Friday morning news briefing: 'My deal or no deal' - Boris Johnson's ultimatum

At ease: Boris Johnson with, from left, Hungary’s Viktor Orban, Nikos Anastasiades of Cyprus and Angela Merkel of Germany before the EU leaders' summit in Brussels yesterday - Copyright (c) 2019 Shutterstock. No use without permission.
At ease: Boris Johnson with, from left, Hungary’s Viktor Orban, Nikos Anastasiades of Cyprus and Angela Merkel of Germany before the EU leaders' summit in Brussels yesterday - Copyright (c) 2019 Shutterstock. No use without permission.

If you want to receive twice-daily briefings like this by email, sign up to the Front Page newsletter here and try our Audio Briefings on WhatsApp.

PM's final hours to win over MPs in Brexit deal showdown

Boris Johnson is in a race against time. The Prime Minister will give MPs a "my deal or no deal" ultimatum to sell his last-minute deal before a crunch vote tomorrow. Returning from Brussels in a "very confident" mood, he said there is a "very good case" for MPs to vote in his favour in what is expected to be a dramatic and historic Commons showdown. Here is everything to expect in Parliament on "Super Saturday". But with significant opposition - including influential allies in the DUP - lining up to thwart Mr Johnson, Gordon Raynerand Peter Foster explain how he faces an uphill battle. Could the deal pass without the DUP's support? Patrick Scott crunches the numbersCamilla Tominey investigates the frantic efforts afoot behind the scenes to persuade the doubters. And cartoonist Matt looks at the rising cost of appeasing the DUP.

Meanwhile, the "Remain alliance" appears in disarray. After an initial plan to try to force a vote on a second referendum faltered, a new plot to thwart the Brexit deal was being formulated in an attempt to force Mr Johnson to ask Brussels for a delay - even if his agreement gets through Parliament. Deputy Political Editor Anna Mikhailova explains how the group of MPs intends to table an amendment that would strengthen the powers of the Benn Act.

Football for sale: Sport rife with corruption, agents tell court

football agent boasted of giving Sir Alex Ferguson a £30,000 gold Rolex watch as a backhander and claimed the sport was rife with corruption, a jury heard. Giueseppe "Pino" Pagliara was recorded as part of a Telegraph investigation saying he had opened numerous Swiss bank accounts for managers to provide "bungs" to secure transfers, Southwark Crown Court was told. Steve Bird has more on what Mr Pagliara was recorded telling our undercover journalist.

Camera flashes remind Prince Harry of Diana's death

The Duke of Sussex has told how the flashbulbs of cameras take him "straight back" to the death of his mother. Prince Harry said he suffers constant flashbacks to the "bad stuff", saying being in front of cameras forces him to endure the "worst reminders" of Diana's life. Royal Correspondent Hannah Furness reports on how the trauma of Harry's childhood is like a "wound that festers". Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had their RAF plane diverted in Pakistan as the flight twice failed to land due to an electrical storm.

News digest

Extinction Rebellion | Revealed: Protesters who crossed angry commuters

Fierce gun battle | Arrest of drug king pin El Chapo's son sparks violence

'We have been abandoned' | Harry Dunn's family hits out at government

ChildLine tragedy | Girl who felt 'betrayed' by charity took her own life

Mona Lisa | British couple claim they are secret 'owners' of early painting

Gallery: The big picture

Rake's progress | A gardener tidies up fallen leaves in the autumn light at the stunning Royal Horticultural Society garden Harlow Carr in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Click through our gallery of the best pictures from around the world.

 

Harlow Carr is one of five public gardens run by the Royal Horticultural Society - Credit: RHS
Harlow Carr is one of five public gardens run by the Royal Horticultural Society Credit: RHS

Comment: Brexit deal special

Editor's choice

  1. Goodbye, dadbod | Jeremy Clarkson and the men shrinking their midlife middles  

  2. A life on cine-camera'I leave you these films as a memory of the way I lived…'  

  3. Do you want ice with that? | Why Britons are desperate to ruin a good glass of wine

Business and money briefing

Good deal for business? | When the white smoke was finally spotted in Brussels, Boris Johnson emerged with a breakthrough Brexit deal. If he can steer his agreement through the Commons, UK plc must prepare itself for a much more hands-off relationship with the EU27. What does the deal mean for British business? From the City to manufacturing, our team investigates.

Sport briefing

Do or die | Eddie Jones believes his "Samurai" squad will come down the volcanic hills that surround their base to deliver a merciless performance against Australia tomorrow. As Mick Cleary reports, England's head coach describes the Rugby World Cup quarter-final tie as a "do-or-die" match.

And finally...

 

End of the builder's brew | Tea drinkers are a dying breed as "generation Z" opts for herbal equivalents. The company that owns PG Tips has warned that people in their late teens and early 20s prefer to drink coffee and flavoured teas.