No Brexit ‘second thoughts’

Boris Johnson has not had second thoughts over refusing to ask for an extension of the Brexit transition period, Downing Street said.

The deadline for requesting a delay passed yesterday, which increased the risk of a no-tradedeal exit from the transition period at the end of the year.

‘‘No, he has not [had any second thoughts]. The EU have themselves accepted that there is not going to be any extension to the transition period,’’ the spokesman said, as negotiators met in Brussels for their first face-to-face talks since the coronavirus pandemic.

Failure to meet the deadline will mean the UK and EU trading on less lucrative WTO terms.

The UK and EU have pinpointed October as the last moment to finalise the deal, so there is time for it to be ratified before December 31.