Former EU Official: Brexit Date Of 31st October Is "Not The End Of The Story"
22 August 2019, 19:30 | Updated: 22 August 2019, 20:36
One former senior EU Official told LBC he didn't think the situation had changed, but it is up to Boris Johnson to present an alternative to the "very much-loathed" backstop.
Eddie Mair was speaking to Michael Tscherny a former senior EU official and spokesman at the EU Council of Ministers.
Eddie Mair asked him if it was really about the possibility of a breakthrough in the next 29 days, of if the new option from Angela Merkel "really just the EU preparing to blame a no-deal Brexit on Boris Johnson?"
Mr Tscherny said he didn't think it was a "blame game," that it was just the EU saying they were ready to consider any "viable alternatives that have been put on the table."
When Eddie asked the form EU official if he thought Boris Johnson had a "viable alternative," his answer was that it was "like everybody is waiting forms somebody to pull a rabbit out of a hat."
But, that the EU side were saying they don't believe in magic, and if Boris Johnson thinks he has magic, then he should show them the rabbit.
But, Mr Tscherny suggested "probably, so far he doesn't even have a hat..."
He told Eddie that however Brexit happens on the 31st of October, that it is "not the end of the story."
He has the Halloween date of Brexit would not mean the process is finished, and the UK will have to enter into negotiations about a new kind of longer term relationship.
Watch the whole exchange in the video at the top of the page.
