Not enough progress in Brexit divorce talks, says Leo Varadkar

Brexit divorce talks have so far made insufficient progress to allow starting negotiations on a post-withdrawal trade deal, Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said after meeting Theresa May in Downing Street.

By The Newsroom

Published 25th Sep 2017, 16:17 BST

Updated 27th Sep 2017, 11:35 BST

But Mr Varadkar stressed that there was still time for the situation to be resolved before the 27 remaining EU members make a decision on the matter in October.

He said: "I don't think, at this stage, it would be possible to say that sufficient progress has yet been made, but it may well be possible by the end of October when we meet in Brussels."

Mr Varadkar said that the decision would be shaped by the views of chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier.

"Certainly, we will be very much guided by the report that Michel Barnier will make to the prime ministers and also the report that the European Parliament will make."