As it happened: PM's Brexit border plans revealed

1. The government publishes its Brexit proposals, including plans to replace Irish backstop
2. The plan would see Northern Ireland essentially stay in the European single market for goods, but leave the EU customs union with the rest of the UK
3. This would mean new customs checks between NI and the Irish Republic
4. The Northern Ireland Assembly would have a say over border arrangements
5. The European Commission welcomes progress on regulatory alignment of goods - but still has concerns
6. Addressing the Tory party conference, Mr Johnson says the only alternative to his plan is no deal
7. The government confirms it plans to prorogue Parliament again on Tuesday - ahead of a Queens Speech on October 14

Recap of Wednesday's Brexit developments

PA Media

Boris Johnson after finishing his conference speech

It's been one of those days in the long Brexit process which potentially feels momentous but we probably won't know how momentous until further down the line.

Here's a recap of today's events.

• The UK has published its new Brexit proposals which it hopes will form the basis of a new legally-binding withdrawal agreement
• Boris Johnson, who addressed the Tory conference on Wednesday, said they represented a "fair and reasonable compromise"
• He urged the EU to engage with the new blueprint, saying the UK was prepared to leave without a deal if they didn't
• The European Commission said there was progress and agreed to further talks. But it said problems remained over the role of the Northern Ireland Assembly and procedures after the UK left the customs union
• The plans have been welcomed by the Democratic Unionists and Tory Brexiteers but criticised by Sinn Fein and opposition parties
• No 10 has confirmed it will advise the Queen to prorogue Parliament next Tuesday, paving the way for a Queen's Speech on 14 October.

Verhofstadt: EU response 'not positive'

The European Parliament's initial response to the UK's proposals is "not positive", says its Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt.

Emerging from a briefing with the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, he adds a written response will be produced tomorrow.

Varadkar to consult with partners over UK plans

PA Media

Boris Johnson and his Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar have spoken over the phone this evening.

Mr Varadkar, whose support is crucial for any hope of a wider UK-EU agreement, has issued a short statement in response.

He suggested the UK's proposals "do not fully meet the agreed objectives of the backstop". In other words, they do not go far enough in upholding the integrity of the EU's single market and protecting the peace settlement in Northern Ireland.

But he reiterated that he wanted an agreement and he would consult with the European Commission and other member states in the coming days.

He said he expected to speak to Mr Johnson again early next week.

Boris Johnson won't decide what happens next

Laura Kuenssberg

BBC political editor

Seventy days into Boris Johnson's time in office we now know how he wants to change Theresa May's deal with the European Union.

What we don't know, and he doesn't know, is whether his counterparts on the continent have the faintest intention of letting him do so.

At the highest levels of government there is a belief that senior figures in the EU, even in Dublin, were certainly willing to contemplate a set of plans like this.

But those polite promises to consider became less firm when MPs voted to make it much harder to leave without a deal.

Read Laura's full blog here.

PM's proposal 'is a hard border'

BBC News Channel

BBC

Boris Johnson's proposal moves us into "completely uncharted territory" when it comes to customs, says customs consultant Dr Anna Jerzewska

"Both in terms of having two borders and splitting the border functions between a customs border and a regulatory border, and having two instead of one, as well as what's going to happen to Northern Ireland in general," she explains.

"The last element of this is that none of it is currently possible under the EU customs legislation."

She adds: "One of the commitments that the UK has made is no hard border in Ireland. In terms of customs procedure, this proposal is a hard border."

What could happen next?

UK Parliament

• This evening: Conservative MPs are meeting the PM to discuss his deal, while Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and his team update the European Parliament and the Council
• Tomorrow: A government minister is expected to make a statement to Parliament setting out the proposals
• 8 October: The government is set to prorogue Parliament
• 14 October: Queen's Speech scheduled to take place setting out the government's agenda
• 17/18 October: An EU Summit takes place at which a deal could potentially be agreed by EU leaders
• 19 October: If a deal has not been agreed, Boris Johnson will have to request an extension to the UK's departure date - as mandated by the Benn Act.
• 31 October: The UK is due to leave the EU

A third Labour MP on board?

Two Labour MPs 'to back deal if EU is on side'

Tory MPs arrive to meet PM

Conservative MPs have been arriving for a meeting with the prime minister in Downing Street tonight.

Former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith told reporters that he had not yet seen Boris Johnson’s proposals for a Brexit deal, while Bernard Jenkin said there were “still problems - I am going in now to see if the problems still exist”.

Others seen arriving – all members of the pro-Brexit ERG group - were Steve Baker, Marcus Fyshe, Craig Mackinlay, John Redwood, Owen Paterson and Bill Cash

The prime minister’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings was also seen arriving in Downing Street but refused to speak to reporters.

