Brexit

As people across Britain wait to hear whether the long-running negotiations have finally culminated in a deal, here is a look at the key figures involved: Michel Barnier and Lord Frost.Michel Barnier: The diplomat who has kept 27 EU states united More

Lorry drivers clash with police in DoverChristmas is now thought to be the final deadline for officials to avoid a no-deal Brexit, amid warnings from Brussels that an agreement must be signed before the holiday to be pushed though by the end of the transition.Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, told MEPs on Tuesday night that he had done all he could to break the deadlock on fishing, with an official present at the meeting saying Mr Barnier warned that the issue now had to be resolved directly by Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen.It comes after Guy Verhofstadt said Britons would “start to understand what leaving the EU really means” after 1,500 lorries became stranded in Kent due to border closures forced by the emergence of a new coronavirus variant. NHS leaders have meanwhile written a letter to the PM, calling for him to extend the New Year’s Eve negotiations deadline by a month – citing no deal as a potential risk for patients’ health during the Covid crisis.Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayShow latest update
1608735006‘Not all doom and gloom’: Hints of progress in negotiationsSam Hancock23 December 2020 14:501608733577EU officials to work on Christmas Day if deal reached, Irish premier saysIreland’s premier Micheál Martin has hinted at the possibility of EU officials working on the text of a Brexit deal on Christmas Day if a breakthrough comes before then.Mr Martin said he and other European leaders were on “standby” to endorse any agreement that might emerge from negotiations between Brussels and the UK.“If you had a breakthrough tonight or tomorrow officials in Europe could be working Christmas Day on the text,” he said.Mr Martin said both sides were still a distance apart in agreeing a reduction in the EU catch in UK waters.He said there was also EU concern about a UK demand for an annual negotiation on catch size, claiming that would create “instability”.Sam Hancock23 December 2020 14:261608732473Hancock to host press conference at 3pmIn some none Brexit-related news, our political editor Andrew Woodcock reports: A health official said: “Ministers have met today to assess what further action may be needed to address the rise in cases driven by the new variant.“The health secretary will provide an update at a Downing Street press conference at 3pm.”Sam Hancock23 December 2020 14:071608730175What moving to the EU after Brexit will look likeFor those dreaming of an escape from the UK and the expected economic turmoil, the end of the transition period on 31 December brings about the biggest changes to freedom of movement in decades.My colleague Adam Forrest explores what happens if you want to move to the EU after 1 January:Sam Hancock23 December 2020 13:291608729081Lord Adonis: ‘We need a deal’Remainer Lord Andrew Adonis appeared on the BBC today and said that lorry queues at Dover are a taste of things to come after the Brexit transition ends.When asked what more needs to be done to improve the situation on the border, he said: “It’s obvious what needs to happen, a deal. Given the complete chaos, close to pandemonium we are seeing in Dover at the moment which won’t even be properly cleared until next week at this rate.”He warned if a deal isn’t done “we will just see more of this chaos” at the border next week.Joe Middleton23 December 2020 13:111608727486Former government lawyer hits out at ‘bonkers’ decision over Brexit clausesIn a piece by Beckie White in PoliticsHome, Sir Jonathan Jones rips into the government for preparing to insert clauses into the Internal Market Bill that would allow it to break international law.Sir Jonathan resigned over the matter and in the interview published today has slammed the “absolutely bonkers” move that made his position untenable.The government later agreed to drop the clauses in December but Sir Jonathan said it was “quite disgraceful” and there was “no justification” for it in the first place.He said: “The point is that the government, by introducing the clauses, was saying publicly that it was prepared, avowedly, to break the terms of the treaty which it had concluded and indeed, implemented into UK law only months before. That seemed to me to be disgraceful.”Joe Middleton23 December 2020 12:441608726209France urges EU not to feel pressured over January 1 deadlineFrance said today that European Union negotiators should not yield to any time pressure imposed by the January 1 economic cutoff date in the talks on a post-Brexit trade agreement, arguing that no deal would be better than a bad one.Negotiators are dealing with EU fisheries rights in UK waters and a few remaining fair competition issues as the last outstanding problems in the nine-month talks that are seeking to avert a chaotic transition on New Year’s Day