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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/oct/11/brexit-barnier-and-barclay-hold-talks-after-positive-johnson-varadkar-meeting-on-potential-deal-live-news
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| Brexit: EU27 to move to 'tunnel' negotiations on detail of deal – live news | Brexit: EU27 to move to 'tunnel' negotiations on detail of deal – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| My colleagues Rowena Mason and Heather Stewart report that pro-remain MPs are planning a crunch vote on a second referendum during the “super Saturday” sitting of parliament next week, as Jeremy Corbyn comes under intense pressure from senior allies to back another Brexit vote before an election. | |
| Pro-remain MPs plan 'super Saturday' vote on second referendum | |
| The latest YouGov poll shows both the two largest parties slightly gaining ground. | |
| Westminster voting intention:CON: 35% (+1)LAB: 22% (+1)LDEM: 20% (-3)BREX: 12% (-)GRN: 6% (+1)via @YouGov, 08 - 09 OctChgs. w/ 01 Oct | |
| And now to ask, what will happen in the tunnel? Will it even be called a tunnel? | |
| EU has agreed to enter the "tunnel" on new Brexit proposals - so intensifying talks. Big boost for Boris Johnson but we're still not clear what's been floatedMay be related to whether N Ireland stays in customs union, and fresh idea on securing consent from people of N Ireland | |
| I hear the EU27 have agreed to some form of intensified negotiations with the UK but it's not clear how they're going to be described, what the premise is and under what conditions. I bet the word "tunnel" will not feature. | |
| Senior EU source inside Barnier briefing confirms to @skynews that intense negotiations - aka "the tunnel" - will now begin between EU and UK pic.twitter.com/7CX4doDOjl | |
| This is from PA Media, confirming some of Campbell’s tweets from earlier. | This is from PA Media, confirming some of Campbell’s tweets from earlier. |
| John McDonnell has said he and Jeremy Corbyn would have to resign if Labour loses the next election. | John McDonnell has said he and Jeremy Corbyn would have to resign if Labour loses the next election. |
| Asked by former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell whether it was “possible for him to stay on” if Labour failed to win next time round, the shadow chancellor said: “I can’t see so.” | Asked by former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell whether it was “possible for him to stay on” if Labour failed to win next time round, the shadow chancellor said: “I can’t see so.” |
| “I can’t see... I think it is the same for my own personal position, I can’t see so,” he told Campbell for an interview in GQ magazine. | “I can’t see... I think it is the same for my own personal position, I can’t see so,” he told Campbell for an interview in GQ magazine. |
| “What we’d do is as the tradition, which is have an election for a new leader.” | “What we’d do is as the tradition, which is have an election for a new leader.” |
| McDonnell said he thought Mr Corbyn’s successor should be a woman. | McDonnell said he thought Mr Corbyn’s successor should be a woman. |
| “I’m still of the view now that whoever comes after Jeremy has got to be a woman,” he said. | “I’m still of the view now that whoever comes after Jeremy has got to be a woman,” he said. |
| “We’ve got to have a woman leader. If you look at the new youngsters that have come through, they are fantastic.” | “We’ve got to have a woman leader. If you look at the new youngsters that have come through, they are fantastic.” |
| This will be the first time Boris Johnson’s negotiators will enter the tunnel, and it was not smooth going for his predecessors’ . | This will be the first time Boris Johnson’s negotiators will enter the tunnel, and it was not smooth going for his predecessors’ . |
| However, it allowed for an agreement to be reached. | However, it allowed for an agreement to be reached. |
| It was an unseasonably warm and sunny October day when the idea of the ‘tunnel’, the secretive negotiating phase from which Wednesday’s deal has emerged, was first raised with EU ambassadors in Brussels. | It was an unseasonably warm and sunny October day when the idea of the ‘tunnel’, the secretive negotiating phase from which Wednesday’s deal has emerged, was first raised with EU ambassadors in Brussels. |
| How the draft Brexit agreement emerged from the 'tunnel' | Daniel Boffey | How the draft Brexit agreement emerged from the 'tunnel' | Daniel Boffey |
| The UK government had been keen to open “tunnel” negotiations with the commission on the detail of a deal, and this will be seen as a sign that progress is being made with the EU. | The UK government had been keen to open “tunnel” negotiations with the commission on the detail of a deal, and this will be seen as a sign that progress is being made with the EU. |
| These intensive talks are now set to be held in the days befire the summit on 17 and 18 October. | These intensive talks are now set to be held in the days befire the summit on 17 and 18 October. |
