EU Lawmaker Says UK Gov't In 'Cloud Cuckoo Land' If Thinks EU Will Back Down Over Backstop

It is completely irresponsible of the UK government to expect any breakthrough in talks with Brussels on amending the withdrawal deal's provision on the Irish backstop, Steven Woolfe, an independent member of the European Parliament, told Sputnik, adding that the European Union was not ready to consider any changes to the clause

LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th February, 2019) It is completely irresponsible of the UK government to expect any breakthrough in talks with Brussels on amending the withdrawal deal's provision on the Irish backstop, Steven Woolfe, an independent member of the European Parliament, told Sputnik, adding that the European Union was not ready to consider any changes to the clause.

UK lawmakers voted on Thursday to reject UK Prime Minister Theresa May's motion asking the legislature to reaffirm support for her efforts to seek changes to the divorce agreement after the original deal was voted down on January 15th.

"I have been in the European Parliament, and there is no appetite not even at the last minute for the EU to actually consider in any shape or form a change to the backstop. [The UK government is] living in cloud cuckoo land if they think the European Union will do that," Woolfe said.

Woolfe said that he believed that May had been seeking to overturn Brexit from the beginning, which, according to the lawmaker, will always keep the UK prime minister in losing position.

He also warned that if London and Brussels failed to agree on the withdrawal agreement by March 29, the so-called World Trade Organization (WTO) scenario would be implemented, which provides for London trading on the rules set by the organization after Brexit.

"But my instinct is that a 'remainer' parliament, backed by a 'remainer' prime minister with 'remainer' advisers and backed by a' remainer' speaker will not allow a WTO [exit] to happen, and in doing so will find some mechanism to stop Brexit," Woolfe suggested.

The United Kingdom is set to leave the European Union on March 29. While London has managed to negotiate a withdrawal deal with Brussels after months of intense talks, the agreement has faced a wave of criticism in the United Kingdom and mounting calls for a second Brexit referendum, with the parliament so far refusing to endorse the deal due to the controversial close on the Irish border backstop.