Prime Minister could make 11th-hour intervention to seal Brexit trade deal

BORIS Johnson could make an 11th hour intervention this week to push the Brexit trade talks over the line as No 10 insisted there had to be “more realism” from the EU about the UK’S future independent status.

Last night, the SNP warned the Prime Minister was taking the country on a “path to catastrophe” with an extreme Brexit and insisted even an “11th-hour low deal” would make economic damage and disruption inevitable.

The Liberal Democrats, meanwhile, called for an extension of up to six months to the transition period, currently due to end on December 31, to provide “breathing space” for British businesses.

With just six weeks to go before the end of transition, Michel Barnier, the EU’S chief negotiator, and David Frost, his British counterpart, resumed their talks in Brussels with problems remaining over the two main sticking points: fishing rights and the so-called “level playing field” measures aimed at preventing unfair competition, including the use of state subsidies.

Mr Barnier tweeted: “We remain determined, patient, respectful.

“We want our future co-operation to be open but fair in all areas.”

Lord Frost admitted there had been progress in a “positive direction” in recent days and there were “common draft treaty texts,” yet stressed “significant elements” were still not agreed.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman made clear: “We need to see more realism from the EU on what it means for the UK to be an independent state.”

He denied the departure from Downing Street of Vote Leave leading lights, Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain, would lead to a change in the UK’S approach.

“We are working to get a deal but the only one that is possible is the one that is compatible with out sovereignty, taking back control of our laws, trade and our waters; that has been our consistent position from the start and it will not be changing.”

Asked if Mr Johnson could this week have more talks with Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission President, to push talks over the line, the spokesman added: “They talked about staying in contact as the talks continued.

“I don’t have a specific date for a telephone call.”

Eric Mamer, the European Commission spokesman, added: “There are and there have been regular contacts by phone between the President of the Commission and the Prime Minister, so I’m sure they will continue to have these contacts.”

Any deal must be ratified by both the EU and UK parliaments.

The former has pencilled in a vote for its last session of 2020, due on December 15/16.

It will take an estimated three weeks for any deal to be legally checked and translated for all 27 member states.

Irish sources concluded there were 10 days left for a deal to be sealed, making possible for a session of the European Parliament to be called just before Christmas to ratify a deal.