ANOTHER Brexit deadline has been missed last night – as Nicola Sturgeon today demanded an EXTENSION of the transition period to focus on the Covid crisis.
Scotland’s First Minister, the London Mayor, and a string of Tory MPs have demanded Boris Johnson cave to calls to prevent the possibility of a No Deal Brexit on New Year’s Eve.
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However, No10 said again today that the talks would not go on beyond the end of the year – and the transition period would not be extended despite the current Covid crisis.
UK and EU negotiators David Frost and Michel Barnier both met in Brussels yesterday, the deadline the European Parliament laid down for a deal to be signed off by for the end of December 31.
But the pair were yet again unable to jump the key hurdles – fishing and state-funded subsidies for businesses – and ink an agreement.
Yesterday, a third of England, around 17 million Brits, were plunged into a Tier 4 lockdown after a mutant super-strain of Covid ripped through London and the South East.
Ms Sturgeon said Britain faced a “profoundly serious situation” and the new mutation of coronavirus “demands our 100 per cent attention”.
Ms Sturgeon claimed not extending the transition period would be “unconscionable” given the current chaos Mr Johnson is trying to quell.
And the First Minister called on the UK government to activate plans for a no deal Brexit to prevent further disruption at UK ports.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan also joined the growing calls for more time to negotiate.
He said in a statement “major disruption” at Kent is now “inevitable”, and fighting the latest surge of Covid “requires the full and undivided efforts of ministers more than ever before.”
Tory MP and Chair of the Commons’ Northern Ireland affairs select Committee Simon Hoare called for the clock to be “temporarily stopped”.
He tweeted this morning: “There’s no parliamentary time to scrutinise and agree a deal and daily clarity of the dangers to our already pressured economy of no-deal is alarming.”
Mr Hoare added: “Time for maturity”.
Chair of the Commons Defence Committee Tobias Ellwood also called for the clock to be paused.
He wrote on Twitter: “LET BREXIT TALKS CONTINUE.
“The biggest decision in a generation. 98% agreed (exceeding Canada’s).
“But these are far from ideal conditions to rationally determine our future prosperity & security terms.
“If there’s no deal by NY let’s do what’s best for the UK & pause the clock.”
A spokesperson for the PM rejected calls to extend the transition, adding: “It will end on December 31. That remains our position.”
They also said a deal wouldn’t be able to be agreed in principle, and MPs would have to rubber stamp it in Parliament.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has remained adamant the transition period won’t be extended, saying businesses knew the change was coming and had planned for it.
He told BBC Breakfast: “I think the one thing which could actually add fuel to the fire would be ending something that everyone’s known is ending for a very long time, which is the end of the transition period which completes on December 31, so absolutely not, no.
“The important thing is that businesses continue to prepare, that individuals are prepared.”
Talks between Lord Frost and Mr Barnier will continue, but sources have stressed the discussions are “difficult” and “significant differences” remain.
Despite the EU Parliament’s threat of a final deadline yesterday, if a deal is signed, it could be provisionally signed off by leaders of the bloc and be formally ratified in 2021.
After the super-strain caused Mr Johnson to introduce tougher lockdown measures, France and a host of European countries have banned UK travellers today.
The French border has been closed to lorries as of last night, causing chaos at Dover as they try to break the deadlock.
The PM faces a busy week on Brexit, the new Covid strain, and the ongoing freight concerns.
Source: The Sun
