News that PM will meet European commission president comes as Michel Barnier says chance of deal is ‘very slim’.
The future of Britain’s relationship with the rest of Europe will hang on the success of a dinner between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on Wednesday, it has emerged, as the EU’s chief negotiator warned the chance of a Brexit deal was now “very slim”.
Downing Street said the prime minister would join the European commission president at its Berlaymont headquarters on Wednesday evening, where the leaders would seek to break the Brexit impasse over a three-course meal.
Johnson will take prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons before flying from RAF Northolt to Brussels to dine with Von der Leyen, armed with a memo from his chief negotiator, David Frost, on the remaining obstacles to a historic trade and security deal with the EU. He will return to Downing Street after the discussions.
Von der Leyen tweeted on Tuesday: “I look forward to welcoming UK prime minister Boris Johnson tomorrow evening. We will continue our discussion on the partnership agreement.”
No 10 sources pushed back on rumours that Johnson had wanted to delay the meeting to allow the 27 EU heads of state and government to intervene in the discussions when they gather at the European council summit in the Belgian capital on Thursday. They insisted the prime minister “categorically wants to avoid” such a scenario.