British Prime Minister Theresa May has said that the Brexit negotiations were at a "critical moment" ahead of an EU summit.

"The negotiations are now at a critical moment," she told UK parliament, adding that British sovereignty on Gibraltar - a contentious issue ahead of the summit - would be "protected".

Earlier, she described the draft Brexit Withdrawal Agreement between the EU and the UK as "the right deal for the UK".

Speaking outside No 10 Downing Street, she said: "This is the right deal for the UK. It delivers on the vote of the referendum.

"The British people want this to be settled. They want a good deal that sets us on course for a brighter future. That deal is within our grasp and I am determined to deliver it."

British PM @theresa_may says "This is the right deal for the UK." | https://t.co/O9fmzG0lkp pic.twitter.com/2ROEIUOHPa — RTÉ News (@rtenews) November 22, 2018

However, MPs have warned Mrs May that they will vote down her deal in the crucial House of Commons debate which is expected early next month.

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson urged her to "junk" her backstop plan for keeping the Irish border open, which he said "makes a nonsense of Brexit".

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that Mrs May had returned from Brussels with "waffle".

"It represents the worst of all worlds, no say over the rules that will continue to apply and no certainty to the future," he said.

This morning, European Council President Donald Tusk said that Britain and European Union political leaders have agreed in principle to a text setting out their future relationship that can be endorsed by EU leaders at a summit.

Referring to a text discussed yesterday by Mrs May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU summit chair said in a statement: "The Commission president has informed me that it has been agreed at negotiators' level and agreed in principle at political level, subject to the endorsement of the leaders."

The text was shared with the 27 other governments of the European Union this morning.

The declaration sets out an "ambitious, broad, deep and flexible partnership," officials said.

"The declaration establishes the parameters of an ambitious, broad, deep and flexible partnership across trade and economic cooperation" and other areas, according to a copy of the document seen by AFP.

I have just sent to EU27 a draft Political Declaration on the Future Relationship between EU and UK. The Commission President has informed me that it has been agreed at negotiators’ level and agreed in principle at political level, subject to the endorsement of the Leaders. — Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) November 22, 2018

According to the draft declaration, the "parties envisage having a trading relationship on goods that is as close as possible, with a view to facilitating the ease of legitimate trade."

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Both the EU and Britain "should aim to deliver a level of liberalisation in trade in services well beyond the parties WTO commitments," according to the draft declaration.

On the issue of the border with Northern Ireland, the declaration reads: "The Parties recall their determination to replace the backstop solution on Northern Ireland by a subsequent agreement that establishes alternative arrangements for ensuring the absence of a hard border on the island of Ireland on a permanent footing."

"Facilitative arrangements and technologies will also be considered in developing any alternative arrangements for ensuring the absence of a hard border on the island of Ireland on a permanent footing," it adds.

The transition period, which Britain and the EU hope will begin once Britain leaves the EU on 29 March, can be extended "for up to one or two years," according to the draft declaration.

It comes as Mrs May is battling to keep her Brexit deal alive as she readies to return to Brussels for last minute negotiations on Saturday.

Last night, Mrs May returned from talks with Mr Juncker in Brussels without having finalised the deal.

Mrs May said: "We have made further progress. And, as a result we have given sufficient direction to our negotiators, I hope, for them to be able to resolve the remaining issues.

"And that work will start immediately.

"I now plan to return for further meetings, including with President Juncker on Saturday to discuss how we can bring to a conclusion this process and bring it to a conclusion in the interests of all our people."

The move came after reports from Brussels that the Sunday summit could be scrapped.

As anger continues in Westminster over the draft Brexit Withdrawal Treaty agreed last week, Mrs May's partners in government, the DUP, say they are not withdrawing from the confidence and supply deal agreed with the Tory party.

DUP MPs did not support Mrs May’s government in a number of Commons votes this week.

But party leader Arlene Foster said last night that Mrs May should reflect on the fact that she does not currently have enough support to get her deal through a Commons vote.

As the countdown to the scheduled summit intensified, British Chancellor Philip Hammond said that if the Brexit deal is rejected by the UK parliament it would unleash "political chaos" and could lead to EU withdrawal not happening.

Speaking on ITV, he said: "It's clear that if the deal is not approved by parliament we will have a politically chaotic situation.

"And, we don't know what the outcome of that will be.

"And for those who are passionately committed to ensuring that we leave the EU on the 29th of March, 2019, one of the things that they are going to have to bear in mind is the possibility that, in that chaos that would ensue, there may be no Brexit."

He added: "It could be no deal, but it could be no Brexit, we just don't know.

