No deal looks more likely, warns Tusk

A NO-DEAL Brexit is ‘more likely than ever, EU Council president Donald Tusk said last night.

Writing to EU leaders, he said the collapse of negotiations at the weekend derailed hopes of a breakthrough at tomorrow’s Brussels summit.

He said agreeing a deal had ‘proven more complicated than some may have expected’, adding: ‘We should remain hopeful... as there is good will to continue these talks on both sides. But... we must prepare the EU for a no-deal scenario, which is more likely than ever before.

‘But let me be absolutely clear. The fact that we are preparing for a no-deal scenario must not lead us away from making every effort to reach the best agreement possible, for all sides.’ His comments came as Angela Merkel warned that striking a Brexit deal ‘looks a bit more difficult’, with the Irish border issue yet again holding up a deal.

Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said his country could not accept British demands that the so-called backstop arrangement to protect the Irish border should be time limited, adding: ‘The backstop will be there unless and until something else is agreed.’