Brexit news - live: ‘No major breakthrough’ on trade deal this week, Irish foreign minister predicts
See how we covered Tuesday’s events live
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Your support makes all the difference.Britain and the EU are unlikely to agree a Brexit deal by this week’s European Council meeting the Irish foriegn minister, Simon Coveney, has said. Boris Johnson had set Thursday as his deadline for securing an agreement.
Mr Coveney told reporters in Luxembourg: "There are a number of weeks left in this negotiation, not a number of days, so when the European Council meets at the end of this week there will be a detailed stocktake on where we are in these negotiations. But certainly I don't see that there will be any major breakthrough this week."
Meanwhile, Ireland’s government announced its 2021 budget was based on the assumption of there will be no bilateral trade deal between the UK and EU, further hinting at the lack of progress.
For his part, Mr Johnson insisted Britain had “no fear” of a no-deal exit in a cabinet meeting, while acknowledging that time was running out. His spokesperson called for “urgency and realism” on the part of the EU.
But Germany’s Europe minister, Michael Roth, urged the PM not to play down the potential fallout from no deal. He said: "This would be very bad news for everyone, for the EU and even more so for the United Kingdom. In the midst of the most serious economic downturn in decades, it would inflict [on] our citizens yet another serious economic setback.
At home, UK businesses were accused of taking a “head-in-the-sand approach” to the end of the Brexit transition period by Cabinet Office minister Lord Agnew. Outrage predictably ensued with Tim Rycroft, of the Food and Drink Federation, saying Lord Agnew’s claim was neither helpful nor accurate.
On Tuesday evening, Keir Starmer shattered the consensus on coronavirus lockdown restrictions by calling for a three-week nationwide “circuit-break” in England, to include half-term, in order to drive down infections.
“The government has not got a credible plan to slow infections. It has lost control of the virus. And it is no longer following scientific advice," Sir Keir told a press conference.
Pasties must come with chips to be ‘proper meal’, says minister
Patrons must eat “a proper meal” if they are to be served alcohol in pubs – and packets of crisps do not count, communities secretary Robert Jenrick has claimed.
The minister suggested that as long as food items such as Cornish pasties came with a side of chips or salad and were served on a plate, to a table, they could be considered as “a normal meal”.
It comes as new restrictions placed on “high alert” areas in the UK may force some pubs to close unless they can operate as a restaurant – providing meals with drinks.
Speaking to LBC, Jenrick said that a meal must be “substantial” and “the sort of meal that you would expect to have as a midday meal or an evening meal … It would be like a main course, rather than, say, a packet of crisps or a plate of chips.”
Ferry firms will provide ‘smoothy delivery’ of goods after Brexit, says government
Four ferry companies have been handed government contracts worth a total of £77.6m to provide more post-Brexit freight capacity.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said it had signed agreements with Brittany Ferries, DFDS, P&O Ferries and Stena Line to ensure medical supplies and other critical goods “continue to be smoothly delivered into the UK whatever the outcome of negotiations with the EU”.
The contracts will be in place for up to six months after the Brexit transition period ends.
We’re prepared for no-deal Brexit, says German minister
Prepare for a lot of Brexit grandstanding for the rest of the week, with the European Council summit kicking off on Thursday. A senior German minister is the latest to ramp up the rhetoric – claiming the EU is quite prepared for the “worst-case” no-deal scenario.
Michael Roth, Angela Merkel’s Europe minister, said the UK would have to give further ground on fishing rights and “level playing field” arrangements such as state subsidies.
Roth said: “Frankly speaking, we are at a very critical stage in the negotiations. We are extremely under pressure, time is running out. That’s why we expect substantial progress by our friends from the UK in key areas.”
He added: “We are well-prepared for both scenarios, everybody should know that a no-deal scenario is the worst case … but we are also prepared for that.”
Farmers ‘watching government’s every move’ on post-Brexit standards
Some reaction now on MPs decision to vote against measures aimed at upholding the UK’s food standards in future trade deals.
The Country Land and Business Association said: “Time and again ministers have promised to protect British farmers from a flood of cheap imports … Farmers across the country will be watching government’s every move very closely from hereon in.”
