Brexit news latest: Donald Tusk says 'no breakthrough' on latest Boris Johnson talks
European Council president Donald Tusk tonight said Prime Minister Boris Johnson failed to make a Brexit breakthrough following talks in New York.
He tweeted: "No breakthrough. No breakdown. No time to lose."
After Mr Johnson told Mr Tusk that the UK needs to see "movement and flexibility” from the EU to reach a deal, PA reported sources as saying there were "big gaps in substance".
The source said: "The EU will need realistic, operational proposals in legal form."
A Downing Street spokesman said following the meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in New York: "The Prime Minister underlined that, when the UK leaves the EU on October 31, his preference is that we do so with a deal and spoke about the non-papers which the UK shared with the European Commission last week.
"The leaders discussed the progress of the talks between the UK and Taskforce 50 in finding an alternative to the backstop that protects the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and the single market.
No breakthrough. No breakdown. No time to lose. #Brexit pic.twitter.com/nUhqUilVXq
— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident)
"The Prime Minister emphasised that in order to secure a deal we will now need to see movement and flexibility from the EU."
Earlier today, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said that he was open to “talks and progress” but was waiting for proposals from the UK that could solve the Northern Ireland backstop issue.
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Corbyn buoyed as vote forcing him to back Remain fails
Mr Barnier said: “Based on current UK thinking, it is difficult to see how we can arrive at a legally operative solution which fulfils all the objectives of the backstop.”
There was also a development in Labour’s Brexit policy, as a motion to steer the party to back Remain failed.
At the party conference in Brighton, a show of hands from delegates defeated the “Composite 13” motion.
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Read more Corbyn buoyed as vote forcing him to back Remain fails
