people about this, they no barnier less than debenhams.htly so that they no barnier. talk about bhs and house of fraser, all the places that have struggled over the years —— they no barnier —— talking about bhs and house of fraser. this is about how younger people shop, they go online. this is something we've not seen i think from any wing of politics, how do you reread position the way you collect taxes from businesses online versus collect taxes from businesses online versus retail —— re—position. i'm yet to hear any good sensible well thought out ideas on that. for me it is crucial to how towns survived. and communities. who would have thought the labour party who care about communities would think about this stuff, but where are the ideas? the telegraph, owen. policing in crisis as staffing cuts bite. this isa crisis as staffing cuts bite. this is a report from the national audit office, who always produce fantastic stuff like this. the main point, police aren't arresting as many as they used to, they're carrying out less proactive wor

mr barnier describes it as illegal and insane.ore critcism of the chequers plan leads the telegraph. borisjohnson says the uk is going into battle with the white flag fluttering. —— criticism. more trouble for the prime minister in the times. they say 20 conservative mps are preparing to wreck her brexit plan, which all means, as the i says, the prime minister faces a fight to keep her brexit plan alive. the guardian leads on the labour antisemitism row, after speeches from backbencher margaret hodge and the former prime minister gordon brown. the daily mirror says 600 police stations have been closed since 2010 due to tory austerity. anger at nearly £100 million worth of foreign aid to india leads the express. and the ft says mark carney is under pressure to reveal whether he is staying on as the governor of the bank of england. so most of the papers leading on brexit tonight. that is where we will begin. the telegraph in particular, the scandal of brexit is not that we failed but that we haven't tried, a quote from something rea

on michel barnier, rejoice.barnier is under pressure from all the governments in the year that are pro—eu. holland and belgium and france are lobbying to have the deal because they do not want chaos. there are the exporters like the german manufacturers who are very interested in the uk murky to keep it. michel barnier himself hopes to replace presidentjuncker because he wants to come out of history as the man who sold brexit. so rejoice, rejoice rejoice. i don't think so. also, i do not work for the independent. i work for the i newspaper. i have been reading some of the commentaries since all of this drama in the markets and there are quite a lot of serious voices saying he did not mean in the sense that it was taken that it will all be exactly what we want. the irish question remains very strong. i think one of the french ministers said britain is not going to be able to be able to pick the best choice bets and no immigration but yes to free trade. it is not what was made out. you saw the cold water coming do

barnier her words. and what michel barnier is putting forward, this idea of basically doing a bordered on the irish sea is not a suitable as well because simply it would in her words carved the uk into. and that is something she is also trying to impress that upon european leaders, the idea of how would you feel if your country was divided into because that is the application that michel barnier is pushing. this is the thing. it notjust a matter of rhetoric, there is a difference here, but it is almost corporate symbols now. michel barnier is bearing down on this and not quite understanding the depth of his feeling about this. theresa may now infamously said no uk per mr could ever accept a proposal like this, the dup, who also proper government may clear this this as a nonstarter, dividing the country in different regulatory systems. this is also na do we deal in two months or to be walk? do you believe her? i'm not sure jenna quite in that well. i think the express is very interesting. they are for le

it is what dominic raab, the uk negotiator, calls michel barnier, dogmatic legalism.s given from the eu. they are now opening the brief. britain should be very careful. yesterday the commerce secretary was on the bbc actually and he said, well, we have chequers and he said, well, we have chequers and they have to take chequers. it's still a negotiation. we shouldn't say it's hunky—dory, it isn't. it's still a negotiation and there will still a negotiation and there will still be stumbling blocks. ambassadors have been told in brussels with regard to the timing of any deal, regarding the sticking point with the irish border, the meeting will discuss whether to issue additional guidance to michel barnier, the eu chief negotiator, to move on these issues. it's the recognition there has to be progress because of course we're not far from 0ctober... because of course we're not far from october... 200 days from exiting the eu. the 27 eu governments have to sign off. the parliament has to sign of in europe, as well as our parliament. this is very positive but we should not m

