Post-Brexit trade talks between the UK and the EU continue to stall over sovereignty, fishing and control, ahead of the official deadline of December 31. Brexit negotiators David Frost and Michel Barnier agreed to pause talks on Friday evening after failing to find a breakthrough the key issues. Boris Johnson will hold an emergency call this afternoon with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to try and end the impasse.
France is understood to be leading calls for the Brussels not to compromise and according to EU sources, Emmanuel Macron has sounded the idea of talks resuming next year without the pressures of a tight deadline.
An EU diplomat said: “There is a worry that because of this pressure of time there is a temptation to rush. We told him don’t do that.”
The UK has pledged to adhere to the official end of year deadline, but the prospect of a short extension has begun to resurface.
The Prime Minister had previously called for talks to be completed by the end of the Summer and again in October.
Ben Harris-Quinney, a former foreign policy adviser for the UK and EU, has warned the Prime Minister against being tempted into prolonging talks again.
Mr Harris-Quinney, who is also chairman of the independent Bow Group think-tank, insisted the Prime Minister would face a huge backlash from MPs if the UK did not honour the deadline and warned it could trigger the end of his political career.
He explained Mr Johnson was already under pressure from his own backbenchers for his response to the coronavirus crisis after more than 50 Tory MPs voted against his three-tier system this week and claimed a Brexit failure would add to the rebellion.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, he said: “The temptation may be there, but Boris would do well to remember that he became Prime Minister due to his commitment to the public to get Brexit done by the deadline.
“He is already bleeding popularity over his coronavirus response and the perception his girlfriend is influencing his uber-green policy agenda.
“If he fails to deliver on Brexit it will see support for the government plummet and Boris will come under very strong pressure from MPs who are already rebellious.
“If he doesn’t meet the deadline I don’t think he will ever recover politically.”
During a tense week of negotiations, the prospect of an extension or a no deal outcome looked off the cards as both sides progressed towards an agreement.
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This leaves just over 48 hours left before MPs are asked to reinstate controversial legislation which threatens to breach parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement.
The legislation forms part of no deal contingency plans to protect trade from Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK.
Brussels has already opposed the measure and it is likely to thwart trade negotiations if a deal is not reached before the vote in the Commons on Monday.
— to www.express.co.uk
