The Brexit negotiations dramatically went up in flames today as the EU accused Boris Johnson of a 'stupid blame game' after he said the bloc had made a deal 'impossible'.
An extraordinary public slanging match broke out after the PM condemned a demand from Angela Merkel for Northern Ireland to stay in the customs union 'forever'.
In a pivotal moment drawing battle lines for an election within weeks, Mr Johnson and the German Chancellor clashed brutally in an early morning phone call.
No10 sources said Mrs Merkel told the premier during the 30-minute showdown that the province must remain within the EU's customs union indefinitely.
But Mr Johnson retorted that her position meant a deal was 'essentially impossible, not just now but ever'.
A Downing Street source said the call - which effectively reads the last rites on hopes for an agreement before next week's EU summit - was a 'clarifying moment'. Mr Johnson now appears certain to boycott the gathering, heralding another low in relations.
'If this represents a new established position then it means a deal is essentially impossible not just now but ever,' the No10 source said. 'It also made clear that they are willing to torpedo the Good Friday Agreement.'
In response, EU council president Donald Tusk ranted on Twitter that the PM was risking the 'security and interests of our people' by refusing to make concessions.
The PM's spokesman swiped back that he had 'chosen to conduct these talks by personal telephone conversations with EU leaders, so I will refrain from commenting on social media'.
Mr Johnson met his Cabinet for crisis talks after the conversation this morning, as ministers stepped up their war footing to go to the country.
The meltdown with the EU appears to have been carefully choreographed, with Brexit minister Michael Gove unveiling a 'preparedness' paper on No Deal shortly after the Merkel bust-up emerged.
Parliament is also due to prorogue tonight ahead of the Queen's Speech - stripping Remainer MPs of their ability to move against the PM.
Downing Street had already painted a grim picture of the consequences of rejecting the UK's 'fair and reasonable' blueprint.
One source - claimed to be maverick strategist Dominic Cummings - explosively claimed overnight that the government will make clear that any EU country supporting a delay to the October 31 Brexit deadline would be engaging in 'hostile interference' in British politics.
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