulk always escaped, no matter how tightly bound in he seemed to be – and that is the case for this country,” he told an interviewer.
Guy Verhofstadt, a senior European parliamentarian, said the comparison was “infantile”. The actor who played the part also tweeted his disdain.
“Boris Johnson forgets that the Hulk only fights for the good of the whole,” tweeted Mark Ruffalo. “Mad and strong can also be dense and destructive.”
Mr Johnson insisted in a newspaper column on Monday that the UK would leave the 28-nation bloc in less than seven weeks with or without a deal on future trading and political relations.
But since taking over as leader, his leadership has been marked by a series of parliamentary defeats.
MPs are convinced they have blocked the premier’s route to a ‘no-deal Brexit’ which would end at a stroke decades of agreed laws and trading agreements.
The future of the land border between EU member Ireland and the UK remains the principal area of disagreement.
A deal struck between the EU and MrsMay included a backstop to keep the Irish border open in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
The deal was repeatedly rejected by parliament and Mr Johnson said it would play no part in any future agreement.
In an interview with German radio on Sunday, Mr Juncker said there was no possibility of reopening the agreement negotiated with Mrs May.
“We do not know what the British want in detail, precisely and exactly, and we are still waiting for alternative proposals. I hope we can get it, but time is running out.”
Following the Luxembourg meeting, a spokesman for Downing Street said: “The Prime Minister and President Juncker had a constructive meeting this lunchtime.
“The leaders agreed that the discussions needed to intensify and that meetings would soon take place on a daily basis.”
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Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
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Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World by Michael Ignatieff
Harvard University Press
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
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Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
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Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
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RESULTS
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ) by decision.
Women’s bantamweight
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) beat Cornelia Holm (SWE) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (PAL) beat Vitalii Stoian (UKR) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) beat Ali Dyusenov (UZB) by unanimous decision.
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) beat Delfin Nawen (PHI) TKO round-3.
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) beat Emad Hanbali (SYR) KO round 1.
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Ramadan Noaman (EGY) TKO round 2.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) beat Reydon Romero (PHI) submission 1.
Welterweight
Juho Valamaa (FIN) beat Ahmed Labban (LEB) by unanimous decision.
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) beat Austin Arnett (USA) by unanimous decision.
Super heavyweight
Maciej Sosnowski (POL) beat Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) by submission round 1.
'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'
Rating: 1 out of 4
Running time: 81 minutes
Director: David Blue Garcia
Starring: Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Mark Burnham
GCC-UK%20Growth
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GROUP RESULTS
Group A
Results
Ireland beat UAE by 226 runs
West Indies beat Netherlands by 54 runs
Group B
Results
Zimbabwe tied with Scotland
Nepal beat Hong Kong by five wickets
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5