Brexit news – live: Boris Johnson under pressure to extend transition amid border and virus chaos

EU officials are apparently pushing back against suggestions that the issue of fishing rights is all that is left to be solved in Brexit trade talks, according to the Eurasia Group’s Mujtaba Rahman.

It is understood that the French government is still concerned about a number of other issues, including the so-called level playing field.

Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has written to the Procedure Committee to ask for an extension of remote participation in parliament due to London’s move into Tier 4 restrictions.

Former Tory MP (and one-time Change UK candidate) Anna Soubry has criticised Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer for not supporting calls for an extension to the Brexit transition period.

MPs will meet in the Commons, if necessary, on 30 December to debate a potential Brexit trade deal, according to Sky News’ Jon Craig.

Time is “obviously in very short supply” to get a Brexit trade deal agreed and ratified by 1 January, Boris Johnson’s spokesperson has said.

“We will need to ratify any agreement ahead of 1 January. The Leader of the House made clear that we would recall parliament in order to give MPs a vote on the necessary legislation,” they said.

When asked if there could be a “stand still” agreement to maintain current arrangements until a deal is in place, the spokesperson added: “We have been clear on this point that we will either leave the transition period on 31 December with a free-trade agreement or we will leave with Australia-style WTO terms. That remains the case.”

Downing Street has said talks on a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU “remain difficult” with “significant differences” in key areas.

“We continue to explore every route to a deal that is in line with our principles,” Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson said.

A German MEP has called for an extension to the Brexit transition period to allow the European Parliament to examine any trade deal which is reached with the UK.

Bernd Lange wrote Twitter: “A possible agreement will only be finally adopted by the #EP in the New Year after thorough examination. Therefore we need transitional solutions.

“Extension of the transitional period would be the best. But it takes two to tango, #UK would also have to agree.”

Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson has ruled out extending the Brexit transition period and insisted that a deal must be made by the end of December.

Boris Johnson will hold a Downing Street press conference this afternoon following a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee on the disruption caused by the new coronavirus strain.

The committee has met to discuss the spread of the new coronavirus variant and the decision of a number of countries to ban travel from the UK.

France will stick to its “red lines”, such as the right to fish in British waters, as Brexit talks continue between the UK and EU, French government spokesperson Gabriel Attal has said.

The issue of EU fishing rights in British waters has become a key obstacle in the negotiations as the end of the transition period approaches.