BORIS: NO-DEAL IS VERY, VERY LIKELY
EU chiefs snub PM on talks to end deadlock
BRITAIN is “very, very likely” to leave the Brexit transition without a trade deal, Boris Johnson admitted yesterday, with EU leaders refusing to take his calls.
The PM has offered to fly to Berlin and Paris for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanue l Macron to end the deadlock.
He also requested calls with Europe’s two power brokers but they insisted any negotiations must go through the European Commission in Brussels.
Talks between UK chief negotiator Lord David Frost and his EU counterpart Michel Barnier continue in Brussels today.
Mr Johnson and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have set a deadline of tomorrow for making progress over a free trade agreement. The transition ends on December 31.
Speaking in Northumberland, the PM said: “Unfortunately, there are two key things where we just can’t seem to make progress. And that’s this kind of ratchet clause they’ve got in to keep the UK locked in to whatever they want to do in terms of legislation, which obviously doesn’t work.
“And then there is the whole issue of fish, where we’ve got to be able to take back control of our waters. So there is a way to go – we’re hopeful that progress can be made. “But I’ve got to tell you from where I stand, here in Blyth, it is looking very, very likely that we will have to go for a solution that I think would be wonderful for the UK, and we’d be able to do exactly what we want from January.”
According to an EU insider, Ms von der Leyen told the 27 EU leaders meeting in Brussels that a no-deal is more likely. The official said: “The probability is higher.”
Ms von der Leyen risked fuelling quarrels on fishing rights, saying the UK “must understand the legitimate expectations of EU fishing fleets” who have fished in British waters for decades.
Positions “remain apart on fundamental issues”, with a decision tomorrow on “whether we have conditions for an agreement”.
Bank of England chief Andrew Bailey said they had “a lot” in the armoury if a no-deal sparks a similar market shock as Covid-19. British Chambers of Commerce director- general
Adam Marshall warned about ports chaos, saying: “Government guidance that provides generalities about changes are not actionable by businesses.” Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy said the PM had “lost the plot”, telling the BBC: “The Government ’ s position is it’s intolerable to accept tariffs and quotas, so they want to leave on terms that immediately introduce tariffs and quotas.”
Meanwhile, a source said Nissan, Britain’s biggest car plant in Sunderland, has “no Plan B” if there is a no-deal – putting 20,000 jobs at risk.
There are two things where we can’t seem to make progress
PM BORIS JOHNSON ON THE STALEMATE IN TALKS