House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Meanwhile, back in the Commons MPs are continuing to debate Monday's Queen's Speech.

Labour's Jonathan Reynolds expresses concern about one of the bills included in the speech, which would require all UK voters to bring ID to polling stations.

The measure, he argues, "risks being an injustice of significant proportions," because research has shown around 3.5m people in the UK don't have access to photo ID.

Adding that instances of voter fraud are "rare" in the UK, he accuses the Conservatives of copying the "voter suppression tactics of the Republican Party in the US".

Donald Tusk is the European Council President.

Image source, Reuters

The London Assembly's oversight committee says it has paused its investigation into claims Prime Minister Boris Johnson failed to declare a potential conflict of interest when he was London mayor.

At a committee meeting, chairman Len Duvall said the inquiry will be resumed once the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), completes theirs.

He says the committee has "always been proud of our scrutiny role".

"People are on notice that have already been contacted and we will advise others that we will resume our investigation once the IOPC has completed theirs," he says.

Last month, the committee asked Mr Johnson to explain his ties to US businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri following the claims.

It received a response from Downing Street, in a letter marked "confidential and not for publication". However, on 9 October, the committee said the letter failed to answer their questions.

Read more: Jennifer Arcuri and Boris Johnson: What's the story about?

Image source, PA

The Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said it remains his view that there is a "pathway" to a possible Brexit deal.

But in a statement to Irish MPs on the upcoming European Council meeting, the Taoiseach said there were still issues to be resolved.

Mr Varadkar told the Dublin Parliament: "I said last week that I thought that there was a pathway to a possible agreement.

"That is still my view, however, the question is whether the negotiators will be able to bridge the remaining gaps in advance of tomorrow's council.

"What's important now is that all focus is kept on achieving a deal that delivers for everyone."

He also said: "I do not think it would be helpful today to say too much about the precise state of play of the discussions or the exact timeframe in which an agreement may be possible."

A bit more on the level playing field. The argument is over whether certain provisions should be included in the political declaration, setting out the two sides' future trade relationship.

These provisions would limit the UK's ability to diverge from the EU across a whole range of areas, including competition policy, employment rights, environmental standards and state aid.

The UK says loosening these conditions is vital if it is to have an independent trade policy, but the EU says the UK cannot have privileged access to the single market market without following its rules as this would give it an unfair advantage.

Vicki Young
Chief Political Correspondent

Those Conservative MPs who never voted for Theresa May's deal want a looser relationship with the EU.

The idea of a level playing field is a problem for them.

But if you take that out of the deal you have a problem with Labour MPs.

If the PM gains some votes on one side, he loses them on the other.

Adam Fleming
Brussels reporter

The first clues we will have from the EU side about the state of any revised Brexit deal will be when Michel Barnier briefs ambassadors from the 27 other member states.

That meeting was meant to be happening right now.

It has been shifted back to 17:00, Brussels time.

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

Labour MP and chair of the Brexit committee Hilary Benn says: "There are many MPs who are in favour of a confirmatory referendum, as am I, and if the government brings a deal before the House on Saturday, then it wouldn't surprise me at all if an effort was made to try and say OK, but subject to a confirmatory referendum.

"That is not a surprise to anyone, given the growing support that there is for that idea."

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay tells a committee of MPs the government is committed to finding a deal that is compatible with the Good Friday Agreement.

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

Image source, Getty Images

Conservative Shailesh Vara, a member of the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG) says "The UK must hold its nerve.

"We must make it clear to the EU that whilst we are happy to have a deal, we want a deal, nevertheless it can't be any deal and hopefully the EU will see sense.

"Nobody wants no-deal - we all want to walk away with something that is fair."

Laura Kuenssberg
BBC political editor

There are all sorts of briefings, but there are very few briefings from the people who have direct knowledge of the conversations taking place.

What I am not hearing is that the DUP have signed up to the latest proposals.

Arlene Foster and Nigel Dodds were in Downing Street this morning.

As I understand it, they did not leave thinking this issue of consent had been sorted.

This is not over, this is not done, but crucially it is still ongoing.

No one is upping stumps just yet.

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

Asked if he could support Boris Johnson's deal, Conservative Andrew Bridgen says "if the DUP can't support those arrangements that causes me more concern."

He adds that the Northern Ireland backstop "wasn't the only major problem as far as I saw with Theresa May's original withdrawal agreement".

He says he wants the UK to have "a clean break free trade agreement" with the EU rather than alignment with the bloc.

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

Image source, UK Parliament

Margot James was a Conservative MP until she lost the party whip for voting to block a no-deal Brexit.

She says she will give the proposals "a very favourable look", but adds that "everything I hear indicates it is a worse deal than the one proposed by the former PM [Theresa May]."

"I think it holds serious potential repercussions for the UK.

"If Northern Ireland is left in the EU single market and customs union, that is very good for the Northern Ireland economy but not as good for the rest of UK.

"The other huge danger is the Scots will want the same treatment - and why shouldn't they?

"The call for an independence referendum will be unstoppable."

Adam Fleming
BBC Brussels reporter

There appears to be a shifting emphasis on the sticking points - away from customs and towards the consent mechanism for Stormont and level playing field commitments in the political declaration.

Some senior diplomats are saying that it’s now too late for a full legal text to be signed off at the EU leaders' summit beginning tomorrow.

Some countries are mulling the idea of waiting for Westminster to vote on the way forward at the mooted sitting of Parliament this Saturday.

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

Former de facto deputy PM David Lidington believes "the omens are good" for a deal.

He says parliamentarians "have to realise extensions just postpone the moment of decision".

"What I have found incredibly frustrating is that people from different wings of the Brexit debate have shied away from compromising," he says.

"Eventually if we are not careful the 27 EU member states are going to run out of patience."

Select Committee
Parliament

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss says if there is a no-deal Brexit there will be some additional tariffs with countries that have not "rolled over" their trade continuity agreements, which would “not be a good thing.”

She says Canada has “regrettably not yet rolled out over” - and the country is now in an election purdah period until 4 November.

“So that will be one area where additional tariffs are payable," she says.

“If another party refuses to do a deal there’s not much you can do - that’s the nature of bilateral agreements.”

She says 72% of trade continuity agreements have been signed, covering 16 agreements with 46 countries - worth £100bn of trade.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Making her second speech as a backbencher since resigning as prime minister, Theresa May defends Conservative cuts since 2010, saying they were necessary because of the state of the public finances "left by the last Labour government".

She says the government is committed to delivering practical measures to improve people's lives, and praises a number of the bills in Monday's Queen's Speech.