‘Ireland is f**ked’ - Cabinet minister on the threat of no-deal Brexit

(L-R) Britain's International Trade Secretary Liz Truss, Britain's Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock, Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid, Britain's Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, Britain's Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick, Britain's Scotland Secretary Alister Jack and Britain's Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan listen as Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Photograph: Aaron Chown / POOL / AFP. - Credit: AFP/Getty Images

A cabinet minister has claimed that ‘Ireland is f**ked’ if Boris Johnson presses ahead with a no-deal Brexit.

The government is hoping that the European Union blinks first before October 31st to avoid the UK crashing out of the EU, because the cabinet fears it will hit everyone involved, but especially Ireland.

Speaking to The Sun the minister – who is said to back Johnson – is quoted as saying: “The EU will give us a better deal, because if they don’t Ireland is f*****. No Deal will destroy it.

“No deal hurts us, the EU and Ireland – but it hurts Ireland the most.

“A lot of Irish trade goes to Britain, and much of the rest comes through us to Europe.”

The prime minister is said to now believe that the EU is waiting to see what happens within the Houses of Parliament before it decides its action plan.

A Number 10 source told the newspaper: “The EU are sitting back and waiting to see what parliament does.

“So if there is to be a deal, it will come very late now. That is because of all the noise coming from the Remain side, but it’s also the history of the EU, it’s always last minute.”

Jean-Claude Junker recently told an Austrian newspaper that Britain would be the “big loser” in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

He said: “If it comes to a hard Brexit, this is in no one’s interest, but the British would be the big losers. They pretend it’s not like that, but it will be.”

“We are fully prepared even though some in Britain say we are not well set up for a ‘no deal’. But I am not taking part in these little summer games,” he added.