Brexit: Theresa May gathers cabinet ministers to discuss draft agreement
Theresa May has reportedly scheduled an emergency cabinet meeting for tomorrow morning to discuss a draft Brexit deal.
Text governing the UK’s departure from the EU has reportedly been agreed at a technical level between negotiators, after a week in which talks have gone on long into the night.
Downing Street summoned Cabinet ministers for one-to-one meetings with the Prime Minister this evening, according to The Sun.
It is widely considered that 95 per cent of the Brexit deal had been agreed with the EU, with the largest remaining obstacle the question of how to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
However, Irish news outlet RTE said that text outlining a draft agreement for the border has been agreed between the two sides.
The agreement would reportedly see the UK enter a customs agreement with the bloc, but special provisions will be made for Northern Ireland.
The Democratic Unionist Party – May’s Westminster allies – had previously threatened to kill a Brexit deal that would see Northern Ireland sign up to EU rules.
The special provisions would go “deeper” on customs and alignment with single market rules than the agreement does for the rest of the UK.