By Calls for Brexit transition period to be delayed following Covid-19 border chaos
With border chaos currently coinciding with the latest deadlock in Brexit trade talks in Brussels, there have been calls from opposition politicians for an extension to the transition period originally set to end on the 31st of December.
Negotiators Michel Barnier and Lord Frost met in Brussels yesterday (Sunday), the day the European Parliament said a deal needed to be struck to ensure it could be ratified before the transition period ends next week.
However, they failed to reach an agreement, with Boris Johnson describing the situation as “difficult” and key differences remaining on fishing and the level playing field.
With the UK in additional crisis over the new strain of coronavirus and many EU countries shutting their borders, Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, urged Mr Johnson to seek an extension to the Brexit transition period.
The Prime Minister is set to hold an emergency meeting of the government’s Cobra committee today to try and prevent UK food shortages after France banned all freight from the UK.
The growing list of EU countries, including Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Ireland and most recently, Denmark, have all restricted travel to the UK over concerns about the new strain thought to be up to 70% more transmissible.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock stated:
“We want these talks to reach a positive conclusion”.
“Unfortunately, the EU have put in some unreasonable demands and i’m sure that a deal can be done but obviously it needs movement on the EU side”.
If there is no agreement by New Year’s Eve, the UK will leave the single market and customs union and have to trade with the EU on World Trade Organisation terms, increasing the risk of imposition of tariffs and the price of goods going up.
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