Brexit news - live updates: Theresa May holds unscheduled talks with European Commission president Juncker 'at her request'

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Theresa May leaves Downing Street after Cabinet meetings

Theresa May has held talks with the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, amid the chaos over Brexit and as Whitehall chiefs have reportedly been ordered to draw up contingency plans for a snap general election.

It came as the brinkmanship over cross-party talks over Brexit continued in Westminster and claims the civil service chief, Sir Mark Sedwill, had told departmental heads to be prepared for an snap election.

Theresa May, however, has consistently said there will be no general election before 2022, and earlier this week said it would be the “worst thing we could do” and “bring chaos when we need certainty” as she urged the Commons to reject a no confidence motion brought by the Labour leader.

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Key Points

• Boris Johnson falsely claims he 'didn't say anything' about Turkey during referendum
• 'No plans' for more talks with opposition MPs, says Downing Street
• ... as Germans issue plea to Britons over Brexit: 'From the bottom of our hearts, we want them to stay'
• ... and reports emerge that Whitehall chiefs have ordered preparatons for a snap election

[18 January 2019 11:01 · Ashley Cowburn]

Boris Johnson is about to deliver a speech, calling on the government to "use Brexit to unite the country" and focus on the issues that drove the vote for EU withdrawal.

Speaking at JCB headquarters in Rocester, Staffordshire on Friday, Mr Johnson will say: "Yes, it (Brexit) was about democracy.

"But that vote was also triggered by a feeling that, in some way, the people of this country have been drifting too far apart and in areas where we need to come together."

We will bring you the latest updates from his speech

[18 January 2019 11:03 · Ashley Cowburn]

It is quite fascinating looking at the UK's national newspaper front pages from two years ago today - January 18 2017. This was the day after the Lancaster House speech - the address Theresa May used to set our her red lines in the Brexit negotiations, ahead of triggering Article 50. How times change.

[18 January 2019 11:11 · Ashley Cowburn]

Boris Johnson is now speaking - he says now is the time to go back to Brussels and demand "real change" to the backstop, with the "resounding mandate" of Parliament which rejected Theresa May's deal by a historic margin.

By March 29, the UK must leave the EU, he says. 

It would be "shameful, at this late stage" to change the "totemic date" - the one fact the public have been able to cling to with certainty. It would be preposterous if were obliged to pay more to recruit candidates from the European elections, he says.

He said that calls to rule out a no-deal Brexit were "irrelevant" because it was "overwhelmingly likely that we will get a deal, we just won't get this deal".

[18 January 2019 11:23 · Ashley Cowburn]

Johnson says "we are more than up for it", adding: "If we hold our nerve, we can deliver not only a... fake Brexit, but the Brexit people voted for."

... now we're on to the part of Boris' speech in which he attempts to revive his leadership bid. 

“I’m a free market capitalist I am a free market capitalist and a passionate believer in the benefits of migration which enriches our...but there must be a balance," he says.

[18 January 2019 11:41 · Ashley Cowburn]

Boris Johnson has just claimed he didn't say anything about Turkey in the EU referendum campaign. That's not accurate, he sent a joint letter with Michael Gove - seven days before the referendum - to Downing Street. 

This extract is from a report in the Daily Telegraph, seven days before the referendum.

[18 January 2019 11:50 · Ashley Cowburn]

[18 January 2019 11:58 · Ashley Cowburn]

[18 January 2019 12:35 · Ashley Cowburn]

Mrs May will speak with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on Friday.

A spokesman for the European Commission said: "At her request, president Juncker will talk to Prime Minister May today, early afternoon."

[18 January 2019 12:38 · Ashley Cowburn]

Some interesting statistics from the Press Association

Just over 250,000 people have applied to register to vote since the start of 2019 - up 23% on the equivalent period last year.

A total of 253,963 applications were submitted from January 1-17, according to Government figures.

The majority (58%) were from people aged 34 and under, while just 6% came from those aged 65 and over.

It is the highest number for the first 17 days of January since 2015, when a general election was due to take place in May.

[18 January 2019 13:05 · Ashley Cowburn]