A Brexit deal will not be agreed tonight ahead of the crunch EU summit in the morning, according to government sources.
Officials on both sides of the Channel had previously said numerous obstacles still needed to be surmounted for a fresh agreement to be brokered.
Boris Johnson needs to get a deal approved at the summit of EU leaders starting in Brussels on Thursday if he is to avoid an almighty clash over asking for a delay to the UK's departure.
The PM has been working to persuade both Tory Brexiteers and the DUP to back his revised plan for Northern Ireland.
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