when Britain fully leaves the EU’s single market.Beyond the imposition of customs checks and other barriers, a trade deal would avert the imposition of tariffs and duties that could cost both sides hundreds of thousands of jobs.But the diplomatic brinkmanship continued despite the urgency for a deal.”We should not put ourselves, Europeans, under time pressure to finished by this hour or that day. Otherwise we would be put ourselves in a situation to make bad concessions,” France’s Europe Minister Clement Beaune told the BFM network.EU officials have already said they would negotiate past January 1 if necessary.Associated PressJoe Middleton23 December 2020 12:231608724953Alastair Campbell calls Boris Johnson a c***In an explosive piece written for the Daily Mirror, former Labour adviser Alastair Campbell has called Boris Johnson the C-word. The article, titled “Alastair Campbell: Boris Johnson is a c*** and has condemned us all to a Covid dystopian hell”, sees Tony Blair’s former spokesman launch an attack on the “blonde-haired, grinning, smirking, clueless clown [Mr Johnson]”. It comes amid another week of chaos in the UK, after borders closed due to a new coronavirus variant and EU-UK Brexit negotiations appeared to be delayed – again. Refusing to apologise for the move, Mr Campbell posted the article to his personal Twitter account and wrote: “I know the C-word is bad, but … when you wake up before 4am in the middle of a Dystopian nightmare that feels all too real, someone has to feel the rage!”Sam Hancock23 December 2020 12:021608723039New Christmas deadline for deal to ‘get through on time’Christmas is emerging as the final deadline to avoid a no-deal Brexit, amid warnings from Brussels that  a deal needs to be signed before the holiday to be in place by the the end of the transition.Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, privately told MEPs on Tuesday night that he had done all he could to break the deadlock on fishing – with an official present at the meeting saying Mr Barnier had warned that fishing now had to be resolved directly by Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen.Our policy correspondent Jon Stone reports:Sam Hancock23 December 2020 11:301608722493Deal ‘all comes down to fish,’ Micheal Martin saysIreland’s premier Micheal Martin said fishing remains the main obstacle in the way of a UK-EU deal.“It’s all down to fish, it would appear right now,” he said on Wednesday. “There was a lot of progress made on the level playing field over the last two to three weeks and it’s very difficult for all involved but the gap is still wide on fish, and for fishing communities in Ireland it’s a time of worry.”Mr Martin said the EU was agreeing to reduce the number of fish caught in UK waters by 25 per cent, accompanied by a six-year transition period. He suggested the UK was asking for a drop in excess of 35 per cent.“It’s not just about monetary terms, I think it’s about the sustainability of the fishing industry in the respect of member states and there’s six or seven member states have particular concerns here,” he said.“It’s about sustaining rural communities.”He said there was a need for a sustainable future agreement on fishing and expressed concern about a UK demand for annual negotiations.“One of the concerns here is that Britain must have annual negotiations in terms of access to its waters and to the fish in its waters, which I think would be a recipe for instability and in terms of the fishing community wanting to know what does the future look like,” he said.Sam Hancock23 December 2020 11:21 More

Brexit not mentioned in Macron call, Johnson saysMichel Barnier is due to make an announcement today about the state of Brexit negotiations, updating ambassadors from the 27 EU nations, as time for a UK-EU deal runs out. Brussels’ chief negotiator will also set out the state of play to MEPs, after Boris Johnson continued to insist that the UK would “prosper mightily” without a deal.The PM is currently under fire for laughing during a Downing Street press conference on Monday night when asked about the prospect of a no-deal Brexit. The prime minister – alongside transport secretary Grant Shapps – was seen sniggering when ITV’s political editor Robert Peston said: “It’s almost the end of the year, you must know by know whether we’re going to get a free trade deal. Will we?”Meanwhile, a group of MPs have warned that ministers must intervene to prevent Brexit driving up food prices as foreign workers leave Britain. Neil Parish, chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, said “we all risk higher food prices” if “British farmers and food producers can’t get the workers they need”. Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayShow latest update
