Bullying won't break EU unity, Merkel ally tells UK's Johnson

The European Union will not be bullied into compromising its principles, Norbert Roettgen, a German lawmaker, and ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, said in a warning to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. On entering Downing Street on Wednesday, Johnson set up a showdown with the EU saying that he would negotiate a new Brexit deal and threatening that, if the EU refused, he would take Britain out on Oct. 31 without a deal on its future relations.

Roettgen, chairman of the German Bundestag's Committee on Foreign Affairs, said in a tweet late on Thursday: "Dear @BorisJohnson: Neither boastful speeches nor bullying will succeed in making us give up #EU principles and unity." "Will stay cool instead," Roettgen said. "Sadly, both in words and deeds - has appointed a cabinet of #Brexiteers - #Johnson fails to reach out to country and continent."

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told Johnson that a divorce deal agreed by his predecessor in November was the best and only deal on offer with the EU, an EU spokeswoman said on Thursday. (Writing by Paul Carrel Editing by Edmund Blair)

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