Brexit news: Theresa May risks Brexiteer fury by assuring EU leaders that backstop will remain in deal

Prime minister holds 'robust' talks as she looks to reopen negotiations on her withdrawal agreement

Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt: Theresa May 'assured us that there will be a backstop' during talks

Theresa May has risked Brexiteer fury by assuring European leaders that the divisive Irish backstop will remain in any final deal.

Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament's Brexit chief, said Ms May told senior MEPs "there is no question to remove the backstop", which acts as an insurance policy against a hard border on the island of Ireland.

The prime minister held "robust" talks with European Commission chief Jean Claude Juncker in Brussels, where the pair agreed to open negotiations on the future relationship between the UK and the EU.

But Mr Juncker stuck by his refusal to reopen the Brexit deal, dampening hopes that the EU could allow Ms May to strip the backstop from the agreement to appease MPs.

It comes as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn faced a row from his own MPs after laying out the terms under which the party would back Ms May’s deal – but making no reference to a second referendum.

Here is how we covered the days events:

Key Points

• PM rebukes EU chief Donald Tusk for saying Brexiteers going to hell
• May tells European leaders the divisive backstop will remain in deal as talks to begin with EU
• Jeremy Corbyn under fire from Labour MPs for saying party could back Brexit deal
• MPs to hold Valentine's Day Brexit debate, says Commons leader Andrea Leadsom
• May attends lavish party for Tory donors in London amid Brexit chaos

[7 February 2019 08:27 · Lizzy Buchan]

Welcome to The Independent's politics liveblog, where we will be bringing you all the latest updates throughout the day.

[7 February 2019 08:52 · Lizzy Buchan]

A war of words has further undermined Theresa May’s mission to Brussels to rescue her Brexit deal, after the EU warned of a “special place in hell” for politicians who botched the project.

Downing Street and Tory politicians hit back angrily after the extraordinary attack by Donald Tusk on those who triumphed in the referendum “without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it safely”.

More here: 

[7 February 2019 09:04 · Lizzy Buchan]

David Lidington, the de-facto deputy PM, said Donald Tusk's comment "wasn't the most brilliant diplomacy in the world".

He told BBC Radio 4's Today: "I think Mr Tusk was venting yesterday, but I don't think that will detract from what I expect to be a courteous and sensible grown-up discussion between the different EU leaders and the prime minister."

Mr Lidington said he and Brexit secretary Steve Barclay want to sit down with Labour frontbenchers but its key Brexit policy on a customs union with Brussels was "wishful thinking".

"If it's Keir Starmer or Emily Thornberry or anybody else, the idea is - if this goes forward - it would be me and Steve Barclay who would be sitting down and meeting them," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"Let's hope those conversations can take place."

Mr Lidington said a key part of any discussion would be "to understand exactly where the Labour frontbench is coming from".

He said: "I would be saying to Labour, 'What is it that you don't like about what is in the Political Declaration at the moment?', because what we have there is an idea of a customs arrangement with the European Union that still allows us to have an independent trade policy on top of that, but while getting access - tariff-free and quota-free - for our goods and agriculture to the European market.

"I would be asking what on earth they mean when they say they want to be in a customs union with the EU but also for Britain to have a say in EU trade policy with other countries. That's not something that's allowed under the European treaties.

"This seems to be wishful thinking."

[7 February 2019 09:18 · Lizzy Buchan]

Theresa May will use talks with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, Donald Tusk and other prominent EU figures to press for legally binding guarantees on Irish backstop.

The backstop, which is intended to prevent the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland, would see the UK continue to obey EU customs rules after a transition period if no wider trade deal had been reached.

Downing Street said that the PM will insist that the UK cannot be "trapped" in the backstop. She is "open to different ways" of achieving her objectives but they must be legally binding.

The PM will say parliament has sent "an unequivocal message that change is required" but MPs have made it clear they can support her deal if the backstop is addressed.

[7 February 2019 09:36 · Lizzy Buchan]

Jeremy Corbyn has written to Theresa May outlining the Labour party’s five Brexit demands, which he claims will bring the country together.

On a day where a war of words erupted between EU leaders and Tory politicians, undermining Ms May’s Brexit position, Mr Corbyn penned a letter to the prime minister calling for a number of changes to her approach.

The Labour leader said his priorities, which included being part of the customs union and protecting UK jobs, must be enshrined in the political declaration, setting out future relations with the EU, to win his party’s support.

Story here: 

[7 February 2019 09:47 · Lizzy Buchan]

There's a fair bit of coverage on Theresa May's attendance of the Black and White ball for Tory donors last night. She managed to squeeze the party into her packed schedule, after dashing back from meetings in Belfast yesterday.

Plenty of senior Conservatives were in attendance, including Iain Duncan Smith, Michael Gove, Matt Hancock and Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom. According to the Mirror, party chairman Brandon Lewis gave a speech, where he joked: “Whatever you bid at the auction it is less than you’ll pay in tax under Corbyn."

[7 February 2019 09:59 · Lizzy Buchan]

Here's the exact wording of Jeremy Corbyn's letter to the PM, setting out Labour's demands to support a Brexit deal.It's significant because it shows Labour is *willing* to support the PM to get Brexit over the line - prompting fury from Labour remainers. They also seem to have dropped their six Brexit tests, which were regarded as nearly impossible for the PM to meet. His letter shows that Labour has dropped one of its key demands - that the PM secure exactly the same benefits as EU membership. This was obviously a very tall order.But... Corbyn may be counting on the fact that it will be very difficult for Theresa May to accept this offer without enraging half of her own party. 

[7 February 2019 10:11 · Lizzy Buchan]

Theresa May has arrived in Brussels for crunch Brexit talks with EU leaders. She was greeted by European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker as she arrived at the Berlaymont.

An anti-Brexit protester jumped in front of the car as she arrived.

[7 February 2019 10:38 · Lizzy Buchan]

Liam Fox has warned MPs risk making the "pitfalls" of a no-deal Brexit more likely by voting against the Government's Withdrawal Agreement.

The international trade secretary, asked about processing trade deals with minimal delays, told the Commons: "In terms of the continuity of agreements we already have, the best way to ensure full continuity is to have a deal.

"All those who talk about the pitfalls of no deal would do well to remember that in voting against a deal they make those pitfalls all the more likely."

Labour accused Dr Fox of "giving away the shop before negotiations start" after reports he is planning on scrapping all import tariffs post-Brexit.

The cabinet minister replied: "The government has made no decision on this, when we do so we will communicate it to stakeholders, the public and Parliament.

"Of course the best way to avoid this scenario is to have a deal with the European Union and whipping up fear about people's jobs is simply the humbug that has become the hallmark of Mr Esterson."

[7 February 2019 10:45 · Lizzy Buchan]

This comes off the back of a story in the Huffington Post, which revealed roaming charges could be brought overnight for Brits abroad in the event of a no-deal Brexit.