Boris Johnson lowers expectations of Brexit trade negotiations breakthrough
Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has significantly lowered expectations that a post-Brexit trade deal can be struck in the final weeks of the transition period.
According to a Downing Street statement, the PM says he is “confident the UK will prosper” outside the European Union (EU) even without a trade deal.
Describing this week’s negotiations as “crucial”, the Downing Street statement added: “The prime minister has been clear that we will not accept any proposals in the negotiations that undermine our status as a sovereign, independent country”.
“If the EU don’t respect the sovereignty of the UK, we will leave on Australian terms and the prime minister is confident that we will prosper”, the statement concluded.
Johnson’s latest statement comes on the heels of a series of complex messaging by British and EU officials, in addition to the Irish foreign minister, Simon Coveney.
This week’s negotiations in Brussels are widely regarded as make or break time for the negotiations and if a breakthrough is not achieved by Friday (November 20) then there might not be sufficient time to conclude the process.
Under present arrangements, the UK and EU not only have to agree a deal by December 31 but their respective parliaments also have to ratify the agreement within that time frame.
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