1608648567Road Haulage Association (RHA) calls for clarity on EU ‘market access issues’Richard Burnett, chief executive of RHA, has warned that “on literally every front at the moment we have no clarity”.On logistics, he said: “These are all basic principles that should have been in place a long time ago. This is a high-risk strategy from, I think, any Government.”EU hauliers are saying if there is disruption in the UK we will not come, and we have a supply chain issue there and in terms of getting product in, but then if we’ve got issues around our ability to go and bring this product back because of market access issues, we have a big problem.”So on literally every front at the moment we have no clarity, the clock is ticking, we’re almost at the year-end and all of these issues are still unresolved.”Joe Middleton22 December 2020 14:491608647005CBI calls for ‘urgent’ Brexit dealThe Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has called for an “urgent Brexit deal” involving grace periods, as reported by the BBC’s Faisal Islam.The CBI said: “Final preparations are currently impossible for most businesses… Disruption is now inevitable..just a matter of how much..only responsible course of action to limit damage is to get a deal & get ready, this week.”Joe Middleton22 December 2020 14:231608645856Farage urges PM towards no-deal BrexitArch-Brexiteer Nigel Farage has written in The Telegraph that there “is still a slim chance that the UK really could break free from the EU without a deal.”Mr Farage adds that Boris Johnson has “handled the Covid crisis very badly” and his premiership is being widely debated.But the leader of the Brexit Party thinks that if Mr Johnson announced we were leaving without a trade deal it would “turn him into a hero overnight.”Joe Middleton22 December 2020 14:041608644383No10 denies reported breakthrough on fishing quotasDowning Street insiders have flatly rejected reports that there has been a breakthrough in the row over fishing quotas.Reports suggested the UK had offered a cut of around a third in the amount of fish EU vessels catch in British waters over a five-year period.That is down from an initial demand to cut it by 60% over three years but the compromise was reportedly rejected by Brussels.A Number 10 insider described the reported compromise as “b****cks” and officials have warned that significant differences remain between the two sides.Mr Barnier will update EU ambassadors at 3pm GMT before addressing MEPs at 5pm.Joe Middleton22 December 2020 13:391608643143What other countries are saying as UK struggles with Covid and Brexit crisesJournalist Rory Mulholland comments that Europe is looking on in horror at Britain’s ‘catastrophic year’:Joe Middleton22 December 2020 13:191608641732Cable: ‘PM must recognise 2021 uncertainties to avoid more disasters’Our columnist, former Lib Dem leader Vince Cable, comments on what Boris Johnson needs to do moving forward – in order to deal with the happenings of this year:Sam Hancock22 December 2020 12:551608640975Labour ‘want a deal,’ Reeves saysShadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Rachel Reeves said Labour “want a deal” and warned the impact of no deal for businesses “would be absolutely catastrophic”.Speaking at Labour’s online Hauliers and Brexit Roundtable, she told the PA news agency: “In terms of the trade deal, obviously we’ll look at whatever the government brings back, we’ve just got nine days now until the end of the transition period and I think what you’ve heard from the hauliers today is that they want a deal and they want the transition to be as smooth as possible, and part of that is getting a deal because we know the chaos that would ensue and we’re just getting a small taste of that really at the moment with the disruption we’re seeing in Kent.”She added: “So we want a deal. I think the impact of no deal for these businesses and many others as well would be absolutely catastrophic, so we will look at the deal and compare it to the alternative at this stage. Beyond the deal, we’ve just got to get in place some of the basics to make it work.”Sam Hancock22 December 2020 12:421608639759No 10 refuses to confirm if PM and EU president spoke on phoneOur policy correspondent, Jon Stone, has more on the secret phone call that allegedly took place between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen on Monday (see post from 10.53am).In a highly unusual move, Downing Street would neither confirm nor deny on the record whether the calls between the prime minister and Ms Von der Leyen had taken place, he reports.Sam Hancock22 December 2020 12:221608638976Brexit ‘uncertainty’ to hit health sector hard, report findsThe health and care sector faces “perilous uncertainty” after the Brexit transition period is up on 31 December, a new report has said.The think tank said there was “a perilously uncertain future facing the UK at the end of the Brexit transition period could put the UK’s health and care system at risk”.The report said new migration rules, possible disruption to medicines and devices, “an ongoing economic slowdown” and “barriers to science investment” would hit the health sector.Referring to possible disruption of medical supplies, the study said that while extensive planning had been undertaken by the government and NHS. “it is not clear exactly what scenario has been prepared for and what the impact will be if disruption is longer or broader than expected”.And the Nuffield Trust stated that “plans will not have anticipated the effect of the current border restrictions brought in as a result of the new Covid-19 variant”.In its assessment, the study said: “The health of the public could be directly worsened by a prolonged economic slowdown that leads to lower living standards and a squeeze on public spending, as well as the possibility of less effective regulation of determinants of health like air pollution.