Brexit

Sun
BORIS Johnson will send MPs home for Christmas tonight, scotching hopes a Brexit deal is close. It is also a warning shot to Brussels that he will not be bounced into a talks climbdown. MPs had seen an announcement that they would sit next week as a sign trade discussions were reaching an end game. Hopes had risen further that a breakthrough was imminent when the PM cancelled a foreign visit pencilled in for tomorrow. But tonight, Downing Street insisted the two sides were still far apart on fishing and a row over Brexit Britain undercutting the EU. However, No 10 said MPs could still be recalled on Monday and Tuesday if decisive progress was made.

Telegraph
Boris Johnson will send MPs home for Christmas on Thursday in a bid to ramp up the pressure on Brussels as the Brexit trade talks enter their endgame.  The move is a signal to the EU that the Prime Minister is not prepared to cave to EU demands over fishing, despite the European Commission president suggesting it was the last remaining obstacle to a deal on Wednesday. Addressing the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs on Wednesday night, Mr Johnson joked: “Don’t recall us, we’ll recall you.” Downing Street moved to dampen hopes that a deal might be close, after Ursula von der Leyen said there was a “narrow path” to striking the zero-tariff, zero-quota deal before the end-of-year deadline.

Guardian
MPs and peers will begin their Christmas break on Thursday evening, the government has announced, amid waning hopes that a Brexit deal will be struck in time to be approved in parliament next week. With talks on trade and security continuing in Brussels amid signs of progress and compromise, ministers had considered stipulating that parliament should sit on Monday and Tuesday to allow legislation implementing a deal to be passed rapidly. However, the government has signalled that the Christmas recess will start on Thursday, with Downing Street sources suggesting a deal is not expected to be finalised imminently.

Mail
Boris Johnson last night declared ‘there is every opportunity of a deal’ as he boosted hopes that a Brexit trade agreement will be struck with the EU. The Prime Minister ditched his warning that No Deal is the most likely outcome as negotiators revealed fishing quotas are the last stumbling block. MPs and peers will rise for the Christmas recess today, but have been told they could be recalled with as little as 48 hours notice to approve a deal if one is agreed. Downing Street said a Commons vote could be held as soon as Monday, although officials have pencilled in the week between Christmas and New Year as more likely.

EU

Politico
The European Union’s battle over the rule of law is set to be decided in the bloc’s highest court of law. After EU countries and the European Commission deadlocked over how and whether to sanction democratic backsliding in countries like Hungary and Poland, they kicked the problem up to the Court of Justice of the European Union. The court is no stranger to tricky political and legalistic problems — often those that politicians failed to resolve. But this case means risking an unprecedented level of politicization that its justices have long sought to avoid.

Breitbart
European Commission boss Ursula von der Leyen said that “there is a path to an agreement now”, revealing that UK negotiators had agreed to be bound by the EU in several key areas in perpetuity, but that finalising an arrangement on fishing remains. A Brexit deal may now be struck within days, even before the end of this week, after two major areas of contention of talks appear to have been resolved, if the EU’s account of events are to be believed. Speaking to the European Parliament on Wednesday morning, the European Commission’s president said there had been a “big step forward” on what Brussels euphemistically calls the “level playing field” requirement it insists upon in return to agreeing on a trade deal with Britain.

Times
Pet owners will find it easier to take their cats, dogs or even ferrets to Europe after Brexit following an eleventh-hour concession from Brussels. The European Commission has relaxed restrictions due to come into force on January 1 that would have forced pet owners to plan any trip to the Continent three months in advance. Instead Britons will only need to visit a vet and get an animal health certificate to prove that their pet has had a rabies injection, no more than ten days before travel to the EU. The regulations are applicable to dogs, cats and ferrets, which are susceptible to the disease. The move will take effect even in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Telegraph
The former Australian ambassador to Brussels has said that the EU has “completely unreasonable demands” of Britain.  Mark Higgie told Telegraph columnists, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan’s Planet Normal  podcast, which you can listen to on the audio player above, that demands made by the EU including saying “give us 80 per cent of your fish” has made things “very difficult”. He went on to say he admired the British negotiators for “having kept up their spirits” throughout the negotiations.  His comments came as divisions over fishing threatened to jeopardize agreeing a zero-tariff, zero-quota deal before the end of year deadline.

Fisheries

Express
IRELAND is guaranteed to get an increasingly raw deal from the EU after Brexit when it comes to fishing quotas, which will in turn fuel ‘growing disenchantment’ against Brussels, a former diplomat has predicted. Ray Bassett was speaking after Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue voiced concerns about the country’s future fishing quotas, with the prospect of EU boats no longer being able to fish in UK waters in the event of a no deal outcome. In such circumstances, fishermen from France, Belgium, Germany, Denmark and Norway would likely head for the seas around Ireland instead, jeopardising the livelihoods of local fishing businesses.