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross was one of 14 Conservatives who voted against the government to support the legal protections. “I think we need to set down a clear marker on this issue for any post-Brexit trade deals.”
UK’s services industry ‘overlooked’ by government, peers warn
As we reported earlier, peers are worried the UK’s £225bn professional and business services industry risks could “suffer” badly after Brexit – even if Boris Johnson manages to strikes a trade deal.
You can read the details of the House of Lords subcommittee report here, which warns that legal services, accountancy and engineering have been “overlooked” by government – and are at risk of losing significant amounts of business to the EU next year.
The committee has called for the government to make sure there is mutual recognition of professional qualifications, and workers in these sectors can travel to “deliver their services” at short notice.
Meanwhile the Cabinet Office’s Lord Agnew has been speaking at the Treasury committee – accusing many businesses of retaining a “head in the sand approach” to what’s coming at the end of the year.
Firms have ‘head in sand’ about Brexit, says minister
Plenty of reaction to comments by Cabinet Office minister Lord Agnew – who has claimed Britain’s businesses have taken a “head in the sand approach” to Brexit.
He told the Treasury committee: “There has been a head in the sand approach by traders which has been compounded by what I would call the quadruple whammy of two false alarms, so two extensions at the very last minute, then followed by Covid, and now followed by the recession … traders are not as ready as they should be.”
The government minister said he wanted to “send another shot over traders’ bows to warn them that it’s their businesses that are at stake from January 1 – they really must engage in a more energetic way.”
Food and Drink Federation (FDA)’s chief operating officer Tim Rycroft remarked, sarcastically: “That’ll go down well.” FDA’s chief executive in Scotland, David Thomson, said Lord Agnew’s comments were “outrageous”
Barnier: EU unity ‘strong’
The European Union’s unity on Brexit remains strong, and the bloc will continue to work in the coming weeks for a good deal, Michel Barnier said on Tuesday.
“Strong EU unity confirmed ahead of European Council,” the bloc’s chief negotiator tweeted after briefing European Affairs ministers in Luxembourg.
Thousands unable to pay bills if universal credit cut, charity warns
Thousands more people will be unable to cover essential household bills if the universal credit uplift introduced in response to the coronavirus pandemic is removed, a charity has warned, writes May Bulman.
People claiming universal credit have been receiving an extra £20 per week, but that is due to end in six months’ time.
Analysis of the 6,264 people Citizens Advice helps with debt who receive universal credit or working tax credit showed three in four (75 per cent) would not be able to cover their essential household bills if the uplift was removed – an increase of 32 points on the current 43 per cent.
Surge in people unable to cover essential household bills if universal credit uplift is removed, charity warns
Citizens Advice says three-quarters of people it helps with debt who receive the flagship benefit would be unable to cope
Jenrick wades into Cornish pasty debate with side salad suggestion
Under new coronavirus restrictions announced by prime minister Boris Johnson on Monday, pubs can stay open and serve alcohol to patrons as long as they order a “substantial meal”, writes Kate Ng.
However, what constitutes to a “substantial meal” is up for debate, with one government minister insisting that a packet of crisps does not count.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick suggested that a Cornish pasty could be considered a “normal meal” if it came with a side of chips or salad and was served on a plate, to a table.
Is a pasty a meal? Tier three pubs can stay open if they serve ‘substantial’ food
Cornish pasty with chips or side salad count as ‘substantial’, says housing secretary Robert Jenrick
EU should show ‘pragmatism and flexibility’, Raab insists
The EU should display the same qualities of pragmatism and flexibility as the UK has in Brexit negotiations, Dominic Raab has said.
Speaking in the Commons, Conservative MP Peter Bone asked Raab: “The prime minister has set this Thursday as the deadline for achieving a comprehensive free trade agreement with the EU.
“Foreign secretary, could you tell the House what is the likelihood that on Thursday evening you will be popping champagne corks?”
Raab replied: “The scope and the prospects for a deal are there. I'm hopeful we can close the gap but ultimately it'll require the same goodwill, the same pragmatism and the same flexibility on the EU side that the UK and this prime minister have shown.”
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