- Brexit negotiations are intensifying amid claims two sides closing in on a deal
- Boris Johnson has postponed Cabinet meeting to give the discussions more time
- Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay has made unexpected trip to Luxembourg today
- DUP leader Arlene Foster was in No10 for 90 minute meeting with PM last night
Michel Barnier has set a midnight deadline for a Brexit deal in time for this week’s crunch summit – as he demands more concessions from Boris Johnson.
The EU’s chief negotiator is said to have briefed ministers that the latest plans put forward by the UK are ‘not enough’.
He insisted that unless a detailed package has been thrashed out by the end of the day there is no chance it can be finalised when leaders meet in Brussels on Thursday.
Irish deputy PM Simon Coveney sounded a slightly more positive tone, saying a deal is ‘doable’ but a ‘big step forward’ is needed in the coming hours.
Downing Street played down the idea of a hard deadline, saying they are working towards an agreement ‘as soon as possible’.
The bitter wrangling comes after both sides fueled hopes of a breakthrough.
Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay made a surprise dash to Luxembourg for the meeting of ministers this morning, saying a deal was ‘very possible’.
Mr Johnson postponed a Cabinet meeting amid a final push – after DUP leader Arlene Foster came to Downing Street for 90 minutes of talks last night. The PM had a ‘constructive’ 20-minute call with French president Emmanuel Macron.
The Pound spiked on signs that the two sides are homing in on an agreement, with the UK putting put forward a new legal text designed to bridge the gap on customs checks.
Earlier, Mr Barnier insisted completing the ‘difficult’ process was ‘possible’ this week.
Arriving to brief EU ministers in Luxembourg, he said: ‘Reaching an agreement is still possible. Obviously, any agreement must work for all, the whole of the UK and the whole of the EU.
‘Let me add also that it is high time to turn good intentions in a legal text.’
Brexit Secretary Mr Barclay appealed for ‘space’, adding: ‘Detailed conversations are under way and a deal is still very possible.’
However, Mr Barnier reportedly told ministers at a private meeting that time is short and the blueprint is not yet ready.
Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay appealed for ‘space’ as he arrived in Luxembourg today, adding: ‘A deal is still very possible.’
Boris Johnson (left in Downing Street today) has postponed today’s Cabinet meeting as Brexit talks intensify. Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay is meeting Michel Barnier (right in Luxembourg this morning) later
Maverick No10 strategist Dominic Cummings was in Downing Street today as the drama built
Representatives of he DUP (deputy leader Nigel Dodds and leader Arlene Foster pictured earlier this month) were last night spotted entering Number 10
No10 was buoyed yesterday when Irish deputy PM Simon Coveney said an agreement was still ‘possible’ this week.
But Finnish PM Antti Rinne, who holds the rotating presidency of the EU, last night played down hopes of a breakthrough on the Irish border.
‘I think there is no time in a practical or legal way to find an agreement before the EU Council meeting,’ he said. ‘We need more time and we need to have negotiations after the meeting.’
Mr Johnson is anxious to get a deal agreed before Saturday, when legislation requiring him to seek another Brexit delay kicks in.
The PM has said he will lead Britain out of the EU on October 31 come what may.
But any attempt to get around the law would lead to a clash with the courts and could spark a Cabinet walkout led by Attorney General Geoffrey Cox.
After the meeting in Luxembourg today, Mr Covenet said: ‘I don’t want to raise expectations about later on today or this evening but if there is going to be a positive report to EU leaders tomorrow in advance of an EU Summit, then clearly a big step forward needs to happen today to build on what has been slow but steady progress.
‘We are not putting any deadlines on these discussions. It’s possible to move beyond the summit and continue talks next week.’
He added: ‘If the deal can’t be done today or tomorrow then the leaders will have to decide what kind of mandate they want to give Michel Barnier and the UK side will have to respond as well as to how to proceed.’
No10 poured cold water on the apparent deadline set by Mr Barnier for a legal text.
Asked if he recognises the deadline, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘We are working hard. The Prime Minister is aware of the time constraints that we are under.
‘We want to make progress towards securing a deal as soon as possible and we want to make progress ahead of the EU council on Thursday.’
Mr Johnson told Mr Macron that UK officials would ‘continue to work hard’ on securing a Brexit deal, the spokesman said.
‘The Prime Minister said that in advance of the EU council UK officials would continue to work hard on securing a deal,’ according to the spokesman.
‘The PM and the president also expressed their deep concerns at the Turkish incursion and agreed to continue to stay in close contact.’
Belgian deputy prime minister Didier Reynders said: ‘We are in the last hours of real negotiation.
‘I am hoping it is possible to have a deal, but we have a high level of solidarity with Ireland from the beginning and we are trying to protect the integrity of the internal market, the single market…
‘If we have an agreement tonight it will be possible to go to the Council and then again to the British parliament.
‘It’s not easy, we have some red lines. They are well known by all the partners, and I am hoping it will be possible today to make some progress.’
Angela Merkel said today that the EU would work ‘until the last minute’ to seal an agreement.
In a speech to German industry, she added that the UK was going to be ‘another competitor on Europe’s doorstep and that will require the EU even more strongly to be competitive and to take geopolitical responsibility.’
In a fresh headache for the premier, Remainer MPs are demanding he agrees an extension even if a Brexit deal is sealed at the EU summit.
Former Cabinet minister David Gauke insisted today that a ‘technical’ extension will be needed as there is no time to ratify any agreement before October 31.
