Dominic Raab has surprised EU officials and diplomats by optimistically claiming the Brexit talks are “closing in�? on a solution to the Irish border problem, following a 30-minute telephone conversation with Michel Barnier.

In an an article on Thursday, in which he had threatened to withhold the UK’s £39bn divorce bill, the British cabinet minister had told how he was looking forward to continuing negotiations with Barnier the following day.

In reality, the two men had a call that lasted about 30 minutes on Friday, sources said. EU diplomats in Brussels also expressed astonishment at the sunny outlook offered by the British cabinet minister over the state of the negotiations.

In a statement issued after the call, Raab said: “This morning, I had an extended phone call with Michel Barnier. We discussed the latest progress our teams have made on the withdrawal agreement and the framework for the future relationship.

“While there remain some substantive differences we need to resolve, it is clear our teams are closing in on workable solutions to the outstanding issues in the withdrawal agreement, and are having productive discussions in the right spirit on the future relationship.�?

EU diplomats suggested that in reality there was a complete impasse on the most difficult issue of finding a backstop solution that will ensure a lack of hard border on the island of Ireland, whatever the outcome of the future trade negotiations.

In a tweet that hinted at the lack of movement, Barnier said:

Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) Useful dialogue w/ @DominicRaab this morning on the progress our teams have made this week on the #Brexit WA. But substantive differences remain on the Protocol for IE/NI, governance and GIs. We are also continuing our discussions to find common ground on the future relationship.

The UK has rejected the EU’s proposal to in effect keep Northern Ireland in the customs union and single market after Brexit, but has not yet delivered on the prime minister’s promise to offer a workable alternative, Brussels claims.

In response to Raab’s comments, one senior diplomat said he hoped that the words were a sign that the UK was coming round to the proposal to simply “de-dramatise�? the EU’s version of the backstop. “But that is not what Barnier is signalling to me,�? the diplomat added.

Barnier wants both sides to illustrate to opponents of the EU backstop just how few checks in the Irish sea there would be due to the relative low level of trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

A second EU diplomat told The Guardian: “In reality this is a matter of who blinks first. And we don’t think it is going to be the EU.�?

The source added: “Nothing is going to happen until after Tory party conference on their end.�?

A third said of Raab’s optimistic comments: “On the contrary my understanding is that the UK is refusing to discuss details of how the backstop could function. The EU will continue insisting on that�?.

Raab suggested in his statement that the highest talks would be put on hold for a week, while EU leaders meet in Salzburg for a summit.

Theresa May is due to present her thoughts on the state of the talks over dinner on Thursday night before the EU leaders discuss the outstanding issues over a two-hour lunch the following day.

“We agreed to review the state of play in the negotiations following the informal meeting of heads of state or government of the European Union in Salzburg next Thursday�?, Raab said, “and we reiterated our willingness to devote the necessary time and energy to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion.�?

Both Barnier, and most recently the European commission president, Jean Claude Juncker, have also dismissed the central planks of the prime minister’s Chequers proposals of a common rule book on goods and a customs arrangement that would allow the UK to enjoy frictionless imports and export and an independent trade policy.</s>LONDON (Reuters) - British and European Union negotiators are “closing in on workable solutions” to the outstanding issues in Brexit talks, Britain’s Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said after a phone call with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

“While there remain some substantive differences we need to resolve, it is clear our teams are closing in on workable solutions to the outstanding issues in the Withdrawal Agreement, and are having productive discussions in the right spirit on the future relationship,” Raab said.

“Looking ahead, we agreed to review the state of play in the negotiations following the informal meeting of heads of state or government of the European Union in Salzburg next Thursday, and we reiterated our willingness to devote the necessary time and energy to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion.”</s>Britain will pay ‘substantially’ less to the European Union than the roughly 39 billion pounds withdrawal bill agreed with the bloc if there is no final agreement, Brexit minister Dominic Raab said on Thursday.

“I’m not going to put a number on it but what I would say is that it would be substantially below the financial settlement in the withdrawal agreement,” he said when asked about how much Britain would pay in a BBC interview.

Raab said it may take time to work out how much Britain would need to pay if London and Brussels failed to reach agreement on Britain’s exit from the EU. Asked whether he expected the EU to shift its attitude on Northern Ireland, where the future of the border with the Republic of Ireland has become a key sticking point, Raab said:

“I think there has to be a shift across the board in the EU’s approach and they’re going to have to meet us halfway.”

