Britain and EU spar over Brexit as clock ticks down

Britain's Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Europe Adviser David Frost and Permanent Representative to the EU Tim Barrow attend a meeting with European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, September 20, 2019. Kenzo Tribouillard/Pool via REUTERS

LONDON/BRUSSELS: Britain said on Friday a Brexit deal with the European Union could be reached at a summit next month, but EU member Ireland said the sides were far from agreement and London had not yet made serious proposals.

Three years after Britons voted to leave the EU, hopes of a breakthrough over the terms of its departure have been stoked in recent days by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying the shape of a deal is emerging and European Commission President Juncker saying agreement is possible.