mr barnier is far from the only person yet to be convinced by mrs may.it secretary, david davis, quit his position over the so—called chequers deal. davis, quit his position over the so-called chequers deal. in my view, the chequers proposal, it is not a deal, we shouldn't call it the chequers deal, it is the chequers proposal, is almost worse than being in. i mean, we will be under the rule of the european union with respect to all our manufactured goods at agro foods. her former foreign secretary borisjohnson has also weighed in. in his latest newspaper column he has described the prime minister's brexit strategy has affixed that can only lead to victory for the eu. but, as the seasons change here in britain, the deadline for brexit negotiations looms large. theresa may is running out of time to convince sceptics both in europe and at home. in the last few minutes, two journalist in myanmar have been sentenced to seven years in prison. the pair worked for the reuters news agency. they have been investigating reports of a massacre of ten rohingya men. l

and what they've heard so farfrom mr barnier they can go. heard so far from mr barnier they don't feel is going to be good enough. you say, of course, an important intervention today by the democratic unionist party, who represent a large number of people in northern ireland and also who prop up the tory government here. they are helping theresa may stay in power. so what they think is crucially important, and this is how they received what mr barnier had to say today. a crucial, if fundamental point about the eu backstop which mr barnier is adhering to is that it would separate northern ireland into a separate customs regime and regulator in regime from the rest of the united kingdom. so that is u na cce pta ble the united kingdom. so that is unacceptable and the prime minister has said it is unacceptable to any british prime minister. the labour party have made that clear as well. what the eu need to do now is to recognise that it can't keep the single market of europe at the expense of dividing up the single market of the united kingdom,

he said the suicide vest detonator was headed to michel barnier but obviously an escalation ofa warofiously an escalation of a war of words between various factions in the conservative party andi factions in the conservative party and i think and other paper was saying it is almost a bitter civil war breaking out. i do find this very dispiriting. joking apart, it isn't very funny because after all, this country is trying to negotiate one of the most important bit the negotiations it has done for decades, ever since world war two, in other words, an appreciation of oui’ in other words, an appreciation of our new relationship and exit from the european union. so, joking apart, not funny, the country is facing a lot of challenges and to see such disarray within the government ranks, or indeed the conservative party, isn't terribly helpful. benedicte, behind the attention grabbing headlines, there are some details in the article about the deep divisions and the split that seems to be getting wider and wider. well, i think this is putting flesh on the bone we have seen for a long time. i a

barnier. stickee that if we really , we are able to reach an agreement on the first stage of this negotiation. in six or eight weeks. vonnie: let's bring in marcus ashworth in our london studio. why is this time different? why did suddenly the market decide we are going to get a deal in the next few weeks? >> i can barely keep my face straight. i love mr. barnier. things are possible all of a sudden. a little bit of pressure on the british prime minister. i think we have a bit of realization coming. intransigence on the european side needs to be removed. perhaps more practicality on the british side. put them together and almost certainly a deal can be done. for both sides it would be a disaster. markets are realizing the more positive talk, 85% done. last week barnier making positive noises. problem isorder nowhere near as big as it was made out to be and that was the big sticking point. the market is starting to realize that it isn't going to be sunshine but it's quite likely that there's go

michel barnier said the eu offer would fully respect the territorial integrity of the uk.nd the republic has emerged as the main obstacle to an agreement. speaking this evening, mr barnier said most customs checks would be able to take place away from the border. work on the eu side is ongoing. we are clarifying which goods arriving in northern ireland from the rest of the uk would need to be checked and wet, when and by whom these checks could be performed. we can also clarified that most checks can take place away from the border. —— where. at the company, or in the markets. we need to clarify the checks that are needed. these checks are caused by the uk decision to leave the eu, at its single market and the customs union. — its. —— its. our europe editor katya adler gave us her assessment from brussels. we have long said that the issue of the irish border could be the issue that brings the brexit agreement tumbling down. even though not negotiated, the eu's chief brexit negotiator says look, we're going to make a new improved offer on ireland. it is not really new, the

