one of the greatest successes to me of michel barnier to me of michel barnier was to hold these 27 veryby one. but at the same time, when you look at the world, let‘s look at the bigger world, global britain and the world, with the rise of china and the rise of asia, the countries of the west let‘s call them that believe in democracy, they believe in rule of law, freedom of the individual, transparent justice, it is becoming a smaller, smaller group of people. and i think if the west divides itself, it simply opens up routes for more authoritarian regimes to widen those disputes and create divisions. and i think this is really part of what is going on. germany, france, you know, they know they are medium—size powers. and they are best off together. europe is not britain, britain was always a bit of an island power. we will see how well he goes. we will see how well it goes. but i think in general, in brussels, there is a great desire to have a good relationship with a nato member, a nuclear power, a member of the security council, somebody who shares their values, who is democratic, and

here is the man who led the negotiations over the years, michel barnier.preserve peace and stability on the island of ireland, to protect the citizens and the single market, to build a new partnership with the uk. thank you all thank you all. this is the work of so many women and men, here in the commission and the new leadership, madame the president, in particular the eu task force for brexit, and all the team, and in the member states, the council, the european parliament. i also pay tribute also to the eu—uk negotiating team and the chief negotiator david frost and his deputies. that was michel barnier, let us cross live to brussels and speak to our correspondent kevin connolly. kevin, in terms of the reaction overall i was listening to the whole of that news conference, they are glad add glad they finally got a deal. relieved but there was almost a heavy heart from the top europeans we heard from. yes i think thatis europeans we heard from. yes i think that is right. you know, michel barnier is a pretty dry technocratic figure so when a man like that

so, in the words of michel barnier, is there still away? how much give can either side allow?now whether the are quite close. whether it is a question of 5% on fish or what, because we do not know what either side's bottom line is. we do not know if they have come up with some new formula on this level playing field or whether it is really stuck and has not moved that much from their earlier positions and they are digging in. we also do not know, really, politically whether boris johnson really wants a deal. he says he wants a deal, a lot of people regard it as a big political failure not to deliver a deal. he has assured us all along he could do. but a lot of backbenchers are chomping at the bit for no deal. he is going to have to have regard to them. france is interesting. we are hearing a lot about them. a bit of a brexit bad cop. emmanuel macron seems to like that title. they are already threatening using their veto, keeping a particularly close eye on fishing rights. how much does that access to british waters mean to them? there are industries in the uk that are worth fa

phil: michel barnier -- brexit dominated political life in britain for five years. we have covid. when do we return to something near-normal? do you see life in britain returning to near-normal outside the eu? will this issue now not be something people are talking about all the time? >> people won't stop talking about it, but the issues will not go away. things will not get back to normal because there are still so many unresolved issues. remember that 80% of the u.k. economy is services. that is not at all affected by, or looked at in this trade deal, services. parts of britain were against brexit. for example, scotland, scotland wanted to ave the united kingdom after brexit. i mentioned security issues, but the biggest thing we are going to notice is that british people won't be able to live, work and travel in the eu freely, and the eu people won't be able to do the same in the u.k. students will notice that they can't study in the u.k. anymore on erasmus, and british students cap study on erasmus -- can't study on erasmus in the eu. i think when we see all the

say, coming into play here, but if you can, just remind us of those three sticking points that michel barnierer and david frost have pointed out in thatjoint statement that has been a bone of contention here? yeah, asi been a bone of contention here? yeah, as i said, it is interesting that right at this 11th hour, with just weeks to go into the end of the transition period, there does not seem transition period, there does not seem to have been much movement in public on the sticking points that have been there throughout, so fishing quotas, this is who has how much access, eu fishing boats in uk waters, the level langfield, this term that refers to whether uk consumers make it... and the governance of any future trade deals. 0r make it... and the governance of any future trade deals. or the rules, the mechanisms by which any future trade deal would be governed? and the arbitration mechanisms? those have been the key sticking points throughout, and it appears tonight that they are still there, as the main someone blocks. talking about significant divergences, we have been up and down, back an