| The tunnel is Brussels jargon for discussions held among a small group of negotiators in complete secrecy, with no press briefings or documents published, meaning that the offers and counter-offers are not disclosed – unless they are leaked. | The tunnel is Brussels jargon for discussions held among a small group of negotiators in complete secrecy, with no press briefings or documents published, meaning that the offers and counter-offers are not disclosed – unless they are leaked. |
| Even ambassadors of the EU27 would not be kept informed of the progress, as they are regularly with Brexit negotiations, and the results would be presented as a joint proposal. | Even ambassadors of the EU27 would not be kept informed of the progress, as they are regularly with Brexit negotiations, and the results would be presented as a joint proposal. |
| The Irish Times has reported that when a journalist asked a European commission official where the tunnel was, they replied: “The tunnel is not a place, but a state of mind.” | The Irish Times has reported that when a journalist asked a European commission official where the tunnel was, they replied: “The tunnel is not a place, but a state of mind.” |
| NEW: Michel Barnier has got green light from the EU27 for there to be tunnel negotiations | NEW: Michel Barnier has got green light from the EU27 for there to be tunnel negotiations |
| The BBC’s Katya Adler tweets that EU diplomats fear Boris Johnson could pull out of negotiations even after securing a concession. | The BBC’s Katya Adler tweets that EU diplomats fear Boris Johnson could pull out of negotiations even after securing a concession. |
| EU diplomats also sceptical Boris Johnson would want to be seen to be ‘conceding’ to EU ahead of elex, with Brexit Party breathing down his neck. EU fear is the PM might enter intensive negotiations, get a concession from EU and then pull out.. /2 | EU diplomats also sceptical Boris Johnson would want to be seen to be ‘conceding’ to EU ahead of elex, with Brexit Party breathing down his neck. EU fear is the PM might enter intensive negotiations, get a concession from EU and then pull out.. /2 |
| Here are some further thoughts and insights from Sky’s Sam Coates. | Here are some further thoughts and insights from Sky’s Sam Coates. |
| If as advertised, there’s something politically very clever about Boris Johnson - Leo Varadkar plan. Allow BJ/DUP to say NI has left the customs union, while allowing EU to say whole of Ireland of Ireland continues to enforce one uniform rate of customs at border | If as advertised, there’s something politically very clever about Boris Johnson - Leo Varadkar plan. Allow BJ/DUP to say NI has left the customs union, while allowing EU to say whole of Ireland of Ireland continues to enforce one uniform rate of customs at border |
| Although we haven’t seen the full quotes, Alastair Campbell has suggested that the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, told him that he and the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, would step down if they lost the next general election. | Although we haven’t seen the full quotes, Alastair Campbell has suggested that the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, told him that he and the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, would step down if they lost the next general election. |
| The next leader must also be a woman, McDonnell said in an as yet unpublished GQ interview, according to Campbell. | The next leader must also be a woman, McDonnell said in an as yet unpublished GQ interview, according to Campbell. |
| McDonnell also confirmed to Tony Blair’s former spin doctor that there must be a second referendum, as well as a general election. Corbyn said in his speech yesterday that an election must come before any further referendum. | McDonnell also confirmed to Tony Blair’s former spin doctor that there must be a second referendum, as well as a general election. Corbyn said in his speech yesterday that an election must come before any further referendum. |
| Campbell also tweets that McDonnell claimed parliamentary democracy and the rule of law is under threat. | Campbell also tweets that McDonnell claimed parliamentary democracy and the rule of law is under threat. |
| We talk elections/referendums -he wants the first but insists there must be the second. And he will not be neutral. Brexit policy ‘a vase’. Says no way of doing Brexit without undermining GFA. Believes @UKLabour can win GE but If they don’t he and @jeremycorbyn will step down 2/8 | We talk elections/referendums -he wants the first but insists there must be the second. And he will not be neutral. Brexit policy ‘a vase’. Says no way of doing Brexit without undermining GFA. Believes @UKLabour can win GE but If they don’t he and @jeremycorbyn will step down 2/8 |
| The Brexit secretary, Stephen Barclay, has also welcomed a “constructive meeting” in Brussels. | The Brexit secretary, Stephen Barclay, has also welcomed a “constructive meeting” in Brussels. |
| A government spokesman said: “Steve Barclay had a constructive meeting with Michel Barnier this morning. Michel Barnier will brief ambassadors from the EU27 this afternoon.” | A government spokesman said: “Steve Barclay had a constructive meeting with Michel Barnier this morning. Michel Barnier will brief ambassadors from the EU27 this afternoon.” |
