Brexit talks hang in the balance

With only a couple of days to go before a Brexit deal on Britain’s scheduled date of departure (October 31) from the European Union (EU) becomes impossible, there is much confusion about the outcome.

In the latest development, the Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister), Leo Varadkar, has said there are “many issues” to resolve before an agreement can be reached.

The Irish leader’s latest Brexit statement comes amid feverish activity by all sides as the EU prepares to hold its all-important summit in Brussels tomorrow.

Amid this frantic activity, and associated confusion, the Brexit secretary, Stephen Barclay, told a committee of MPs that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, will “comply” with the terms of the Benn Act.

The Benn Act, which received its royal assent only last month, compels the PM to seek a three-month delay to Brexit if a deal on exiting the EU cannot be reached by October 19.

“I can confirm, as the prime minister has repeatedly set out, that firstly the government will comply with the law … And secondly, the government will comply with undertakings given to the court in respect of the law”, Barclay told the House of Commons Brexit committee.

In another development, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, is set to meet EU diplomats later today in order to determine if he can recommend a UK withdrawal agreement ahead of tomorrow’s summit in Brussels.