Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, said that a no-deal Brexit is "more likely than ever before" ahead of the opening of a crunch EU summit on Wednesday. He added: "It always seems impossible until it's done". Emmanuel Macron, the French President and one of the most prominent critics of Mrs May's Brexit plan, said on Monday "we can make progress" ahead of a call with the Prime Minister. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, said that Brexit is "looking more difficult again" because of the row over the Irish border. Lord Hague, the former Conservative leader, says that it is now time for the UK to go "full throttle" with preparations for a no-deal Brexit and prepare itself "psychologically and politically". Writing in The Telegraph, Lord Hague warns that the Conservative Party has been "stretched to breaking point" and that the deal currently on the table is not "sellable". He says: "When the Cabinet assembles this morning, it now seems very unlikely that they can collectively accept any proposed EU withdrawal agreement on the table, and indeed that they would in any case be unwise to do so. "Such a situation may well be a cause of intense frustration for the Prime Minister, who has made a heroic effort to bring her party, Parliament and the Brussels leadership to the brink of a workable deal, but if reports of the latest drafts are to be believed, it is not sellable in Britain."
Eight cabinet ministers worried about UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit proposals gathered at a meeting hosted by Andrea Leadsom, a critic of May’s customs union backstop idea, to plan their next step. May said “cool, calm heads” were needed and insisted a deal was achievable despite any cabinet revolt. European Council President Donald Tusk said a no-deal Brexit was more likely than ever, but added “it always seems impossible until it’s done”. May was expected to win support for her plan at a cabinet meeting although former foreign secretary Lord Hague said Britain should prepare for no deal.