UK Govt source suggests no change to Brexit impasse in next 48 hours

Nothing at the moment suggests anything will change in Britain's Brexit talks with the European Union over the next 48 hours, a government source said on Thursday, adding that the EU was simply not moving.

Talks on trying to secure changes to the so-called backstop - an insurance policy to prevent the return of border checks on the island of Ireland - ended on Wednesday without agreement, with EU officials telling British negotiators to go back and redraft their proposals. "They are simply not moving - they are not prepared to do what needs doing," the British source said. "It is always possible something might change in the next 48 hours but at the moment there is nothing to suggest that."