barnier is responsible for moving this.er enthusiastic because nothing is done until it's all done? have we had a little too much of a relief? the gets toon't much or too little. it could change tomorrow so i'm not really worried about the basic movement of the pound. people are becoming more thatrtable with the fact there could be a best case scenario. if there is a soft exit, it takes a little bit more pressure off u.k. corporate's and u.k. consumers. a will to make this work from both sides. the quote from barnier is supportive of that. it's perhaps good news for broader markets. nejra: we talked about that last time you are on that you were expecting a deal before the end of the year. you are neutral on u.k. assets so even though you expect the deal, you're not going gung ho into the u.k.. you get this deal and we expect it to be, it will be based on a few work around to get as that are deal but might not be a huge boon to u.k. companies that they hadn't been receiving before. we have kept herself neutral. the more impo

of a deal between the two sides has been agreed, according to eu chief brexit negotiator, michel barniertheresa may's proposals would see britain signing up to a common rulebook — effectively keeping british goods in the single market but without accepting regulations for services, the european court ofjustice, or free movement of people. the border between northern ireland and the irish republic is a key sticking point in the negotiations. the eu insists a backstop, or safety net, is needed to protect the single market and would keep northern ireland within the eu customs union. however, this is something the uk opposes. with much still to agree, there are concerns a no—deal brexit could be a possibility. dr rebecca harding is an independent economist, ceo of coriolis technologies and co—author of the weaponization of trade and she joins me now. wellcome. thank you. it is getting extremely tight now. the timeline as it were, but we knew this may happen. what is your take on where we are? sol happen. what is your take on where we are? so i think what is becoming very apparent is that thi

the european union's lead brexit negotiator, michel barnier, says the eu is ready to improve its proposalhow the irish border can be managed after brexit the reservists who died during an sas march in the brecon beacons — two officers in charge of safety are cleared of negligence. china has hit back at the united states, announcing new tariffs on $60 billion worth of american imports in the escalating trade war between the two countries. in the champions league, a dramatic night and a grandstand finish at anfield. and it's in! a stoppage—time winner from roberto firmino sees liverpool overcome paris st germain. and at 11:30, we'lll be taking an in—depth look at the papers with our reviewers political strategist jo tanner and john rentoul, chief political commentator for the independent — stay with us for that. the limit on the number of highly—skilled workers who want to move to britain should be abandoned according to an official report commissioned by the government. the migration advisory committee whose report is about immigration policy after brexit is recommending a system based on

michel barnier, they might be bluffing. do you think that7m michel barnier, they might be bluffing.ible, this is the way in which many negotiations take place. i don't know, but we will see. but if the eu maintain the position that they set out in salzburg, then i don't think that the chequers agreement or don't think that the chequers agreement 01’ any don't think that the chequers agreement or any variant of it will work, and so i think there are other things which the prime minister would look at and which might actually present a better option. well, before we abandon the chequers plan or at least abandon the notion that there might be a rival pathway of the negotiate and deal with the eu 27, let's just consider some of the options. some of the comic if i can put it this way, more moderate, softer brexit members of the parliamentary party, at your party, the conservative party, are saying that what we have to accept is that in the end, the chequers plan will not work that modifying it to encompass some sort of membership of the single market and a customs union, what some are ca

