Brexit news: Theresa May says longer transition period could be 'solution' to Irish border row amid Tory backlash

All the updates from Brussels and Westminster

Theresa May 'losing confidence of colleagues' after Brexit U-turn, says Conservative MP Nick Boles

Theresa May has faced fury from Tory MPs after she opened the door to extending the Brexit transition period by a year, keeping Britain tied to the EU up to the end of 2021.

Former minister Nick Boles, who voted Remain, said the plan was a "desperate last move" and the prime minister was losing the confidence of colleagues from all sides.

The backlash came as Ms May and European leaders gave press conferences, after a key EU summit broke up without a Brexit deal.

If you want to follow the events as they happened, see our live coverage below

Key Points

• EU says a longer Brexit transition period 'probably will happen'...
• ...as senior Tory warns PM she is 'losing the confidence' of her colleagues over the plan
• UK pulls out of Saudi Arabia trade conference over missing journalist
• Angry senior Tories round on Theresa May over 'astonishing' u-turn on meaningful Brexit vote
• EU leaders decide to shelve plans for Brexit summit in November until ‘decisive progress’ made

[18 October 2018 16:05 · Lizzy Buchan]

That's the end of May's press conference.

[18 October 2018 16:19 · Lizzy Buchan]

Interesting row seems to be going on here between Donald Tusk and Martin Selmayr, the secretary general of the European Commission. Selmary was an aide to Jean-Claude Juncker - and is sometimes known as the 'beast of Berlaymont'.

[18 October 2018 16:31 · Lizzy Buchan]

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds is suitably unimpressed with the suggestion of a longer transition period.

He said:"An extension of the transition period offers does nothing significant on the key issue of the unacceptable EU backstop proposals.  

"An extended transition period means the United Kingdom continues to ‘pay but have no say’ in Brussels. Such an extension would cost United Kingdom billions of pounds, yet our fundamental problem with the EU proposal remains."

The Northern Ireland party want a Brexit deal that respects the union, and believe that the EU backstop would "undermine the constitutional and economic integrity " of the UK.

Mr Dodds added: "I am glad that it is not just unionists in Northern Ireland who recognise the dangers of the EU proposals on the backstop to the Union. Such a backstop is unacceptable to many others from right across the United Kingdom.”

[18 October 2018 16:42 · Lizzy Buchan]

A protester dramatically confronted the international development secretary to accuse her of silencing women trying to speak out about sex abuse by aid workers.

Penny Mordaunt was accused of trying to “control women” by denying them centre-stage at an international summit where she promised “root-and-branch” reform to end the scandal.

Story here: 

[18 October 2018 16:54 · Lizzy Buchan]

David Lidington, the de-facto deputy PM, has apologised after an email telling government departments not to destroy any documents relevant to the Infected Blood Inquiry failed to send.

He said no "material damage" had resulted from the administrative error and that his officials had provided a "detailed explanation" to the inquiry.

The Cabinet Office minister, apologised for the error, saying: "I can reassure the public that this has resulted in no actual harm, but it is an error for which I apologise to the Inquiry, and most importantly, to the people infected and affected."

Mr Lidington said: "Cabinet Office official circulated a Government-wide notice on 3rd April this year, instructing departments to preserve all information relevant to the Infected Blood Inquiry. A further, more comprehensive message was issued to departments by Cabinet Office on 11th June.

"However, following a query from the Inquiry about the notice, Cabinet Office officials discovered that the 3rd April email containing the retention notice did not reach its recipients, due to the failure of the collective IT address used."

Mr Lidington said all relevant departments and areas within departments have worked urgently to confirm that they have not destroyed any relevant documents during the period between April 3 and June 11.

The inquiry will consider the treatment of thousands of people in the 1970s and 1980s who were given blood products infected with hepatitis viruses and HIV, and the impact this had on their families.

[18 October 2018 17:02 · Lizzy Buchan]

Martyn Selmayr has responded to the footage of him apparently rowing with Donald Tusk, the EU council president.

Joe Watts, our political editor, has written a piece on it: 

[18 October 2018 17:14 · Lizzy Buchan]

That's it for The Independent's liveblog for the day. Thanks for following!