‘No Brexit deal tonight’ ahead of crunch EU talks

The chances of a Brexit agreement being announced tonight are slim ahead of crunch EU talks tomorrow.

Government sources said that a deal did not feel imminent.

Boris Johnson had been frantically trying to get things sorted before the heads of EU countries meet on Thursday to discuss the situation.

If a deal is not approved at the gathering, another extension to Brexit looks inevitable – despite the prime minister saying he would ‘rather be dead in a ditch’.

There was some comfort for the PM’s chances of passing a deal by the October 31 deadline, from arch-Brexiteer Conservative MP Steve Baker.

After a meeting in Downing Street, the chairman of the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG) told Sky News: ‘We have made great progress in our discussions with Number 10.

‘We know there will be compromises, but we will be looking at this deal in minute detail, with a view to supporting it.

‘But until we get that text, we can’t say.’

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Mr Johnson had on Wednesday afternoon updated his Cabinet, which gave its ‘full support’ to get a deal ahead of the summit after a ‘positive discussion’.

‘He said there was a chance of securing a good deal but we are not there yet and there remain outstanding issues,’ the spokesman added.

During a brief address to the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, Mr Johnson compared the situation to climbing Mount Everest, according to MPs who attended.

Referring to the Prime Minister, leading Brexiteer Mark Francois said: ‘He said, ‘We are not quite at the summit, we are at the Hillary Step’.

”The summit is not far but at the moment there is still cloud around the summit’.’

Before the chances of an agreement being secured on Wednesday faded, French President Emmanuel Macron said that he wants ‘to believe that a deal is being finalised’.

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay confirmed that Mr Johnson will write a letter asking for an Article 50 extension if no deal is in place by Saturday, something the Prime Minister has repeatedly ruled out.

DUP leader Arlene Foster moved to reject a suggestion that her party had accepted the latest proposals in the deal regarding Northern Ireland consent issues.

She tweeted: ‘Discussions continue. Needs to be a sensible deal which unionists and nationalists can support.’

Saturday is a key date for the Prime Minister, with the Benn Act passed by MPs trying to prevent a no-deal Brexit stating he must write to Brussels asking for a delay if Parliament does not agree to a deal by then.

Pressure to sign off on a draft agreement is peaking.

A legal text needs to be published ahead of the summit if the EU27 are to consider ratifying the Withdrawal Agreement at the two-day event.

Their approval would allow Mr Johnson to put the deal to MPs in a proposed extraordinary sitting of Parliament on Saturday, between 9.30am and 2pm.

During the weekend session, MPs would be able to back or reject any deal presented to them, or discuss what to do next in the Brexit saga.