With the deadline for a Brexit trade deal looming and the US election result hanging in the balance, the UK has sought to reassure Joe Biden over the future of the Northern Ireland peace process.
Justice minister Robert Buckland said he was “cautiously optimistic” that an agreement with the EU could still be reached and that a “hard border” in Ireland would be avoided.
It came after the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said that “very serious divergences” remain after two weeks of intensive Brexit discussions broke up without agreement on Wednesday evening. His UK counterpart David Frost said that they were still working to “find solutions that fully respect UK sovereignty.”
Talks are set to resume on Sunday but major sticking points remain on the “level playing field” regulations, fisheries and a dispute-settling mechanism.
Meanwhile the Bank of England pumped £150bn into the UK economy and warned that even with a trade deal the lack of preparedness for Brexit would cut 1 per cent from GDP in the first quarter of 2021.
Away from Brexit, Boris Johnson also came under fire from former cabinet minister Rory Stewart, who branded the prime minister an “amoral character” and “the most accomplished liar in public life”.
Minister calls for ‘smooth transfer of power’ in US
Justice secretary Robert Buckland risked provoking a diplomatic row after he said he hoped that “the transfer of power, the change to a new administration can be as smooth as possible” after the US election.
However Downing Street brushed off suggestions that the justice secretary was taking sides. Mr Johnson’s official spokesman said: “If you look at the quote, he was very clear that what we want is for the process to go smoothly, whichever candidate wins.”
Peter Stubley5 November 2020 14:49
UK accused of ‘blocking progress’ over Brexit talks
Michel Barnier gave EU representatives a gloomy assessment of the chances of a UK-EU trade deal yesterday, according to minutes of the meeting seen by Sky News.
The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said that the level playing field issue “seriously throws the chances of an agreement into doubt” and that the UK “seems to have blocked any progress over the last two weeks”, it is claimed.
No agreement has been reached on fisheries either, despite hopes for a compromise solution.
Mr Barnier is reported as saying that he still thought that a deal “was possible”, but that British negotiators “are trying to apply time pressure”.
Peter Stubley5 November 2020 14:35
Furlough extension ‘not related to Brexit disruption’, says No10
Downing Street insisted the extension of the furlough scheme into next year was not related to the potential economic disruption caused by the end of the Brexit transition period.
Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: “That is absolutely not the case. The announcements made by the chancellor today is part of the government’s ongoing support for businesses affected by coronavirus.”
He also rejected as “simply untrue” suggestions that it was stalling for time in the negotiations until the conclusion of the US electoral process.
“We have said on a number of occasions that time is in short supply and we really need to be making more progress in bridging the gaps which remain between the UK and the EU,” the spokesman said.
“In terms of the future, it’s always been our position that we would rather leave with a free trade agreement but the prime minister continues to hold the view that we will prosper whether we leave with a Canada-style deal or on Australian-style terms.”
The reference to “Australian-style terms” is Boris Johnson’s preferred term for “no deal”
Peter Stubley5 November 2020 14:17
No10 ‘confident’ of strong relationship with US if Biden wins
Downing Street said it was too early to speculate on the outcome of the US election, in response to questions on whether ministers were already reaching out to the Biden camp.
“What we are doing at the moment is allowing the US electoral process time to reach a conclusion,” the prime minister’s official spokesman said.
“I don’t think you would expect us to speculate on the outcome at this stage.
“The US is our closest ally and we are absolutely confident that the relationship will go from strength to strength whichever candidate wins the election.”
Here’s Jon Stone’s analysis of what the eventual result could mean for the UK and Brexit:
Peter Stubley5 November 2020 13:57
EU trade deal ‘still possible’
Boris Johnson’s spokesman has said that a trade deal with the European Union is still possible but the two sides need to make more progress to close the gaps in their negotiating positions.
“I think a deal is still possible and as (Britain’s chief negotiator) David (Frost) set out last night that we’ll continue to work to find solutions that fully respect UK sovereignty but while progress was made, wide divergences remain on some core issues,” the spokesman told reporters at the Downing Street lobby briefing.
Peter Stubley5 November 2020 13:43
Is furlough extension a Brexit safety net?
The extension of the furlough scheme into March has prompted speculation that the government are preparing for a no-deal Brexit, or at least a period of Brexit chaos after 1 January.
However economics professor Jonathan Portes isn’t convinced.
Peter Stubley5 November 2020 13:26
Back to events over the pond…
With a Democratic victory looking increasingly likely in the US, justice minister Robert Buckland moved to placate Joe Biden over the question of Brexit and Ireland today.
The Democrat has blasted Boris Johnson’s policy on the Irish border, warning that “any trade deal between the US and UK must be contingent upon respect for the agreement and preventing the return of a hard border”.
Jon Stone has the full story:
Peter Stubley5 November 2020 13:10
Rishi Sunak also announced other changes today, including:
Zoe Tidman5 November 2020 12:49
Sunak on change in policy
Announcing a new extension to the furlough scheme, Rishi Sunak says:
“Political opponents have chosen to attack the government for trying to keep the economy functioning, and to make sure the support we provide encourages people to keep working.”
They will no no doubt criticise the government on the basis we have had to change approach.
“To anyone in the real world, that is just the thing you have to do when the circumstances change.”
Boris Johnson had said furlough would be extended until December amid England’s new lockdown.
Zoe Tidman5 November 2020 12:34
Government votes down Dubs amendment again
Last night also saw the the government vote down for a second time a proposal to preserve family reunion rights for child refugees after the UK’s transition out of the EU’s immigration rules on 31 December.
The measure, put forward by Labour peer Lord Dubs has twice been approved by the House of Lords but twice rejected by the Commons – this time by a margin of 333 votes to 264.
Peter Stubley5 November 2020 12:03