eu ambassadors get details of the trade deal in a christmas meeting led by michel barnier.housands of lorry drivers are spending christmas day in the near dover as 800 military personnel continue to test the stranded hauliers. and pope francis gives his christmas day address urging people to share coronavirus vaccines. and i will be looking back on the year in cinema and back on films such as parasite and spike lee's film. hello and welcome if you are watching in the uk or around the world. in her christmas day message, queen elizabeth has praised the scientists and medical staff to whom she said we owe a debt of gratitude this year. she said this christmas was tinged with sadness because of the distance between people, many of whom just wanted a simple hug or squeeze of the hand. without the customary coming together of families, a christmas broadcast where the queen reflected ina time broadcast where the queen reflected in a time of extreme uncertainty. folk christians, jesus is the light of the world, but we can't celebrate in the usual way today. the pandemic has disrup

ambassadors receive hard copies of the post—brexit trade deal in a christmas day briefing led by michel barnierqueen elizabeth reflects on the hardships of the pandemic in her christmas speech, as she and prince philip break tradition by staying at windsor castle. and joining the ranks of pop legends like the beatles and the spice girls — a couple who sing about sausage rolls become the third act in uk chart history to score three consecutive christmas number ones. welcome to the programme. the center of the us city of nashville has been sealed off after a large explosion in the early hours of christmas day. three people have been injured and flights to and from the city were temporarily suspended. police believe the blast was caused deliberately. they evacuated the area after responding to reports of gunfire and finding a suspicious camper van parked outside the building of the at&t communications company. a recorded message playing from the van warned that it would shortly explode. up to 20 buildings have been badly damaged. nashville's police chief, john drake, outlined the events prior to t

union ambassadors get details of a post—brexit trade deal in a christmas day briefing led by michel barnierpolice in the us city of nashville in tennessee say a huge explosion in the city centre was a deliberate act. at least three people have been injured. pope francis gives his christmas day address urging all nations to share covid—19 vaccines and calling for peace in war—torn areas. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. in her christmas day message, queen elizabeth has praised the scientists and medical staff, to whom, she said, we owe a debt of gratitude this year. she said this christmas is tinged with sadness because of the distance between people, many of whom just want a simple hug or squeeze of the hand. nicholas witchell reports. from windsor castle, on a christmas day without the customary companionship of families coming together, a christmas broadcast in which the queen reflected on a time of exceptional difficulty. for christians, jesus is the light of the world. but we can't celebrate his birth today in quite the usual way. the pandemic has disr

ambassadors receive hard copies of the post—brexit trade deal in a christmas day briefing led by michel barnierstill no resolution over the us covid stimulus bill — millions could lose benefits if donald trump doesn't sign it into law. and joining the ranks of pop legends like the beatles and the spice girls — a couple who sing about sausage rolls make uk chart history to score three consecutive christmas number ones. hello and welcome. possible human remains have been found near the debris of a large explosion in the centre of the us city of nashville. the area has been sealed off and a large police investigation is now underway into what the authorities have confirmed was an intentional act. tanya dendrinos reports. blackened smoke and a street ablaze. as families awoke on christmas morning, a sinister scene unfolded in downtown nashville. woman gasps. officers first responding to a call shots had been fired. as officers responded, they encountered an rv that had a recording, saying that a potential bomb would detonate within 15 minutes. officers, upon hearing that, decided to evacuate the bu

the eu's chief negotiator michel barnier said the clock

european union ambassadors get details of the christmas deal in a meeting led by michel barnier. thousands of lorry drivers are spending christmas day in the camps near dover as military personnel continue to test stranded hauliers. pope francis gives his christmas address, urging nations to share coronavirus vaccines and calling for peace in war—torn regions. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. in her christmas day message, queen elizabeth has praised the scientists and medical staff, to whom, she said, we owe a debt of gratitude this year. she said this christmas was tinged with sadness because of the distance between people, many of whom just wanted a simple hug or squeeze of the hand. nicholas witchell reports. christmas 2020, a quiet day at home. this was the queen with members of her family at windsor castle just over two weeks ago, before the tier 4 covid restrictions were announced. for christians, jesus is the light of the world, but we can't celebrate his birth today in quite the usual way. the pandemic had disrupted so much for people of

