Boris Johnson claims his team has 'rough outline' of a Brexit deal amid claims of 'growing optimism' in Brussels

Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank, said there was growing optimism in Brussels that a deal was possible on the backstop – the controversial measure designed to prevent the re-emergence of a hard border across Ireland. Mr Grant said officials were indicating a deal was ‘more likely than I thought’. He added: ‘Senior figures on the EU side say they can scrap the backstop as long as alternatives deliver on protecting the single market and the Good Friday Agreement.
‘The other member states do not want to put pressure on Ireland. But if the UK gets serious about a deal and shows flexibility, there would be gentle encouragement for Dublin to accept something almost equivalent to backstop.’

Mr Grant said, however, the gap between the two sides ‘may prove unbridgeable’.