are you going to be celebrating mr barnier? crack open the champagne? why have you down as a podcast aficionado? not particularly. no. so if all goes well you will be added to that montage. does michelle barnier still call you dominique? or have you corrected him? i didn't pick that up before. oh really, 0k? not really. he goes dominique said... fine, 0k, right. there is a massive... there is a massive elephant in the room. i was focused on other things i'm sorry. it's what's happened in salzburg in the last 2a, 48 hours. some of the papers are calling it a drive—by, a humiliation, a showdown, how would you describe it? i'm not sure what language is but henry has described it as an ambush which i certainly think you got a prime minister that has gone up there with a detailed set of proposals and one of the key aspects and it's true as said there's been a of progress in other areas. we have been rebuffed on our plans without any coherent explanation as to why. is the sort of rather dogmatic keys to the single market unity, but our plan was very carefully

michel barnier, eu chief negotiator, last night, said he is prepared to soften the eu proposalfor he soften the eu proposal for how to achieve a new border in ireland. we can also clarify that most checks can take place on way from the border, at the company premises, or at the markets. we need to be dramatised —— de—dramatise projects, these checks are caused by the uk decision to leave the single market and the customs union. not a major shift but just a way to make it more palatable. the move at the last possible minute, after they have tested metal and to the cliff edge, to use that phrase, and that's what will happen. it is here at northern ireland's ports, not at the land border with our ireland, that some other checks may still be needed. the uk still isn't buying it. we have been very clear that we will not accept something that separates out our united kingdom, creating some sort of customs border between great britain and northern ireland. that would be unacceptable, constitutionally, economically and indeed i would question its consistency with the belfast good friday agre

, or mr barnier and the government.pound theresa may's difficulties, it is notjust brexiteers and mr barnier who are seemingly unenthused about chequers, there are a growing number of former tory remainers who are equally unconvinced by chequers and the signs are that the labour party will also vote against it, including labour party remainers who mrs may might have been relying upon to support her. so, when you look at it in that context, you would have to say that time appears to be running out for theresa may over chequers. but do not underestimate the prime minister. again and again she seems to have been in a situation where she seems to be walking off a cliff edge and time and again at the last minute she somehow manages to pull something out of the hat. the one big plus that her side comfort themselves with is that she at least has a plan. no one else so far has produced a credible and detailed alternative to chequers, and until they do, i think number ten will still hope that at the last minute, they can get che

and what about michel barnier?st of him and on to 90, saw a little burst of him and on to go, is he saying anything significant this evening?” go, is he saying anything significant this evening? i think some of what he said was quite significant, because remember, the issue of the northern irish border and what will happen and that after brexit has been the key matter that has been holding of negotiations, and every time we have heard an update from michel barnier, it has been making good progress on certain fronts, but the border with the issue. he said we are ready to improve this proposal, so both —— both the eu and the uk have come up with their independent proposals for the so—called backstop arrangement, an insurance policy of what will happen between the northern irish and the republic border after brexit in the event that no other deal is reached. and theresa may has said repeatedly that the eu's proposals for will the backstop have not been spent —— acceptable so far, because they keep northern ireland in

it is an escalation ofa warof barnier. bang!rty which is now a civil war that is going on. it is actually quite disconcerting. you mentioned the deadline for the negotiations was at the end of october. i think michel barnier has moved that into november. but let's be frank about this, as michel barnier rightly says, the clock is ticking to get a negotiating deal. i think it will be very difficult for them to get one, they will go hell for leather to get one. what is also interesting is this explosive dirty dossier. the whips have these on every mp. but some mps make it very easy, ie boris johnson, every mp. but some mps make it very easy, ie borisjohnson, for the papers to have these dirty dossier is. is he clearing the debts? he knew there was a dossier out there, so knew there was a dossier out there, so is he clearing the decks from that point of view, making that his personal situation official in order for that to get headlines, get that out of the way? interestingly, the mail on sunday also talks about chucking the chequer

