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Britain is ready to fight and win a new ‘cod war’ with the EU if Brexit trade talks collapse, the environment secretary said last night.
In an interview with the Mail, George Eustice said that ministers have quietly implemented a ‘five-fold increase in our enforcement capacity’ over the past year in preparation for a possible showdown with European trawlers.
Fishing remains one of the key points of a deal, as Boris Johnson is unwilling to give in to demands that would allow EU trawlers to maintain permanent access to British waters.
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs George Eustice arrives in Downing Street in central London for a cabinet meeting on September 30, 2020 in London, England.
Officials fear this could lead to a repeat of the ‘Cod Wars’ of the 1970s, when British Royal Navy-backed trawlers clashed with the Icelandic coastguards in a failed attempt to maintain historic fishing rights in the North Atlantic.
When asked directly if Britain was ready to defend its waters in the event of a no deal, Eustice said: ‘Yes, we are. And indeed, the main lesson of the Cod War was that it is much easier to protect your waters against access by foreign vessels than to try to defend a notion of historical access that is no longer available to us. ‘
By early next year, the so-called ‘cod squad’ of the Royal Navy patrol boats will have doubled from three to six.
Hopes rise about Brexit deal (but talks can last until November)
The British Brexit negotiator declared last night that the “ drafts of a deal ” were visible even as it emerged that the process could last until next month.
After the latest round of talks, David Frost said the two sides had had constructive discussions in “good spirits.”
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, also spoke of progress on “many, many” fronts.
Boris Johnson has suggested that he could walk away from the negotiating table if no agreement is reached before the EU summit on October 15.
However, the Mail understands that the talks could last until next month if both parties feel there is an agreement in sight.
UK Brexit envoy David Frost arrives today for a meeting with the Head of the European Commission Working Group for UK Relations Michel Barnier at the European Commission in Brussels today.
Environment Secretary George Eustice told the Mail last night that talks could continue for another three weeks.
“We really have to have some kind of understanding of terms as to whether there is a landing zone by mid-October,” he said. “And we really can’t allow things to extend much beyond the first week of November because companies need to know where they are.”
A source told the Mail that Michel Barnier, the EU’s top negotiator, believed an agreement might not be signed until early next month.
In an interview last night, Johnson asked European leaders to be “sensible” and reach an agreement.
“I hope we get a deal, it depends on our friends,” he told the BBC. ‘They have made a deal with Canada of the kind we want, why shouldn’t they do it with us? We are so close, we have been members for 45 years. Everything is there, it just depends on them. ‘
Ms. Von der Leyen called for business talks to intensify as she prepares to assess progress with Johnson. The two leaders will speak later today to discuss next steps following the conclusion of the scheduled final round of formal talks.
News of the conference call sparked speculation about a final series of intensive talks, dubbed “the tunnel.”
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, removes her protective mask before making a statement on the Withdrawal Agreement at the EU headquarters in Brussels yesterday.
Ms Von der Leyen said the toughest issues, including fisheries and state aid rules, still need to be resolved in order to reach a deal before the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31. ‘It’s good to have an agreement, but not at any price,’ ‘she said. “We have made progress in many, many different fields but of course the most difficult ones are still wide open.
“But in general, where there is a will, there is a way, so I think we should intensify the negotiations. We’re running out of time, around 100 days to the end of the year, so it’s worth stepping up now. ‘
Speaking after the end of the ninth round of negotiations, Lord Frost said: ‘These were constructive discussions conducted in good spirit.
“In many areas of our conversations, although differences persist, the broad lines of an agreement are visible. I am concerned that there is now very little time to resolve these issues before the European Council on 15 October.
“For our part, we remain fully committed to working hard to find solutions.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the bloc was in “a constructive frame of mind” to seal a deal, but there had been no progress so far. “As long as the negotiations are ongoing, I remain optimistic,” he said.
“It will be a crucial phase in the coming days.”
Barnier said: “We will continue to maintain a calm and respectful attitude, and we will remain united and determined until the end.”
He held a private meeting with MEPs earlier this week and a source familiar with the discussions said he downplayed the possibility of a deal before the summit.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “Mid-October is where we think we would need to see a resolution to this to make sure we have all the things we need by the end of the transition period.”
