Brexit deadline for UK and Prime Minister May

The EU has declared there is still "no white smoke" over a Brexit deal and handed Theresa May a 72-hour deadline to make an acceptable offer. Michel Barnier has informed EU member states that Britain has just 48 hours to agree on a potential deal on the first phase of Brexit talks for talks to move onto trade and transition before 2018.

A last-minute meeting between representatives of the EU27 has been scheduled for Friday in case Theresa May is able to get both the DUP and Irish government on side with her plans.

Both parties have said that the prime minister must make key changes to what she is proposing on the Irish border before they can give their approval to a deal on the first phase of negotiations.

"So far no white smoke," European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas told reporters in Brussels on Thursday. "We stand ready to receive Prime Minister May at any moment in time when they are ready."

The DUP torpedoed Mrs May's efforts to reach an agreement during her trip to Brussels on Monday, with Arlene Foster pulling her party's support over concerns at the wording of a draft text she feared would agree regulatory alignment between Northern Ireland and the Republic after Brexit.

Mrs May spoke with both the DUP leader and the Republic of Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on Wednesday in her attempt to salvage a deal with the EU.

Her efforts appeared to be further complicated on Thursday when Foreign Secretary and Vote Leave head Boris Johnson warned any Brexit deal must respect promises made during the EU referendum campaign.

"It is very, very important that whatever happens now, whatever we agree, has got to be consistent with taking back control of our laws, of our borders and our cash," he said.

Without an agreement from EU leaders at next week's European Council summit, Brexit negotiations will not move on to trade talks before the New Year.