UK PM Johnson refuses to meet EU leaders unless they scrap backstop
Some supporters had hoped PM would tour capitals explaining alternatives to withdrawal agreement
Boris Johnson is refusing to sit down for talks with EU leaders until they agree to ditch the Irish backstop, despite invitations to meetings from the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron.
His official spokeswoman said the prime minister had made clear that he wanted to strike a deal, but there was no point in holding face to face talks unless the EU agreed to reopen the withdrawal agreement.