Theresa May rules out Norway-style plan B, as minister admits no-deal Brexit would not be a 'walk in the park' - as it happened
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A no-deal Brexit wouldn't be a "disaster" but would also not be a "walk in the park", according to the cabinet minister Liam Fox who has offered his lukewarm backing for Theresa May's agreement.
The international trade secretary said the prime minister's deal offered the right "balance", but added he did not "for a second pretend to be enthusiastic" about the backstop - put in place as an insurance policy to prevent a hard border in Ireland.
The remarks from the prominent Brexiteer came as Ms May arrived in Buenos Aires for the G20 summit alongside other world leaders, including Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Before her scheduled meeting with the crown prince on Friday evening, the prime minister defended her decision to hold talks with the Saudi ruler, despite accusations he ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
“I’m intending to speak with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia,” she told reporters ahead of landing in Argentina.
“The message that I will give will be the message that we have consistently given on this issue, but also on the issue of Yemen.
“In relation to Mr Khashoggi, we want to see a full and transparent investigation in relation to what happened and those responsible held to account."
This liveblog is now closed, but you can see how the day's events unfolded above
PM's spokesman says a bilateral meeting with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman will take place at the G20 summit in Argentina at 8pm. Here is our story on the meeting from earlier
Barry Gardiner - the shadow international trade secretary - has put out a response to his opposite number Liam Fox, who is currently giving a speech in Bristol (urging his colleagues to get behind the PM)
Gardiner said:
“This is the man who promised us the world – the easiest trade deal in history. Today, he has finally admitted how untrue that was, but he’s admitted failure without any hint of irony. Apparently we must just accept that nobody actually thinks the deal is a good one for the country.
“The deal he has been cowed into accepting fails to set out a clear framework for our relationship with our largest trading partner and risks locking us in a “Trade Purgatory” – a limbo from which we cannot escape. President Trump this week said a U.K. deal may no longer even be on the cards, and if we do ever manage to negotiate new deals, the Bank of England has quantified any benefit from those will be only 0.2 points of GDP growth.
“However, there is another deal available, one that could win a majority in the House of Commons. Labour’s proposal would protect business, the economy and jobs; solve the question of the Irish border and give us a stronger voice in negotiating future trade deals with the power of a 500 million strong consumer market. Theresa May needs to go back and renegotiate the deal Labour has offered to work with her to achieve — the deal that is genuinely in the country’s interest.”
Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, has said during a press conference at the G20 that that if the UK rejects Theresa May's deal (which MPs are due to vote on 11 December) the option will either be a no-deal scenario or no Brexit.
He told reporters: "The European Union has just agreed an orderly divorce with the United Kingdom.
"A few days before the vote in the House of Commons it is becoming more and more clear that this deal is the best possible - in fact the only possible one.
"If this deal is rejected in the Commons we are left with, as was already stressed a few weeks ago by Prime Minister May, an alternative: no deal or no Brexit at all.
"I want to reassure you that the EU is prepared for every scenario."
After his speech in Bristol, Dr Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, rejected accusations he had "sold out" fellow Brexiteers by remaining in the cabinet after the resignations of Dominic Raab and Esther McVey over the PM's agreement with Brussels.
He was asked: "Isn't the biggest deal that you've done is to sell out your fellow Brexiteers?"
But he replied: "I am not surprised at the question. No, I think that those that you mentioned, they made their own decisions but they no longer have a seat at the Cabinet table for crucial discussions that will come in the near future.
"I want to make sure above all else that we actually leave the European Union on March 29.
"The worse thing that could happen is that in a Parliament which has a majority of Remainers is that Brexit gets stolen from the people of the United Kingdom.
"They made the decision in a referendum and they deserve to have it honoured."
Broadcast interviews with Theresa May are now being aired in Argentina. She says that the European Union has made clear "this is the deal on the table" and it is a "good deal" for the UK.
This is from my colleague Rob Merrick, who is in Buenos Aires for the G20 summit.
Councils have been told to set up "food resilience teams" to prepare for possible shortages and price rises after Brexit
Theresa May has insisted she will take a "robust" approach with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman when they meet at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires later today.
The prime minister told Sky News:
"I am going to speak to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia but it is the relationship we have with Saudi Arabia that enables me to sit down with him and be robust on our views on two issues.
"First of all the terrible killing of Jamal Khashoggi, and the message I will be giving and the message we have given from the UK from the time it happened is that the Saudi Arabians need to ensure that their investigation is a full investigation, that it is credible, that it is transparent and that people can have confidence in the outcome of it and that those responsible are held to account.
"But I will also be raising the situation in the Yemen where the humanitarian crisis is getting worse, we are very concerned about that.
"We are a major donor to the Yemen, but we believe that now is the time, there is an opportunity to find a solution, to come to a political solution because that is the way to ensure the future and a safe and secure future for the people of the Yemen.
"I will be encouraging all parties, including the Saudi Arabians, to ensure that they sit down at the upcoming UN-led talks in Stockholm in the coming days and weeks and find a way through this, find a political solution for a stable future for Yemen."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments