Time is short to seal EU deal, says No 10

POST- BREXIT trade talks are continuing in London this week as Downing Street warned “time is very short” to bridge the “significant” gaps between the UK and European Union sides.

The European Union’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has delayed his return to Brussels and is expected to remain in the UK until tomorrow to carry on intensive discussions with his British counterpart Lord Frost.

Mr Bar ni er originally arrived in London last Thursday to resume the stalled negotiations and had been expected to return on Sunday ahead of the talks switching this week to the Belgian capital.

The decision to stay in London was thought, at least in part, to be related to soaring coronavirus infection rates in Brussels.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We are in now what is an intensive phase of negotiations.

“I wouldn’t wish to pre- empt what’s being discussed.

“It’s the first time that we have been negotiating on legal texts and across all areas at the same time and we have welcomed that fact.”

Boris Johnson yesterday played down speculation that he was delaying the outcome of negotiations with Brussels until after the US election. Talks on a UK trade deal with the US have begun under Donald Trump, but his rival for the White House Joe Biden may not share the Brexit- supporting president’s enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, powers enabling Ministers to break international law could be stripped from controversial Brexit legislation by peers within days.

The UK Internal Market Bill is undergoing detailed line- by- line scrutiny in the House of Lords, and is currently scheduled for four days of consideration at committee stage.