London: The UK and the European Union on Thursday declared that they have agreed a new Brexit deal for Britain's withdrawal from the bloc within the October 31 deadline. While Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the agreement as a "great new deal", EU President Jean Claude-Juncker branded it a "fair and balanced agreement" as he recommended it for member-countries to be ratified at an EU summit underway in Brussels this week. Juncker tweeted: "Where there is a will, there is a #deal — we have one! It's a fair and balanced agreement for the EU and the UK and it is testament to our commitment to find solutions."

Both leaders have urged their respective Parliaments, in the UK and EU, to back the deal — which is heavily similar to the one struck by Theresa May. The crucial difference is the missing backstop — the "insurance policy" to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland — which Brexiteers had opposed as a threat of being tied to EU rules long after Brexit.