Brexit talks' second stage to be pushed back to December - reports

The second stage of negotiations between Britain and the European Union over the terms of Brexit could be pushed back to the end of the year as not enough progress was being made in the initial talks, media reports suggested overnight.

Talks on money, citizens and Ireland had been pencilled in for October but may need to be delayed until December, Sky News reported, citing unidentified sources in the Cabinet.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier had hoped to make sufficient progress on the first phase of Brexit negotiations - on the exit bill, expatriate rights and the Northern Irish border by October, but now it is felt this is unlikely to happen.

Moreover this is driven by the challenge and timing of getting a more formal engagement from a new German government as Angela Merkel heads into federal elections in September.

Either way, it means less than a year will be left for talks on the future trading relationship between the UK and the EU, and another two months of the two-year Article 50 timetable being used up.