Times
Britain and the EU are close to agreeing a Brexit deal but a battle over fishing access could derail the agreement in the coming days, the European Commission president has warned. Ursula von der Leyen told MEPs that the “next days” would be decisive and that there had been progress in most areas, leaving fishing as the last threat to a comprehensive trade and security deal. “The good news is that we have found a way forward on most issues. This is now a case of being so close and yet being so far away from each other,” she said. “We do not question UK sovereignty on its own waters. But we ask for predictability and stability for our fishermen.

Express
IRELAND is bracing itself for an influx of EU fishing vessels plundering its waters after being barred from the seas around the UK after the end of the year in event of a no-deal Brexit. Meanwhile, the chief of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) has issued a dire warning about the implication of new customs checks and import controls, admitting: “God only knows what the level of disruption will be.” With barely a fortnight before the end of the transition period, unless a deal is struck EU ships will be prohibited from UK waters from January 1.

Tiers

Mail
Boris Johnson today faces being caught in a crossfire over a review of England’s Covid restrictions, with NHS leaders urging him not to move anywhere down a tier, while ministers were warned of a threat of riots in Tier 3 cities.  NHS chiefs last night urged the Prime Minister to exercise ‘extreme caution’ and predicted that relaxing restrictions in England could trigger a third wave of the virus. As new figures revealed cases across the UK had spiked by 50 per cent in a week, senior ministers and public health experts last night carried out a review of the Tier system – with the possibility of some areas being moved down a level.

Sun
NHS bosses have urged the Government not to drop any Tier 3 areas to 2 today – as officials were locked in crunch late-night talks. Millions in England face an agonising wait to be discover whether they will be plunged into the toughest restrictions this morning. It comes as Boris Johnson was last night warned there would be riots if he forced cities with low Covid rates to remain in Tier 3. Health chiefs are putting pressure on the Government not to loosen laws for any Tier 3 areas – including those where cases have dropped.

Evening Standard
NHS trusts have warned of the risks posed by “prematurely” moving areas out of Tier 3  measures ahead of the Government’s review of England’s Covid restrictions. Health Secretary Matt Hancock is due to announce the outcome of the latest review of the country’s tier system later today. It follows emergency action to place London and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire into Tier 3, the highest level of restrictions, earlier this week. Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers – which represents hospital trusts in England, said the Government was right to make that move. “There is a ring of areas around London – for example, in the home counties – where trusts are alarmed at the rise in infection rates and hospital admissions,” he said.

BBC News
Towns and cities in England will find out later whether they will be moved to a different tier of Covid restrictions. Health Secretary Matt Hancock is due to announce the outcome of the latest review of the three-tier system, after government officials met on Wednesday. Leaders in several areas of northern England say they have met the criteria to move from tier three to tier two, after a drop in infection rates. But NHS bosses have warned against easing restrictions “prematurely”. More than 34 million people – or 61% of England’s population – are living under tier three rules, the highest level of restrictions, including large parts of the Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East and the North West.

Vaccine

Telegraph
Covid-19 vaccines will not yet enable the ending of social distancing, England’s chief medical officer has warned, as he said there will never be “zero risk” from the virus. Prof Chris Whitty said there would be a “huge surge” in cases among the under-80s if rules were relaxed just because the highest age group had been vaccinated. While he acknowledged the rollout of the vaccine among the elderly and extremely vulnerable would reduce deaths, Prof Whitty said those just below them in the priority list would remain at risk of getting “seriously ill” and dying. He added that even when a high uptake of the vaccine had been achieved later down the line, Britain would never be at a “point where there is zero risk”, and that the final decision on when social distancing measures should be lifted would be one taken by “political leaders

Christmas

Mail
One-in-four Britons say they will break Christmas Covid rules, despite Chris Whitty’s grim warning that mixing households over the festive season could lead to a spike in deaths. England’s chief medical officer delivered the stark warning last night that Christmas mixing will lead to more coronavirus deaths in the new year, as he declared ‘this is not a moment to relax at all’. Professor Whitty bluntly stated that the virus will kill more Britons due to the looser rules over the five-day break between December 23 and 27, and likened the situation to driving at 70mph on an icy road – saying that while it was legal, it was not ‘sensible’. But as he delivered the grim message, it was last night revealed in a poll that 22 per cent of Britons believe it is acceptable to break the rules ‘slightly’, by forming a Christmas bubble with four households, rather than the permitted three.

ITV News
Boris Johnson has unveiled a new set of coronavirus Christmas guidance, but said the laws allowing three households to mix for five days would not change. During a briefing at Downing Street, the prime minister said: “a smaller Christmas is going to be a safer Christmas and a shorter Christmas is a safer Christmas” as he laid out the new advice. The easing of rules at Christmas, which will see three households allowed to mix for five days between December 23 and 27, is staying the same in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.

