EU ready to grant Brexit extension in build-up to key summit

Boris Johnson faces crunch week as Brussels downplays chance of progress on Ireland. Jean-Claude Juncker has talked up the prospects of a Brexit extension beyond 31 October as EU officials downplayed the chances of a breakthrough in time for this week’s crunch summit. As talks on Johnson’s latest Brexit proposals continued in Brussels, the European commission president said he would back a prolongation of the UK’s membership if it was sought. “It’s up to the Brits t