"When we look at the economy, and the operation of the economy, getting a smooth exit from the European Union, doing this in an orderly fashion, is worth tens of billions of pounds to our economy."

Mrs May faced a strong push back from Spain over the status of Gibraltar in the "divorce deal".

Mrs May spoke with her Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez yesterday evening to try and deal with the situation.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "She said there had been good engagement between the UK, the government of Spain and the government of Gibraltar in order to come to an agreement in the withdrawal agreement and associated package of memoranda of understanding relating to Gibraltar.

"The Prime Minister reiterated her commitment to agreeing a deal that works for the whole UK family including Gibraltar, the other UK overseas territories and the crown dependencies."

Mr Sanchez has said he will "veto" Brexit unless there are changes to the draft agreement.

He said: "After my conversation with Theresa May, our positions remain far away.

"My Government will always defend the interests of Spain. If there are no changes, we will veto Brexit."

Reporting: Reuters, PA, Fiona Mitchell</s>Britain and European Union political leaders have agreed in principle to a text setting out their future relationship that can be endorsed by EU leaders at a summit, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Thursday.

Britain and European Union political leaders have agreed in principle to a text setting out their future relationship that can be endorsed by EU leaders at a summit, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Thursday.

Referring to a text discussed on Wednesday by British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU summit chair said in a statement:

"The Commission president has informed me that it has been agreed at negotiators' level and agreed in principle at political level, subject to the endorsement of the leaders."

The text was shared with the 27 other governments of the European Union on Thursday morning.</s>The political declaration on the future relationship between the UK and EU has been "agreed at negotiators' level and agreed in principle at political level", European Council president Donald Tusk has said.

Mr Tusk said in a tweet: "I have just sent to EU27 a draft Political Declaration on the Future Relationship between EU and UK.

"The Commission President has informed me that it has been agreed at negotiators' level and agreed in principle at political level, subject to the endorsement of the Leaders."

The 26-page statement sets out the structure for the future EU-UK relationship and states that both sides will seek 'ambitious, broad' ties.

The announcement clears the way for a special Brexit summit to go ahead in Brussels on Sunday, when leaders of the 27 remaining EU states are expected to give their stamp of approval to the declaration alongside the 585-page withdrawal agreement setting out the terms of the UK's departure.

It follows a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday evening between the British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, and is the first indication that the pair reached political agreement in principle on the text.

Downing Street has repeatedly made clear that agreement is needed on the future framework - setting out aspirations in areas like trade and security co-operation and believed to run to a few dozen pages - in order to press ahead with the legally-binding withdrawal agreement.

Mrs May will be making a statement to the House of Commons later today</s>BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Britain and European Union political leaders have agreed in principle to a text setting out their future relationship that can be endorsed by EU leaders at a summit, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Thursday.

Referring to a text discussed on Wednesday by British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU summit chair said in a statement: “The Commission president has informed me that it has been agreed at negotiators’ level and agreed in principle at political level, subject to the endorsement of the leaders.”

The text was shared with the 27 other governments of the European Union on Thursday morning.</s>Britain and the EU have agreed on the text of the Brexit deal “in principle at a political level,” President of the European Council, Donald Tusk announced on Thursday.

EU leaders have agreed on the Brexit draft “at negotiators’ level and agreed in principle at political level,” Tusk wrote on Twitter, citing a message which he had received earlier from the head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.

I have just sent to EU27 a draft Political Declaration on the Future Relationship between EU and UK. The Commission President has informed me that it has been agreed at negotiators’ level and agreed in principle at political level, subject to the endorsement of the Leaders. — Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) November 22, 2018

The text was discussed by Juncker and British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday. The draft of the divorce deal was then sent to the 27 other EU states.

Lengthy and tense Brexit negotiations left the British government in disarray last week as a number of ministers resigned in protest at Prime Minister Theresa May’s draft settlement deal.</s>Britain and European Union political leaders have agreed in principle to a text setting out their future relationship that can be endorsed by EU leaders at a summit, European Council President Donald Tusk said earlier.</s>Britain and the European Union have agreed in principle to a text setting out their future relationship that can be endorsed by EU leaders at a summit, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Thursday.

Britain and the European Union have agreed in principle to a text setting out their future relationship that can be endorsed by EU leaders at a summit, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Thursday.

Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, 2019 and diplomats are trying to finish a divorce deal and the accompanying outline of their future relationship so that EU leaders can rubber-stamp them at a summit on Sunday.

The pound rose nearly one percent to hit a day's high of $1.2894.

"The Commission president has informed me that it has been agreed at negotiators' level and agreed in principle at political level, subject to the endorsement of the leaders," Tusk said.

