Brexit deal - LIVE: Barnier confirms no agreement reached after Raab attends crunch Brussels meeting

Dominic Raab has made a snap visit to Brussels as rumours swirled about a potential Brexit deal.

The Brexit secretary held talks with Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, on Sunday afternoon ahead of a meeting of the bloc’s leaders on Wednesday. One report claimed a deal had already been struck but sources on both sides later sought to play down the suggestion.

It came as Mr Raab’s predecessor, David Davis, urged a cabinet rebellion against Theresa May’s Brexit proposals and suggested a leadership contest should be triggered if a deal was not reached before that summit.

Allies of Mr Davis said he has been contacted by several Tory MPs urging him to run for the leadership.

The issue of the Northern Irish backstop – a mechanism to avoid a hard border – is at the heart of the problems facing Ms May’s leadership.

The EU’s version of the backstop, which would see only Northern Ireland remain aligned with Brussels’ rules, has been called unacceptable by Mrs May and is loathed by the DUP.

Mrs May’s counter-proposal is for a “temporary customs arrangement” for the entire UK, but Tory Brexiteers fear that will become an open-ended position preventing free trade deals with countries around the world.

Cabinet minister Matt Hancock sought to play down speculation that some of his colleagues might quit over the Brexit plans, but was unable to say whether a fixed deadline for any customs arrangement would be written into a deal with Brussels.

Additional reporting by agencies