Boris Johnson's Brexit deal has been politically approved by the EU 27 leaders at a crunch summit in Brussels.

The Prime Minister announced there was "white smoke" from Brussels this morning.

And this afternoon, he sat round a table with the remaining European leaders to convince them to approve the deal.

European Council President Donald Tusk's press spokesman tweeted: "Brexit EU27 EUCO finished. Conclusions adopted."

It's understand it was endorsed unanimously.

The PM must now bring the deal back from Brussels and convince MPs in Westminster to vote for it - which is certain to be an uphill struggle after the DUP refused to back it this morning.

(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

(Image: OLIVIER HOSLET/EPA-EFE/REX)

The party will encourage like-minded members of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government to oppose his Brexit deal, one of its 10 members of parliament said on Thursday.

"We will encourage others to oppose it," Sammy Wilson told Irish national broadcaster RTE, saying he did not know how many hardline Brexiteers in Johnson's Conservative Party would vote with the DUP in Saturday's vote to ratify the agreement.

"I don't think it's for me to speak for them, other than to say that I have just left the House of Commons and on my way out I was stopped by at least four Conservatives who told me that they think that this is a disgraceful way to behave so we will fight this.

"In the past (former prime minister) Theresa May thought she had got people on board and then found to her surprise that they weren't and I suspect there is every chance that this might happen again on Saturday."

The deal will now go to a vote in the Commons on Saturday.