Brexit news - live: ‘No major breakthrough’ on trade deal this week, Irish foreign minister predicts

See how we covered Tuesday’s events live

Brexit briefing: How long until the end of the transition period?

Britain and the EU are unlikely to agree a Brexit deal by this week’s European Council meeting the Irish foriegn minister, Simon Coveney, has said. Boris Johnson had set Thursday as his deadline for securing an agreement.

Mr Coveney told reporters in Luxembourg: "There are a number of weeks left in this negotiation, not a number of days, so when the European Council meets at the end of this week there will be a detailed stocktake on where we are in these negotiations. But certainly I don't see that there will be any major breakthrough this week."

Meanwhile, Ireland’s government announced its 2021 budget was based on the assumption of there will be no bilateral trade deal between the UK and EU, further hinting at the lack of progress.

For his part, Mr Johnson insisted Britain had “no fear” of a no-deal exit in a cabinet meeting, while acknowledging that time was running out. His spokesperson called for “urgency and realism” on the part of the EU.

But Germany’s Europe minister, Michael Roth, urged the PM not to play down the potential fallout from no deal. He said: "This would be very bad news for everyone, for the EU and even more so for the United Kingdom. In the midst of the most serious economic downturn in decades, it would inflict [on] our citizens yet another serious economic setback.

At home, UK businesses were accused of taking a “head-in-the-sand approach” to the end of the Brexit transition period by Cabinet Office minister Lord Agnew. Outrage predictably ensued with Tim Rycroft, of the Food and Drink Federation, saying Lord Agnew’s claim was neither helpful nor accurate.

On Tuesday evening, Keir Starmer shattered the consensus on coronavirus lockdown restrictions by calling for a three-week nationwide “circuit-break” in England, to include half-term, in order to drive down infections.

 “The government has not got a credible plan to slow infections. It has lost control of the virus. And it is no longer following scientific advice," Sir Keir told a press conference.

Key Points

• Coveney predicts no ‘breakthrough’ on Brexit deal
• Starmer calls for England-wide ‘circuit-break’ lockdown
• ‘Time in short supply’ to get Brexit deal, says No 10
• UK firms still have ‘head in sand’ over Brexit, minister complains
• Ministers’ salaries frozen amid backlash at pay rise for MPs
• We’re prepared for no-deal Brexit, says Germany
• Irish government’s new budget assumes no-deal Brexit

[13 October 2020 08:09 · Adam Forrest]

MPs overturn measures to uphold food standards after Brexit

MPs overturned measures designed to protect domestic food standards in future trade deals, amid fears over chlorinated chicken.

The Commons voted last night by 332 votes to 279 to strike out a Lords amendment which would have required both agricultural and food imports to meet the UK’s standards after Brexit.

MPs were also denied a vote on a key measure designed to help prevent the likes of chlorinated chicken from America entering Britain.

[13 October 2020 08:20 · Adam Forrest]

Redundancies hit highest rate in a decade  

Redundancies are at their highest rate in more than a decade, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said – as the rate of unemployment rose to 4.5 per cent (up from 4.1 per cent in the previous quarter).  

In total, 673,000 jobs were lost between March and September. “However, in total there were still nearly 700,000 fewer [jobs] than in March, before the lockdown,” said the ONS’ Jonathan Athow.

[13 October 2020 08:55 · Adam Forrest]

Sage scientists wanted ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown weeks ago

As Boris Johnson announced the details of a three-tier strategy in England, it emerged the government’s scientific advisers had called for an urgent “circuit break” lockdown for England three weeks ago.

Members of Sage (the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) warned a package of interventions was needed to stop an exponential rise in coronavirus cases, minutes from a 21 September meeting show.  

The Sage advisors wanted a short “circuit breaker” of two to three weeks to cut the number of cases – closing all bars and restaurants, gyms and hairdressers, as well as a ban on all contact with members of another household inside a home.

The scientists also advised universities and limit teaching to online unless face-to-face contact was deemed “essential”.

[13 October 2020 08:59 · Adam Forrest]

France will accept ‘no weakness’ on fishing rights, says minister

The French continue to dig their fisherman’s sandals in over access to British waters after Brexit. Clément Beaune, France’s Europe minister and a close political ally of Emmanuel Macron, told business leaders: “We will have no weakness on this issue of fisheries, that is clear.”  

