THE UK is “heading towards” a Brexit deal with the EU that will make eurosceptics happy.
Nigel Farage reveals his ‘fear’ over Brexit
The news of a possible breakthrough of the months-long deadlock came in the last hour. The BBC’s political editor Nicholas Watt tweeted: “Big buzz in the last hour among Tory MPs that the UK is heading towards a Brexit deal with the EU. Eurosceptics being reassured they will be happy.” Mr. Watt added: “Nothing confirmed yet and MPs saying: many a slip between cup and lip. But MPs being told the signal will come if and when Jacob Rees-Mogg announces that the commons will sit on Monday and Tuesday next week. That would come before any UK / EU announcement.”
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He also tweeted: “Interesting to see an informal cabinet push to reassure veteran Brexiteers. “They are being told their concerns have been addressed.
The news of a possible breakthrough of the months-long deadlock came in the last hour. The BBC’s political editor Nicholas Watt tweeted: “Big buzz in the last hour among Tory MPs that the UK is heading towards a Brexit deal with the EU. Eurosceptics being reassured they will be happy.” Mr. Watt added: “Nothing confirmed yet and MPs saying: many a slip between cup and lip. But MPs being told the signal will come if and when Jacob Rees-Mogg announces that the commons will sit on Monday and Tuesday next week. That would come before any UK / EU announcement.”
“Key issue is over the level playing field a mechanism in which EU and UK would observe common rules but in a way that would respect sovereignty.”
This news comes after reports the two sides in negotiations have failed to agree to substantial elements of a deal this week, sparking anger in Brussels.
As it stands, the issues of fair competition, fisheries, and governance still remain the main areas of divergence between Michel Barnier and Lord David Frost.
However, other substantial elements within the deal, such as the Erasmus+ exchange programme have caused talks to stall.
Such is the chaos over the matter, one MEP compared negotiating with the UK to “climbing the Himalayas”.
A member of the EU Parliament’s UK coordination group, Nathalie Loiseau, said: “We are far from an agreement.
“Nothing is impossible to a willing heart, but it’s like climbing the Himalaya from the northern side.”
Throughout talks, officials have expressed their concern over losing access to the valuable student exchange programme.
Education and business leaders had stated the loss of the programme would remove £243 million a year in income and cause an estimated 17,000 students to miss out on studying abroad.
In particular, students from less affluent backgrounds would be worst hit as they would be unable to fund their travel and expenses without the programme.
Overall, the project receives £420million from EU students who study in the UK – after subtracting membership costs it drops to £243 million.
Joe Fitzsimons, the head of education and skills policy at the Institute of Directors, said: “Many employers deeply value the kind of international experience the Erasmus scheme helps foster.
“Given the benefits it can bring students and businesses, maintaining access to Erasmus and wider EU research and education partnerships has been a priority for the IoD from the off.”
On Monday, Mr. Barnier held talks with EU ambassadors to brief them on the current state of affairs before negotiations with Lord Forst reconvened.
Although gaps still remain, he indicated the UK had backtracked on its demands thus sparking hope a deal could be agreed.
A UK source later denied that, saying: “The inaccurate briefings from the EU side in recent days have made a difficult discussion even more challenging in the short period of time we have left.”
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There could be a build-up of lorries on roads towards the UK’s ports (Image: GETTY)
9.20 pm update: The UK has made plans to rival Singapore with a new post-Brexit shipping ‘tonnage tax’ regime
The UK wants London to rival Singapore as a hub for shipping companies to register their vessels.
The Government hopes to reforms the shipping industry’s so-called “tonnage tax” after January 1, 2021.
Changing the UK’s shipping tax and regulation regime could be worth £3.7bn to the economy over three years.
It could also create 2,500 high-quality jobs directly, and 25,000 in related companies.
8.30 pm update: Robert Peston hints at ‘preparation for no-deal’ as MPs face extra Commons sittings
MPs are preparing for the prospect of having to work between Christmas and the New Year as a result of a possible no-deal Brexit, ITV’s Robert Peston has said.
Lawmakers were this week told to expect extra Commons sittings over the festive period in order for a Brexit trade deal to be passed. But Mr. Peston said the additional sittings could be used to conduct last-minute preparations for a hard Brexit.
6.50 pm update: A post-Brexit tax regulation bill has just been approved by the House Commons.
Pro-Brexit MPs raised concerns about UK sovereignty after the end of the transition period, this led to MP’s voting for a ‘Post-Transition Period’ tax bill.
The new Bill will introduce framework for customs duty charges on goods being imported into Northern Ireland from Great Britain.
It also sets out customs duties on goods arriving in Great Britain from Northern Ireland.
6.20 pm update: A German minister said a no-deal Brexit risks hundreds of jobs in the country’s fishing industry.
Germany’s fishing industry stands to suffer an almighty blow if the UK and the EU cannot agree to a free trade deal before the end of the Brexit transition period, a German minister has admitted.
6.00 pm update: ‘No reason to be excited’ about progress in today’s Brexit negotiations.
Earlier today it was suggested that negotiations had taken a step forward.
However, a source close to the UK negotiators said: “The position is the same, talks remain very difficult.”
The Downing Street source added: “We’re not close on this stuff yet. There’s a lot of outstanding details to go through, on other areas too, so there’s genuinely no reason to be excited about things today.”
