No-deal Brexit ‘most likely’ outcome, PM tells cabinet
BORIS JOHNSON has said that leaving the European Union without a trade agreement is still the ‘most likely outcome’ as talks continue in Brussels. The prime minister told his cabinet that he was committed to continuing negotiations on the remaining areas of disagreement and emphasised the desire to strike a deal. According to the BBC, some Conservative MPs are hopeful a deal could be agreed and put to parliament on Monday and Tuesday. A Downing Street spokesman said in his update to the cabinet,
Mr Johnson ‘reiterated that any free trade agreement must respect the independence and sovereignty of the UK’.
The spokesman went on: ‘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.’
Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg will announce today if MPs will sit next week but said last night they could be asked to ratify a deal ‘early next year’.
He acknowledged it would be ‘unconstitutional’ for a treaty to begin before it is agreed but said: ‘If both sides accept that ratification is done in a different way, that is theoretically possible.’
The need for any deal to be in place by January 1, and approved by parliament first, means MPs are braced for the prospect of sitting over the festive period.
Stephen Barclay, the chief secretary to the treasury, said the EU had to ‘move’ in the negotiations. He told Sky News: ‘It is in both sides’ interest to have a deal. The prime minister is battling for Britain... and whether there is a deal is not simply down to his actions.’
The UK and EU’s chief negotiators Lord Frost and Michel Barnier are continuing talks after reports that progress could see a deal agreed this week.