EU ambassadors have given Michel Barnier the green light for negotiations to go into the so-called 'tunnel'.
That means the principles are in place, and work is moving to the intensive phase - when both sides bunker down to try to thrash out details.
Speaking on a visit to a school this afternoon, Mr Johnson said the new blueprint - which has been kept determinedly under wraps - would mean the 'whole of the UK takes full advantage of Brexit'.
But he dodged when pressed on whether Northern Ireland will definitely leave the EU's customs union, saying people should simply 'look at what I have said before and draw their own conclusions'.
'I think it would be wrong of me to give a running commentary on the negotiations,' Mr Johnson said.
There is speculation the proposals might try to give Northern Ireland the 'best of both worlds' - staying within both the UK and EU customs unions.
The model is thought to be based on an idea previously floated when Theresa May was PM, and could see EU tariffs applied on goods going from mainland Britain to the island of Ireland - but rebates given to businesses in the north as if they were in the UK customs jurisdiction...<<<Read The Full Article Here>>>...