that was michel barnier there.a adler was listening to that reaction from michel barnier and gave us her assessment from brussels. "the clock is no longer ticking." those were pretty much the first words of michel barnier, the eu's chief negotiator. no more threats or fears of no—deal, no more what was almost painful uncertainty between the two sides with this deal, which the european commission says is fair for both sides. but didn't you notice that immense difference in tone in the two press conferences this afternoon — the prime minister sounding victorious, the president of the european commission sounding sombre, defensive about the merits of the european union and regretful about the uk leaving? of course, for the prime minister, he sees brexit, the 1st of january now, as almost like a rebirth of the uk. but for the eu, as we heard again from finland's europe minister tonight, this was a kind of a damage limitation exercise. the european union has lost a key member state. that was a slap in the face. so, out

michel barnier is that one voice.ey are dealing with all these different interest behind—the—scenes when it comes to the table, he has very little room to move. you heard there is pressure on borisjohnson to move. you heard there is pressure on boris johnson not to move. you heard there is pressure on borisjohnson not to give him too much. the pressure on michel barnier is trivial, he cannot move. the 27 had all agreed on what is the rock bottom line. on some issues, we are not just near the red bottom line. on some issues, we are notjust near the red line, we are at the line. there is no more to give from their side. otherwise you had pales among the 27. it is not down to michel barnier himself, it is more a political decision from european capitals as to how much they are prepared to concede. we had to keep in mind that the uk as a single, sovereign independent government has more flexibility if a deal is really worth it. it is much more possible for borisjohnson to be nimble, for him to pin it and say, here is what

well, we are monitoring brexit dwopt developments for you and got fresh lines from michel barnier. says it is our responsibility to give the talks every chance of success. barnier says never before was such a comprehensive agreement trade, nrnenergy, fisheries, transport police, and judicial cooperation been negotiated so transparently. he also adds that fair competition and a sustainable solution for our fishermen and women are key to reaching a deal. so fresh comments out of the eu's michel barnier. >> it's pretty remarkable that something as tiny as the gdp of fish has hit the air waves so much. i want to remind viewers that in total, fisheries represent 0.12% of uk gdp, 0.1% of the total workforce. yes, that is 24,000 people, so it is on absolute level quite a big number of people. but in terms of overall economic gdp impact, it is minuscule. it is tiny. all of this here is about the political symbolism of the fish and what the uk can extrant from the eu and specifically from the french rather than the overall lasting impact it's going to have on the economy. >> it certainly see

michel barnier says he wa nts economies.ng—term security for the fishing fleets of the eu. of course, borisjohnson fishing fleets of the eu. of course, boris johnson says fishing fleets of the eu. of course, borisjohnson says that every independent coastal nature needs to be able to control its waters. he says the eu really needs to change its position fundamentally if there is to be a deal. members of the european parliament to get a vote on any agreement that is reached. they are saying that they want to see something agreed by sunday to give them time to sign off. the deadline that everyone is still working to is the end of this year, that is the one that really counts. it is hard to know where we're heading. some people have hope there may be a deal over the weekend. if that is the case and the direction of travel, i can tell you both sides are keeping it very at the moment. neither wants to give anything away. thank you for joining us. such a thing the departments in charge of the us's nuclear stockpiles say that hacker

union ambassadors get details of a post—brexit trade deal in a christmas day briefing led by michel barnierqueen elizabeth has been reflecting on the hardships of the pandemic in her christmas speech as she and prince philip break tradition by staying in windsor. people have risen magnificently to the challenges of the year. and i am so proud and moved by this quiet, indomitable spirit. pope francis gives his christmas day address, urging all nations to share covid—19 vaccines and calling for peace in war—torn regions. thousands of lorry drivers are spending christmas day in their cabs near dover as 800 military personnel continue to test stranded hauliers. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. after an historic brexit trade deal, the european union's chief negotiator, michel barnier, has been briefing ambassadors from the 27 member countries on the details. the document setting out the deal runs to over 1200 pages. the prime minister, who was in downing street yesterday when the deal was confirmed, has also received a copy. here's our political correspondent l

