Brexit deal clinched in Brussels, Johnson still needs backing at home

• Britain and the European Union have been racing to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement in time for an October 31 Brexit.
• PM Johnson says UK still faced resistance from the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist as he sought support for the deal.
• DUP says the Brexit deal could cut Northern Ireland off from Britain in customs and regulatory terms.

(LONDON) Britain clinched a Brexit deal with the European Union on Thursday, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said, just a few hours before the start of a summit of the bloc's leaders in Brussels on Thursday.

Britain and the European Union have been racing to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement in time for an October 31 Brexit but the deal still needs approval from parliament.

Separately, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said "we have a great new Brexit deal".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Britain and the European Union had agreed a "great" new Brexit Deal but still faced resistance from the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) as he sought support for the deal.

"We've got a great new deal that takes back control," Johnson said in a tweet.

"Now parliament should get Brexit done on Saturday so we can move on to other priorities like the cost of living, the NHS, violent crime and our environment."

However, the DUP, who have expressed concerns that the Brexit deal could cut Northern Ireland off from Britain in customs and regulatory terms, said there had been no change in their position following the confirmation of the deal.

Earlier the DUP had said it could not support the last-ditch Brexit proposal due to concerns about the issues of customs and consent, adding there was a lack of clarity on VAT (sales tax) arrangements.

Juncker said in a letter that he would recommend that the leaders of the other 27 member states approve the deal, adding it was "high time" to complete the divorce process and move on as swiftly as possible to negotiations of the EU's future partnership with Britain.

However, the Northern Irish party Johnson needs to help ratify any agreement has refused to support the deal that was hammered out over weeks of negotiations.

Johnson is hoping to get approval for the agreement in a vote at an extraordinary session of the British parliament on Saturday, to pave the way for an orderly departure on October 31.

Sterling surged more than 1% and British share prices rallied after the announcement that an agreement had been reached.