Brexit News Live: Latest Updates As EU Trade Negotiations Fail To Make A Breakthrough

What are the sticking points in the Brexit trade deal?

Talks between UK and EU negotiators are expected to resume in London on Sunday in a bid to reach a deal before the mid-November deadline.

Here are the key sticking points, courtesy of the Reuters news agency:

‘LEVEL PLAYING FIELD’

The EU wants to lock the UK as closely as possible into its own regulations on minimum standards of labor, environment and social production, as well as corporate subsidies or state aid, so that companies on one side cannot sell substandard products in the other’s market.

The Boris Johnson government rejects it because the ability to independently shape its own laws was one of the main Brexit promises.

Specifically, the two parties disagree on the ‘nn regression clause’, a provision that would not allow them to back down from a certain minimum level of standards once they independently reach them.

The EU says such a clause is needed to safeguard its market of 450 million consumers for any cheap and shoddy goods from the UK should it choose to use its regulatory freedom to gain a competitive advantage. The British government says it will uphold the highest standards, but argues that it should be offered terms similar to what the EU offered Canada in its trade deal.

Fishing rights, a totemic issue for both Brexit in Britain and France, is proving to be a difficult problem.

London insists on annual catch negotiations under the principle of “zonal linkage”, but the EU demands a longer-term perspective for its fishing industry and more specific numerical targets for some 100 species under discussion.

Britain also wants a separate agreement on fisheries, while the EU insists it must be part of any broader free trade agreement.

Tentative ideas for a compromise, including a transition period starting in 2021, have yet to bear fruit, as the parties disagree on the length of such an agreement and what exactly would come at the end.

The EU seeks a robust dispute resolution mechanism that includes a UK oversight body, independent from the government.

It also wants to be able to restrict bilateral trade flows if London violates crucial parts of its agreement.

The Boris Johnson government says it would be excessive and opts for more relaxed procedures to resolve any future trade disagreements, which it says is standard practice in international free trade agreements. It has rejected the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Communities.

‘Rebuild Better’: Who Said It First?

Joe Biden and Boris Johnson could soon be forced to form an uneasy alliance, if the Democrat prevails over Donald Trump’s legal challenges in the US presidential election.

The former vice president may not be a fan of the British prime minister, but they have one thing in common. They really like the motto “rebuild better” when they talk about their financial plans.

The government has rejected the suggestion that the UK has halted Brexit talks to await the outcome of the US elections.

EU officials say the UK slowed down negotiations this week and speculate that the UK is considering the timing of possible concessions on key issues such as fisheries and a level playing field, according to BBC Europe editor Katya Adler. .

Attorney General Refuses to Condemn Attacks on ‘Left-Handed Lawyers’

This morning in the Commons, the attorney general was faced with questions about the recent attacks on “left-handed laymen” and “doogoders” by the prime minister and the home secretary.

Although she claimed to be “proud” of the legal profession, Representative Suella Braverman repeatedly avoided calls to condemn the comments.

“Unfortunately, from time to time there are those who take advantage of their position and abuse the judicial process and, in those cases, pretending that lawyers are beyond criticism is not only naive but does a great disservice to the public”, said.

“As a friend and ally of the profession, I know that the vast majority uphold the highest standards, but we cannot deny that there is a minority that does not.”

Last month, high-level legal figures apologized:

BT faces first national strike since 1994

Telecommunications giant BT faces the threat of the first national strike in more than 20 years in a dispute over a number of issues including jobs, wages and conditions.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) announced that it is conducting a consultative vote among its members that could lead to a vote on whether to take industrial action.

The union said it is moving because of an “increasingly aggressive” approach by management. Voting will begin later this month and will close on December 10.

Secretary General Dave Ward said: “This is the most important vote that our members have been asked to vote since they joined the company.

“It’s about job security, pay and qualification, rights at work and the future direction of the company.

“After decades of industrial stability, we now see BT Group embark on a cruel program of mandatory layoffs, site closures, and attacks on wages, terms and conditions. They are putting profit before people.

“We know that many senior managers are saying that some members will not be affected by their plans; nothing could be further from the truth. If we stand by and let the company implement these changes without serious opposition, then the gates “.

The lack of preparation for Brexit apparently extends to the government’s plans for border controls in January, as the UK may lose access to the EU’s Schengen Information System (SIS II).

Yesterday, Yvette Cooper, chair of the Home Affairs Committee, asked officials how they would exclude “foreign criminals” from Britain without him.

“No response,” he tweeted.

Sainsbury’s cuts 3,500 jobs

More bad economic news, as Sainsbury’s cuts 3,500 jobs despite the sales boom during the pandemic.

The layoffs come at Argos stores and the supermarket’s fish, meat and deli counters amid a shift to online shopping, which now accounts for 40 percent of sales compared to 19 percent a year ago. .

Meanwhile, US manufacturer Caterpillar plans to cut up to 700 jobs in Northern Ireland, affecting workers at its Larne, County Antrim plant.

Boris Johnson to assure US over Irish border

The UK government is ready to “assure” the US of its commitment to the Northern Ireland peace deal, in light of Joe Biden’s impending victory in the country’s presidential election.

During the campaign, the Democratic candidate criticized Boris Johnson’s policy on the Irish border and warned that “any trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom must depend on respecting the agreement and preventing the return of a hard border.”

Did the UK stop the talks to await the outcome of the US elections?

The EU believes that the UK broke off talks yesterday to wait for the outcome of the US elections to be confirmed, according to reports.

Boris Johnson is thought to prefer the re-election of Donald Trump, given Joe Biden’s stance on the Good Friday deal and Brexit.

If Biden is confirmed as the next president, the UK may feel under increased pressure to make concessions on major issues with the EU, including fisheries and a “level playing field”.

Here’s our guide to what the outcome of the US election could mean for Brexit:

UK seeks to reassure Biden on Brexit

Justice Minister Robert Buckland previously said the UK wanted to assure any new US administration that it would protect the Northern Ireland peace deal in trade negotiations with the European Union.

He was asked if he was eager for a trade deal with the United States given Joe Biden’s criticism of Boris Johnson’s threat to break the withdrawal agreement he signed with the EU. Mr Biden said: “Any trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom must depend on respecting the agreement and preventing the return of a firm border. Period.”

Buckland told Sky News: “If there is a new administration, I can assure you that that will be at the heart of what we want to do, and any trade deal will, of course, respect that.”