Boris Johnson has plunged Britain into a dangerous gamble after the UK and EU finally agreed a last-minute Brexit deal.
Boris Johnson and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker struck an agreement this morning - three hours before 28 EU leaders arrive to decide if it should pass.
Yet the deal now faces almost certain defeat in Parliament this Saturday - after the DUP rejected it and Labour branded it "worse than Theresa May's".
In a dramatic development, the Northen Irish party told the Mirror its statement from 6.45am today rejecting the deal over customs, consent and VAT "still stands".
And Jeremy Corbyn said: “This sellout deal won’t bring the country together and should be rejected"
The PM, who has a minus 45 majority, now faces MPs rejecting his plans and forcing a Brexit delay just a few days before the October 31 deadline.
Today's breakthrough came ahead of a two-day European Council summit of 27 leaders plus Mr Johnson which was due to start at 2pm UK time today.
Boris Johnson left Downing Street for Brussels after announcing white smoke at 10.35am following days of missed deadlines, chaos and counter-claim.
He finally agreed a deal after speaking to Mr Juncker at 9am by phone, chatting to "some" Cabinet ministers then phoning Mr Juncker back at 10am.
The Prime Minister tweeted: "We’ve got a great new deal that takes back control.
"Now Parliament should get Brexit done on Saturday so we can move on to other priorities like the cost of living, the NHS, violent crime and our environment."
The President of the EU Commission Jean-Claude Juncker tweeted: "Where there is a will, there is a #deal - we have one!
"It’s a fair and balanced agreement for the EU and the UK and it is testament to our commitment to find solutions.
"I recommend that European Council endorses this deal."
EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier admitted "discussions over the past days have at times been difficult" but said "we have delivered and delivered together."
The deal is based on a new Brexit plan that Boris Johnson sent the EU two weeks ago to replace Theresa May's 585-page Withdrawal Agreement.
It would keep a transition period continuing EU rules and payments to December 2020. But it scraps the Irish backstop, an insurance policy designed at preventing a hard border between Northern Ireland the Republic from 2021.
In the backstop's place would be 'two borders':
- Northern Ireland and Britain would share a customs territory - forcing customs checks on goods crossing the 310-mile border with the Republic.
- Northern Ireland and the Republic would share EU single market rules - forcing checks on manufactured and agricultural products crossing the Irish Sea.
The final draft deal today appeared to resolve the DUP's fears over customs - but crucially, not consent.
DUP leader Arlene Foster had blasted rumours of a customs border down the Irish Sea.
Today a No10 source insisted that under the deal, "Northern Ireland will be in the UK customs territory forever." The source added: "There is now no doubt that Northern Ireland remains part of the UK’s customs territory and will benefit from the free trade deals we strike."
Yet Boris Johnson is now braced for a huge spat with the DUP over how future arrangements from January 2021 will be approved in Northern Ireland.
Today's draft deal says the Stormont Assembly will get a vote every four years on whether to continue sharing EU rules between Northern Ireland and the Republic.
The first vote would happen just before January 2025 - and need 60% support, including both 40% of nationalists voting and 40% of unionists voting.
But the 40% threshold stops short of the DUP's demands to have a majority of each side of the divide in Northern Ireland.
"This democratic support is a cornerstone of our newly agreed approach". Mr Barnier said. He added crucially, unlike the Northern Ireland backstop, it was not a temporary measure.
Another sticking point with the DUP was thought to be a row about whether EU VAT rates would apply in Northern Ireland.
Currently there is a system where firms pay domestic VAT in the same way as VAT on imports or exports between EU states. This would leave questions about how firms in Ireland and Northern Ireland are charged.
Finally the DUP fear plans to consult the Stormont Assembly over any future deal could leave them without a veto. They are thought to want a double lock where both nationalists and unionists would have to approve a deal.
DUP chiefs had three face to face meetings with the Prime Minister in quick succession in a desperate bid to overcome the hurdles.
But at 6.45am today Ms Foster and DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds said: “As things stand, we could not support what is being suggested on customs and consent issues and there is a lack of clarity on VAT."
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "From what we know, it seems the Prime Minister has negotiated an even worse deal than Theresa May’s, which was overwhelmingly rejected.
“These proposals risk triggering a race to the bottom on rights and protections: putting food safety at risk, cutting environmental standards and workers’ rights, and opening up our NHS to a takeover by US private corporations.
“This sell out deal won’t bring the country together and should be rejected. The best way to get Brexit sorted is to give the people the final say in a public vote.”