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App</s>
• Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab suggests British firms are using uncertainty around Brexit negotiations as an excuse for poor company results.
• "It’s rather easy for a business to blame Brexit and the politicians rather than to take responsibility for their own situation," Raab said.
• Raab said that he had "no doubt the uncertainty around the negotiations will have an impact on business" but insisted the overall news for the economy this week was "positive."

LONDON — Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has suggested that British firms are using uncertainty around negotiations as an excuse for their own poor performance, insisting that struggling businesses find it "rather easy" to cite Brexit as a reason for slumping profits.

"It’s rather easy for a business to blame Brexit and the politicians rather than to take responsibility for their own situation," Raab told the BBC Today programme.

He admitted that a disruptive departure from the EU next March remained a possibility, but said that firms were using the prospect as a cover for their own failings.

His comments came after the retailer John Lewis announced a 99% fall in half-year profits on Thursday. The company said that forecasting was difficult "with the level of uncertainty facing consumers and the economy, in part due to ongoing Brexit negotiations," but it expected full-year profits to be "substantially lower" than last year due to a tough retail environment.

The retailer's statement did not directly cite Brexit as a factor in its falling profits but said that "cost price inflation from a weaker exchange rate" — which has been attributed to a Brexit-induced slump in the value of the pound — had been a predominant reason for pressure on its margins.

Other British firms have including retailer Maplin and broadcaster ITV and have directly blamed Brexit uncertainty for contributing to a collapse in their profits. A lobby group for the UK car industry also linked falling investment to Brexit uncertainty.

Raab said that he had "no doubt the uncertainty around the negotiations will have an impact on business" but insisted the overall news for the economy this week was "positive."

The Brexit secretary's comments come as he prepares to publish the final tranche of no-deal Brexit notices which detail Britain's preparations for crashing out of the EU without a deal next March.</s>John Lewis has partly blamed Brexit for its profits dropping 98.8% but Dominic Raab thinks UK businesses are just using it as an excuse.

The Brexit minister said it was easy for British firms to use the UK’s impending exit from the European Union as a deflection after John Lewis revealed the negative half-year results today.

Mr Raab told BBC Radio: ‘All I am just gently saying is that it is rather easy for a business to blame Brexit and the politicians rather than to take responsibility for their own situation.’

The John Lewis Partnership, which owns the department store and supermarket Waitrose, posted underlying pre-tax profits of £1.2 million for the six months to July 28.

This was a dramatic drop on profits, with the company blaming the ‘challenging times’ it had faced.

Sir Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, hit back at the claims John Lewis was blaming Brexit, adding: ‘This whole thing is so frothy. I didn’t say Brexit was the reason for our result.

‘The fact is sterling is weaker, it’s more expensive to import goods… so we have to absorb that within our margin.

‘I’m not going to get into some sort of ding-dong with the secretary of state for all things EU.’

Sir Charlie had previously said: ‘With the level of uncertainty facing consumers and the economy, in part due to ongoing Brexit negotiations, forecasting is particularly difficult but we continue to expect full-year profits to be substantially lower than last year for the Partnership as a whole.’

Sir Charlie confirmed the company would be investing £400 million to £500 million a year despite the problems it faced.

He said: ‘This will take a lot of hard work from all of our partners, but we are confident in our commitment, drive and ability to deliver the partnership’s strategy.’

Sir Charlie said: ‘With the level of uncertainty facing consumers and the economy, in part due to ongoing Brexit negotiations, forecasting is particularly difficult but we continue to expect full-year profits to be substantially lower than last year for the Partnership as a whole.’

He remained optimistic and added the group expected profit growth in Waitrose to continue to be offset by the squeeze at John Lewis.

The Government is currently hard at work trying to strike a Brexit deal with the European Union.

Mr Raab added in the BBC radio interview he did not think the government would lose a vote in parliament on its final Brexit deal with Brussels, despite warnings from a former junior minister this week that 80 lawmakers in his Conservatives were prepared to vote against it.

The John Lewis Partnership reiterated warnings it continued to expect profits in the full 2018-19 financial year to be ‘substantially lower’.</s>BRITAIN is “closing in” on a Brexit deal with Brussels, Dominic Raab has suggested.

The Brexit Secretary issued a statement following an “extended phone call” this morning with Michel Barnier about the latest progress both sides’ teams had made on the Withdrawal Agreement and the framework for the future relationship.