the eu's chief negotiator, michel barnier, has briefed ambassadors of the 27 states this morning. ssible, but that disagreements still remain on the usual sticking points of fishing rights, and shared competition rules. reporter: are we approaching the end? the end will be when we reach an agreement both on fair and free competition. and second, on the reciprocal access to water and the markets. 0ur political correspondent, jessica parker, is in downing street. jessica, deadlines come, deadlines go and they are still talking? yes. yesterday's deadline, as you say, came and went. ursula von der leyen, the european commission president, and borisjohnson the european commission president, and boris johnson spoke the european commission president, and borisjohnson spoke on the phone yesterday. they agreed that negotiations should carry on. so they are set to carry on in brussels this morning between michel barnier for the eu this morning between michel barnier forthe eu and this morning between michel barnier for the eu and lord frost for the uk side. as michel barnier wasjust saying,

michel barnier there.the uk coordination committee joins us now from northern germany. very good to have you with us. the british my minister claiming that this was a good dealfor the minister claiming that this was a good deal for the whole of europe. do you share that view? well, i welcome the fact that a deal has been reached. what i‘ve seen and read until now, it seems that this deal is fairand read until now, it seems that this deal is fair and balanced for both sides, and certainly, this draught agreement protects our citizens, our single markets and our long—term economic interests as the european union. as far as the businesses in your country in germany who rely on being able to export with frictionless ease to the uk, do you feel that the european union has done to defend their interests is enough you to go back to them and say, your interests have been protected 7 yes, we offer the united kingdom something we have never authored —— offered a country before, tier free, quota free to the world‘s l

they found regular interventions with the people of the top of this negotiation because michel barnieron behalf of the eu member state of the eu and not representing, the leaders and a technical negotiator. they can only go so far because they don't have a mandate as long as the eu leaders agreed to it in the uk government agrees to what they're doing, so i think there's been regular interventions that at this late stage, there is also going to be a last—minute iith stage, there is also going to be a last—minute 11th hour phone call between the two conversation between the two for all those reasons and i say again, the message from the uk site is not to be too optimistic about this conversation, it is not the conversation that is going to sign off the deal, they have said that they're not in the basis of an agreement yet, but can they, in that phone call, agreed the bare—bones the compromises agree how far both sides are willing to move on those three issues perhaps and the deal can be done and wrapped up technically, if you like, quite quickly. but i think these next few days are abso

we trust michel barnier, and we hope you can come back with a good deal. the last lap of negotiations. the negotiator knows very well what he can do and what he -- it do, and we are takes two to lend this plane. the landing in my view is rather clear, or at least it is clearer than it was before, and what we need to do now is put the political wheel on both sides necessary to get to the finish line. francine: you have the full consulate of michel barnier of france yesterday reaching -- raising serious doubts about what the negotiator would bring back. with that, there were other reports from other countries, belgium, germany, and denmark. do you think at this point it is overdoing it? min. gonzalez laya: i don't think that is my reading of the situation. there are specific interests, the interest of ensuring a good deal where it will not be unfair competition on the u.k. side for the future, that it is a level playing field. but we did in the last hour is examining with the e.u. negotiator of the state of affairs, like normal in any other negotiation in wh

we are hearing from michel barnier, who has led the eu negotiating team during a year of fraught negotiationsh britain. borisjohnson said that britain have achieved a £660 billion per year trade agreement which would protect jobs. but the opposition labour party said the deal was thin and didn't protect workers. the agreement must be ratified if it comes in on the 1st ofjanuary. helen catt reports. it's little wonder that he looked so pleased. this was a big moment, a deal done after nine months of talks and years of divisive debate. i'm very pleased to tell you this afternoon that we have completed the biggest trade deal yet, worth £660 billion a year, a comprehensive canada style free trade deal between the uk and the eu. in the eu the tone was more muted, but they, too, say they got a good deal in the end. so we have finally found an agreement. it was a long and winding road, but we have got a good deal to show for it. it is fair, it is a balanced deal and it is the right and responsible thing to do for both sides. three, two, one... the uk left the eu back injanuary, but nothing really ch

