AFP reports:

Brussels on Wednesday warned Prime Minister Boris Johnson against the idea he could strike a new Brexit deal with EU leaders before Britain crashes out of the bloc next month.

EU officials met a British delegation for “technical talks”, but stressed once again that London has come up with nothing that might convince them to reopen the withdrawal agreement.

And a senior EU source poured cold water on the idea leaders might agree and approve a new accord at their summit on October 17 and 18, just days before Britain leaves on October 31.

“Leaders have never negotiated directly with the UK PM on Brexit. In line with the treaty, UK is not even present when the EU27 Leaders discuss Brexit,” the official told AFP after a meeting of EU ambassadors.

“The assumption that in a space of a few days a proposal could be made, negotiated, endorsed by the summit and ratified by EP (European Parliament) and UK Parliament by end-October seems like a rather heroic assumption, to say the least,” he said.

Amid political chaos in London, Johnson has suggested that he could seek a new or revised withdrawal agreement when he attends next month’s European Council summit in Brussels. [Continue reading…]

The Guardian reports:

Boris Johnson’s bid to trigger a general election next month has been blocked by MPs following a string of heavy defeats for the government in both houses of parliament.

The prime minister was thwarted three times in the House of Commons: an attempt by opposition parties and Tory rebels to block a no-deal Brexit easily cleared its second and third readings, and Johnson later failed in his attempt to force a snap general election.

Immediately afterwards, the prime minister called Jeremy Corbyn, “the first leader of the opposition in the democratic history of our country to refuse the invitation to an election”.

But an early poll seemed increasingly likely after the Labour leader signalled that he would back Johnson’s call for a snap poll, but only once the bill opposing a no-deal Brexit bill has passed.

The vote came just 48 hours after the prime minister told the public, “I don’t want an election, you don’t want an election”. [Continue reading…]