Elsewhere, French MEPs told European Parliament colleagues to vote against any trade deal which does not guarantee “continuous access to British waters”.  

A reminder that on Monday Emmanuel Macron’s top ally in Brussels, Dacian Cioloș, who leads the Renew group in the European parliament, told The Independent it was time for Boris Johnson to “decide” whether he actually wants a deal – and personally intervene to make it happen.  

UK and France in row over fishing rights as Brexit countdown continues (AFP via Getty Images)

[13 October 2020 09:09 · Adam Forrest]

UK’s services industry could ‘suffer’ badly after Brexit, peers warn

The UK’s £225bn professional and business services industry risks could “suffer” badly after Brexit – even if Boris Johnson’s government manages to strikes a trade deal with the EU, a House of Lords subcommittee warned.

The committee warned that 4.5million jobs were at stake in the sector, and many who work in legal services, accountancy, engineering, PR and management consulting were at risk of losing significant amounts of business to the EU at the end of the transition period.

Committee chair Baroness Donaghy said: “This sector, and the people who depend on it for their livelihoods, will suffer if its needs are not reflected in the UK’s negotiations with the EU. We are concerned that they have been overlooked in the negotiations so far.”

Johnson and Gove have played up benefits of Brexit (Reuters)

[13 October 2020 09:17 · Adam Forrest]

We’re still following the science, Tory minister insists

Communities secretary Robert Jenrick said the government had taken “robust action” – despite being accused of ignoring its own scientists after documents showed that a “circuit-breaker" lockdown was recommended by Sage three weeks ago.

“We listened to that advice as we always do and we did take action but these are balanced judgments,” said Jenrick – claiming the government “certainly can” still say it is still being led by the science.

Asked whether some northern areas with high infection rates such as Manchester and Newcastle should be in the higher alert level, Jenrick said the current status had been agreed with the local leadership. “I hope they don't have to go into Tier 3. There is no plan for them to do so.”

[13 October 2020 09:29 · Adam Forrest]

No 10’s rejection of Sage advice ‘alarming’, says Labour  

So how has Labour responded to the news the government’s own scientific advisers wanted something close to full lockdown for England three weeks ago?

“The revelations in this paper are alarming,” said shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth. “The government now needs to urgently explain why it ignored its own scientists and what it will be doing to get control of the virus.”

“Quite self-evidently they have rejected significant recommendations from the scientists.”

[13 October 2020 09:45 · Adam Forrest]

Conservatives’ Covid curb sceptics out of step with public

MPs will debate and vote on Boris Johnson’s new three-tier system later today before new measures come into effect on Wednesday (so long as the government gets its expected majority).

How significant will the Tory rebellion be? Around two dozen Tory MPs had negative things to say about the tougher, Tier 3 regulations in the Commons on Monday.

But the party’s lockdown scepticism appears out of step with the British public. The latest YouGov poll shows 40 per cent of people reckon the new measures don’t go far enough, 19 per cent think they get the balance right, while only 15 per cent say they go too far.

Almost two-thirds of voters agree the government lacks a clear plan for the crisis.

[13 October 2020 09:54 · Adam Forrest]

UK faces £40bn a year tax rises, IFS warns

Chancellor Rishi Sunak will have to hike taxes by at least £40bn a year by 2025, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).

Significant annual rises will be necessary to tackle mushrooming public debt, the respected think tank has said.

The IFS also predicted that government borrowing this year will reach a level “never before seen in the UK outside of last century’s world wars”.

[13 October 2020 10:23 · Adam Forrest]

Chlorinated chickens will stay ‘prohibited’, minister claims

Environment secretary George Eustice has defended the government’s refusal to protect food standards in law – and claimed a “prohibition” on chlorinated chicken would not change.

On Monday, MPs voted to overturn measures aimed at protecting current UK food standards in future trade deals after Brexit. But Eustice said any new legal protection “wasn’t necessary” and the government had given assurances to the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) that it would “uphold our standards”.

“We will be maintaining food standards – it’s a manifesto commitment,” he told BBC Scotland. “We already have a prohibition of the sale of things like chlorine-washed chicken or hormones in beef and that’s not going to change.”

Asked if the UK would walk away from trade talks if the US insisted on lower standards of food imports, Eustice said: “I don’t think they will jeopardise a trade agreement.”

Environment secretary George Eustice (PA)