Boris Johnson urges European Union to 'compromise' on backstop

The Prime Minister wrote to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker to say that it would be a "failure of statecraft for which we would all be responsible" if the two sides could not strike a deal before the October 17 European Council.

He acknowledged there was "very little time" but said "both sides now need to consider whether there is sufficient willingness to compromise and move beyond existing positions" to reach an agreement.

In his letter, Mr Johnson said the backstop - the contingency plan agreed by the EU and Theresa May to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland - must be removed.

Unlike Mrs May's plans for a UK-EU relationship with a closely integrated customs arrangement, Mr Johnson favoured a looser free trade deal and "in these circumstances the proposed 'backstop' is a bridge to nowhere".

Mr Johnson said the plan had five elements:

- A commitment to a solution compatible with the Good Friday Agreement

- Confirmation of support for long-standing areas of UK-Ireland collaboration including the Common Travel Area and north-south co-operation

- The potential creation of an all-Ireland regulatory zone covering all goods including agri-food

- The consent of those affected by that all-Ireland zone with the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly given the chance to endorse the plan before it comes into effect and then every four years

- Northern Ireland will be fully part of the UK customs territory and outside the EU's customs union.

Mr Johnson claimed the plan was "entirely compatible with maintaining an open border in Northern Ireland".