UK PM Johnson set out Brexit position to France's Macron

British Prime minister Boris Johnson spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday night, Johnson's spokesman told reporters, saying the new British leader used the call to set out his position on Brexit. "When the prime minister has these conversations with fellow leaders and the discussion moves on to Brexit, he will be setting out the same message which he delivered in the House of Commons yesterday," the spokesman told reporters on Friday.

"(That is) that he wants to do a deal and he will be energetic in trying to seek that deal, but that the withdrawal agreement has been rejected three times by the House of Commons, it's not going to pass, so that means reopening the withdrawal agreement and securing the abolition of the backstop." Johnson also held calls with political leaders from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the spokesman said.

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