5.12 pm update: The news of a deal with the EU has been dismissed as “total rubbish” by Downing Street, according to the Daily Mirror Political Editor.
Pippa Crerar Daily Mirror Political Editor tweeted: “Somebody at No 10 told me it’s “total rubbish” but then I guess they would, wouldn’t they?”
Sky News Europe Correspondent Adam Parsons tweeted: “I know Westminster is apparently talking about an imminent deal but I haven’t heard anyone say that among Brussels diplomats.”
5.05 pm update: EU hauliers warn they will cancel bookings to the UK after December 31.
The hauliers from the EU said they would ditch their orders destined for the UK because of the fear of queues of trucks miles long at the border.
One of Europe’s largest truck firms, Girteka Logistics, warned it could turn away deliveries to the UK if Brexit triggers chaos at the border.
4.55 pm update: The pound rockets as Boris Johnson secures huge Brexit breakthrough with EU.
The pound has jumped on the back of reports that a trade deal between the UK and the EU is imminent.
A tweet from Nicholas Watt suggested there was a “big buzz” among Conservative MPs about a possible deal on Tuesday afternoon that caused the pound to rise.
4.45 pm update: The BBC’s Nicholas Watt has also claimed that Brexiteers want a decent amount of time to examine the treaty bill.
He tweeted: “Brexiteers say they would need a decent amount of time to examine the treaty bill – legislation to enact any UK / EU deal. They need to examine it in the round and in minute detail. They want to see it by Thursday – and no later than Friday – if commons to consider it Monday and Tuesday.”
4.40 pm update: A new park for haulage is being built to take the pressure off Kent’s roads post-Brexit.
The new lorry park will not be fully operational when the transition period ends on 1 January.
The government has blamed wet weather for work falling behind schedule.
4.30 pm update: Italian Prime Minister Conte ‘cannot accept’ Brexit deal without a level playing field
Italy’s prime minister has said he will not accept a trade deal with the UK “without level playing field conditions.
The leaders of the bloc’s 27 member states remain united in their stance to secure a strong deal with Britain. But he said Brussels would not sign any agreement which does not include common rules and standards designed to prevent business on either side from undercutting firms.
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3.45 pm update: The UK has signed a £5bn trade deal with Mexico.
The deal is seen as a “stepping stone” to a huge 11-nation trading pact.
The deal will also be seen as a major boost to Boris Johnson’s plans for when the UK has fully cut ties with Brussels.
3.15 pm update: Member of House of Lords urges Boris Johnson to consider the devasting impact of a no-deal on the UK’s services industry.
The member of the House of Lords said the “EU is frankly irreplaceable” in terms of the sector’s trade.
Nicholas Le Poer Trench said on Tuesday that “services are 80 percent of our GDP and our services trade with Europe makes up 51 percent of our services exports.
“As it stands, Europe is a hugely important market for services. The most important.”
2.26 pm update: ‘France throwing toys out the pram!’ Boris Johnson urged to STOP negotiating with Barnier
Boris Johnson has been urged to walk away from Brexit negotiations after Michel Barnier introduced a punishment clause which could see Britain slapped with trade sanctions if EU fishermen are banned from UK waters.
During a series of private Brussels briefings, the Frenchman accused Downing Street of ‘backtracking’ on its own proposals for a three-year transition period for fishing rights.
While addressing MEPs, Mr. Barnier said Britain would have to face a potential punishment clause with “consequences” for any future decisions to close its fishing grounds to EU vessels.
The Frenchman suggested economic sanctions – such as trade tariffs – could be introduced to counter any such moves by Downing Street.
But Britons have lashed out at Mr. Barnier’s proposed plans with many calling for the Prime Minister to end negotiations now. One reader said: “So Joker Barnier expects the UK to agree to be penalised by the EU unless we guarantee FREE access rights now and in the future.
“What does Barnier not understand about taking back full control and regaining our UK sovereignty?”
A second reader said: “So basically he wants to punish us for controlling our own waters under International law.
“This is not the EU negotiating, this is France throwing its toys out the pram.
“We should refuse to deal with Barnier.”
Hardest hit countries from a no-deal Brexit (Image: Express)
1.52 pm update: Negotiations making slow progress – Simon Coveney
UK and EU officials have made slow progress this week during negotiations, Ireland’s Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said today.
He told RTE: “I think what we’re seeing this week, having had a number of stalls in this process, is slow, but at the same time some, progress.
“My understanding is we’re making some progress in that area the level playing field.
“I think you can take it that because negotiating teams have gone really quiet here, that’s an indication to me that there is a serious if difficult negotiation continuing. I’m still hopeful that can result in a successful outcome agreement.”
1.19 pm update: Leaving without a deal most likely
During a Cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister stated leaving without a deal remains the most likely outcome from talks.
Although he stated negotiations will continue, gaps still remain between the two sides.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “The Prime Minister opened Cabinet with an update on the ongoing negotiations with the EU.
“He re-emphasised the desire to reach a free trade agreement – but not at any cost – and reiterated that any agreement must respect the independence and sovereignty of the UK.
“The Prime Minister made clear that not being able to reach an agreement and ending the transition period on Australian-style terms remained the most likely outcome but committed to continuing to negotiate on the remaining areas of disagreement.”