plan for brexit, mr barnier describes it as ‘illegal‘ and insane‘.the chequers plan leads the telegraph, borisjohnson says the ‘uk is going into battle with the white flag fluttering'. while the i says the prime minister faces a fight to keep her brexit plan alive. the guardian leads on the labour anti—semitism row, after speeches from backbencher margaret hodge, and the former prime minister gordon brown. the daily mirror says 600 police stations have been closed since 2010 due to tory austerity. anger at nearly £100 million worth of foreign aid to india leads the express. and, the ft leads on the turmoil on bond markets caused by the financial crisis in argentina. that is probably not on the list strangely. brexit is, of course. the daily telegraph we will start with a picture of boris johnson telegraph we will start with a picture of borisjohnson adjusting his tie. the scandal of brexit is not that we failed but that we have not that we failed but that we have not tried. he thinks we are surrendering. it is a colourful piece. we have all sorts of

and what michel barnier is putting forward, this idea of basically doing a bordered on the irish seainto. and that is something she is also trying to impress that upon european leaders, the idea of how would you feel if your country was divided into because that is the application that michel barnier is pushing. this is the thing. it notjust a matter of rhetoric, there is a difference here, but it is almost corporate symbols now. michel barnier is bearing down on this and not quite understanding the depth of his feeling about this. theresa may now infamously said no uk per mr could ever accept a proposal like this, the dup, who also proper government may clear this this as a nonstarter, dividing the country in different regulatory systems. this is also na do we deal in two months or to be

there have been signs that michel barnier has been sounding much more conciliatory, suggesting the european average border. he has not actually said anything new today, but his tone has been much more flexible. let's talk about the other telegraph story. this is the lead for them tomorrow, be proud of council houses says theresa may. before she goes to salzburg she has things to say about social housing. i'm not completely convinced this is the headline that those who read the story would be looking for. it is... it feels very unconservative, the party of opportunity and aspiration, the idea that to some extent you could read this if you just glanced across the front page of the telegraph and did not read and probably didn't hear the speech theresa may is making tomorrow that this story refers to, it would sort of suggest that what she's suggesting is people should be proud to live in council homes and that there is no sense of people wanting to do anything else, live anywhere also, on any homes, a real break away from the factory era, but actually i think there is some detail he in here ab

will be michel barnier or theresa may?ggest pick clock this miscalculation? if they can't get off the positions they are at the moment, then surely we are heading for a standoff and perhaps another crisis. earlier i spoke with david herszenhorn, who's brussels correspondent with politico, and he said that neither michel barnier and theresa may are in a position to move just yet. this may be salzburg, the city of mozart, but they are not ready to face the music. that will have to wait until after the tory congress next month. so they have a deal in sight, but they must continue doing this dance. michel barnier's redlines matter more for the withdrawal agreement, the divorce treaty, but what matters more for theresa may and her redlines is the political declaration, which actually doesn't fully get negotiated until after brexit, after next march. so if they hold on tight and don't let their critics knock them off course, they may be on track for a deal. so today, michel barnier said maybe they can take some of the heat out o

, or mr barnier and the government.is very clear from the reported remarks of michel barnier in the german newspapers this morning that the government's proposal for the facilitated customs arrangement and the common rule book are not acceptable to the european union and it is clear, therefore, that what is on offer is either a deal like canada, which would not give us what we need, or, my view is, remaining in a customs union with the european union. hilary benn, the chair of the european select committee. we can talk to katy balls, political correspondent for the spectator, who is in westminster. and anne mcelvoy, who is senior editor at the economist — she is in our paris bureau. katy balls, let me start with you. i sense through the course of the day that positions have hardened again against the chequers plan. we have nick boles, soft remainer, normally loyal to the prime minister, he has said there is zero chancellor and passing the parliament and now we have michel barnier breathing committee members that actuall

that is what barnier has been using on this week, trying to be very practical.because a no deal would be bad for everyone, not only for britain. i'm told that theresa may have decided a no deal would be calamitous. that is not the view of some in her party but that is her view. however, the irish question is... i mean, you give a practical example of a solution but as ever with britain and anything to do with europe, the politics are so complicated. i don't think that the unionists, with whom she has a formal relationship with at the moment to keep her in place, in effect, in that hung parliament, would accept anything which suggests that northern ireland is in a different place to the rest of the united kingdom. and so immediately it becomes problematic in terms of the internal politics of this government and this parliament. and so the irish question as yet is not answered. and i think the more hardline brexiteers are saying the technology will be there soon. speaking of the hardline brexit supporters, a lot of them would say wto is perfectly 0k. it won't be t