“These risks could hit the most vulnerable hardest.”Sam Hancock22 December 2020 12:091608636845No-deal could mean 2% loss in GDPA reminder that earlier this year, the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast that a no-deal outcome could result in a 2 per cent hit to gross domestic product – a measure of the size of the economy – in 2021.That would equate to around £45bn being wiped off the value of the UK economy, reports the PA news agency. Sam Hancock22 December 2020 11:34 More

The UK is poised to crash out of the EU’s single market and customs union at the end of December 2020, unless a free trade deal agreement can be forged in the next couple of days.  The Brexit negotiating teams have been telling us for months that fishing rights remain one of the biggest sticking points. So what’s at stake for both sides? And could a trade deal really break down because of fish?What do both sides want when it comes to fish?The UK is widely regarded to have been given a raw deal under the previously EU common fisheries policy, and Boris Johnson’s government has been agitating for a new settlement to rectify this and symbolise post-Brexit new “sovereignty”.No 10 negotiator David Frost is thought to have been pushing for up to 80 per cent of the stock EU fleets have been entitled to catch in British waters to be handed over to British fleets – but is said to have lowered its demand to between 50 to 60 per cent in recent days.
But Brussels negotiator Michel Barnier reportedly offered the UK only 15 to 18 of the bloc’s fishing rights in British waters at the end of November. Downing Street sources described the proposed figures as “derisory”, dealing a blow to those who hoped the issue could be sorted out in early December.What about a transition period for fishing rights, so everyone can adjust?Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayThe UK is believed to have offered a three-year “phase-in” to give EU fishing fleets more time to adjust to some level of reduction in their catch in British waters.
The EU has been keen to see a much longer period of adjustment for European vessels, with Brussels said to have demanded 10 years of “total access” to British waters last week.
There have been reports in recent days that the UK is prepared to allow a phase-in period of up to five years access – but Brussels would have to hand back at least 50 per cent of its current access (much more than the 15 to 18 per cent said to have been offered). More

Britain has warned talks on a post-Brexit trade deal will fail unless there is a “substantial shift” by the EU in the remaining days of the negotiations.
Talks are continuing in Brussels over the weekend, but UK sources said it was looking increasingly likely the Brexit transition period will end on 31 December without an agreement.The European Parliament has set a deadline of Sunday evening if it is to ratify any deal before the transition ends.
However EU leaders could provisionally sign off on an agreement — leaving ratification to 2021 — and the British side expects the talks to continue a few days longer in the week leading up to Christmas.There was little optimism, however, that they would come to a positive result, with UK sources accusing the EU of making “unreasonable” demands on issues such as fisheries and fair competition rules.
A government source said: “We need to get any deal right and based on terms which respect what the British people voted for.”Unfortunately, the EU are still struggling to get the flexibility needed from member states and are continuing to make demands that are incompatible with our independence.
Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekday“We cannot accept a deal that doesn’t leave us in control of our own laws or waters.
“We’re continuing to try every possible path to an agreement, but without a substantial shift from the commission we will be leaving on World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms on December 31.”Resolving the differences over fisheries appears to have become particularly acute in recent days.
While the fishing industry accounts for only a tiny proportion of the EU and UK economies, it carries huge political resonance on both sides of the Channel.
While the UK says that it is entitled as an independent sovereign nation to take control of its waters, countries like France are determined to defend their fishermen who stand to lose their livelihoods if they can no longer fish in British waters.
