Brexit deal fails after dispute over Northern Ireland derails talks

Negotiations between the UK and the European Union broke up on Sunday without a deal, three days before a critical summit of European leaders that was intended to mark significant progress on a Brexit agreement.

The sticking point remains the thorny issue of the Irish border. The European Union wants the UK to agree a “backstop” or fallback position that would ensure an open border between Northern Ireland, which will be outside the EU, and the Republic of Ireland, which will remain an EU member state.