He said the text had been discussed on Wednesday by British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

According to the draft declaration agreed by the United Kingdom and the European Commission, the "parties envisage having a trading relationship on goods that is as close as possible, with a view to facilitating the ease of legitimate trade."

The draft declaration will now be screened by national envoys of the remaining 27 EU states meeting in Brussels on Thursday.

Both the EU and Britain "should aim to deliver a level of liberalisation in trade in services well beyond the parties’ WTO commitments," according to the draft declaration.

The transition period, which Britain and the EU hope will begin once Britain leaves the EU on March 29, can be extended "for up to one or two years," according to the draft declaration.

May will make a statement in the British parliament on the state of Brexit negotiations at 1430 GMT on Thursday, the opposition Labour Party said.</s>Britain and the European Union have agreed in principle to a text setting out their future relationship that can be endorsed by EU leaders at a summit, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Thursday.

Britain and the European Union have agreed in principle to a text setting out their future relationship that can be endorsed by EU leaders at a summit, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Thursday.

'This is the right deal' - says May as EU and UK agree draft text on post-Brexit ties

Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, 2019 and diplomats are trying to finish a divorce deal and the accompanying outline of their future relationship so that EU leaders can rubber-stamp them at a summit on Sunday.

Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, UK Prime Minister Theresa May said: “This is the right deal for the UK. It delivers on the vote of the referendum.”

Mrs May said: “The British people want this to be settled. They want a good deal that sets us on course for a brighter future. That deal is within our grasp and I am determined to deliver it.”

The pound rose nearly one percent to hit a day's high of $1.2894.

"The Commission president has informed me that it has been agreed at negotiators' level and agreed in principle at political level, subject to the endorsement of the leaders," Tusk said.

He said the text had been discussed on Wednesday by British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

According to the draft declaration agreed by the United Kingdom and the European Commission, the "parties envisage having a trading relationship on goods that is as close as possible, with a view to facilitating the ease of legitimate trade."

The draft declaration will now be screened by national envoys of the remaining 27 EU states meeting in Brussels on Thursday.

Both the EU and Britain "should aim to deliver a level of liberalisation in trade in services well beyond the parties’ WTO commitments," according to the draft declaration.

The transition period, which Britain and the EU hope will begin once Britain leaves the EU on March 29, can be extended "for up to one or two years," according to the draft declaration.

May will make a statement in the British parliament on the state of Brexit negotiations at 1430 GMT on Thursday, the opposition Labour Party said.</s>European Council President Donald Tusk said the European Union and Britain have agreed on a draft declaration on the future of their political relations after Brexit.

Referring to a text discussed on Wednesday by British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Tusk said in a tweet Thursday: "The Commission president has informed me that it has been agreed at negotiators' level and agreed in principle at political level, subject to the endorsement of the leaders."

Tusk, who chairs meetings of EU leaders, says he has sent the draft political declaration to the U.K.'s 27 European partners.

"The declaration establishes the parameters of an ambitious, broad, deep and flexible partnership across trade and economic cooperation" and other areas, according to a copy of the document seen by French Press Agency (AFP).

He says the draft declaration still requires "the endorsement of the leaders."

EU leaders are due to meet in Brussels on Sunday to rubber-stamp the declaration and a separate divorce deal.

May will make a statement on Brexit to parliament at 1430 GMT on Thursday, the opposition Labour Party said on Twitter.</s>File image: Prime Minister Theresa May (right) with President of the European Council Donald Tusk.

File image: Prime Minister Theresa May (right) with President of the European Council Donald Tusk.

THE EU AND Britain have agreed a draft declaration on their future relationship.

The declaration on their post-Brexit relations sets out an “ambitious, broad, deep and flexible partnership”, officials said.

The agreement now paves the way for a Brexit deal to be finalised this weekend.

European Council President Donald Tusk said the EU executive informed him it has agreed the political declaration on the future relationship with Britain.

“The declaration establishes the parameters of an ambitious, broad, deep and flexible partnership across trade and economic cooperation” and other areas, according to a copy of the document seen by AFP.

It is under the draft deal states the Brexit transition can be extended until end of 2022.

May is expected to make emergency address to parliament today.

Having seen off – at least for now – a potential leadership challenge by hardline Brexiteers in her own party, May had hoped to wring out of Brussels a Brexit arrangement that she can sell to her parliament.

The withdrawal treaty itself is all but final, and preparations are underway for Sunday’s summit to sign it, the agreement of the parallel 20-page political declaration on future relations brings the signing one step closer.
President of the European Council Donald Tusk says there is agreement "in principle" on a political deal that can be endorsed at an EU summit.