to comp going to instruct michel barnier to co m p eyes going to instruct michel barnier to comp eyeswill do the opposite and say they will do the opposite and say the uk has to agree a solution to the uk has to agree a solution to the irish border if it wants an excellent treaty. and that means that the coming weeks will see fraught and difficult talks if a deal is to be settled. —— exit treaty. some additional detail on that plan reported in ireland this afternoon, they are saying that as part of these checks, you would have a trusted trade system where the shipper scans a bar code, the shipper scans a bar code, the shipper could then work out the vat and whether the goods fit with eu regulations and you could work out if the goods that are being shipped oui’ if the goods that are being shipped our food, if the goods that are being shipped ourfood, or linked to animals in any sort of way. in which case, there would need to be higher checks. 10% of live animal shipping is subject to checks. michel barnier is subject to checks. michel barnier is saying it would need to be nearer 40 is

michel barnier has described the chequers proposal as insane, illegal and unfortunate?en more moderate in their response. this is a multilayered drama and part of the unknown is quite how the negotiation with the european union will go. but what is absolutely clear is it will be a negotiation. however much some leaders might work to move towards her, —— however much some leaders might want to move towards her, she will have to move to some extent towards them. so when she brings back a deal — if she brings back a deal — it won't be quite this. it will be watered down from this, which is already unacceptable to some conservative mps. now, the issue then will become then, when parliament in the uk votes on it, i think she will say, "look, it's this or no deal." i still can't see how she will win this vote. it is an extraordinary situation. it is the commons and it's the lords, then it has to go to the other 27 eu members for ratification. yes, the european parliament and other parliaments. so time is running out, apart from anything else. a lot of things are unclear at th

they don't put much whilst all by what michel barnier has said.ckstop being insisted upon by the eu still means a border down the irish sea, although a different kind of checks. they say that with theresa may and the labour party saying before, no british prime minister could accept that. although it sounds like a small change, basically, they are saying, we still need checks, you can do them yourselves. it doesn't look like that's going to be a laugh. it's still an acceptable to the uk. then the border issue which you were talking about there, there was broad agreement getting over the first hurdle, next is the bigger part, the bigger picture, what kind of future relationship to we have with the eu? as we have heard, that proposal by theresa may is all about staying closely aligned when it comes to goods and agricultural products, staying alongside the rule book for the eu. that has not gone down well at all with many in the conservative party, and david davis, the former brexit secretary said today that he believes that theresa may will have to

michel barnier made it very clear yesterday in brussels in the select committee when we met him thator a facilitated customs arrangement and a common rule book is not acceptable. none of us who was present listening to mr barnier yesterday could be in any doubt that he understands perfectly what is involved in the chequers arrangements, and he rejects, without any qualification, the facilitated customs arrangement and also the common rule book. and so why doesn't my right honourable friend accent his get out clause and chuck chequers now? he's right that the eu commission and michel barnier have raised concerns around some aspects of the economic departure, he's right. equally, we had positive feedback from member states and we are confident that as we work through these proposals, they provide an enduring solution to the challenges we face and that the eu face, and that is what we are pursuing. and brexit plus labour's problems with anti—semitism came up the next day at prime minister's questions. we are continuing to do what we've always been doing, which is working to get a good d

