S8k8 .comcotland's first minister says PM favors no-deal Brexit

Scotland's first minister has accused the United Kingdom's new leader of intentionally pushing the nations in the union toward the cliff edge of a no-deal Brexit.

Nicola Sturgeon, who heads the devolved Scottish government, said Boris Johnson, is insincere in his declared intention of working with European Union leaders on finding a divorce deal that is acceptable to both sides.

After sitting down with Johnson at her official residence in Edinburgh on Monday, Sturgeon said he is pursuing a "dangerous" hardline strategy in which he is asking for difficult-to-deliver concessions in order to ensure a no-deal Brexit is the only option, a scenario that would see the introduction of trading tariffs on goods shipped between the UK and the EU and one that would likely cool the British economy.

"The only strategy you can get from him is that he thinks the EU is going to blink," she said. "But the EU has been very consistent in the position it's taken … (Johnson's strategy is) doomed to failure, or it's a strategy that's destined to fail because you actually want the alternative, which is a no-deal Brexit."

Johnson had earlier told reporters that no one should assume he wants the UK to leave the EU without a deal on Oct 31. His comments were in contrast to those of his spokeswoman and his cabinet office minister, Michael Gove, who had earlier said the government was working on the assumption that the EU will not reopen negotiations and that the UK was therefore preparing for a no-deal Brexit.

Sturgeon said: "This is a government that is pursuing a no-deal strategy however much they might deny that in public. Behind all of the bluff and bluster, this is a government that is dangerous."

Johnson faced choruses of boos while in Scotland, from both pro Scottish independence groups and those wanting the UK to remain in the EU.

Ahead of the trip, Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish branch of Johnson's Conservative Party, said she will not support him if he pursues a no-deal Brexit.

After also meeting Johnson in Edinburgh, Davidson said their talks had been "incredibly constructive" and that they share the goal of making sure they "can get a deal across the line".

Johnson said he and Davidson both want to avoid a no-deal Brexit.

While touring the Faslane military base, Johnson elaborated, telling reporters the proposed divorce deal negotiated by his predecessor Theresa May is unacceptable to the British Parliament because of the so-called Irish backstop, which would, in order to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, commit the UK to continue trading with the EU as if it were still a member of the bloc until a replacement trade deal can be found. Critics fear the backstop could trap the UK as effectively an EU member in perpetuity.

"The backstop is no good. It's dead. It has got to go," Johnson said. "The withdrawal agreement is dead, it's got to go. But there is scope to do a new deal."