DOMINIC Raab has revealed that he expects to do a Brexit deal with Brussels in the next three weeks.
The Brexit Secretary also claimed that the UK and the EU27 now “agree on the principle of a UK-wide customs backstop”.
This is a key element in removing the last remaining major obstacle to a withdrawal deal, which, until recently, Brussels was opposed to. It is thought the quid pro quo for this is the UK Government not pressing for a specific backstop date in the agreement.
Mr Raab’s bold declaration stands in contrast to Downing St, which has been cautiously saying that it was working to conclude a deal "as soon as possible" and hoped to do so during the autumn ie by December 21.
Yet, the Secretary of State in a letter told the cross-party Commons Brexit Committee that the end of negotiations, which have stretched on for 19 months, was now "firmly in sight".
However, Simon Coveney, Ireland’s deputy premier, warned that there had to be further movement from the UK in the negotiations for there to be a withdrawal agreement in November.
The October summit of the European Council - long-billed as the "moment of truth" for Brexit negotiations - passed without a deal, and the EU27 leaders decided not to schedule a special summit in November unless Michel Barnier, their chief Brexit negotiator, told them there had been "decisive" progress in talks.
In his letter, Mr Raab clearly suggested he now expected a deal very soon as he set a date for himself and Oliver Robbins, Theresa May’s main negotiator, to appear before the committee
"I would be happy to give evidence to the committee when a deal is finished and currently expect November 21 to be suitable," wrote Mr Raab.
The letter, released by the committee on Wednesday, was dated October 24 and therefore does not reflect any breakthrough in the past few days.
Negotiations have so far been deadlocked on the question of a "backstop" arrangement to guarantee that there will be no hard border in Ireland.
The Prime Minister insists she will not accept an EU proposal which would establish a customs border between Northern Ireland and the British mainland, while Brussels is resisting her plan to keep the whole UK temporarily in a customs union.
However, Mr Raab also wrote: "Despite our differences, we are not far from an agreement on this issue. We agree on the principle of a UK-wide customs backstop. An agreement on the details of that backstop should be possible.
"Both sides agree that this backstop cannot provide for a permanent UK/EU relationship and are committed to a future relationship that works for the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland.”
He added: "The end is now firmly in sight and, while obstacles remain, it cannot be beyond us to navigate them. We have resolved most of the issues and we are building up together what the future relationship should look like and making real progress.”
In other developments:
*Ian Blackford, the SNP leader at Westminster, urged Mrs May to "come clean" on the availability of medicines in a no-deal Brexit as the PM failed to give a cast-iron guarantee there would be continuance of supply, saying only there were contingency plans in place to maintain supplies. The Highland MP also demanded a Government-commissioned report on medicines availability be made public and shared with Edinburgh.
*The PM and Chancellor Philip Hammond privately met 130 business chiefs in London to discuss Brexit and the Budget.
*SNP MPs Alan Brown and Martyn Day took Mrs May to task during Commons exchanges on her Government’s “hostile” treatment of EU nationals living in Britain.
*The UK’s richest man, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, head of the petrochemical giant Ineos, said negotiating Brexit should not be "world's biggest challenge" and that it should be possible to reach a deal in "sensible" way.
*EU27 diplomats agreed to hold a series of no-deal planning seminars in November, covering citizens’ rights, aviation, ground transport, customs, border controls and financial services.
*David Davis, the former Brexit Secretary, predicted Westminster would ultimately back the PM’s Brexit deal, saying: “Terror will win. Fear of no deal...will win and there will be a deal.”
*Commons clerk Sir David Natzler told MPs Mrs May could legally ignore MPs' demands for Brexit alternatives when they hold a so-called meaningful vote on the exit deal but admitted any subsequent votes could still have a "considerable political" impact.
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