Inside Politics: ‘Landing zones’ emerge for Brexit deal

How fast can you enter the history books? Harry Potter star Rupert Grint took only four hours to break Sir David Attenborough’s record for the speediest time to reach one million Instagram followers. The UK and EU have taken four years to approach the verge of a slightly more important historical landmark. Negotiators have now identified “landing zones” for a Brexit trade deal – but the clock is very much against them. If the details can be agreed in record time, the European parliament is thought to have a plan for an emergency ratification vote just three days before New Year Eve.

Inside the bubble

Our political commentator Andrew Grice on what to look out for today:

History will be made with the first virtual PMQs today, with a self-isolating Boris Johnson displayed on TV screens in the chamber as he goes up against Keir Starmer. The PM will also hold a virtual meeting with business leaders to discuss his 10-point plan for a “green industrial revolution”. Government advisers will give a briefing on the latest coronavirus data, while ministers will answer urgent Commons questions on the Northern Ireland protocol and the towns fund.

Daily briefing

HAPPY LANDINGS? British and EU negotiators have finally identified the “landing zones” to strike a trade deal, Ireland’s premier has said. Micheal Martin said believed “deep down” that Boris Johnson would “see the sense of a deal”. Martin also told Bloomberg that there had been some “intensification” on the sticking points. “Both sides know each other a bit better and know the issues, know where the landing zones are around the agreement.” His comments may offer renewed optimism, but there are fears over whether the crucial details can be ironed out in time. Reports suggest the European parliament could push back a key vote on any agreement to 28 December – just a few days before the deadline. Meanwhile, trade minister Greg Hands admitted that any Brexit trade deals with other countries are likely to be put in force before MPs have a chance to fully scrutinise them. Labour’s Emily Thornberry called it “bumbling incompetence”.

BAUBLES AND BUBBLES: Tory MPs won’t like it, but households could be banned from mixing when lockdown ends in England on 2 December – with a plan to “bolster” the tier system under consideration. The government is hoping an additional plan to “save” Christmas will keep everyone happy. Officials are discussing a loosening of restrictions for Christmas so several households can form a “bubble” for the holiday, according to The Telegraph. North of the border, more than two million people in 11 council areas across western and central Scotland are heading into the toughest, level four lockdown restrictions from this Friday. Non-essential shops, pubs and restaurants will be shut, with no visits to other people’s homes allowed. “We simply do not have the assurance we need that hospital and ICU services will be able to cope as we go deeper into winter,” said first minister Nicola Sturgeon. Whether the SNP leader can agree with No 10 on a joint travel plan for Christmas remains to be seen.

BACK IN ANGER: Jeremy Corbyn has been readmitted to Labour, less than three weeks after being suspended for his defiant response to the EHRC antisemitism report. Corbyn released a statement earlier on Tuesday saying concerns over antisemitism within Labour are “neither exaggerated nor overstated”. The party’s ruling NEC body decided he had said enough to be reinstate him as member. So that’s the matter all cleared up and tidied away then? Not really. Keir Starmer – at pains to point he had nothing to do with the decision – still has the difficult decision of whether to restore the whip to Corbyn. The Board of Deputies of British Jews said they did not accept the “pathetic non-apology” from Corbyn, while some of Starmer’s MPs shared their dismay at his predecessor’s return. Dame Margaret Hodge said she could not “comprehend” it, while Neil Coyle MP warned the EHRC “may not be done” with the party.

WHEELER DEALERS: Accusations of Tory cronyism are not going away. In fact, they may just be beginning to build a head of steam. The National Audit Office said the government was not transparent in awarding £18bn worth of Covid-19 contracts. In a damning assessment, the public spending watchdog found companies recommended by MPs and ministerial offices were given priority – and £10.5bn-worth of contracts were awarded without any competitive tender process. Meg Hillier, chair of the public accounts committee, called for ministers to “come clean” and publish all the details. It also emerged that Spanish businessman Michael Saiger was able to rake in £21m in taxpayers’ cash for acting as a go-between in a PPE deal for NHS staff. Such deals are set to be challenged in court by the Good Law Project. “The real criticism … is of the huge profits that government allows to be generated,” said Jolyon Maugham, the project’s director.

PAIN IN THE GAS: Boris Johnson is hoping to burnish his environmental credentials today by setting out his £4bn “green industrial revolution”. The headline story is that new vehicles powered wholly by petrol and diesel will no longer be sold in the UK from 2030. But critics say £4bn is nowhere near enough to meet the scale of the challenge. The PM may also face questions about whether the report into Priti Patel bullying allegations will ever see the light of day. The former head of the civil service Sir Mark Sedwill revealed Johnson has had the report since September. Sir Mark said he could only assume consultations were “still in train”. Johnson may also get asked about reports he and Rishi Sunak are planning to slash Britain’s foreign aid spend to help repair damaged public finances. Some senior Tory MPs are very unhappy about the idea. Sir Bob Neill called it a “retrograde step”, while Jeremy Hunt added: “This must not happen.”

COMING BACK TO THE CATCHPHRASE: Donald Trump is keeping himself busy and calm by telling people they’re fired. The outgoing president has sacked one of the country’s top election official for daring to contradict his wild claims of voter fraud. Chris Krebs, the head of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Cisa), had posted a tweet dismissing Trump’s allegation that voting machines were somehow crooked – and was also part of the Homeland Security panel which declared the election the “most secure in American history”. Meanwhile, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani – loyal until the moment they finally get chucked out of the White House – made a case in court for the first time in nearly three decades. Rudy fiddled with his Twitter account, forgot which judge he was talking to and threw around wild, unsupported accusations about a nationwide conspiracy in a courthouse in the small Pennsylvania city of Williamsport. Safe to say the case – and others like it – are going nowhere.

On the record

“The Eton-educated Cameron possessed an impressive command of the issues, a facility with language, and the easy confidence of someone who’d never been pressed too hard by life.”

Barack Obama on David Cameron, in the former president’s new book.

From the Twitterati

“I really can’t understand any explanation for why Corbyn was not a fit person to be a member of the party yesterday but is again today that goes beyond, “Labour Party” *shrug*.”

Jonn Elledge doesn’t quite get the Corbyn reinstatement…

“It wasn’t Keir Starmer’s decision to suspend Corbyn and it’s not specifically his decision to unsuspend him, but for voters the buck stops at the top and, well, have fun explaining how this happened because Big Len [McCluskey] cut a deal.”

…but Chaminda Jayanetti thinks it’s down to the Unite boss.

Essential reading

Tom Peck, The Independent: The PM’s Scotland comments are a grenade he has thrown at himself

Andrew Feinberg, The Independent: Trump’s lawyers are getting desperate and ‘planning something crazy’

Rachel Sylvester, The Times: No 10’s women have called time on incompetence

Stephen Bush, New Statesman: Corbyn’s readmittance is a blow to Starmer

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