Can Johnson secure a Brexit deal?

Boris Johnson could secure a Brexit deal. But the details had better be forthcoming soon. 

Xavier Bettel © Getty Images

Invisible man: the PM refused to join a debate with his Luxembourger counterpart, Xavier Bettel
(Image credit: Xavier Bettel © Getty Images)

Boris Johnson compared himself to the "Incredible Hulk" last week, shackled by the EU but determined to break free. By Monday he had transformed into the "Invisible Man", says Lionel Laurent on Bloomberg. Talks hosted by Luxembourg's prime minister, Xavier Bettel, ended with a press conference that the British PM refused to join due to loud protests. Bettel went ahead with the conference, mockingly gesturing to the empty podium. This was just the most obvious sign that Europe's leaders, who are still waiting for concrete proposals for a replacement for the Irish backstop, are "getting frustrated" with Johnson.

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Dr Matthew Partridge
Shares editor, MoneyWeek

Matthew graduated from the University of Durham in 2004; he then gained an MSc, followed by a PhD at the London School of Economics.

He has previously written for a wide range of publications, including the Guardian and the Economist, and also helped to run a newsletter on terrorism. He has spent time at Lehman Brothers, Citigroup and the consultancy Lombard Street Research.

Matthew is the author of Superinvestors: Lessons from the greatest investors in history, published by Harriman House, which has been translated into several languages. His second book, Investing Explained: The Accessible Guide to Building an Investment Portfolio, is published by Kogan Page.

As senior writer, he writes the shares and politics & economics pages, as well as weekly Blowing It and Great Frauds in History columns He also writes a fortnightly reviews page and trading tips, as well as regular cover stories and multi-page investment focus features.

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @DrMatthewPartri