What does Barnier mean?

Chris Morris

BBC Reality Check

Michel Barnier's reaction was cautious, to put it mildly.

Two of the key words in his response: whatever replaces the backstop has to be "legally operative". In other words: not a broad plan which we can then sort out over the next couple of years.

That is something the UK government has suggested - maybe we can use a transition period to iron out the details. The EU has said from the start: "No, that's not what we agreed previously, it has to be a legally operative solution when you leave."

The chances of that happening between now and the end of October - even the middle of October at that EU summit - are just very, very slim. It's an incredibly tall order because these are technical issues, difficult issues, which take time to negotiate.

Government to request 8 October prorogation

Reuters

Downing Street has released a statement confirming its intention to seek to prorogue Parliament on Tuesday 8 October with a Queen’s Speech on Monday 14 October.

"These timings would mean Parliament is prorogued for the shortest time possible to enable all the necessary logistical preparations for a State Opening to be undertaken," the statement says.

PM speaks to EU leaders

EPA

Downing Street has confirmed that the prime minister this evening has spoken with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to discuss the plan which the UK government put forward today for a new protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

The Number 10 spokesman said the prime minister would hold further conversations with counterparts in coming days.

'They honestly think people are idiots'

Leader of the SDLP Colum Eastwood has given his reaction to the prime minister's plan.

"This is no compromise proposal," he says, adding the government's offer was "unacceptable to business, border communities and a majority of MLAs [members of the legislative assembly]".

"This is a proposal from a government that doesn't understand the complexities of this island, but more to the point they don't care," he says.

"The brass neck of the DUP should come as no surprise.

"They honestly think people are idiots."

Ex-Tory MP Nick Boles will vote for 'flawed' proposal

Nick Boles was a Conservative MP until he resigned the whip, accusing his party of refusing to "compromise" over Brexit.

Barnier: We will continue to work for a deal

BBC News Channel

“We will continue to work to reach a deal. No-deal will never be choice of EU - never," says Michel Barnier, Chief EU Brexit negotiator.

"So we will continue to reach a deal and work with the UK team, but a deal which respects the three commitments of the backstop in the legal operative manner and respecting the mandate given to the Commission by the European Parliament.”

He says the three objectives of the backstop are "no border", the "all-Ireland economy" and "protecting the single market".

The latter, he says, means "protecting the consumers, the citizens and the businesses inside the single market, the 27 member states".

Government plans to prorogue Parliament

Nick Eardley

BBC political correspondent

BBC

The Government intends to prorogue Parliament next Tuesday – and hold a Queen’s Speech on Monday the 14th.

In its judgement earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled the last attempt unlawful, but left open the prospect of shorter prorogation.

Ministers have repeatedly said the current session of Parliament must end so that the government can introduce a raft of new domestic legislation.

To that end, it intends to send MPs home on Tuesday – and hold the Queen’s Speech on the original planned date – the 14th of October.

Number 10 had been studying the implications of the Supreme Court judgement – and will hope a shorter suspension of a few days rather than five weeks causes it less trouble.

It also avoids another potentially awkward conversation with the Palace about rescheduling the Queen’s plans.

Already, however, opposition parties have raised concerns. A source told the BBC Boris Johnson was trying to avoid prime minister’s questions and parliamentary scrutiny.

Q&A: How does the border plan differ from the backstop?

John Campbell

BBC News NI Economics and Business Editor

What was the backstop? How does Boris Johnson's plan differ on customs? And will the Irish government go for it?

BBC News NI's economic and business editor, John Campbell, answers your questions.

PM's plan is 'part of a political game'

BBC News Channel

Tony Blair's former chief of staff, Jonathan Powell, says the government's plan is "not a serious negotiating position".

"It is part of a political game to put the blame of failure on the EU," he says.

"If it was a serious proposal it wouldn't propose a hard border in Northern Ireland.

"There is no way this a serious proposition - those of us who thought they [the government] didn't want a deal are correct."

Northern Ireland checks 'will create difficulties'

PA Media

Chair of the Commons Brexit Committee Hilary Benn says Boris Johnson's plan would require customs checks on the island of Ireland.

He says that is "very hard" to reconcile with the government's earlier committments.

"We know that any checks are going to create a difficulty given the delicacy of the peace process in Northern Ireland," he adds.

'DUP supports this plan'

Reuters

Speaking in Belfast, DUP leader Arlene Foster says: "We will be supporting this plan."

“It allows us to leave the customs union, it allows us to leave the single market, then we opt in if we’re not in the position to put in place alternative arrangements at that time, so therefore we consent to whatever is coming forward," she says.

"That’s a big difference and something that works for Northern Ireland whilst letting us leave the European Union”.