Published 18:06 IST, January 27th 2020
Irish PM Leo Varadkar expresses doubts with Boris Johnson's fast-track timetable
Irish PM Leo Varadkar has said that the European Union will have an upper hand in trade talks with the UK after Brexit. and questioned Johnson's timetable
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Irish Prime Minister Leo Varkar has questioned British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's fast-track time table which suggests that United Kingdom will strike a deal with 27-nation European Union by end of 2020.
According to international media reports, Varkar has also said that European Union will have an upper hand in tre talks with UK after Brexit. In same interview, Irish PM compared both sides to soccer teams and reportedly suggested that EU would have a 'stronger team' due to size of its population and market.
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While Johnson is hailing Brexit by January 31 as an 'important moment in history', Varkar thinks that it would be 'difficult' for Britain to get legal assurances from EU. Furrmore, Irish PM said that both sides would have to agree on a 'common set of minimum standards' that would be of 'high standards'. Varkar h expressed his apprehensions last year about UK leaving EU without a deal but h later regarded his meeting with Johnson as a 'breakthrough'.
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Britain prepares for Brexit
Britain is just a few days away from opting out of its half a century-old European Union membership. historic move to leave 27-nation bloc is scheduled for January 31 at 11:00 pm (2300 GMT). Britain h entered union in 1973. However, most changes with respect to UK's independence will t be immediate. y shall take place in transition period negotiated between London and Brussels which would reportedly allow both sides to nurture ir future relationship.
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Even though UK will longer be represented in EU, Britons will be able to work in and tre freely with bloc nations until December 31 and vice versa. Ever since 2016 referendum, Brexit process has been followed by countless debates, criticism, and constant back-and-forth arguments between EU and UK -- and even prorogation of British parliament. It was this referendum which also led two British Prime Ministers to quit.
According to international reports, four years ago 52% Britons backed decision of Brexit while 48% wanted to continue being a part of union, splitting country between 'leavers' and 'remainers'. However, political chaos in London came to end with snap general elections of December 12 that gave a landslide majority to Boris Johnson who is a fierce Brexiter.
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18:06 IST, January 27th 2020