If there is no deal by 31 December, the UK will leave the single market and customs union and begin trading with the EU on WTO terms – with the imposition of tariffs potentially leading to higher prices in the shops.Press Association More

Michel Barnier warns UK and EU have just hours to reach Brexit dealBoris Johnson said EU negotiators must “bring something to the table” in Brexit talks to avoid the UK crashing out the single market without a deal and forced to trade on WTO terms from 1 January. The prime minister’s warning came after the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier told MEPs talks had reached the “moment of truth” ahead of the final hours of negotiations with Britain.Earlier, Mr Johnson said a no-deal Brexit was “very likely” unless the EU position changed “substantially” following a phone call with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday evening.Meanwhile, the chief executive of the Port of Dover called for urgent government support to prevent “hold-ups” as Brexit approaches. The government had turned down a request for an additional £33m in funding earlier in the week – allocating just £33,000 instead.Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayShow latest update
1608302138Ministerial aide sacked after warning against leaking was leakedA ministerial aide has been sacked after Boris Johnson’s chief whip conducted a sting designed to catch out leakers, our political editor Andrew Woodcock reports.Andrew Lewer was sacked from his junior government role as parliamentary private secretary in the Home Office after a letter calling for an end of leaks to the press was itself leaked to the Guido Fawkes website of Westminster scandal and gossip.It is understood that chief whip Mark Spencer used slightly different wording in each copy of the letter, in order to allow officials to identify the source of any information which found its way into the media.Liam James18 December 2020 14:351608301572Conspiracy theories and self-immolation are flavour of the Tory party today, says MPJim Pickard, chief political correspondent of the Financial Times, shared a short insider’s account of how the Conservative party is holding up during the Brexit negotiation end times. Not so well it seems.Liam James18 December 2020 14:261608300025Brexit deal ratification would be ‘unique’ say MEPThe influential German MEP David McAllister has said the European Parliament is ready to look at (and presumably ratify) any Brexit deal that emerges in the coming days.The chair of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee points out that “this would be a unique scenario and will not serve as precedent for future agreements” – a hint that the Brussels parliament is prepared to move past the Sunday deadline it imposed earlier this week? Would MEPs really refuse to get ratification done in time if a deal emerges on Monday or Tuesday?Adam Forrest18 December 2020 14:001608299241I do my brush my hair, says PMSpeaking during his visit to Greater Manchester today, whether the weather is looking blustery, Boris Johnson insisted he does try to keep his blonde mop in order. “I do brush it – I have brush in my office … apologises for my hair, but I do my best with it.”Adam Forrest18 December 2020 13:471608298829Parts of ‘bonkers’ Liz Truss speech pulled from websiteSwitching our attention away from Brexit for a moment, it’s emerged that parts of a controversial speech given by equalities minister Liz Truss have been pulled from the government’s website.The speech was branded “bonkers” by critics after the Tory claimed children in her class at school were left unable to read or write because too much time was taken up learning about racism and sexism.
The minister, who went to school in Leeds under Margaret Thatcher’s government, said children had been deprived of a proper education – and included a bizarre rant about French philosopher Michel Foucault.But after appearing in full yesterday on gov.uk, by Friday lunchtime large swathes of the speech had been cut and replaced with a note saying that “political content” had been redacted. Oh well.Adam Forrest18 December 2020 13:401608297913No 10 pessimism ‘tactical’, says Brexit expertThe respected Brexit analyst Mujtaba Rahman isn’t putting much stock in the downbeat rhetoric coming from Boris Johnson and No 10 today. The Eurasia Group expert says the pessimism is “tactical” in a final bid to get more out of EU on fishing rights – and to limit the time people have to scrutinise and find problems in the detail of any agreement.Adam Forrest18 December 2020 13:251608297469Best deal? Stay part of EU, says German MEPGreen MEP Terry Reintke has offered a farewell speech to the UK, saying “Our friendship will always be stronger than Brexit”.
The German politician told the European Parliament: “The best deal the UK could get was to stay part of the European Union. No matter what happens … our interdependence will always be stronger than Brexit.”
