PM Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela clashed over Northern Ireland customs plan. He also gathered the Cabinet after a stand-off with the EU deepened. He warned Merkel that there would no Brexit deal if Northern Ireland was to remain in EU customs union.
Johnson thinks that his talks with the EU will fail and then he will then have to 'do all sorts of things' to prevent another Brexit delay, a government official told in a magazine report.
Merkel told Johnson that the province must remain within the EU's customs union indefinitely.
Johnson's aides admit that there is not much hope for a breakthrough at the EU summit next week. But should an extension still be granted, Johnson will not re-submit his current proposal, the source in Johnson's Downing Street office said.
He would instead campaign for a potentially chaotic "no-deal" Brexit in a snap general election, the source was quoted as saying.
"If this deal dies in the next few days, then it won't be revived. To marginalise the Brexit Party, we will have to fight the election based on 'no more delays, get Brexit done immediately'," the source added.
Downing Street did not comment on the story and made no effort to deny or refute it in any way.
Johnson promises to take Britain out of the European Union by the twice-delayed October 31 deadline. According to a source close to the PM said the government will make sure that any EU nation supporting a delay to the Brexit deadline would be engaging in 'hostile interference' in British politics. The source also added that all negotiations will be ended and the Conservative party will contest an election and plan a policy to exit EU immediately without a deal.
Johnson is widely expected to try and find a loophole in parliamentary legislation that requires him to seek a Brexit delay if no new deal comes through by October 19.
A new Brexit proposal aimed at avoiding a hard border between EU members Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland after Brexit has been received poorly in Brussels.
A source close to the government said, "We will also make clear that this government will not negotiate further so any delay would be totally pointless."
It also added, "We'll either leave with no deal on 31 October or there will be an election and then we will leave with no deal."