but on the record they will say no, michel barnier, we are behind him.and belgium want it more positive, thinking maybe is the time to actually react a bit more positively and engage with the proposals. donald tusk, the european commission president is very pro— this. but in the meantime, france and germany, remain even more on willing to give concessions. they are the big fish in the eu pond. so it is looking like, it may not be much today over the coming hours when they consider to adapt things, it might also be because it is an informal summit, the real thinking is meant to be next month. in the meantime, the debate will be whether they give her some nice compliments or what do they do? because the noise coming out is not too welcoming because they keep wanting more compromise. is that your reading of it as well? quite interesting that donald task is quoted here to say that there are positive points in the chequers deal. —— donald tusk. so far, the message has been at chequers cannot work and is not going anywhere. if he is really saying that then tha

barnier almost trying to make our way there.rish border between the republic of ireland in northern ireland was still, at that time, this issue that couldn't be moved. they pushed it through and then here we are approaching october, we haven't really resulted of what we are hearing, would we allow something whether checkers plan allows british participation in the eu single market for goods in agriculture but not the services sector, but that represents 75% roughly of the uk economy but it is also violating the terms of the single market, you can't be cherry picking, that's been the eu position against great britain since the start and not really sure how they are going to square this circle in the conservative eurosceptic mps in this country don't like it. but the clock is ticking in earnest and you get that sense. everybody is trying to, certainly in brussels, on the part of the eu, they are really wanting this to get through in october so in november, they can present it to the 27 member states and the get on with the point o

can we asked directly whether what michel barnier has said today does represent some kind of progresssk me if theresa may has reason to be chair of out a yes, absolutely. in the past months of negotiations, she liked the rest of us, has got used to michel barnier wagging his finger, tapping his feet impatiently, looking at his watch and saying time is running out when it comes to brexit. today he said it is possible that within 6—8 weeks a brexit deal will be done. he also had a positive words the theresa may's much maligned chequers proposal. he said it was an important and useful document and even had warm words for the prime minister herself. but if you listen very carefully to michel barnier‘s words today, the change was able to them rather than content. he went back once again to the big hurdles that remain before a brexit deal can be reached this autumn, such as resolving the irish border question and pointed out again that the eu has firm objections to key elements of that chequers plan. so you could ask, why did he bother changing his total in the first place? that is because

relief for may as barnier said the go—ahead to pin down a brexit deal.rying to throw theresa may a lifeline at an important point for her. the first headline regarding brexit the theresa may will smile at i think tomorrow morning if she sees it. maybe she will even see at night. this story is saying, and i think this is a completely new line, actually michel barnier has been givena actually michel barnier has been given a mandate by the rest of the eu to close the deal, basically. and originally, according to them, when it got its final stage they watched a very firm statement saying this is what britain is losing out by leaving the eu, but she has been to acce pt leaving the eu, but she has been to accept more of a fudge, which they think will enable theresa may to get it past the house of commons or past the doubters within her party with more ease than previously. if that is true, it is the first good news oi'i is true, it is the first good news on brexit. is the message of this piece that actually the eu doesn't much mind the chequers bell? they coul

you've heard about scepticism from michel barnier, which is fascinating and critical.heresa may manages to bring a deal back here, it remains very uncertain whether she can get that plan through parliament. for theresa may, this autumn isa parliament. for theresa may, this autumn is a complete political minefield and it promises to be a very turbulent couple of months. ben wright in westminster, thank you. hundreds of prison staff have been caught smuggling drugs, weapons and other banned items into jails in england and wales over the last six year. the new figures, which were obtained through a freedom of information request by the observer newspaper, show an 50% increase since 2012. ben ando reports. drugs, mobile phones, weapons, tobacco — all considered contraband in prison. friends, relatives, even drones used to be to blame, but increasingly the smuggling is by prison staff. figures from the ministry ofjustice show that over the last six years the number of prison workers found taking contraband into prisons in england and wales has gone up by more than half. in

