Barnier says Brexit deal needed by late October to ensure safe ratification

Michel Barnier, the European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, on Wednesday repeated his call for a deal with Britain on future ties by the end of October after negotiations made little progress last week.

"If we are to ensure the ratification of a new treaty in a secure way before the end of the year, we need to have an agreement by around Oct. 31," Barnier told a French employers' federation conference outside Paris.

Barnier and his British counterpart, David Frost, blamed each other for the stalemate last week. London said it believed a deal on post-Brexit relations was still possible.