UK, Irish leaders to meet as Brexit deal hopes wane

leers of Britain and Ireland were meeting Thursday in an attempt to find common ground for an elusive Brexit deal, with just three weeks until U.K. is set to leave European Union.

 Johnson and Varkar scheduled to meet in England

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Irish counterpart Leo Varkar were scheduled to hold a private lunch meeting in rthwest England. Britain is due to leave 28-nation bloc on Oct. 31, and attempts to find a deal have foundered over plans for border between EU member Ireland and U.K.’s rrn Ireland.

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currently all-but-invisible border underpins both regional ecomy and rrn Ireland’s peace process.  Under a U.K. proposal, re would have to be customs checks on some goods, though t on border itself. EU says any customs checks are unacceptable.

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'Stupid blame game'

In recent days, Britain and EU have tred b-tempered barbs about who is responsible for delock in talks. After Johnson’s Downing Street office claimed EU intransigence h me it “essentially impossible” for U.K. to leave with a deal, European Commission President Donald Tusk warned against playing a “stupid blame game.”

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Varkar and or EU leers say Johnson, who took office in July, has repudiated withdrawal agreement me with bloc by his predecessor, resa May. That deal was rejected three times by Britain’s Parliament, largely because of lawmakers’ opposition to provisions to ensure an open Irish border.

Johnson insists U.K. will leave U.K. on Oct. 31, with or without a divorce deal. However, many members of Britain’s Parliament are determined to prevent a -deal Brexit, which ecomists say would plunge U.K. ecomy into recession. Last month, y passed a law requiring government to ask EU for a delay if divorce deal has been agreed by Oct. 19 — day after a key summit of EU leers in Brussels.

Johnson says he won’t delay Brexit past Oct. 31 — but also will obey law. It’s unclear how two statements can be reconciled. Parliament is expected to hold a rare Saturday sitting on Oct. 19 as lawmakers grapple with what to do next.

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