Boris Johnson’s hopes of a Brexit deal hang in the balance after EU chiefs declared "everything should be clear" by tonight.
UK officials are holding frantic final talks in Brussels on a dramatic afternoon hit by claim and counter-claim over whether a deal was near.
The Prime Minister must either reach an agreement with EU officials - or abandon or delay talks - in time for a summit of all 28 EU leaders to start on Thursday afternoon.
Yet Boris Johnson was forced to meet his Cabinet for just 45 minutes this afternoon as talks went down to the wire - despite a supposed deadline of midnight last night.
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier twice delayed an update to EU ambassadors today by a total five hours to 6pm UK time.
And Mr Johnson's scheduled update to Tory MPs at 4.30pm also lay in the balance.
EU Council President Donald Tusk claimed it should become clear on Wednesday night whether it was possible to strike a deal. He told Polish TV just after lunchtime: “Theoretically in seven to eight hours everything should be clear.”
Mr Johnson's fate lies in the hands of EU negotiators two weeks after he submitted a new Brexit plan involving 'two borders' in Northern Ireland.
Under the plan, Northern Ireland and Britain would share a customs territory - forcing customs checks on goods crossing the 310-mile border with the Republic.
Meanwhile Northern Ireland and the Republic would share EU single market rules - forcing checks on manufactured and agricultural products crossing the Irish Sea.
Overnight it was claimed the UK had made a key compromise on the plan to allow a customs border down the Irish Sea.
But that enraged some Tory MPs - whose votes will be crucial if Boris Johnson has any hope of getting the deal past Parliament in a historic sitting on Saturday.
Mr Johnson's fate also lies in the hands of the Northern Irish DUP, who had their third meeting in quick succession with the PM in No10 today.
The hardline party’s leader Arlene Foster held talks with the Prime Minister in No10 as he battled to convince her to compromise over “consent”.
The EU wants the DUP stopped from having an effective veto over plans to dodge a hard border in Northern Ireland.
She angrily dismissed claims from Brussels she had given way.
Reports suggested EU sources said the DUP had accepted the latest plans on consent. But she hit back: “‘EU sources’ are talking nonsense. Discussions continue. Needs to be a sensible deal which unionists and nationalists can support.”
EU chiefs are in a race against time to thrash out a new agreement before they gather in Brussels for a crunch showdown on Thursday.
Irish premier Leo Varadkar said: “We have a pathway to a possible deal but there are issues still to be fully resolved.
"First is the issue of consent and democracy, ensuring that any long-term arrangement that applies to Northern Ireland has the democratic assent of the people of Northern Ireland and second is the whole issue of customs, ensuring that there is no customs border between North and South and no tariffs on trade.”
The PM’s spokesman admitted there “certainly remain issues to resolve”.
He added: "The talks overnight were constructive but there remains work still to do."
As talks dragged on today, Remain-backing MPs travelled to Brussels to ask EU leaders for a delay to Brexit.
The MPs from the Best For Britain group, including David Lammy , Vince Cable and Caroline Lucas, said EU officials today indicated talks will not reach a deal in time.
Ex-Tory MP Dominic Grieve said the Prime Minister must now ask for a three-month delay to Brexit to January 31 - as demanded by law.
Mr Johnson previously claimed he would defy or ignore the law, known as the Benn Act, that will force him to ask for a delay by this Saturday night.
But today Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay confirmed Mr Johnson would write to Brussels asking for the delay if the Commons failed to pass a deal by 11pm on Saturday.
He told MPs: “I can confirm, as the Prime Minister has repeatedly set out, that firstly the Government will comply with the law, and secondly it will comply with undertakings given to the court in respect of the law.”
