Johnson, EU chief in Brexit blame game

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Saturday that the European Union needed to drop its insistence on the so-called Irish backstop to avoid a "no deal" Brexit.

"I don't want a 'no deal' Brexit. I say to our friends in the EU, if they don't want a 'no deal' Brexit then we have got to get rid of the backstop from the treaty," Johnson told reporters on the way to the G7 summit in Biarritz, southwest France.

He also responded to EU Council President Donald Tusk, who earlier urged Johnson not to go down in history as "Mr No Deal".

"If Donald Tusk does not want to go down as Mr 'No Deal' Brexit then that point should be borne in mind too," Johnson said.

During a press conference in Biarritz, Tusk had warned: "One thing I will not cooperate on is a 'no deal', and I still hope that Prime Minister Johnson will not like to go down in history as Mr No Deal."