Brexit news: Theresa May says longer transition period could be 'solution' to Irish border row amid Tory backlash

Jean Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, is now speaking.

He des not address Brexit but speaks about eurozone reforms. He is now taking questions.

A journalist asks about the transition period, which has been the subject of much speculation.

Juncker says a longer transition period 'probably will happen'. He says it is not the best idea but it will give them some room. A no-deal Brexit will be dangerous, he says.

He refuses to answer questions about whether a UK-wide backstop agreement could supersede a Northern Ireland backstop plan. He says 'we are not in a negotiating room' but admits they are 'in a much better mood' than they were.

That's it for the press conference. We are still waiting for Theresa May.

The two most prominent leaders of the European Union have said any UK request for an extension to the Brexit transition period will be consider "positively" and likely be accepted.

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Theresa May is now answering questions from journalists.

She says these were always going to be tough negotiations and they were always going to get tougher in the final stages. She says further solutions have been put forward to try to deal with the Irish border.

Asked if her party could back the transition extension, May says this idea has been around for a long time. What has now emerged was an option to extend it could be a further solution to the Northern Ireland border.

Asked if she has enough time to ratify a deal if its agreed in December, May says the government is 'intensifying' work on these issues. She said there is a real sense that EU leaders want a deal to be done.

She says she is very aware of the legislative requirements of the House of Commons.

She deviates briefly from Brexit to a question on hate preacher Anjem Choudhary, saying that well rehearsed plans have been put in place and police have strict licence conditions.

May takes a question from German newspaper Der Speigel on how she is reassuring the EU leaders that a deal will get through parliament.

She says she is confident she can achieve that good deal. She will ask MPs to remember what the British people voted for and to think of jobs, security and the unity of the UK. These are all issues MPs will want to think of in their decision.

She was also asked if she underestimated the unity of the remaining EU leaders. May said she wants the EU to stay strong.