"While there remain some substantive differences we need to resolve, it is clear our teams are closing in on workable solutions to the outstanding issues in the Withdrawal Agreement and are having productive discussions in the right spirit on the future relationship,” said Mr Raab.

"Looking ahead, we agreed to review the state of play in the negotiations following the informal meeting of heads of state or government of the European Union in Salzburg next Thursday, and we reiterated our willingness to devote the necessary time and energy to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion.”

Earlier this week, sterling surged against the dollar and euro after the EU’s chief negotiator said a Brexit deal was possible by November if negotiators were realistic in their demands.

Mr Barnier told a forum in Slovenia: “If we are realistic, we are able to reach an agreement on the first stage of the negotiation, which is the Brexit treaty, within six or eight weeks.”

Next Thursday, Theresa May will present her Chequers Plan to EU leaders during a dinner in Salzburg before discussing Brexit among themselves the following day, with just weeks to go before an agreement is needed.

It is thought that following the Salzburg meeting the EU28 will agree to hold a special Brexit summit in November to seal the deal – or not.</s>LONDON (Reuters) - Britain and the European Union are "closing in" on a withdrawal agreement, Brexit minister Dominic Raab said on Friday, before a meeting of European leaders in Salzburg next week.

Britain is due to leave the bloc on March 29 but has yet to reach a full exit deal with Brussels, and some rebels lawmakers in Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party have threatened to vote against any agreement unless she changes her proposals.

Both London and Brussels are hoping to reach a deal by mid-November. May has said next week's informal EU summit will be a "staging post" in the negotiations that will allow the bloc's leaders to discuss her Brexit plans for the first time.

"While there remain some substantive differences we need to resolve, it is clear our teams are closing in on workable solutions to the outstanding issues in the Withdrawal Agreement, and are having productive discussions in the right spirit on the future relationship," Raab said after a phone call with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

"We reiterated our willingness to devote the necessary time and energy to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion," he said, adding that the pair agreed to take stock again following the Salzburg summit.

Barnier said on Twitter that he had had a "useful dialogue" with Raab but that key differences remained between the EU and Britain over the future of the Irish border and the EU's system of protecting food names.

EU officials and diplomats involved in the talks also expressed surprise about the apparent optimism in financial markets on the likelihood of a deal.

On Thursday the British government published a set of advice notices for Britons on how to prepare for the possibility of a "no-deal" Brexit, and May held a meeting of her top team of ministers to discuss the government's plans for leaving without an agreement.

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney told the meeting Britain's property market would crash and mortgage rates would spiral up in the event of a chaotic no-deal Brexit, with house prices falling 35 percent over three years, the Times newspaper reported.

The Co-Operative, Britain's sixth-largest supermarket group, said it could not guarantee shortages of some food products would be avoided in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Pro-Brexit rebels in May's party have become increasingly vocal in their opposition to her Brexit proposals this week, with one former junior minister saying 80 or more of May's lawmakers were prepared to vote against them.

The opposition Labour Party's foreign affairs spokeswoman Emily Thornberry told the Financial Times her party was set to vote against any Brexit deal and the lack of a viable exit from the EU would force May from office before Christmas.

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.</s>The UK will not pay its £39 billion “divorce bill” to Brussels if it is refused a Brexit deal, Dominic Raab has insisted.

The tough talking from the Brexit Secretary came after Prime Minister Theresa May made it clear Britain would rethink its agreement to pay the exit settlement in full if it did not achieve an arrangement on future trading relations.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Raab stated that if there is no deal “the Government would not pay the terms of the financial settlement.

“There’s no deal without the whole deal.”

The remarks came as the Government was releasing a new raft of technical papers on Thursday expected to focus on how a no deal Brexit would impact on things like mobile phone roaming charges.

Mr Raab said the Government wanted a good agreement, but added: “It will require our EU friends to match the ambition and pragmatism we have demonstrated.

“If that doesn’t happen, the UK will manage the challenges of no-deal, so we make a success of Brexit.”

READ MORE: Gordon Brown warns of new global economic crisis to rival 2008

The Brexit Secretary also accused people who warned about shortages of food and medicines after a no-deal withdrawal of “scaremongering”.

The stronger Government stance followed open talk at a meeting of Tory backbenchers in the hardline Brexit European Research Group (ERG) of a bid to topple Mrs May as PM unless she abandoned the Chequers strategy on EU withdrawal.

