After the 1922 Committee meeting, the chairman of Eurosceptic group the ERG, Steve Baker - who voted against Theresa May's Brexit deal three times - says: “I’m very much hoping that he [the PM] will go to the council and succeed in getting a deal which we will be happy to vote for as a genuine exit from the EU worth having.

“If I am not shown a legal text I shall vote no.

“We’ll see exactly what we’re asked to vote on. I always decide when I know what I’m voting on, not in advance speculatively. But I do insist on reading the text of a deal I am voting on.”

Senior members of the ERG have been seen going into Downing Street.

Radio 4 PM

Image source, UK Parliament

Alistair Burt was a Conservative MP until he lost the whip for voting to block a no-deal Brexit.

He tells Radio 4's PM programme he will probably vote for the prime minister's deal.

He says he doesn't know whether the deal will pass Parliament, adding: "The numbers are very difficult."

Asked about the DUP's position, he says "they are in a very awkward position."

Boris Johnson told his MPs at the 1922 Committee meeting a short time ago that in terms of getting a Brexit deal, "we are at the Hillary Step."

"The summit is not far," he said. "But at the moment, there is still cloud around the summit."

The Hillary Step is a 12-metre (39ft) rock face, forming the last great obstacle before the summit of Mount Everest.

However, there is some debate about whether it still exists after an earthquake in 2015...

Image source, Getty Images

Following a cabinet meeting earlier, a Downing Street spokesman says: “The prime minister gave an update to cabinet on the progress in the ongoing Brexit talks.

"He said there was a chance of securing a good deal but we are not there yet and there remain outstanding issues.

"Following a positive discussion, cabinet gave the PM its full support in the government’s continuing efforts to secure a deal ahead of European Council.”

The prime minister's official spokesman has confirmed the government will table a motion for Parliament to sit this Saturday from 09:00 to 14:00 BST.

That motion would be considered tomorrow.

However, this does not mean the House of Commons will definitely sit on Saturday - the government could table the motion but not push it to a vote.

Former EU ambassador Ivan Rogers is appearing before the Commons European Scrutiny Committee.

Recalling his time in the job, he says: "I was preoccupied by ministers telling me 'don't worry Ivan, you don't understand,' and they did say to me repeatedly, 'you don't understand, we're going to have a trade deal in place with the European Union on the day after exit.'

"And I said 'with the greatest of respects, we're not' - and I think I'm proven right."

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier had been due to brief EU ambassadors at 14:00, Brussels time.

That was moved back to 17:00.

It has now been delayed again to 19:00.

The cabinet has been meeting in Downing Street.

BBC correspondent Vicki Young says there has been "a bit of irritation among some cabinet ministers, who really don't know what's going on".

Image source, AFP/ Getty Images

More on the Jennifer Arcuri story. A statement from the London Assembly says it has been asked by the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), to pause its investigation into the prime minister's links with the businesswoman during his time as Mayor of London.

In a statement, London Assembly Oversight Committee chairman Len Duvall AM said: "The London Assembly respects the IOPC's remit and will not in any way interfere with its important work.

"However, the assembly also has an important role and special powers.

"We will consider using those powers immediately following the conclusion of the IOPC's work.

"Subject to that important review by the IOPC, certain people should be on notice that the assembly may well be knocking on their door sometime soon."