Brexit news – live: No 10 will ‘look closely’ at EU contingency plans but scrutinises no-deal fishing proposal

Boris Johnson’s three-course meal with EU Commission boss, Ursula von der Leyen, last night could amount to a historic “last supper” – the final, fateful moment it became clear a Brexit trade deal was destined to die.

The pair tucked into pumpkin soup with scallops, then steamed turbot and mashed potatoes, followed by pavlova with exotic fruit for pudding. The fish starter and fish main course were painfully ironic – since neither side have been able to digest the other’s demands on fishing rights.  But they left no room for compromise, with both sides sounding extremely downbeat on the chances of an agreement afterwards.

Naturally, my colleague, Adam Forrest, has rounded up some of the most significant meals in political history:

Boris Johnson’s audience with the Queen was postponed this week to allow the prime minister to focus on the post-Brexit trade deal talks, as he tries desperately to get a trade deal through before Sunday.

While Mr Johnson usually telephones the monarch every Wednesday evening to update her on Government matters, there was no record of the audience in the Court Circular this week. 

Buckingham Palace confirmed the Queen would speak with the PM next week, with a Palace spokesman telling the PA news agency: “The audience was postponed due to the prime minister’s busy diary. One is planned for next week.”

The UK could never accept arrangements on fishing with the European Union which do not fit with its status as an independent coastal state, Sky News reported a British source as saying in response to EU no-deal Brexit contingency plans.

“We would never accept arrangements and access to UK fishing waters and which are incompatible with our future status as an independent coastal state,” the unnamed government source said, Sky reported.

Earlier, the European Commission proposed that Britain and the EU continue to offer reciprocal access to their fishing waters for up to a year, potentially easing tension around one of the most emotive sticking points in the trade negotiations.

Read more about the EU’s contigency plans here:

Back in the UK, the Confederation of British Industry’s deputy director-general has urged both sides to put people’s “jobs and livelihoods above politics”.

“Shifting deadlines are already costing companies,” Josh Hardie said. “So getting a deal is vital to protect businesses, jobs and living standards across Europe already under strain from the pandemic.”

He added: “Progress relies on political leadership, which is needed now more than ever to avoid a costly, damaging and divisive no-deal scenario.”

Additional reporting by PA

Over in Brussels today, EU leaders are gathering for a summit – but they are not expected to devote lots of time to Brexit. 

“We will not have a long debate on Brexit,” summit chair Charles Michel said, adding he expected the European Commission to update leaders on the status of talks towards a new trade deal.

Here’s some pictures from the summit so far:

Additional reporting by Reuters

The fishing industry is not concerned about a no-deal Brexit, an industry leader has said, amid continuing uncertainty over whether the UK will get a trade deal with the EU.

Mike Park, chief executive of the Scottish White Fish Producers’ Association, said such a scenario could open up the prospect of fishermen gaining access to greater shares of regulation stocks.

He said the UK would move into negotiations as an independent coastal state and this would not change the chances of securing good terms for the sector, although he did concede a no-deal Brexit could pose logistical difficulties for producers shipping fish and crustaceans to the continent.

Fisheries has been one of the main sticking point in the Brexit trade deal negotiations. 

Here’s a reminder of what those contingency plans are:

Downing Street has refused to say whether it will agree to the newly announced no deal contingency plans published by the EU this morning. The proposals involve the EU continuing to have access to UK waters for fishing and road freight access to the EU to continue as is. 

Asked if the UK would agree to these plans, the PM’s spokesman said that the UK would “look closely” at the suggestions from the European Commission and that it had its own no deal contingency plans in place too. However, he appeared to signal that Boris Johnson would reject the EU’s fishing proposal. 

He said: “I think as we’ve said throughout the negotiations, once we leave the end of the transition period, we will take back control of our waters. We would never accept arrangements and access to UK fishing waters which are incompatible with our status as an independent coastal state.”

The spokesman revealed that Boris Johnson had arrived back to No 10 in the “early hours” of Thursday morning, following his trip to Brussels and that there was “nothing yet agreed” on whether he would need to travel again to meet Ursula von der Leyen or vie versa.

He also said that contrary to comments made by Dominic Raab earlier today, a “firm decision” would be made by Sunday – and talks would not go beyond then.

The two chief negotiators, the UK’s Lord Frost and the EU’s Michel Barnier, will resume talks on Thursday afternoon, the No 10 spokesman said.

The Irish premier, Micheál Martin, has said that a post-Brexit trade agreement is “within reach”. 

Giving a statement as he arrived at the Brussels summit, Mr Martin said that although he “didn’t expect a breakthrough last night” it remains that “97 per cent of this is agreed”.

He told reporters:

“It makes sense to get a trade deal. I’m very aware of the difficulties around a level playing field, the dispute resolution mechanism and fisheries,” he said as he arrived at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels.”

I didn’t expect a breakthrough last evening. I think the fact that they met for quite a lengthy period of time and that frank exchange of views in itself is a good thing, and the fact that the negotiators are mandated to go back in again and try to break the logjam.

Dialogue is key and both teams have given themselves a deadline of this Sunday, and I think the key to unlocking this is to stand back and look at the overall picture here.

97 per cent of this is agreed. Are we saying we are going to lose out on a deal because of 3 per cent? Notwithstanding the significance of the issues.

The bottom line is a lot of work has been done, a lot of agreement has been reached, so one final effort is required.

There will, obviously, be the need for a compromise at the end of the day.”

Jacob Rees-Mogg has hit out at MPs who have accused him of being “discourteous” as confusion mounts over when the House of Commons will sit until, should a delayed Brexit deal mean politicians have to take their Christmas holiday later than planned. 

The Leader of the Commons said the as-yet unclear end of year scheduled was “simply the political reality” of the ongoing negotiations, saying: “We are waiting for the conclusion of a very important negotiation. That very important negotiation may have legislative consequences.

“It would be absolutely disgraceful if this House were not able to facilitate the ratification of any deal that may come,” he added, saying it was “our duty to the country to ensure the House of Commons is not an obstacle to ratification.”

He added: “It is an important political reality, that we should embrace rather than complain about.”