ERG chairman Jacob Rees-Mogg told Channel 4 News: “Chequers is a dying duck in a thunder storm, if it is not quite a dead duck.”

The move to release a fresh raft of technical Brexit papers comes amid speculation that leaving the EU without a solid agreement could see the return of levies for using mobile devices on the continent.

The pro-Europe Best for Britain campaign said the re-imposition of roaming charges could cost business people visiting the EU up to £778 a month.

Other areas covered by the documents will include the impact of a no deal scenario on standards relating to the environment and vehicles.

The papers will be published after a special meeting of the Cabinet focused on how a no deal outcome could be handled.

Mr Raab, who will hold talks with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels on Friday, said: “With six months to go until the UK leaves the European Union, we are stepping up our ‘no deal’ preparations so that Britain can continue to flourish, regardless of the outcome of negotiations.

“These technical notices are part and parcel of our sensible, pragmatic approach to preparing for all outcomes.

“Getting a deal with the European Union is still by far and away the most likely outcome, and I will continue to champion our Chequers proposals with Michel Barnier as the best way of securing the deep and special partnership we want with the EU.”

READ MORE: Westminster heads towards no-deal Brexit clash with Scotland

Liberal Democrat MP and Best for Britain supporter Layla Moran said: “The cost of a hard Brexit on British travellers is becoming abundantly clear.

“Millions of people are facing higher costs to make calls and texts abroad because of the Prime Minister’s botched Brexit plans.”

Meanwhile, the first meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on European Negotiations since Parliament’s summer recess will also be held on Thursday.

It will bring together senior ministers, members of the Scottish and Welsh administrations, and representatives from the Northern Ireland civil service where powersharing is currently suspended.</s>Dominic Raab has ignited a row with John Lewis after he said businesses that “aren’t doing so well” should not take the “easy” option of blaming Brexit.

The John Lewis Partnership’s profits were all but wiped out in the first half of its financial year, plunging 99 per cent, with the retailer blaming “uncertainty… in part due to ongoing Brexit negotiations”.

But Mr Raab said struggling businesses should “take responsibility for their own situation” instead of making the “mistake” of blaming Brexit and politicians.

His comments came after he said Britain will not pay its Brexit "divorce" bill in the event of a no-deal departure in a move likely to inflame tensions as negotiations with Brussels...</s>* Labour to vote against a deal if May gets one

LONDON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Britain and the European Union are “closing in” on a withdrawal agreement, Brexit minister Dominic Raab said on Friday, ahead of a meeting by European leaders in Salzburg next week.

Britain is due to leave the bloc on March 29 but is yet to reach a full exit deal with Brussels and some rebels in Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party have threatened to vote against any agreement unless she changes her proposals.

Both London and Brussels are hoping to reach a deal by mid-November. May has said next week’s informal EU summit will be a “staging post” in the negotiations that will allow the bloc’s leaders to discuss her Brexit plans for the first time.

“While there remain some substantive differences we need to resolve, it is clear our teams are closing in on workable solutions to the outstanding issues in the Withdrawal Agreement, and are having productive discussions in the right spirit on the future relationship,” Raab said after a phone call with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

“We reiterated our willingness to devote the necessary time and energy to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion,” he said, adding that the pair agreed to take stock again following the Salzburg summit.

Barnier issued no statement and an EU official described the call as having “taken stock of the ongoing negotiations”.

On Thursday the government published a set of advice notices for Britons on how to prepare for the possibility of a “no-deal” Brexit, and May held a meeting of her top team of ministers to discuss the government’s plans for leaving without an agreement.

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney told the meeting Britain’s property market would crash and mortgage rates spiral up in the event of a chaotic no-deal Brexit, with house prices falling 35 percent over three years, the Times newspaper reported.

The Co-Operative, Britain’s sixth-largest supermarket group, said it could not guarantee shortages of some food products would be avoided in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Pro-Brexit rebels in May’s party have become increasingly vocal in their opposition to her Brexit proposals this week, with one former junior minister saying 80 or more of May’s lawmakers were prepared to vote against them.

The opposition Labour Party’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Emily Thornberry told the Financial Times her party was set to vote against any Brexit deal and the lack of a viable exit from the EU would force May from office before Christmas. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Andrew Roche)
European Union diplomats reject Dominic Raab's claim that negotiations are "closing in".