Brexit: Michael Gove insists UK will still leave EU on 31 October – live news – The Guardian, Theguardian.com

Libby Brooks

As he emerged from a “short and normal” meeting with EU Ambassadors in Brussels this morning, the EU’s chief negotiatorMichel Barnierjoked with reporters saying “you are very patient” before adding “me too, me too”.

Barnier insisted he is taking the next step on ratifying the deal struck with the UK at the meeting and will update the European Parliament tomorrow.

He said the extension request for a three monthBrexitdelay was a matter forDonald Tusk, the EU Council’s President, and would be dealt with “in the next few days”.

The extension was not discussed by Ambassadors today. Deciding whether to delay Brexit and avoid No Deal is a decision for EU Leaders.

“It’s above my pay grade,” one Ambassador told ITV News.

The EU will wait until theBrexitdeal comes up in front of MPs on Tuesday before making decisions on the terms of a further extension.

Brussels – with MPs likely to vote on a series of amendments to the deal including a confirmatory referendum – is reluctant to be dragged into the political drama in Westminster.

EU ambassadors agreed this morning that the withdrawal agreement would be sent to the European parliament on Monday. MEPs could vote on it on Thursday if the Commons has given its approval.

Michael Govehas disclosed the government Operation Yellowhammer contingency plan to handle a no-deal (Brexit) is being “triggered”.

The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in charge of preparations for a no-deal outcome, said the risk of such a scenario had increased due to MPs forcing the government to ask Brussels for another delay to the Brexit date.

Some Westminster observers viewed the move as a bid to increase pressure on MPs to back prime ministerBoris Johnson’sBrexit deal.

Gove told Sky News: “The risk of leaving without a deal has actually increased because we cannot guarantee that the European Council will grant an extension.

“And that is why I will, later today, be chairing a Cabinet committee meeting, extraordinarily on a Sunday, in order to ensure that the next stage of our exit preparations and our preparedness for no-deal is accelerated.

“It means that we are triggering Operation Yellowhammer.

“It means that we are preparing to ensure that, if no extension is granted, we have done everything possible in order to prepare to leave without a deal.”

DUP MPSammy Wilsonon supporting theLetwinamendment and the party’s position.

Asked if the EU would be open to an extension,Michel Barniertold reporters that the European council president,Donald Tusk,would consider the next stage.

Barnier, the EU’s chiefBrexitnegotiator, said there had been a “very short and normal meeting” of EU ambassadors this morning to take the next steps to ratify the withdrawal agreement.

“Tomorrow I will await the European parliament,” he said.

The Mail on Sunday’s Harry Cole on the current state of parliament:

The Scottish Conservative MPLuke Grahamhas insisted a no-dealBrexitis what the party has been trying to avoid all along.

“What we saw in the last week is the prime minister actually deliver a deal that delivers on a lot of the objectives that we were trying to achieve as a country,” he told the BBC’s Sunday Politics Scotland program.

“There’s less discussion about no deal, it’s a discussion about we’ve got a deal, the EU have agreed it, it’s now for us to agree it as well.

“The prime minister has written his letters in accordance with the law and now we’re focusing on getting a deal.

“We’ve got one on the table and it’s time for MPs right across the House of Commons to come together and actually vote for that deal so we can move forward.”

Sir Oliver Letwinsays he is “absolutely behind the government now” and will backBoris Johnson’sdeal as amended.

He tabled an amendment on Saturday to prevent an unintended no-dealBrexit.

The foreign secretary,Dominic Raab, has clarified the position on goods moving from Northern Ireland into the Republic of Ireland.

He told the Andrew Marr Show: “If it’s going into the EU then it ought to be able to take place without any extra frictions or any extra tariffs. If it’s going into other parts of the world then you have to look at the arrangements either the EU has that we accede to, or the new arrangements that the UK puts in place. ”

Raab added the EU would not allow the UK to “cherry pick” the same arrangements that had been given to Northern Ireland. “This is only being offered in relation to Northern Ireland because of the unique circumstances of Northern Ireland.”

Libby Brooks

Some interesting polling in the Sunday Times Scotland this morning found that Scottish voters would prefer the SNP to be pushing for a second EU referendum before another election.

The Panelbase poll taken between before SNP conference last weekend – during which there was a great deal more discussion of a second referendum on independence than on EU membership – found that only 26 % supported the election-first stance, while 46% would prefer another referendum.

And among SNP voters, six out of 10 would prefer the priority to be another vote onBrexit.