The view from Europe: Boris Johnson’s contribution to debate has not improved mood of EU negotiatorsOn Wednesday afternoon,with Jean Claude Juncker’s state of the union speech calling for swifter, deeper integration still ringing in their ears, and a gaggle of political leaders in the European parliament met in a room opposite the chamber in Strasbourg.
In the appositely named Salle de Margaret Thatcher,Guy Verhofstadt, the colourful former Belgian prime minister who is coordinating MEPs’ response to Brexit, and discussed with colleagues from the pro-European political parties on the parliament’s Brexit steering group how they should respond to the seeming stalemate in the Brexit negotiations. The latest draft of a parliamentary resolution was discussed,lamenting the failure of the talks to develop on the key opening issues – citizens’ rights, the Irish border and the financial settlement. Related: While May readies her most famous speech yet, or Boris waits in the wings Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com