The UK's new head of government said on Saturday that the Irish backstop is "undemocratic and divisive" and warned the EU that it needs to be ditched if Brussels wants to get a deal with London.
"If we get rid of the backstop whole and entire then we are making a lot of progress", Johnson explained.
He stated that "taking back control" of the country does not only mean more power for London but also other British cities. Johnson reiterated his intention to leave the bloc by the 31 October deadline and stressed that he is not a big fan of a no-deal Brexit, but emphasised that London should be ready for it.
The politician also noted that leaving the EU is "a massive economic opportunity" for the UK, but that it had been treated as "an impending adverse weather event" by previous PM Theresa May. According to him, Britain will create free ports and change tax rules to attract more investment and boost the economy.
The head of the EU's Brexit negotiation team, Michel Barnier, has previously slammed Johnson for demanding the removal of the Irish backstop and called on European diplomats to unite against the British PM.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar also noted that a hard Brexit could undermine the unity of Great Britain and pull Scotland and Northern Ireland away from London.