Adam Forrest18 December 2020 13:171608296002JPMorgan ups odds of a Brexit dealAnalysts at JPMorgan, the US investment bank, have raised their estimation of the likeihood of a trade deal being reached to 70 per cent, up from 60 per cent.“Our sense is that the likelihood of a deal has moved up from the 60-40 we had as the week began, and we now mark that up to 70-30,” JPMorgan analyst Malcolm Barr told clients.“In our view, solutions to all of the issues listed above which both sides would be able to live can be designed, even if the process of getting to them is difficult.”Liam James18 December 2020 12:531608293847Johnson says EU must bring something to the tableBoris Johnson has said the EU must bring something to the table in Brexit trade negotiations, threatening that the UK will leave without a deal if Brussels does not move negotiations forward.“Our door is open, we’ll keep talking but I have to say things are looking difficult, there’s a gap that needs to be bridged,” the prime minister told the BBC moments ago.“We hope that our EU friends will see sense and come to the table with something themselves.“And, if that doesn’t happen, then come 1 January we will be trading on WTO terms.” More

Retailers and food manufacturers have called on MPs to launch an inquiry into congestion at container ports.Disruption first started in October and has been blamed on a number of factors such as a rise in imports due to the Covid-19 pandemic, large stocks of PPE being brought into the country and Brexit stock-piling.If Boris Johnson is unable to secure a free trade agreement with the EU then border congestion is expected to be more severe after the Brexit transition period ends according to experts, leading to possible shortages of fresh food.The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) warn they face “major challenges” in building up stock for Christmas and the end of the transition period on December 31.In a joint letter to the chairs of the Commons Transport Select Committee and the Commons International Trade Committee, they wrote that some shipping costs have more than doubled compared with last year.One food manufacturer has suffered lost sales worth more than £1 million due to a shortage during the crucial festive period, the letter stated.The BRC and FDF want the committees to hold an inquiry into the chaos at ports and the functioning of the shipping market.Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayBRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “The lead up to Christmas is the most important time of year for retailers, ordinarily accounting for up to a fifth of the entire year’s sales and generating a large part of annual revenues.”After a tremendously challenging 2020, many firms’ cashflows are under severe pressure, and so businesses are in no position to absorb these additional shipping costs.”As a result, consumers will pay the final price. Christmas orders could be delayed, and retailers might be left with no option but to increase product prices.”These issues must be addressed urgently. An inquiry would provide the scrutiny needed to help get our ports flowing freely again.”FDF chief operating officer Tim Rycroft added: “Food and drink manufacturers are extremely concerned about the delays we are witnessing at the ports.”Our members are incurring costs totalling tens of thousands of pounds, and in some cases hundreds of thousands.”It is directly impacting on the ability of businesses to build up stockpiles of products and ingredients ahead of the end of the transition period.”Dixons Carphone revealed on Wednesday it has been affected by the congestion, with delays of up to two days for some of its goods.But the firm said it “can handle” the delays and has been preparing for Brexit disruption for a long time. More

-Boris Johnson has said there is “every chance and every hope” of a post-Brexit trade deal, if “our friends across the Channel see sense”. Speaking at this week’s PMQs, Mr Johnson said: “All it takes is for them [the EU] to realise that – like every other country – the UK has a right to control its own land and waters.”It comes after Ursula von der Leyen gave assurances earlier on Wednesday that the EU does “not question the UK’s sovereignty on its own waters”. Addressing the European Parliament, Ms Von der Leyen said she had “good news” and that there was now a “path to an agreement” in Brexit talks, thanks to a “way forward” being found on most issues.The EU Commission president said there was no guarantee of a deal “but I can tell you there is a path to an agreement now”. Issues remain, Ms Von der Leyen admitted, but “the good news is that we have found a way forward on most issues,” she told MEPs in Brussels. Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayShow latest update
