Boris Johnson news: DUP dismisses Brexit breakthrough ‘nonsense’ as government braces for humiliating extension request letter
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Brexit negotiations are continuing overnight Brussels today in a desperate bid to get a political agreement ready in time for a crucial EU leaders’ summit.
Despite progress, EU officials suggested any deal would still have to be delayed by around two months to “resolve technical issues”.
Boris Johnson’s hopes of an agreement before tomorrow’s summit are fading as new hurdles emerge.
DUP leader Arlene Foster dismissed reports of a breakthrough over the issue of consent on customs arrangements as “nonsense”.
But Nicky Morgan, the UK’s culture secretary, said there was a good chance that Britain and the EU could come to an agreement.
“I think there is a good chance of there being a deal,” she said in an interview with ITV’s Peston show.
“Nothing [has been] agreed or announced yet, and of course there is a chance that actually a deal is not agreed.
“So I think we have to wait.”
If you would like to see how the day’s news unfolded, please see what was our live coverage below.
Tory rebel Antoinette Sandbach, sacked by Boris Johnson for rebelling over Brexit, has tweeted a picture of a threatening message she has received.
Sandbach lost a vote of confidence among members of her local Conservative party association on Tuesday night, and she is currently appealing over the suspension of the Tory whip.
Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay is speaking at the Exiting the European Union Committee this morning.
Barclay reveals the government has submitted draft texts for a political declaration with the EU, and says the government is confident it can ratify a deal before 31 October.
Asked about the Benn Act and whether Boris Johnson will write a letter asking for a delay if there is no deal in place by Saturday night, Barclay has said the PM will “abide” with the law.
Barclay said: “I confirm that the government will abide by what it set out in that letter.”
Asked by committee chair Hillary Benn how could PM send letter and still leave the EU on 31 October, Barclay says “we’ll cross that bridge in due course”.
Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay at the committee
Boris Johnson’s hopes of a Brexit deal before tomorrow’s crunch EU summit are fading as new “hurdles” emerge with the DUP and customs borders, The Independent understands.
There is increasing gloom that an agreement will be ready for EU leaders to sign it off at the summit this week. Our deputy political editor has the details.
Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay has asked to confirm that if there was a Canada-style free trade agreement, there would be customs checks, regulatory checks and rules of origin checks.
“It’s absolutely the case that we are committed to Northern Ireland coming out of the EU customs union,” he said.
Barclay said the UK is also committed to “minimising” any checks that are required.
Asked whether, like his colleague Michael Gove, he would vote for Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement if it was put before MPs again, Barclay said: “I voted for it three times, so yes.”
He said the difference is that Johnson’s proposition could pass a vote in the Commons.
“First and foremost, it would be deliverable,” he said, after being asked why it was “better”.
“The issue with the previous deal is the House of Commons rejected it three times.”
Irish premier Leo Varadkar said he had spoken to Boris Johnson again on Wednesday morning.
“There is a pathway to a possible deal but there are many issues that still need to be resolved, particularly around the consent mechanism and issues around customs and VAT,” he said.
“I spoke with the PM this morning by phone and the European Commission and I do think we are making progress but there are issues that need to be resolved and hopefully that can be done today, allowing us to ratify it at the European Council tomorrow, and allowing the House of Commons to vote on Saturday, but if it’s not there is still more time.”
Varadkar continued: “The 31st of October is still a few weeks away and there is a possibility of another summit before that if we need one.
“A lot of things have changed in the last three years, a lot of twists and turns but what’s never changed is our objectives. Although time is running short I am confident these objectives can be achieved.”
Leo Vardkar speaks to reporters at press conference in Dublin (PA)
The DUP – crucial to getting any deal passed in the Commons – are heading back into No 10 for further talks.
Here’s the moment Brexit secretary Steve Barclay said Boris Johnson will comply with the Benn Act and ask the EU for a delay if he doesn’t get a deal approved by Saturday.
Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, has reportedly told EU commissioners he is still “optimistic” a deal can be reached today.
According to RTE’s Europe editor Tony Connelly, the issue of consent is “proving difficult, with a senior EU source saying the DUP are pushing to restore a tighter Stormont lock”. And VAT has emerged as another problem.
Mark Francois, the European Research Group (ERG) deputy chair, said the group of eurosceptic Tory backbenchers would meet early on Saturday to decide whether to back any deal brought back by Boris Johnson from Brussels.
Francois, who was in an ERG delegation briefed in Downing Street on Tuesday and due to return for further talks later today, said he had not yet been given full details of Johnson’s plan. He told Sky News: “I hope the officers of the ERG will be in a position to recommend approving the deal, but we are not there yet.”
ERG members would vote as individuals, not as a bloc, he said, adding: “The ERG and the DUP have always been firm allies all the way through this process.
“It’s not axiomatic that we would automatically vote in the same way as them, but particularly as these arrangements have strong implications for Northern Ireland, we would give very strong weight to whatever the DUP say.”
Speaking to BBC News this morning, Francois was visibly frustrated as he struggled to be heard over the shouts of anti-Brexit protesters outside parliament.
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