michel barnier has said he is very determined. is still talking means there is a possibility ofa talking means there is a possibility of a deal. but i thought it was quite sobering that we heard from the french minister there saying that even if the did reach a deal this weekend, any individual nation could still veto it because the european parliament still has to ratify it. the existing arrangements expire on the 31st of december and we are still some way off. i don't think it's surprising that towards the end of the talks the thorniest issues will be grasped. both sides are saying out. one eu source suggested we are seeing some theatrics. despite the gloomy overtones, don't rule out the possibility of a deal over the next few days. iain watson, thank you. our europe correspondent nick beake is in brussels. would people they think it is theatrics? that was the word given to me last night when it was suggested from sources in london that it was the eu destabilising the talks by inserting extra demands at the 11th hour. they say h

having heard from michel barnier this morning, really, the news is very downbeat, i would say he was and obviously very cautious about the ability to make progress today. at the moment, these negotiations seem stalled, and the barriers to progress are still very much in place. lord frost, the top british negotiator, is also finding the path ahead is not straightforward. still working very hard. though apparently not impossible, according to those in london. a deal can be done. there is opportunity to get a deal that works in the uk national interest but works for the eu. the one thing we have learned from negotiating with the european union is, these negotiations often go to the last minute or the last day. last night, as the talks dragged on in brussels, there were claims that a deal was nearly done on fishing, what eu boats will be able to catch in uk waters. but downing street said that story had been made up. even in the cold light of day it is really hard to know exact what is going on behind closed doors, but generally, it is not sounding good, and this is why. boris johnson it

i would like to thank our chief negotiator, michel barnier, and his tea m negotiator, michel barnier,, their professionalism. i would like to thank david frost for having been tough but fair negotiating partners. and i am grateful to all our member states of the european parliament for their trust and support. i will fiow convene for their trust and support. i will now convene the college and, ladies and gentlemen, at the end of a successful negotiations journey, and gentlemen, at the end of a successful negotiationsjourney, i normally feel joy. but successful negotiationsjourney, i normally feeljoy. but today i only feel quiet satisfaction and, frankly speaking, relief. i know this is a difficult day for some, and to our friends in the united kingdom, i wa nt friends in the united kingdom, i want to say parting is such sweet soi’i’ow. want to say parting is such sweet sorrow. but to use a line from ts eliot, what we called the beginning is often the end, and to make an end is often the end, and to make an end is to make a beginning. so to all europeans, i say, is to make a beginning.

briefing about the post—brexit trade deal reached with the uk by the bloc‘s chief negotiator, michel barnier the uk, mps will vote on the deal in parliament, before the existing trade rules expire at the end of the month. the united states covid stimulus bill has been flown to florida, where donald trump is spending his christmas vacation. senators are hoping the president will sign it into law, after previously attacking the legislation. millions of americans currently face losing their pandemic—related unemployment benefits from boxing day. this christmas is, of course, one like no other, with many families unable to be together because of the global pandemic. so how have we adapted our plans? judith moritz has been finding out. for so many, covid means christmas behind closed doors. bowie gladwell was born during the pandemic. he has a heart condition and his grandparents are vulnerable. merry christmas! so even though rules mean the family could get together today, they have chosen to keep it virtual and open their presents via video call. there was a point where we were thinking about h

michel barnier said to be briefing eu ambassadors.e waiting for any headlines out of the frexit negotiation. still no deal. pressure on asian equities. we just caught up with our chief economics reporter out of asia. the u.s. is planning potentially sanctions for chinese officials, which is weighing on risk sentiment. you see that across the asian benchmark, down nearly 2/10 of a percent. s&p 500 futures are now down 0.3%. the 10 year yield sitting at 95 basis points. friday was a stunning day. we are seeing a steepening of the 2-10. it all comes down to fresh fiscal support. plan,partisan stimulus does it have legs? it will the gop back it? we are back at 134. we dipped below that of the start of asia trading. we saw a drop. the fact we did not get a deal, things potentially are moving the right direction. we have both groups negotiating. we are waiting for anymore updates. michel barnier is going to be starting to brief eu ambassadors. politicians protecting -- predicting a post-brexit trade agreement could be reached. investors sai

