Boris Johnson risks Brexiteer fury with customs union hint, after EU gives green light to secret negotiations

Donald Tusk concedes there are ‘promising signals’ on reaching a deal

Michel Barnier says Brexit 'like climbing a mountain' as positive deal talks continue

Brexit negotiations will now enter the “tunnel” phase of intensive and secretive talks in a boost for Boris Johnson’s prospects of brokering a fresh deal.

Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, held what he called a “constructive” meeting with the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels, raising hopes of a breakthrough on a withdrawal deal.

As the EU27 ambassadors approved talks moving into the “tunnel” phase, EU Council president Donald Tusk said the UK had still not delivered anything workable, but conceded there were “promising signals”.

Mr Johnson hinted at a major concession to rescue a deal by refusing to rule out Northern Ireland staying in the EU’s customs union.

It came as details of private Tory polling emerged showing Mr Johnson cannot get a Commons majority unless he delivers Brexit by 31 October.

Many MPs believe that, if he cannot get a deal, Mr Johnson will use an emergency Saturday sitting of Parliament on October 19 to push for a “people versus Parliament” general election as early as next month.

But if a deal is forthcoming he would need the backing of the DUP and hardline Brexit-backing Tories to give it any chance of getting it through without opposition support.

See below for what was our live coverage.

[11 October 2019 15:45 · Adam Forrest]

Boris Johnson has been urged to repay a £400m debt to Iran in order to open “channels” in the effort to secure Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliff’s release from prison in Iran.

More details here.

[11 October 2019 15:49 · Benjamin Kentish]

Michel Barnier has confirmed that the EU and UK are "intensifying technical talks" as hopes rise that a Brexit deal might be salvageable after all.

[11 October 2019 15:50 · Adam Forrest]

[11 October 2019 16:05 · Benjamin Kentish]

Here's a bit more from Boris Johnson's television clip just now...

The prime minister said:

“I had a good conversation with the Irish Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar yesterday. I think both of us can see a pathway to a deal, but, that doesn't mean it's a done deal. There’s a way to go, its important now our negotiators on both sides get into proper talks about how to sort this thing out.

If they can’t, then we have to be ready, as this country is and will be, to come out with no deal - if we absolutely have to."

Asked what concessions he had offered the EU, Johnson replied:

“Well, I can certainly tell you that under no circumstances will we see anything that damages the ability of the whole of the United Kingdom, to take full advantage of Brexit and I think that's what people would expect and that's what I think we can achieve. But the best thing now really would be for the negotiators to get on and do their job.”

[11 October 2019 16:16 · Benjamin Kentish]

This is interesting... Could the DUP hold its nose and back a Brexit deal along the lines that Boris Johnson is believed to be proposing? This source seems to suggest so...

[11 October 2019 16:31 · Benjamin Kentish]

DUP leader Arlene Foster has just released a lengthy statement on Brexit.

It warns that any proposal that involves Northern Ireland, but not the rest of the UK, remaining in the single market or the customs union "will not have our support", adding: "The prime minister is very mindful of that.  

In a clear warning to Boris Johnson, Foster says:

"In order to secure a sensible deal for everyone it is important that the European Union understand that to maximise the prospects of agreement there will need to be a clear acceptance that the economic and constitutional integrity of the whole of the United Kingdom will have to be respected as we leave. 

As a consequence of the mandate given to us by voters in 2017 the DUP is very relevant in the parliamentary arithmetic and regardless of the ups and downs of the Brexit discussions that has not changed.

We will judge any outcome reached by the prime minister against the criteria above.”

[11 October 2019 16:50 · Benjamin Kentish]

The government has signed four contracts with ferry companies for freight transport in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

A total of £86.6m will be divided between four companies: Brittany Ferries, DFDS, P&O and Stena Line.

The deals will see up to 3,000 lorries a week transported to and from the UK in the event of no-deal on 31 October.

If a deal is agreement, the contracts will be scrapped, costing the taxpayer £11.5m. 

The deals follow a major row earlier this year when the transport secretary, Chris Grayling, handed a £14bn ferry contract to Seaborne Freight, despite the firm not owning any ferries.

His successor, Grant Shapps, said:

"The UK is getting ready to leave the EU on October 31 and, like any sensible government, we are preparing for all outcomes.

"Our decisive action means freight operators will be ready and waiting to transport vital medicines into the country from the moment we leave."

[11 October 2019 17:13 · Benjamin Kentish]

Intriguing... John Trickett, Labour's shadow Cabinet Office minister, has seemingly highlighted the popularity of a video attacking John McDonnell, his shadow cabinet colleague.

The video, titled "The Truth About John McDonnell, accuses the shadow chancellor of working with the likes of Alastair Campbell to campaign for a fresh Brexit referendum. 

Mr Trickett commented pointing out it had received "62,000 views". The tweet has since been deleted. 

[11 October 2019 18:04 · Benjamin Kentish]

More than half of voters think Brexit is not worth the return of violence in Northern Ireland, a new survey has found.

According to a YouGov poll for Hope Not Hate, 53 per cent of voters said stopping a return to violence in Northern Ireland was "more important" than leaving the EU, while 21 per cent disagreed.

The poll also revealed concerns about the possibility of border checks, with 45 per cent of people saying they believed this would be likely to lead to a return to violence, while only 27 per cent said it was unlikely to do so.

[11 October 2019 18:50 · Benjamin Kentish]

Opinion: The European Parliament is a vision of the UK's future, writes Indy sketch-writer Tom Peck