European Parliament president says no progress at No 10

The European Parliament’s president has said “no progress” was made during Brexit talks with Boris Johnson in Downing Street.

David Sassoli said he had entered Number 10 yesterday hoping to hear proposals that could take negotiations for a new deal forward, but left disappointed.

The blow came as talks to avert a no-deal Brexit were left hanging in the balance amid accusations from No 10 that the EU was making it “essentially impossible” for Britain to leave with an agreement.

“I came here in the confident hope of hearing proposals that could take negotiations forward,” Mr Sassoli said in a statement.

“However, I must note that there has been no progress.”

In the absence of a deal, he warned, Mr Johnson has two options: ask for an extension or a no-deal Brexit, adding that the Good Friday Agreement must be upheld.

Downing Street gave its own account of the meeting, with a spokesman saying Mr Johnson reiterated his “do or die” commitment to leave by October 31, even without a deal.

“The prime minister set out how there is little time remaining to negotiate a new agreement, and so we need to move quickly and work together to agree a deal,” the spokesman added.

The PM earlier spoke to Irish premier Leo Varadkar by telephone for about 40 minutes and they pledged to hold crunch talks.

“Both sides strongly reiterated their desire to reach a Brexit deal,” a Downing Street spokesman said.

Earlier there was fury in Brussels following a series of No 10 briefings claiming German Chancellor Angela Merkel had made clear a deal was now “overwhelmingly unlikely”.

European Council president Donald Tusk accused Mr Johnson of engaging in a “stupid blame game”, adding: “You don’t want a deal, you don’t want an extension, you don’t want to revoke, quo vadis (where are you going)?”