Brexit: Barnier and Barclay hold talks after positive Johnson-Varadkar meeting on potential deal – live news – The Guardian, Theguardian.com

Interesting spot by Roy Greenslade on the different way the Irish and English versions of the Sun regard the prospects of a deal:

Here’s the fullwritten text of Tusk’s statement on Brexit:

Let me conclude with Brexit. Prime Minister Johnson promised the EU to come forward with a solution that would work for all. A solution that would not only satisfy the hardcore Brexiteers, but also solve our well known and legitimate objectives: to avoid a hard border on the island ofIreland, to protect the Good Friday Agreement and to ensure the integrity of the Single Market.

Unfortunately, we are still in a situation in which the UK has not come forward with a workable, realistic proposal.

A week ago I told PM Johnson that if there was no such proposal by today, I would announce publicly that there are no more chances – because of objective reasons – for a deal during the incoming European Council.

However, yesterday when the Irish Taoiseach and the UK Prime Minister met they both saw – for the first time – a pathway to a deal. I have received promising signals from the Taoiseach that a deal is still possible. Technical talks are taking place in Brussels as we speak. Of course, there is no guarantee of success and the time is practically up. But even the slightest chance must be used. A no dealBrexitwill never be the choice of the EU.

The head of the European Council,Donald Tusk, has urged theBrexitnegotiators not to waste the “slightest chance” of a deal.

Speaking in Nicosia after meeting Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, Tusk said:

A week ago I told Prime Minister Johnson that if there was no such proposal by today I would announce publicly that there are no more chances, because of objective reasons, for a deal during the upcoming European council. However yesterday when the Irish taoiseach and the UK prime minister met, they both saw for the first time a pathway to a deal.

I have received promising signals from the taoiseach that deal a still possible. Technical talks are taking place in Brussels as we speak. Of course, there’s no guarantee of success and the time is practically up. But even the slightest chance must be used.

Speaking to Ireland’s Newstalk, Donohoe said:

What happened yesterday was a positive discussion but the real detail discussion will begin now and that will be in Brussels.

Hopefully the meeting and the process today will be positive.

Barnier, Barclay and Tim Barrow, the UK ambassador to the EU, all looked fairly jolly before their talks at the European commission HQ in Brussels.

The pro-Brexit Tory MPNigel Evanshas said members of the European Research Group of Eurosceptic Conservative MPs could vote for concessions on NorthernIrelandif the Democratic Unionist party was in favor.

“I think it is very difficult to get it through without the DUP, but we have seen a shift from the DUP already,” he said, according to PA Media. “And if the DUP are in favor of it, it’d be very difficult for the ERG to go against.”

Evans said the ERG had not been briefed on the exchanges between Johnson and Varadkar. He said:

“We’re going to look at the detail – none of us know.

“I believe it is three-dimensional poker and we’re playing very high risk stakes here.

“But at the end of the day, I think there’s a realization by the European Union that Boris Johnson, completely different to Theresa May, is prepared to leave theEuropean Unionon October 31, unlike the March 29 Deadline , which was movable. ”

ITV’s Joe Pike has been told that the Labor defector, (Angela Smith) , now a Liberal Democrat MP, plans to stand againstGraham Brady, the acting chair of the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs.

She faces a tough battle: in 2017 Brady secured a majority of more than 6, 000 votes over Labor, with the Lib Dems a distant third.

TheBrexitparty leader, Nigel Farage , sees an opening in all the speculation about compromises.

And Leave.EU, the pro-Brexit group that Fa rage founded, reckons Johnson has “blinked”.

The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, says the cabinet has been briefed on what was agreed between Johnson and Varadkar.

But he has been giving nothing away in a round of broadcast interviews. “I had a very nice briefing this morning which was very much appreciated,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today program.

Asked what the reason was for optimism following the meeting, he said: “It does not benefit anyone to have a running commentary on live negotiations.”

Welcome to a Friday edition of Politics live after anunexpectedly positive Brexit meeting between Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar.

Positive but also very private – it is unclear even whether the UK cabinet has been briefed on the detail of what was discussed. The two leaders agreed a delphicjoint statementafter their meeting at a wedding hotel in Wirral.

Andrew Sparrow, who is taking a well-earned break from liveblogging duty, has ahelpful guide on what the joint statement could mean.

The Brexit secretary, Stephen Barclay, has just started talks in Brussels with the EU’s chief negotiator,Michel Barnier, to see if they can build on whatever was agreed by Johnson and Varadkar.

The Northern Ireland secretary, Julian Smith, has hinted that Johnson compromised on a proposal to give the suspended Stormont assembly a say every four years on NorthernIrelandstaying in the European single market for goods but leave the customs union.

Speaking to BBC Northern Ireland, he said: “What I’m committing to is that we are not going to have one party having a veto over any element of this situation.”

Downing Street pointed out that so few people had been briefed about what was proposed that any comments about what could be involved is just speculation.