Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar both see 'a path towards' a Brexit deal

No breakthrough in talks at Merseyside hotel, with just days to go to the deal-or-no-deal deadline

Crunch Brexit talks between Boris Johnson and Irish premier Leo Varadkar have ended with positive signals from both sides but no breakthrough on a withdrawal agreement.

In a joint statement, the two men agreed that they “could see a pathway to a possible deal”.

But there was no confirmation from Downing Street of Irish media reports of "very significant movement" from the UK side on customs arrangements, one of key elements of Mr Johnson's propoasal which were branded unsatisfactory by EU commissioners on Wednesday.

With just seven days to go to the crucial Brussels summit at which Mr Johnson hopes to secure agreement on deal to leave the EU on October 31, the pair said that they would “reflect further” on remaining issues relating to the Irish border.

Mr Varadkar is now due to report back to the EU’s Article 50 task force, while Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay will meet chief negotiator Michel Barnier on Friday.

Mr Barnier is expected to assess whether positive signs from the meeting are sufficient to move from technical talks to full-scale negotiations.

In a joint statement issued after around three hours of talks at the Thornton Hall hotel on Merseyside, the two premiers described their discussions as "detailed and constructive”.

Talks focused on the contentious issues of post-Brexit customs systems for the island of Ireland and the UK’s demand for any new arrangements to command the consent of the people of Northern Ireland.

“Both continue to believe that a deal is in everybody’s interest,” said the statement.

“They agreed that they could see a pathway to a possible deal.”

And it added: “They agreed to reflect further on their discussions and that officials would continue to engage intensively on them.

France’s Emmanuel Macron previously indicated that progress was needed before the end of this week to evaluate whether there was any prospect of agreement on a deal at the 17 October summit.

EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier addressed the European Parliament (EbS)

An agenda for the summit was expected to be released on Friday, though it could be held back if Brussels sees any indication of Johnson moving on elements of his plan which have proven unpalatable to the EU27.

The scale of the chasm between the two sides was exposed by Mr Barnier on Wednesday in an address to the European Parliament in which he said they were “not really in a position where we’re able to find an agreement”.

Brussels objects that Mr Johnson’s plan does not prevent a customs border in Ireland, does not provide a legally operable alternative to its backstop and gives a veto to Stormont.