The President of the European Commission has tweeted to say that a Brexit deal has been agreed between the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Jean-Claude Juncker has just tweeted to state: "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 #EUCO endorses this deal."


EU and UK officials have been locked in intense talks for the past few days in Brussels as they try to get an agreement over the line that can be put before Parliament in a special session on Saturday.

Boris Johnson has struck a Brexit deal with the European Union

In the past few minutes, Prime Minister Boris Johnson 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 #GetBrexitDone #TakeBackControl ."

It seemed unlikely for a long time that a deal could be achieved between the two sides.

But there is a major obstacle ahead in the form of the UK Parliament.


Boris Johnson will need to achieve a majority for the deal he has struck in the House of Commons for it to be used to allow the UK to leave the EU on October 31, as he has promised.

He is going to have a fight on his hands with noises suggesting that members from the Northern Irish DUP party and Tory rebels kicked out of the party may not give him the votes he needs.

In a dramatic development, the Northen Irish party said its statement from this morning rejecting the deal over customs, consent and VAT had not changed.

The clash means EU leaders could now object to the terms of the deal at today's two-day European Council summit - and sets up a game of high-stakes Commons poker a few days before the October 31 Brexit deadline.

Updated: Dup deal hammer blow

The DUP has dealt a major blow to Mr Johnson's hopes of getting his deal through parliament.

In a fresh statement the party said: "Following confirmation from the Prime Minister that he believes he has secured a 'great new deal' with the European Union the DUP will be unable to support these proposals in Parliament."

They said they do not believe the proposals are 'beneficial to the economic well-being of Northern Ireland and they undermine the integrity of the Union."


Responding, 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.


“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.”

What happens now?

Boris Johnson may well be celebrating achieving an unlikely deal with the European Union this morning but he still has some huge obstacles to overcome to make it actually happen.

Mr Johnson will be in Brussels today for the meeting of the European Council where the deal should be ratified.

The fact that European Commission president has given his recommendation that the council endorses the deal is a big plus.

But it is back at home where the Prime Minister faces his biggest challenge.

Parliament is set to sit on Saturday and Mr Johnson must achieve a majority vote in favour of a deal in order to pass it into law and allow the UK to leave the EU on October 31, as he has so frequently promised.


The problem is that he doesn't have a majority - after kicking out a number of Tory MPs from his party.

Many believe the fate of the deal could rest with the Northern Irish DUP party - and the early noises from them are not good.

The party is so far sticking to its statement that it cannot support what is being suggested, specifically on issues of 'consent and consent issues' - they have also bemoaned a 'lack of clarity on VAT.'

Mr Johnson now has a very short time to try and persuade the DUP to come on board before Saturday's crucial vote.

If the deal is voted down - the newly passed 'Benn Law' means that Boris Johnson will be forced to ask the European Union for another extension to the Brexit deadline of three months.