Brexit key players: The seven people who will decide Europe's future after Brexit

Prime Minister Boris Johnson with other G7 leaders

Here The Scotsman looks at the key players in this Brexit epic and examines how their decisions could have an almighty impact on the fate of the UK.

Boris Johnson

The Prime Minister is mulling his options, which are to keep pressing on with his Brexit bill, in the hope of steering the UK out of the European Union, or pulling the whole thing and calling a general election.

Welsh Labour leader says Scotland should get second independence referendum

Jeremy Corbyn

The Labour leader’s appetite for an early election is said to be rapidly diminishing despite his insistence that he would back one should the threat of a no-deal Brexit come off the table.

Senior Shadow Cabinet members are eager to push for a second referendum rather than an election amid fears that Labour could suffer a heavy defeat. Whatever choice he makes will be of huge importance to Brexit.

Arlene Foster

The DUP is furious with Downing Street over what it deems a betrayal in creating a border between Northern Ireland and Britain.

Ministers and officials are keen to allay the DUP’s fears over the Brexit deal after details emerged that businesses would have to fill out export declaration forms to ship goods.

Bringing the DUP leader back onside would hugely help Mr Johnson. The chances of this appear remote, however.

Nicola Sturgeon

Having secured the Brexit extension they wanted, the SNP are now gung-ho for a general election this side of Christmas and could be key allies in helping Mr Johnson to deliver one.

Donald Tusk

The President of the EU Council has recommended to EU leaders that an extension until 31 January be granted.

Mr Tusk is vital in pulling together a united front for EU leaders and is eager to avoid Brussels being seen to interfere in UK politics by handing either a lengthy delay or one that is too short.

Emmanuel Macron

The French president has consistently said the UK should only be given a short Brexit extension and is understood to have suggested just a two-week delay this time. By being the most strident voice against delaying Brexit, Mr Macron has been Mr Johnson’s most helpful ally.

Downing Street would be delighted with the shortest possible deadline, but it is unlikely that he will get his way…

Angela Merkel

… because the German Chancellor usually intervenes. The German Chancellor is the other half of the EU’s power couple and she is often seen to temper France’s harder line.

Mrs Merkel is eager for Brussels to avoid being blamed for a no-deal Brexit and is cautious about the UK’s competitive presence post-Brexit. She would rather see it more closely aligned with the EU and will do what is necessary to achieve that, such as offering a three-month extension.