Pound sinks as key ally rejects Johnson Brexit plan

Sterling tumbled Thursday after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's key ally in parliament said it "could not support" his plans for a Brexit deal, throwing a spanner in the works just as Britain and the European Union were closing in on an agreement.

After years of wrangling, the two sides said Wednesday they were edging towards the basis for a treaty allowing Britain to avoid a no-deal exit, which many observers warned could be economically catastrophic.

With both teams working through the night, EU negotiator Michel Barnier said there had been "good progress, and work is ongoing", while France's deputy foreign minister said Thursday a deal was "within reach but is not guaranteed".

There had been optimism that a deal was in the offing, just two weeks before Britain is due to leave the bloc, as they worked towards a solution on the vexed question of British-ruled Northern Ireland.

But Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) dropped a bombshell hours before the start of a crunch EU summit Thursday, saying it cannot support the plan.

"As things stand, we could not support what is being suggested on customs and consent issues, and there is a lack of clarity" on Value Added Tax, the DUP, which props up Johnson's government, said in a statement on Twitter.

"We will continue to work with the Government to try and get a sensible deal that works for Northern Ireland and protects the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom."
Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA, said: "The DUP holds the balance of power and thus their voice counts much more than it otherwise would. Without them, the entire edifice crumbles, and we are back to the Groundhog Day Brexit extension and negotiation cycle."