There are fears among some MPs that Eurosceptics will try a ‘double-cross’, by voting in favour of a deal – but then blocking the legislation to implement it.
That would satisfy the terms of the Benn Act, releasing the PM from the obligation to beg for a delay, and pave the way for No Deal at Halloween.
But environment minister Zac Goldsmith flatly rejected the idea of a delay.
‘I don’t think an extension is necessary. If both sides wish to secure a deal, a deal can be secured,’ he told BBC Radio 4’s Today.
‘It’s a matter of political will. Where there’s a will there is a way, and that has never been more true than in the case of Brexit.
‘And I think it is really important that we don’t continue to extend and extend and extend which is what we’ve been doing for the last few years, because there are issues of trust there.’
Mr Johnson was meeting Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg in Downing Street today
Downing Street has been tight-lipped about the latest compromise plans, which emerged from head-to-head talks between Mr Johnson and Irish premier Leo Varadkar last week.
But the decision to delay Cabinet increased speculation that a deal is close.
A government source said: ‘There is a feeling there is no point holding a Cabinet meeting if the PM can’t brief ministers on the deal and that maybe things will look different in a day or two.’
Sources said the PM was considering a call to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker today to help speed up the process.
As EU ministers met in Luxembourg, Mr Johnson’s Brexit ‘sherpa’ David Frost was starting another round of negotiations with the commission officials in Brussels.
Mr Coveney said yesterday it was still ‘possible’ to strike a Brexit deal by the end of the week.
He also appeared to suggest that those briefing against Mr Johnson’s new proposal should stop.
EU sources say the Republic of Ireland is very keen on Mr Johnson’s latest plan for breaking the border backstop deadlock.
But Mr Barnier previously trashed the plan, insisting it would be ‘very difficult’ to do a deal in time for Britain to leave on October 31.
Brussels sources last night denied divisions between EU capitals and Mr Barnier over his hardline stance, insisting he was not the ‘roadblock’ to a deal.
Despite major concessions made by Mr Johnson, Mr Barnier told EU ambassadors on Sunday night that the UK’s proposals would cause ‘the unravelling of the EU’s customs code’, that they are ‘untested’ and could open up the single market to fraud.
Mr Johnson’s alternative for replacing the backstop is thought to be a dual customs arrangement which would see Northern Ireland subject to EU tariffs on goods, but de facto remain within the UK’s customs jurisdiction.
At the weekend, Jacob Rees-Mogg said he was ready to ‘eat my own words’ and back the ‘dual customs’ plan, which he previously opposed.
However, the Democratic Unionist Party continue to express doubts over the plan.
Arriving for a meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg yesterday, Mr Coveney said: ‘I think, as Leo Varadkar has said, a deal is possible and it’s possible this month, it may even be possible this week.
‘But we’re not there yet, and as Michel Barnier said yesterday there is still a lot of work to do, so I hope that we can make more progress today.’
The Pound was hovering at its highest levels for months today amid rising optimism.
Amid a frantic last push for an agreement, sterling was near its peak since the summer against the US dollar, at over 1.26.
Meanwhile, it was above 1.146 versus the euro – rates not seen since May.
Ex-Tory Remainer rebels ‘will force Boris Johnson to seek a Brexit delay even if a Deal is PASSED by MPs at the weekend
Remainer ex-Tories are planning to force Boris Johnson into seeking a delay to Brexit even if MPs pass a deal agreed with Brussels this weekend.
They are said to be concerned that hardline members of the European Research Group could double-cross the Government by backing a Withdrawal Agreement in a meaningful vote before later voting down the law to implement it.
They also don’t believe there is enough time left before the October 31 deadline to pass the laws required.
With the Benn Act rendered null and void if Mr Johnson gets a deal through Parliament by this Saturday they fear an accidental No Deal Brexit could happen.
They are planning to force an amendment to the deal that means it only comes into effect when the laws required are passed, the Times reported.
One of the MPs kicked out by Boris Johnson after they voted for the Benn Act, told the paper: ‘We’re wise to that (the risk of No Deal) and won’t let it happen.
‘We will find a way of adjusting the [meaningful vote] motion, just in case, to make sure that Benn Act is still operational.’
Ex-justice secretary David Gauke warned against focusing too narrowly on sorting out the Northern Ireland part of the deal to the detriment of the rest of the UK
Ex-Tories are said to be concerned that the European Research Group (Steve Baker and John Redwood pictured centre and right) could double-cross the Government
A ‘technical extension’ to Brexit has already been mooted in some quarters because of the complexity of getting any deal approved by the parliaments of the other 27 EU members states.
Meanwhile one of the ex-Tory group, ex-justice secretary David Gauke, warned against focusing too narrowly on sorting out the Northern Ireland part of the deal to the detriment of the rest of the UK.
He told Sky: ‘Parliament will need to be reassured that we are not essentially left with something that is a deal in name only,’ he told Sky news.
Michel Barnier fuelled hopes that a Brexit deal is close today as he insisted it is still ‘possible’ to seal a package for a crunch EU summit this week.
In his most optimistic comments for days, the bloc’s negotiator admitted the process was ‘more and more difficult’ but could be completed.
Arriving to brief EU ministers in Luxembourg, he said: ‘Reaching an agreement is still possible. Obviously, any agreement must work for all, the whole of the UK and the whole of the EU.
‘Let me add also that it is high time to turn good intentions in a legal text.
source:dailymail