michel barnier tells the u.k. backtracks. the pound jumps.ca lands a megadeal to take over alexia pharmaceuticalss, the company's biggest deal since it was founded. matt: was take a look at european futures. we had -- let's take a look at european futures. we had a mixed picture. mecca optimism. interesting to see dax futures, as we just talked about with dani, even as germany faces a new, harsher lockdown on wednesday. is your global macro remover screens -- here's your global macro mover screen. changing -- start trading. that's probably due to, the most part, the strength in the pound as these brexit negotiations pass. can you believe it? another deadline. the ibex in spain up more than 1%. will be one of the bigger gainers on the continent, the spanish ibex really soaring out of the gate this morning. around karen in paris up .75%, the cac not doing poorly. we should expect the dax to point higher, as well. that even as germany is set to enter a hard, harsher lockdown from wednesday. non-essential stores will be closed before, remember, w

this morning, the man who negotiated for the eu side, michel barnier, briefed ambassadors of eu memberon its detail. what is the plan for today, then? mission accomplished! what's in that blue folder sets out how the eu and uk will trade and co—operate from the new year. to finally have something on paper is a success for both sides. the deal was done in the nick of time, with the uk already out of the eu and transition arrangements expiring within days. mps and peers will have until wednesday to digest the detail, before being called back to parliament for a debate. good evening. there are unlikely to be any hold—ups in westminster, though — labour is set to back it. we will certainly be better off with this deal and we have to make it work. no deal would have terrible consequences for our country, and the labour party could not enable that to happen. during the long months of negotiations, both sides seemed determined not to give ground. what's now on the table is a compromise, but those who campaigned for brexit have broadly given the deal a thumbs up. if the contents are as describ

eu ambassadors get details of the trade deal in a christmas meeting led by michel barnier.y drivers are spending christmas day in the near dover as 800 military personnel continue to test the stranded hauliers. and pope francis gives

here‘s the man who led the negotiations, michel barnier. the clock is no longer ticking.bility on the island of ireland, to protect the citizens and the single market, to build a new partnership with the uk. thank you all, thank you all. 0ur europe correspondent kevin connolly was listening to michel barnier and he gave us his assesment of reaction in brussels. michel barnier‘s a really dry, technocratic figure, so when a man like that starts giving what basically sounds like an 0scars acceptance speech, you know there is a sense of occasion in brussels, but the sense of occasion here is different of course to the sense of occasion in london. brexit is still a matter of regret in the european union. they didn‘t want the uk to go. they miss the uk. they have seen it as a challenge to be managed, with the minimum possible disruption to the european union. their goal has been to defend the integrity of the single market and to attain their political unity under the pressure of negotiation. so they feel they have achieved all of that. but ursula von der leyen, a remarkable li

the eu's chief brexit negotiator, michel barnier, is due to brief representatives of member states after a weekend of intensive trade talks with britain. the first covid vaccine is being shipped around the us, mass immunisation begins later on monday. tributes are being paid to one of popular fiction‘s best known authors — the spy novelist, john le carre who's died aged 89. and climb every mountain, the adventurer who's defying the odds to reach his own personal peak. hello and welcome. eu chief negotiator michel barnier will brief ambassadors in brussels who represent the 27 eu member states this morning on the state of play in the post brexit trade negotiations. this after the european commission chief ursula von der leyen said the eu would go the extra mile to reach an agreement. our political correspondent iain watson reports. uk chief negotiator is still in brussels, and brexit talks are still on. the eu's chief negotiator or brief ambassadors on the progress but is this really no deal delayed or denied? there is still a wide gap between the two sides. squabbling over access for eu

michelle barnier is not going back to brussels.t read into this one way or another. over the past 2a—hour is, we know that there have been some disagreements within the block and all the way through this, the eu has been keen to maintain a united front saying that they are behind their chief negotiator. we know though that france is unhappy that potentially too much ground may be given to the uk on fishing and on future competition rules at the 11th hour. we heard a prominent french minister who is close to president macron saying that if a bad deal is agreed, the french will have no qualms with vetoing it. it's a swirl of rumour, on the one hand, very positive signs but on the other, suggestions that they are still quite a long way apart. thank you, nick. all the mood music has said that things were progressing toward a point where a deal was within sight but as you heard in that report there, last night, there was a uk government comment that said basically, things have gone back a bit and the chances of a breakthrough are recedi

they will hear from michel barnier after a year of negotiations.e begun vaccinating thousands of people against coronavirus. they have become the first countries in south america to do so and are using the pfizerjob. the military have been deployed in dover to help the backlog of lorries cross over to france. thousands of drivers are spending christmas day locked in their vehicles.

