Politics latest news: Brexit deal cannot 'come at any price', minister warns, as Tory concern grows

Amy Jones

A Brexit deal cannot "come at any price", the Culture Secretary has warned, as Tory concern over no deal grows.

Oliver Dowden said that there is not a "country in the world that has to compromise on its territorial waters" for a trade deal.

It comes as concern over no deal grows among Tory MPs. Former minister George Freeman warned this morning that no deal would be "hugely damaging" and would undermine the Conservative Party's "business credentials".

Defence Committee chair Tobias Ellwood has said that a hard exit will bring "colossal" damage.

Last night Boris Johnson put the country on notice for no-deal after telling his Cabinet that Brussels wants to “punish” Britain for refusing to be yoked to EU rules.

The Prime Minister said the EU wants to treat the UK as a “twin” that must copy whatever it does in future, which is “clearly not the sensible way to proceed”.

​Follow the latest updates below.

09:06 AM

Nicola Sturgeon says chance of a deal is 'almost vanishingly small'

Scotland's First Minister has revealed she is starting to worry the Prime Minister is "actually now almost planning for" a no deal Brexit.

She told CNN: "I think the chances of a deal now are almost vanishingly small. They're not non-existent, and I remain hopeful I guess, because no-deal would be catastrophic.

"But I'm starting to worry not just that no deal is now the overwhelming likelihood, but that Boris Johnson is actually now almost planning for that."

08:53 AM

Ursula von der Leyen pessimistic about trade deal

The European Commission President told EU leaders she was pessimistic about striking a successful Brexit trade deal, during a presentation on Brexit at an EU summit in Brussels, James Crisp reports.

EU leaders spoke about Brexit for ten minutes after spending all night and morning discussing the target of making the EU carbon neutral by 2050. 

An EU official said: "The situation is difficult. The main obstacles remain. The probability of a no deal is higher than of a deal.

"It is to be seen by Sunday whether a deal is possible."

EU leaders welcomed the launch of emergency no deal plans on Thursday and also praised the breakthrough in discussions over the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement. 

08:49 AM

Woah, we're 90% of the way there

Oliver Dowden says that there is a danger  that we will get "caught in the sphere of influence in the EU”, given its current level playing field demands.

He says: “It is frustrating we are 90% there with a deal. But we cannot accept a deal at any price.”

The Culture Secretary argues that EU demands on fish and regulatory alignment are a step too far. 

"What we are aiming for, and we have always aimed for and we are continuing to aim for and we are still pushing at the 11th hour to get, is a free trading relationship with the EU," he adds.

"It would be in both sides' best interest. They export huge amounts to us, we export huge amounts to them, we should have a free trade deal just as the EU does with Canada and elsewhere."

08:42 AM

Barbara Windsor 'much more than a great pub landlady', PM says

Away from Brexit, politicians have been paying tribute to Dame Barbara Windsor, who has passed away with Alzheimer's.

Boris Johnson said: "She campaigned for the lonely and the vulnerable - and cheered the world up with her own British brand of harmless sauciness & innocent scandal. Thoughts with Scott and all her family & friends."

Health Secretary Matt Hancock called her a "true national icon" and former transport minister George Freeman said he had happy memories discussing with Dame Barbara how she was "the only Tory in Eastenders".

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said her death was a "huge loss".

08:35 AM

Former Australian PM warns Boris Johnson to be 'careful what you wish for'

Boris Johnson has been told to "be careful what you wish for" as he was given a stark warning of the torments of trading with the EU on so-called Australian terms by the nation's previous prime minister.

Malcolm Turnbull said that Australia faces "very large barriers" to trading with the bloc and that ending the Brexit transition period on similar terms will be "pretty disappointing".

Mr Turnbull, who was the Liberal Party prime minister until 2018, told BBC Question Time: "It'll be pretty disappointing, I think you'll find out."

08:32 AM

Only one in five businesses ready for Brexit, consultancy warns

Only one in five businesses are ready for Brexit, consultancy firm EY says.

Sally Jones, the trade strategy and Brexit leader, tells Today many firms "don't know what they need to do" and argues "we should have been prepared a long time before now".

It comes as Kent wakes up to it's fourth day of road delays, as lorries line up en route to the Eurotunnel at Folkestone and the Port of Dover.

The congestion is thought to be caused by a mix of coronavirus pressures, the Christmas rush and Brexit stockpiling.

Lorries line up in Dover - Stephen Lock / i-Images/Stephen Lock / i-Images
Lorries line up in Dover - Stephen Lock / i-Images/Stephen Lock / i-Images

08:24 AM

Growing Tory concern over no deal

Former transport minister George Freeman says this morning that a no deal Brexit would undermine the Conservative Party's "business credentials".

He says it would be "hugely damaging" to both EU and UK economies and hit industries including agriculture and automotive.

Senior Tory backbencher Tobias Ellwood has told the Prime Minister a no-deal would cause "colossal" long-term damage to the UK economy and urged the two sides to show "political courage" to broker an agreement.

08:20 AM

It's not looking rosy for that US trade deal either...

Democratic senator Chris Murphy suggested that a trade deal between the EU and the US should be prioritised over one with Britain,  as he stressed the Good Friday Agreement must be “kept intact in its entirety”.

Speaking at a Washington Ireland Programme event with president-elect Joe Biden’s campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, the senior Democrat did, however, welcome the British Government’s commitment to the Northern Ireland protocol this week.

08:12 AM

Good morning

After Boris Johnson's glib warning yesterday afternoon, Oliver Dowden this morning saying there's a "significant" possibility of a deal and says we're 90 per cent of the way there.

However, the Culture Secretary warns it cannot "come at any price" and says there is not a "country in the world that has to compromise on its territorial waters" for a trade deal.

Meanwhile, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has told leaders that she has "low expectations" that the EU can reach a Brexit deal.

We'll bring you the latest here.

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