City AM
Boris Johnson has urged the public to self-isolate for five days before visiting friends and family over Christmas, as the Prime Minister refused to U-turn on plans to relax coronavirus restrictions. “A smaller Christmas is going to be a safer Christmas, and a shorter Christmas is a safer Christmas,” Johnson told a Downing Street press conference. “If you’re visiting others over Christmas we’re asking you in the five days beforehand, as early as this Friday, to reduce the number of people you’re in contact with to as low as possible.”  “Have yourselves a merry little Christmas”, the PM added. “But I’m afraid this year, I do mean little.”

Guardian
Boris Johnson has urged families to severely limit the length and scale of gatherings this Christmas, issuing a stark message to consider postponing reunions with elderly relatives until they receive a vaccine. With less than a week to go before the planned relaxation of rules, the prime minister said laws permitting three households to mix would remain in place – but people should exercise extreme caution. Despite Johnson’s earlier assurances of a UK-wide approach, the Welsh government announced it would legislate to reduce the number of households permitted to mix at Christmas from three to two.

Mirror
Boris Johnson is refusing to axe his controversial Christmas bubbles despite concerns from experts but has instead rolled out new rules people should follow. The Prime Minister rejected calls for him to scrap the relaxation of coronavirus rules for five days amid concerns it could cost lives. Instead at a No10 press conference he insisted people “exercise extreme caution” over the festive period and consider isolating from Friday if they can. He is appealing for family and friends to think very hard about how to make their gatherings as safe as possible, adding that they have a responsibility to protect their elderly or vulnerable loved ones.

Disinfectant spray

Telegraph
The British Army has pioneered a Covid disinfectant spray which has proved so successful it will be sold to the general public. The Virusend disinfectant formula has been found to kill all coronavirus strains in less than a minute and was proven to kill SARS-CoV-2 in 99.99 per cent of cases. Now more than 50,000 bottles of the handheld Virusend disinfectant are being deployed to military personnel across the country who are working alongside the NHS at coronavirus testing stations as part of the military’s ongoing support to civil authorities. It is already being used at testing sites in Medway and Preston and can be purchased online for £7.99. It uses compressed air instead of VOC flammable gasses and is fully recyclable and fully re-useable.

Shipping

Telegraph
The UK is drawing up plans to woo shipping companies post-Brexit as it seeks to make London into a rival of Singapore as a hub to register vessels. Plans being submitted to ministers include expanding the scope of the UK’s shipping tax and regulatory regime by counting storage vessels and oil rigs as “ships” for tax purposes to attract more business, the Financial Times reported. Doing so was not permitted under EU rules and could result in more shipping companies registering their vessels under the UK flag.  Unions and industry bodies have been canvassed about the reform of the industry’s tonnage tax post-Brexit, with the overhaul of the UK’s regime estimated to be worth £3.7bn to the economy over three years.

Education

Independent
The government is considering delaying the return of pupils to schools after Christmas to allow for pupils to be tested for coronavirus. The Department for Education is expected to announce plans for children to be taught online in January amid concern about the spread of Covid-19. Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, this week called for schools to shut early for the final days before the Christmas holidays and open to reopen later than planned in January. A leading education union has also called for teaching to be online for at least the first week back, as schools prepare to implement a new testing scheme set to start next month.

Freedom of speech

Mail
More than a third of British universities are imposing ‘severe’ restrictions on freedom of speech including Oxford, Cambridge and St Andrews, a report claims. The situation is so bad in 48 universities – 35 per cent – that it warrants legislation to stop campus censorship, the study says. Another 70 institutions (51 per cent) have seen some failures which should be examined by watchdog the Office for Students. Only 19, representing 14 per cent, do not warrant external attention, says the report by think-tank Civitas. Before the pandemic hit, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said protecting free speech on university campuses – and stamping out ‘no-platforming’, where speakers are denied the chance to outline their beliefs because students think these are unacceptable – was one of his priorities.

Asylum seekers

Mail
MPs have clashed over proposed changes to the UK asylum system due to coming into force next year.  Several ‘camps’ lacking mains electricity and water are to be created to house asylum seekers, according to a Conservative former immigration minister. Caroline Nokes warned the Home Office’s proposed changes coming into force on January 1 ‘have far reaching implications’. Ms Nokes added that while the reforms are intended to act as a deterrent to people traffickers, they instead ‘create a separate tier of asylum seeker’ who will not have their claim considered.

Heathrow

Evening Standard
Top judges have delivered a lifeline to the ailing aviation industry by ruling the controversial £14 billion plan for a third runway at Heathrow Airport can go ahead. Environmental campaigners celebrated a “landmark” victory in February when the Court of Appeal ruled ex-Transport Secretary Chris Grayling had blundered when he gave the project the green light in 2018. However that decision was today overturned in the Supreme Court, clearing the way for the runway to go forward to planning. The decision will bring cheer to the aviation industry which has been decimated by the coronavirus pandemic as international travel effectively ground to a halt.

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