1608130523‘We have made some progress’ in talks, says Downing StreetDowning Street has said that leaving the Brexit transition period without a trade deal remains the most likely outcome but noted that “we have made some progress”.Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: “We have made some progress in some areas but it still remains that there are some significant gaps.“Our position is still that we want to reach an FTA (free trade agreement) but it is still the case that the most likely outcome is still leaving on Australia terms.”Sam Hancock16 December 2020 14:551608130061London mayor candidate sent formal complaint over campaignFollowing reports earlier today, the campaign team behind Tory London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey has been sent a “formal complaint”. It comes from an election rival, who accused Mr Bailey of distributing campaign flyers disguised as official warnings from City Hall about council tax rises.In a complaint addressed to MP Greg Hands, who serves as Mr Bailey’s campaign manager, Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate Luisa Porritt condemns the flyer campaign as a “heartless and cheap trick” aimed at misleading Londoners already struggling to make ends meet.My colleague Chantal da Silva has all the details:Sam Hancock16 December 2020 14:471608129060No 10: Cummings ‘deserved’ pay rise as he was ‘most important’Boris Johnson’s press secretary has reportedly said Dominic Cummings deserved his 40 per cent pay rise before leaving Downing Street because he was one of the government’s “most important” advisers.According to the Daily Mirror, Allegra Stratton said she did not know whether the PM was aware of Mr Cummings’ pay hike but argued it reflected the former adviser’s “correct salary”. “It’s the case that Dominic Cummings’ revised salary reflected the fact that he was one of, if not the, most important special advisers,” she is believed to have said. Ms Stratton added that the wage of at least £140,000 a year was the “correct level of salary” for his role.It comes after Sir Keir Starmer berated the move to give Mr Cummings such a large pay rise in Wednesday’s PMQs. “Why, when policemen and other public service workers are being paid less” would you give Mr Cummings such a large pay hike, Sir Keir asked the PM – to which Mr Johnson did not give a clear answer. Sam Hancock16 December 2020 14:311608127785Boris Johnson to hold press conference this afternoonDowning Street has confirmed that Boris Johnson will hold a press conference with Chris Whitty in No 10 at 3.30pm today.It follows four-nation discussions over Christmas, and speculation over whether England will follow Scotland and Wales in *advising* that just two households take advantage of the festive amnesty, rather than the three permitted by law.Andy Gregory16 December 2020 14:091608127533Channel ports ‘left bitterly disappointed’ by post-Brexit fundingThe government has reportedly allocated its Port Infrastructure Fund, devised to help English ports avoid delays post-Brexit.But the FT’s Peter Foster reports that following bids totalling £450m, the amount actually awarded reaches just over £194m, leaving some ports “bitterly disappointed” – not least Dover, which applied for £33m to help alleviate post-Brexit strains and have allegedly been allocated £33,000.Andy Gregory16 December 2020 14:051608126695BoE to ‘hold off on end-of-year review’ amid hopes for UK economyThe Bank of England is expected to keep interest rates unchanged today amid hopes of an eleventh-hour Brexit deal and signs the economy is holding up in the face of a second wave of the pandemic.Economists predict the Bank will sit tight at its final meeting of the year, holding rates at 0.1 per cent and keeping its quantitative easing programme at £895bn after unleashing another £150bn last month.Andy Gregory16 December 2020 13:511608126273Northern Ireland Protocol agreement ‘just pushes some major issues down the road’The agreement on the operation of post-Brexit Irish Sea trade arrangements struck by Michael Gove has only pushed some of the main problems down the road, Stormont’s economy minister has warned.The agreement provides three and six-month grace periods to allow retailers to adjust in some areas, but Diane Dodds said there remained a need to find long-term solutions to issues around export health certification and the potential of certain chilled meats being prohibited from entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain.Ms Dodds said the outstanding issues around the protocol emphasised the need for the UK and EU to strike a comprehensive trade deal before the transition period runs out.Andy Gregory16 December 2020 13:441608125221Downing Street hiring new official spokespersonThe FT’s eagle-eyed Whitehall correspondent reports that Downing Street is advertising for the prime minister’s official spokesperson role, after an internal shuffle last month following the noisy departures of Lee Cain and Dominic Cummings.Andy Gregory16 December 2020 13:271608124697Starmer accuses Boris Johnson of ‘ignoring medical advice’ Here’s the footage of Keir Starmer accusing Boris Johnson of “ignoring medical advice” over Christmas plans at PMQs.The PM retorted that he wished the Labour leader “had the guts just to say what he really wants to do – which is to cancel the plans people have made and to cancel Christmas”.Keir Starmer accuses Boris Johnson of ‘ignoring medical advice’ over Christmas plansOur political editor Andrew Woodcock has the details here.Andy Gregory16 December 2020 13:181608121853Johnson: ‘Every chance and hope’ EU will ‘see sense’ on trade dealThe SNP’s Westminster leader has said it is “disgraceful” that two weeks before the end of the Brexit transition period, a deal has still not been reached.Ian Blackford told MPs during PMQs that Boris Johnson was putting businesses at risk, and specifically warned that Scotland had already lost a huge amount of money over ongoing Brexit blunders. The PM responded by saying: “There is every chance and every hope that our friends across the channel will see sense and do a deal.”Mr Johnson said “all it takes is for them to realise that – like every other country – the UK has a right to control its own land and waters”. It comes after EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday morning that the EU does not dispute “UK sovereignty on its own waters”. Sam Hancock16 December 2020 12:30 More