and the metro carries comments from the eu's chief negotiator with this headline — barnier rubble.:30pm. hundreds of prison staff have been caught smuggling drugs, weapons and other banned items into jails in england and wales over the last six year. the new figures, which were obtained through a freedom of information request by the observer newspaper, show an 50% increase since 2012. ben ando reports. drugs, mobile phones, weapons, tobacco — all considered contraband in prison. friends, relatives, even drones used to be to blame, but increasingly the smuggling is by prison staff. figures from the ministry ofjustice show that, over the last six years, the number of prison officers found taking contraband into prisons in england and wales has gone up by more than half. in 2012, 45 prison staff were caught smuggling. but five years later, in 2017, that figure had gone up to 71. and the number of drugs finds has trebled, now running at an average of 35 every day. since 2010, the overall prison workforce has fallen by more than 7,000. that is nearly a fifth, and despite a recruitment

moorland michel barnier and brexit. he warned again that several issues remain unresolved.cial brexit summit of eu leaders is expected in november. —— more on michel barnier and brexit. arriving at the office back door. work in the red box, tory woes splashed over the paper, the prime minister's clutching too. in 200 days, she's to be the leader that takes us out of the eu. but the actual deal must be done long before. today, europe's negotiator sounded more friend than foe. i think that if we are realistic, we are able to reach an agreement on the first stage of this negotiation, which is the brexit treaty, within six or eight weeks. the rivalries at home are bitter, though. borisjohnson, holed up at his country house, no word on his private life, but objections aplenty to the government's plan for brexit. many tories at westminster hate the so—called chequers plan, where parts of the economy would stay closely tied to the eu, but with no hard border in ireland. and one former brexit minister says dozens of his colleagues would vote against it, and it could even break the

i think the toner from michel barnier was much warmer.one in the next couple of months. but that app and something needs a chef, particularly on the intractable issue the adage backstop which has really been the source of so much aggro in these talks until now. so far the aggro in these talks until now. so farthe uk aggro in these talks until now. so far the uk has rejected the idea of the eu that northern ireland would remain effectively in the customs union and single murky if no long—term trade deal can garden see that a hard border is avoided on the island of ireland. there needs to be a compromise there and at the moment we do not know what it is. i have got the sense in brussels there waiting for a revised proposalfor the uk for this to be sorted out and they are not showing us what it is. clearly michel barnier thinks it is movement on that front. on the broader question of the chequers plan and how the uk and eu will trade after brexit, he sounded one towards that in a way that would please number ten but i think both sides know t

will be michel barnier, or will it be theresa may? who is making the biggest miscalculation?ey are in at the moment, then surely we are in at the moment, then surely we are headed for a standoff and perhaps another crisis. i spoke to david has important, the chief political correspondent for politico in brussels, and he was telling me that really at the moment, it is not the opportune time for either of them to blink. this may be salzburg, them to blink. this may be salzburg, the city of mature, but they're not ready to face the music. that will have to wait until after the tory conference next month. so they have a deal in sight, but they must continue doing this dance. michel barnier‘s redlines matter more for the withdrawal treaty. what matters more for theresa may and her red lines is the future relationship, which does not fully get negotiated until after brexit after next march. so if they hold on tight and do not let their critics knock them off course, they may be on track for a deal. so today, michel barnier said we could maybe take some of the heat off the northern

, the eu chief negotiator tomorrow morning at the beginning of their brexit session and mr barnier iseaders are sticking to their side, or their plan, and the eu leaders are sticking to theirside, ortheir plan, which and the eu leaders are sticking to their side, or their plan, which is that they need this backstop, this guarantee, that there will never be a border between northern ireland and ireland whatever the circumstances in the future. mr barnier said last night he can soften the proposal a little bit, make it a little bit more palatable with the idea of having checks, not between northern ireland and ireland but between northern ireland and the uk at ports like liverpool. they can be moved to factories, markets and distribution centres where paperwork and customs clearance and other regulatory checks can be done, the paperwork is ready so good is can pass through freely. that is what he is saying, not changing the idea fundamentally. the problem is the uk does not like that idea fundamentally even though has committed to saying there will be an open border in ireland. still th