Inside Politics: Boris Johnson holds out ‘hope’ for Brexit deal

The chances of deal appear brighter again, as negotiators work on ‘creative’ solutions to alignment problem, writes Adam Forrest

Boris Johnson (AFP via Getty Images)

So what happens now? The Queen would very much like to know if we’re getting a no-deal Brexit or not so she can finish her Christmas speech. Her Majesty is said to have delayed the recording of this year’s “emotional” message until negotiations are resolved. She may have to wait a few more days yet – or just skip the bit about Brexit. Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen have agreed talks will carry on for now – giving us the faint glimmer of hope that an annus horribilis for 2021 can still be avoided.

 

Inside the bubble

 

Deputy political editor Rob Merrick on what to look out for today:

 

EU negotiator Michel Barnier may share whether there’s been any progress on a Brexit deal when he briefs ambassadors this morning. Let’s hope they then tell the rest of us. At Westminster, focus will switch to rising Covid-19 infections with a general debate in the Commons. The internal market bill goes back to the Lords, after the government promised the law-breaking clauses will no longer be a problem.

 

Daily briefing

 

DEEP INTO EXTRA TIME: Is anyone keeping track of how many missed Brexit deadlines there have been? Boris Johnson and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen pushed talks past Sunday’s line in the sand, saying it was “responsible at this point to go the extra mile”. The PM repeated that a no-deal Brexit was “most likely”, but there was still some “hope”. Reports at weekend suggested chances of a no-deal outcome were 80 per cent. “Maybe the odds have shifted slightly in the direction of a deal,” a No 10 source told The Telegraph. There are suggestions the EU has pulled back from its desired “ratchet clause” to align standards in future, but Brussels is still looking for a way to safeguard against unfair competition. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab hinted No 10 would be okay with certain tariffs being triggered if Britain were to diverge on certain standards in the future. He said there was always the possibility of “creative counters” in the drafting.

 

PREP SCHOOL: The government is thought to be preparing a no-deal dry run this Wednesday called “Operation Capstone” – involving simulated border disruption, illegal European fishing in British waters and data transfer issues. The simulation could become very real in two-and-a-half weeks’ time. And no-one seems well-prepped at all. Supermarkets and medicine suppliers have reportedly been told by ministers to stockpile food and medicine. But the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned shoppers not to stockpile food and toilet roll in the days ahead. The BRC is in little doubt how bad a no-deal Brexit would be, however – saying retailers will have “no choice” but the pass on over £3bn in tariffs onto customers. It comes as the EU said it would “keep cool” after reports the Royal Navy will police British fishing waters in the event of no-deal. Ex-Tory minister Tobias Ellwood called the idea of a naval stand-off “undignified” and “irresponsible”.

 

BAH HUMBUG: NHS bosses have told the public to think “really carefully” about whether social contact is really necessary over Christmas. “I don’t want to be the Grinch who stole Christmas,” said Chris Hopson, the head of NHS Providers – as he pointed out the US saw record numbers of cases after the Thanksgiving holiday. Raab insisted that people needed the five-day day break from Covid rules on “an emotional level”. The architect of the Oxford vaccine warned its own roll-out may have to be delayed if there’s a post-Christmas surge in infections. “It’s not possible to run vaccination clinics when staff are off sick and there’s a very high transmission rate,” said Sarah Gilbert. Meanwhile, Tory MPs in rural areas have been warned not to expect too much at the tier review this week. Health secretary Matt Hancock has written to Conservative backbenchers to say the evidence suggests that bringing in more local variations in tiers would not work.

 

FISSION FOR CASH: Boris Johnson has reportedly approved government talks with energy giant EDF over the funding of a £20bn nuclear power plant. Ministers are considering how much to put into Sizewell C, a twin-reactor plant in Suffolk which could provide 7 per cent of the nation’s energy needs. China General Nuclear Power (CGN) is said to be planning to pull out and the government is considering whether to take an equity stake in the plant, according to The Times. Fresh questions to answer for Matt Hancock on PPE. Millions of medical gowns purchased towards the end of the first lockdown for £122m have never been used, according to the BBC. They were bought from yet another supplier (PPE Medpro) set up only weeks before the order was placed. And there are no further questions to answer for the Tory MP who was accused of rape. Police have dropped their investigation, with the Met saying the case had not met “the evidential test”.

 

BANKS DRAW BLANK: British banks are reportedly withdrawing savings accounts, credit cards and mortgages from “tens of thousands” of expats living in the EU. The banks believe the post-Brexit rules around licences to operate these services in the European Economic Area (EEA) are so complex it’s not worth applying, according to The Times. It comes as home secretary Priti Patel prepares to announce an overhaul of the Windrush scandal compensation scheme today. Victims will get an early “preliminary” payment of £10,000. Elsewhere, Tory MP Richard Drax is facing demands to make reparation payments over his family’s role in the slave trade, after The Observer revealed he now controls the Caribbean plantation where his ancestors once built the British Empire’s first slave-worked sugar plantation. Leading figures in the Caribbean Community’s Reparations Commission said the Drax Hall plantation was a “crime scene”.

 

THE EXORCISM: Donald Trump has U-turned on a proposal for White House officials to receive the Pfizer vaccine this week. Trump said he’d asked for an “adjustment” after staffers were expected to be among the very first to get the jab in the coming days. It comes as officials prepare to deep-clean the White House to “exorcise” any trace of outgoing president. A member of the Joe Biden transition team told reporters: “Mr Trump’s administration has been riddled with the coronavirus. The Bidens are taking no chances.” Apparently, a team in hazmat suits will spray the entire residence with disinfectant after Trump leaves, as well as removing all the carpets and curtains. The nasty whiff of sulphur may be hard to get rid of. It follows depressing scenes at the weekend, as thousands of Trump supporters converged on several US cities, and scuffles ensued with counter-demonstrators. In Washington DC, more than 20 were arrested and four people were stabbed.

 

On the record

 

“I’m afraid we’re still very far apart on some key things. But where there’s life, there’s hope. We’re going to keep talking to see what we can do.”

Boris Johnson tells us to get ready for a no-deal Brexit, but holds out for a deal.

 

From the Twitterati

 

“It is now clear that neither the UK or EU want to be blamed for ending the talks … There is no available fudge. Which brings risk they will keep talking forever and no deal will happen by default.”

Robert Peston downbeat on the days ahead...

 

“The EU has dropped its insistence on a ‘ratchet clause’ ... It’s now ready to cater for divergence in the future so long as there are strong safeguards to rebalance unfair competition … Despite the doom and gloom, there are signs the sides aren’t quite as far apart as appears.”

…but The Sun’s Nick Gutteridge suggests a deal is still possible.

 

Essential reading

 

James Moore, The Independent: Brexit food price rises are not a mere ‘bump in the road’

 

John Rentoul, The Independent: What will politics look like after the vaccine is rolled out?

 

Catherine Bennett, The Guardian: Why does Eton keep turning out epic oafs year after year?

 

David Siders, Politico: Trump unleashes army of sore losers

 

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