Boris Johnson agreed in the final hours of the Northern Ireland Protocol negotiations that there would be customs declarations on goods exiting Northern Ireland to Britain, despite the fact that just three weeks later he told businesses in the North there would be "no forms, no checks, no barriers of any kind…," according to a detailed new account of the protocol negotiations.

The European Union sees a path towards a compromise on a trade deal with Britain but London must first be more realistic in what it expects to achieve, an adviser to the EU’s chief trade negotiator said on Thursday.

Michel Barnier adviser Stefaan De Rynck warns that EU "will not tolerate any backsliding or half measures" on PM's Brexit deal.

UK could be fined by the European Court of Justice which - to the likely fury of Tory MPs – will retain the power if there is 'any backsliding'.

Irish government says there is no prospect of rethink in Brexit stalemate.