michel barnier is expected to go back to brussels later as planned., what is really going on inside the building he is left behind, we cannot know for sure. a turn for the worse or the theatrics ofa turn for the worse or the theatrics of a negotiation nearing its end? we should find out soon. in a moment will we will talk to our political correspondent, iain watson but first to nick beake in brussels good morning to you. eu sources saying they have not made any new 11th hour demands but you know, we are sorted beyond the 11th hour, really, and i'm slightly reluctant to talk about her deadlines because there's been a lot of flexibility in this process but how important is it that a deal is done if it is going to be, before next thursday when eu leaders are due to meet? it is really important and i think to stress the point you were making, eu sources here have taken exception to the noise coming out of downing street that the eu has been slapping new demands on the table at the 11th hour and the suggestion being that the eu is destabilising talks at th

on the eu side and michelle barnier on the eu side have really reached an impasse and it needsbe this injection of political momentum of the 11th hour to see if a deal can be thrashed out on trade, security and fishing rights. we know the idea is 98% there but the three main sticking points process. they are, of course, to ensure fair competition by a level playing field, the dispute mechanisms for any deal and you access to british waters for fishing. it just access to british waters for fishing. itjust depends on who you listen to, really. just looking at the objects, going for dinner, a deal is struck, think it is for that. the council can get together on thursday and friday, and i'll think of this it's all over, what do you think? we have not seen the whole deal obviously but it's fair to say something like 98% there. i think that this happens absolutely every time with these kinds of negotiations. the brexit one is a bigger one than the eu has ever had to confront before, but there's always at the last minute and the need for some sort of political intervention to get the

the suggestion by michel barnier that there is possibly light at the end of the tunnel. big if. if britain makes concessions oi'i big if. if britain makes concessions on fishing. fishing alone is a tiny pa rt of on fishing. fishing alone is a tiny part of our economy, but crucially important aspect for people who live in humberside, devon and cornwall, people in scotland. it is about sovereignty, really. these are our waters and we want to keep them as out waters and we want to keep them as our waters. the french take about £600 million out of our waters every year and they want to keep that. they are suggesting that they want to keep doing that for another ten years until an agreement can be reach. so far, they are saying we are not having any of that and you can understand why. for britain to make a concession on fishing would bea make a concession on fishing would be a very big step indeed. although michel barnier's enthusiasm about the way ahead is cheerful news, i am not so sure it is that reliable. we have yet to hear the government response. the telegraph also has

lord frost for the uk, michel barnier for the eu. negotiators. uk, michel barnierfor the eu. what is quite striking as far as the timeline is concerned is that we already have a scheduled and publicly announced catch up chat, it is not quite the language of diplomacy, between ursula von der leyen and the prime minister on monday evening. in 48 hours' time. effectively they are setting another deadline. they will reconvene into day's time with the hope, that there has been some progress made between now and then. as things stand, there isa now and then. as things stand, there is a big gap. they will have to be compromise if we are going to get to the point by the end of monday where a deal looks possible. i guess there is the potential beyond monday that you could delay perhaps a little bit more, but not by much. what are these sticking points that are holding things back? lets look at fishing first. as a contribution to the uk economy, it is absolutely tiny. but symbolically it is huge, and geographically it is concentrated. plenty of fishing com

michel barnier not saying very much, but saying it elegantly. deliberately saying very little.ack to brussels as the negotiations here in london, which have been continuing intensively here have now been posed last night. they also said that significant divergences remain between the uk and the eu. given the diplomatic language tends to understate rather than overstate things, we can take it that there are still big gaps between the positions of both sides and those key sticking points. fishing access, eg boats in uk waters, the governance and enforcement of any deal, and competition rules, or the lab field as it is often referred to. the negotiating teams have gone as far as they can at this point with a remit they have been given by their political masters. they are now handing it over to them, boris johnson and ursula von der leyen, to see if those two crucial figures in this ongoing drama can give each other an indication that a deal can still be done. both will have to make compromises of some sort. that is where we are this morning. the sta kes a re is where we are this m