Draft Brexit deal agreed "on a technical level"

A Brexit deal has been reached by negotiators in Brussels and will be the focus of a crunch Cabinet meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

Cabinet ministers were invited to read the papers relating to the draft deal on Tuesday night ahead of the special meeting of Theresa May's senior team "to decide on next steps."

A Number 10 spokesman said: "Cabinet will meet at 2pm tomorrow to consider the draft agreement the negotiating teams have reached in Brussels and to decide on next steps.

"Cabinet ministers have been invited to read documentation ahead of that meeting.''

Ministers have been seen entering and leaving Downing Street throughout the day after Tuesday's Cabinet meeting.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock was the first to arrive following confirmation that a deal had been reached, followed by Chief Whip Julian Smith and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling.

Confirmation that a deal had been reached by officials follows months of protracted talks in Brussels, with measures to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland the main stumbling block.

Irish broadcaster RTE reported that a "stable'' text had been agreed on the thorny issue of the Northern Irish border.

The broadcaster said the deal involved one overall "backstop'' in the form of a UK-wide customs arrangement - as sought by Mrs May - but with deeper provisions for Northern Ireland on customs and regulations.

A review mechanism is understood to be part of the text, but it is unclear whether that would meet the demands of Tory Brexiteers - including some in the Cabinet - who want the UK to be able to unilaterally walk away from the deal to prevent it becoming a permanent settlement.

In a sign that Dublin may not be happy with the situation, a spokesman for Ireland's deputy premier Simon Coveney said: "Negotiations between the EU and UK on a withdrawal agreement are ongoing and have not concluded.''

The developments came after the Prime Minister told Cabinet on Tuesday morning that a "small number'' of issues remained to be resolved and her de facto deputy David Lidington described a deal as "almost within touching distance."

The agreement by officials on a draft deal came as:

• The Government was forced to agree to publish legal advice on the proposed deal

• The European Commission said UK citizens should continue to enjoy visa-free travel even in a no-deal scenario, as long as there is a reciprocal arrangement

• Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson accused the Prime Minister of stage-managing delays to the negotiations and warned a deal will mean "surrender'' to Brussels.

• Brexit