Britain urges unbroken talks to clear Brexit bill deadlock

BRITAIN is pressing for “continuous” Brexit negotiations in a bid to unpick the continuing deadlock between the two sides over the so-called “Brexit bill”, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

The British gambit comes as senior UK and EU officials sought to agree a new timetable for talks yesterday, while Germany continues to hold a hard line on Brexit talks, delaying discussions on a new EU negotiating mandate for the next phase of the negotiations on trade and the future relationship.

Senior UK sources said continuous talks could help to “clear the thicket” of the issues between the sides. “We need to create an administrative process that gives both sides room to move,” the UK source said, acknowledging that the political impasse over EU demands for a €60billion (£53billion) settlement had left officials “little to discuss”.

The Department for Exiting the European Union yesterday disclosed that the Government was examining the potential impact of Brexit across 58 sectors, including defence and agriculture. Cabinet ministers will today discuss Brexit “preparations for all contingencies”.

It came as three of Britain’s leading Europhile politicians – Nick Clegg, Ken Clarke and Lord Adonis – met with Michel Barnier, the EU’S chief Brexit negotiator, in Brussels. The all-party trio, dubbed “the rebels” by Mr Clegg, denied they were undermining the Government or the vote for Brexit.