Talking Politics

Boris Johnson is off to see the Queen to become her 14th (!) Prime Minister, but where might he be taking the country this autumn?  We try to work through the various Brexit scenarios, from a renegotiated Withdrawal Agreement to a crash no-deal exit. Can the backstop be changed? What is a 'standstill' arrangement? Will Macron force the issue? Plus we explore whether an early election or a second referendum can really provide a way out of the mess. Something's got to give - what will it be? With Helen Thompson, Catherine Barnard and Chris Bickerton.Talking Points: Can you change the backstop?Deep changes seem unlikely, though maybe some changes around the edges would make it more sellable.If the DUP won’t swallow it, will Johnson have to essentially sacrifice Northern Ireland to get a deal?But cutting out the DUP presents a problem for parliamentary arithmetics. The things that Johnson wants to discuss are in the withdrawal ag