German Chancellor Angela Merkel has suggested an alternative to the Irish border backstop – a key Brexit sticking point – could be found within 30 days.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Berlin, she stressed it would be up to the UK to offer a workable plan.

The PM said he was “more than happy” with that “blistering timetable”.

He accepted the “onus” was on the UK, but said he believed there was “ample scope” for a new deal to be reached.

The pair are meeting in Berlin after Mr Johnson told the EU the backstop – which aims to prevent a hard Irish border after Brexit – must be ditched if a no-deal exit was to be avoided.

The EU has repeatedly said the withdrawal deal negotiated by former PM Theresa May, which includes the backstop, cannot be renegotiated.

‘Absolute clarity’

If implemented, the backstop proposals would see Northern Ireland staying aligned to some rules of the EU single market.

It would also see the UK stay in a single customs territory with the EU, and align with current and future EU rules on competition and state aid.

These arrangements would apply unless and until both the EU and UK agreed they were no longer necessary.

Mr Johnson called the backstop “anti-democratic” and “unviable”.

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At a press conference ahead of a working dinner, the German chancellor said a realistic alternative to the plan would require “absolute clarity” on the post-Brexit future relationship between the UK and the EU.

Mr Johnson replied: “You rightly say the onus is on us to produce those solutions, those ideas […] and that is what we want to do.

“You have set a very blistering timetable of 30 days – if I understood you correctly, I am more than happy with that,” he added.

The prime minister has insisted he wants the UK to leave the EU with a renegotiated withdrawal deal, but the UK must leave on 31 October “do or die”.

Should we be optimistic about the scope for a Brexit breakthrough after Angela Merkel suggested a solution to remove the backstop could be found – possibly even within just 30 days?

Boris Johnson will certainly be pleased the German chancellor has left a door open.

But don’t get carried away. There’s a reason Europe is so adamant the backstop has to stay in the Brexit deal – it just doesn’t believe there is a workable alternative available right now.

Boris Johnson says it’s his job to find a solution and accepted a deadline of 30 days to come up with one.

The pressure is firmly on the UK to find that solution – and it’s going to a huge challenge to put it mildly.