Brexit news LIVE: Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay to meet with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier after ‘positive’ UK-Ireland talks

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said the Cabinet had been briefed on the contents of Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar’s Brexit discussions in the Wirral.

“I had a very nice briefing this morning which was very much appreciated,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Asked what the reason was for optimism following the meeting, he replied: “It does not benefit anyone to have a running commentary on live negotiations.”

Speaking at Liverpool Airport, Mr Varadkar said the main issues remain ensuring that any long-term agreement has the consent of the people of Northern Ireland and ensuring no customs border on the island of Ireland

He said: “What I would hope that what’s happened today would be sufficient to allow negotiations to resume in Brussels.”

When asked how long the “pathway” to a deal is, Mr Varadkar said: “In terms of how long it will take, I can’t predict that with any certainty, but I think all sides would like there to be an agreement next week at the council if possible.

“Obviously there’s a further deadline after that which is the 31st of October, so I would say a short pathway rather than a long one, but it’s impossible to predict that for sure.”

Irish premier Leo Varadkar said that he feels it is possible to have a deal done by the end of October following Brexit talks with Boris Johnson on Thursday.

He told a press pack that he had a “very good meeting” with the Prime Minister, adding: “I am now absolutely convinced that both Ireland and Britain want there to be an agreement that’s in the interests of Ireland, the United Kingdom and Europe as a whole.”

He said that he sees “a pathway towards an agreement in the coming weeks”, adding that there are issues yet to be resolved.

The Taoiseach added: “I think it is possible for us to come to an agreement, to have a treaty to allow the UK to leave the EU in an orderly fashion, and to have that done by the end of October, but there’s many in the slip between cup and lip.”

Nissan’s European chairman Gianluca de Ficchy said a Brexit deal which involved 10% tariffs on cars exported to Europe would put the current business model “in jeopardy”.

Speaking at the Sunderland plant where the new model of the Juke will soon start production, he said the Japanese car giant had worked through business scenarios associated with Brexit.

But he said Nissan could not manage the uncertainty which they face when trying to plan for the future.

Two thirds of the components for the new model come from the EU and 70% of production was aimed at the Continent.

Mr de Ficchy said:

“If we are in a situation in which tomorrow we have to apply 10% export duties to 70% of our sales, the entire business model for Nissan Europe will be in jeopardy.”

Mr de Ficchy said he had no specific message for the Prime Minister, but said business currently had no clear understanding of the “future evolution of the Brexit decision”.

Jeremy Corbyn said the Prime Minister’s recent “behaviour and language” indicated he was “not going” to strike a Brexit deal with the European Union.

Answering questions after his speech in Northampton, the Labour leader said:

“We are in for a few days of shadow boxing by Boris Johnson and a decision will hopefully come back to Parliament next week after the EU summit.

“At the moment his behaviour and language he’s used suggests he’s not going to reach an agreement with the European Union.

“Our absolute priority, and that’s why I’ve been talking to other opposition parties, is to make sure that no-deal is taken off the table and an extension of membership is attained which is required in the EU Number Two Act, otherwise known as the Benn Act.”

Jeremy Corbyn said Labour would fight the next general election on a radical programme of reform to tackle climate change and build “an economy that works for all”.

“Labour will put forward the most radical, hopeful, people-focused programme in modern times – a once-in-a-generation chance to rebuild and transform our country,” he said.

Mr Corbyn said that in office a Labour government would legislate immediately for a fresh referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU.

“That referendum won’t be a re-run of 2016,” he said. “This time the choice will be between leaving with a sensible deal or remaining in the European Union.”

Jeremy Corbyn has said that Labour is ready to allow a general election once it is clear that a no-deal Brexit is off the table.

In a speech in Northampton, the Labour leader denied that his party was avoiding an election, but said it did not trust Boris Johnson not to force through a no-deal during an election campaign.

“Prime Minister, we can’t trust you not to break the law because you’ve got form,” he said.

“We can’t trust you not to use the period of an election campaign to drive our country off a no-deal cliff-edge that will crash our economy, destroy jobs and industries, cause shortages of medicine and food and endanger peace in Northern Ireland.

“So it’s simple: obey the law, take no-deal off the table and then let’s have the election.

“We’re ready and champing at the bit. There’s only one reason it hasn’t happened yet – we can’t trust you.”