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 18:15 · Jon Sharman]

Johnson to call Von der Leyen - full story

Boris Johnson is to hold talks with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday, on the eve of his self-imposed deadline for a breakthrough in Brexit trade talks, writes Andrew Woodcock.

But it is not thought the pair’s second phone contact in the space of a month heralds a surprise breakthrough in negotiations which have been mired for months in unproductive discussions over fisheries, state aid and Brussels’ demand for a level playing field on standards as the price of access to the single market.

[13 October 2020 18:25 · Vincent Wood]

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling (19)22

As previously mentioned, the PM is in the middle of meeting the 1922 committee - the often rowdy get-together of back bench MPs known as the place where Tory politicians bang on the table to make sure the leader is aware of their approval, or disapproval, or general existence.

They’re normally fairly secretive (woodwork bashing aside), but our new normal means some have been able to sneak a peek at what’s going on as it happens.

So ignoring the resignation of a junior member of the government, how’s Mr Johnson’s attempt to bolster his support with the backbenchers going? Here’s Patrick Maguire of The Times:

[13 October 2020 18:44 · Vincent Wood]

Starmer urges PM to impose circuit breaker lockdown

[13 October 2020 19:00 · Vincent Wood]

Going Green - the full story

In case you missed it - Tory MP Chris Green has stepped down from his junior government role after criticising the local lockdown in his constituency.

Here’s Rob Merrick with the detail:

[13 October 2020 19:20 · Jon Sharman]

Sean O’Grady: Why politicians shouldn't play with their food

Unlike cold jelly and custard, hot sausage and mustard or pease pudding with saveloys, food doesn’t pair gloriously well with politics. Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government is only the most recent example of why, writes Sean O’Grady.

[13 October 2020 19:39 · Jon Sharman]

Backbench rebellion over coronavirus measures

Boris Johnson has suffered a Conservative backbench rebellion over the 10pm hospitality curfew, with more than three dozen of his MPs voting against it.

There is a growing backlash against government coronavirus restrictions.

MPs approved the new three-tier alert system for England without the need for a formal vote, but a group of backbench Conservatives forced a division to register their disapproval over the curfew affecting pubs and restaurants in England.

The vote was symbolic as the new alert system supersedes the previous regulations, and includes the 10pm curfew as a minimum measure.

Yet this did not stop 42 Tories rebelling to retrospectively oppose the curfew, which was approved by 299 votes to 82 - majority 217.

A total of 23 Labour MPs also opposed the measure, including former leader Jeremy Corbyn.

[13 October 2020 20:00 · Jon Sharman]

Opinion: This was another competent performance from Keir Starmer – but there’s something missing

According to what can be gleaned from the focus group research, the only flaw the voters can detect (thus far) in the leader of the opposition is a certain “wooden” quality, writes Sean O’Grady.

Don’t get me (or presumably the electorate) wrong, though. Being a bit on the dull side, as he is, isn’t in quite the same league as consigning 50,000 of your fellow citizens to the Covid-19 graveyard, say, or triggering one of the longest, deepest economic recessions in modern times. But still.

[13 October 2020 20:21 · Jon Sharman]

Analysis: Will a circuit-breaker lockdown work?

Sir Keir Starmer’s call for a short three-week “circuit breaker” lockdown is a shrewd political manoeuvre to put clear space between the government’s choices and the opposition stance. But would such a move actually work? asks Shaun Lintern.

The government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) certainly believes so. In a bombshell publication just an hour after the prime minister’s speech on Monday documents from a meeting on 21 September revealed the experts had wanted a a two-week “circuit break” at that point to stop the spread of the virus.

[13 October 2020 20:40 · Jon Sharman]

‘Hard yards’ ahead for UK economy as second coronavirus wave hits, Bank of England governor warns

The UK is not going through a v-shaped economic recovery and the "hard yards" are still ahead as a new wave of coronavirus cases hits, the governor of the Bank of England has warned, writes Ben Chapman.

"Some sectors of the economy have recovered much more rapidly than others and some are still struggling to recover, for well-known reasons," Andrew Bailey told the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee.

[13 October 2020 20:52 · Jon Sharman]

Boris Johnson now faces serious opposition on both sides - from Labour and from his own rebels

Suddenly the pretence of a consensus approach to coronavirus has been abandoned, writes John Rentoul.

Keir Starmer ended Labour’s policy of constructive opposition at 5pm, holding a news conference to announce his demand for a two- or three-week “circuit-break” lockdown. Then Conservative MPs voted against their own government at 6pm, in a symbolic vote as a warning that they think the restrictions have gone too far already.