Yesterday evening I attended a briefing with the Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay at 10 Downing Street. It is clear that the proposals the Government has presented to the EU are workable, reasonable and demonstrate our desire for a deal.

It is interesting to note the positive response these proposals have received from sensible MPs across the House including, crucially, the DUP. This is in sharp contrast to the immediate response from Jeremy Corbyn, the Lib Dems and the SNP, who condemned them within minutes of publication. This merely exposes their unwillingness to compromise and to come together to move our country forward.

The EU has indicated it will be giving these proposals careful consideration before responding.

Within these proposals the Government has demonstrated its pragmatic approach and willingness to compromise. What needs to happen now is for the EU to be equally pragmatic and willing to move and join HMG in the middle. Then we need sensible MPs who genuinely want to get Brexit done so we can all move on to also be willing to move a bit and back these plans.

I am more hopeful than at any point this year that a good, compromise agreement is within reach for us to leave on 31st October. The ball is now in the EU’s court.

Robert Courts MP