Brexit ball is in your court now

Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday told the European Union that the Brexit ball was in its court and that the bloc should now urgently discuss in detail his proposal for breaking the deadlock ahead of Britain’s scheduled departure on October 31.

With just 24 days before the United Kingdom is due to leave the EU, both sides are positioning themselves to avoid blame for a delay or a disorderly no-deal Brexit.

EU leaders reacted coolly to Johnson’s last-ditch proposals to bridge the impasse, indicating just how far apart the two sides are over the first departure of a sovereign state from the EU, which was forged from Europe’s ruins after World War Two.

“What we’re saying to our friends is (that) this is a very generous, fair and reasonable offer we’ve made. What we’d like to hear from you now is what your thoughts are,” Johnson told reporters.

“If you have issues with any of the proposals that we’ve come up with, then let’s get into the detail and discuss them,” he said, reiterating his position that the United Kingdom would leave the EU on October 31.

European officials warned yesterday that Britain’s latest Brexit deal proposal doesn’t go far enough to allow a breakthrough before next week’s Brussels summit.

Johnson has insisted he will not ask for another delay to Britain’s planned October 31 departure from the European Union.

But he may be forced to do so by a British law passed to prevent a chaotic no-deal divorce, with European negotiators warning time is running out for talks.