A 'fair and balanced' Brexit deal has been reached
Update at 11.45 am:
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister has told Sky they are planning to put the Brexit deal to a vote in parliament on Saturday.
Update at 11.32: The full Article 50 negotiations with the United Kingdom can be found here.
Michele Barnier, the EU's Chief Negotiator for Brexit, has said that his priority "since day one" has been the people "of Northern Ireland and Ireland".
"What really matters is peace," he said.
.@MichelBarnier: “For me, since day one, for three years, what really matters is people. The people of Northern Ireland and Ireland. What really matters is peace.” #Brexit
— Daniel Ferrie (@DanielFerrie) October 17, 2019
A Brexit agreement has been reached between the EU and UK negotiating teams.
According to The BBC, the deal will still need to be approved by the UK and European Parliaments.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker took to Twitter to say it was a "fair and balanced agreement" for the EU and the UK, which is he said was "testament to our commitment to find solutions."
????? Where there is a will, there is a #deal - we have one! It’s a fair and balanced agreement for the EU and the UK and it is testament to our commitment to find solutions. I recommend that #EUCO endorses this deal. pic.twitter.com/7AfKyCZ6k9
— Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) October 17, 2019
"We've got a great new deal that takes back control," Prime Minister Boris Johnson added in his own social media message.
He added that the British parliament "should get the deal done on Saturday".
However, Sky News' David Blevins reports the proposed agreement does not have the DUP's support.
DUP: “Read our statement. It hasn’t changed.” #Brexit
— David Blevins (@skydavidblevins) October 17, 2019
Earlier on Thursday, the party's leader and deputy said in a statement that they could not support plans "as things stand". They added that they would keep working with the government to get a "sensible" deal.
Arlene Foster and Nigel Dodds added:
"We will continue to work with the government to try and get a sensible deal that works for Northern Ireland and protects the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom."
