Comments by a senior UK government official, cited by Reuters, on Brexit

  • Key point is that we don't expect any implementation of the extension
  • Extension is something that has come up in negotiations in recent days
  • Wants to move on with talks and wants a deal done in autumn
  • Very clear that we need to find a solution to Irish backstop

Very much reiterating what we heard from Theresa May earlier. And yet again, it remains to be seen how well this will go down with May's own Tory party - even if the "option" to extend is just for a few months.