Belgian MEP Philippe Lamberts spoke to BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg for her behind-the-scenes documentary: ‘The Brexit Storm Continues’. The EU politician accused Boris Johnson of “taking the British people for idiots”. He told Ms Kuenssberg that the UK’s withdrawal agreement requirements, especially in regards to the Irish border, were unacceptable.

Mr Lamberts said: “They want to take the United Kingdom out of the single market and out of the customs union.

“They also want the European Union to keep a 500km border open.

“Allowing us basically to destroy the single market by smuggling in goods and services that would have been produced without respecting the EU legislation.

“That’s what they want us to do.”

The MEP continued: “Do they believe that we would ever accept this?

“So claiming that this strategy can deliver on agreement is not taking the Europeans for idiots, it’s basically taking the British people for idiots

“Because he believes that they will buy his bulls**t.”

The Irish border has long been a point of contention during the Brexit negotiations.

With Northern Ireland following the rest of the UK out of the EU while the Republic of Ireland remains, it would leave the two areas in different economic zones.

This may require checks on the Irish border, which many legislators were worried would impede the Good Friday agreement.

However, the backstop clause negotiated by Theresa May has been unacceptable for Brexiteers as they believed that it did not deliver on the promises of the referendum because it kept the UK still too close to the EU.

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The Prime Minister presented an alternative solution in his new Brexit deal.

2020 is set to be the transition period for the UK leaving the EU, as both parties negotiate a trade deal.

After that, in a plan that has been dubbed “two borders for four years” Northern Ireland would be kept in a special status until 2025.

They will then leave the EU customs union alongside the rest of the UK.

However, they will remain aligned on all single market rules for agriculture and industrial goods.

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