| Vintage Barnier here. | Vintage Barnier here. |
| NEW: EU chief negotiator @MichelBarnier: “Brexit is like climbing a mountain. You need vigilance, determination and patience” #Brexit @itvnews pic.twitter.com/PzYG5ygr0y | NEW: EU chief negotiator @MichelBarnier: “Brexit is like climbing a mountain. You need vigilance, determination and patience” #Brexit @itvnews pic.twitter.com/PzYG5ygr0y |
| The commission spokesperson declines to go into detail about the meeting. | The commission spokesperson declines to go into detail about the meeting. |
| Commission spokesperson declines to go into detail on meeting but tells reporters that "you can assume that they exchanged ideas or they discussed many different angles” | Commission spokesperson declines to go into detail on meeting but tells reporters that "you can assume that they exchanged ideas or they discussed many different angles” |
| But we do have confirmation the breakfast lasted 140 minutes. | But we do have confirmation the breakfast lasted 140 minutes. |
| The Barnier - Barclay breakfast ends after 2 hours and 20 minutes.. Big breakfast, big day. Sensible. | The Barnier - Barclay breakfast ends after 2 hours and 20 minutes.. Big breakfast, big day. Sensible. |
| After leaving the meeting, the EU’s chief negotiator said: | After leaving the meeting, the EU’s chief negotiator said: |
| We had a constructive meeting with Steve Barclay and the British team and now I’m going to debrief the 27 ambassadors and the Brexit steering group of the parliament. | We had a constructive meeting with Steve Barclay and the British team and now I’m going to debrief the 27 ambassadors and the Brexit steering group of the parliament. |
| I’ve already said that Brexit is like climbing a mountain: we need vigilance, determination and patience. | I’ve already said that Brexit is like climbing a mountain: we need vigilance, determination and patience. |
| A spokeswoman for the European commission has said the Barnier-Barclay meeting was constructive. | A spokeswoman for the European commission has said the Barnier-Barclay meeting was constructive. |
| “What I can say from our side is that Michel Barnier had a constructive meeting this morning with Steve Barclay,” said the spokeswoman, Mina Andreeva. | “What I can say from our side is that Michel Barnier had a constructive meeting this morning with Steve Barclay,” said the spokeswoman, Mina Andreeva. |
| “And now he will debrief the EU27 ambassadors... and also inform the Brexit steering group accordingly.” | “And now he will debrief the EU27 ambassadors... and also inform the Brexit steering group accordingly.” |
| She added: “We are working towards a deal .. If there is a will, there is a way.” | She added: “We are working towards a deal .. If there is a will, there is a way.” |
| Speaking in Dublin, the Irish taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has said he is still positive that a breakthrough can be found after his meeting with Boris Johnson yesterday. | Speaking in Dublin, the Irish taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has said he is still positive that a breakthrough can be found after his meeting with Boris Johnson yesterday. |
| “I think at this stage probably the less said the better,” he said. | “I think at this stage probably the less said the better,” he said. |
| The focus today very much switches to Brussels where Secretary [Stephen] Barclay is going to meet with Michel Barnier and I’d anticipate that will lead to some more detailed proposals being made, and the possible talks to enter the proverbial tunnel, but that’s kind of where things stand today. | The focus today very much switches to Brussels where Secretary [Stephen] Barclay is going to meet with Michel Barnier and I’d anticipate that will lead to some more detailed proposals being made, and the possible talks to enter the proverbial tunnel, but that’s kind of where things stand today. |
| Leo Varadkar says he anticipates U.K. will table more detailed proposals that could lead to talks entering ‘the tunnel’. Says focus has very much shifted to Brussels and ‘the less said the better’ pic.twitter.com/imeg6Y8YVV | Leo Varadkar says he anticipates U.K. will table more detailed proposals that could lead to talks entering ‘the tunnel’. Says focus has very much shifted to Brussels and ‘the less said the better’ pic.twitter.com/imeg6Y8YVV |
| Here’s the full story from Daniel Boffey in Brussels. | Here’s the full story from Daniel Boffey in Brussels. |
| Make new offer today or 'no more chances', Tusk tells Johnson | Make new offer today or 'no more chances', Tusk tells Johnson |
| Those Barnier/Barclay talks have come to an end. Barnier is expected to brief EU27 ambassadors on the discussions at around 11.30am UK time. | Those Barnier/Barclay talks have come to an end. Barnier is expected to brief EU27 ambassadors on the discussions at around 11.30am UK time. |
| The Barnier - Barclay breakfast ends after 2 hours and 20 minutes.. Big breakfast, big day. Sensible. | The Barnier - Barclay breakfast ends after 2 hours and 20 minutes.. Big breakfast, big day. Sensible. |