The Brexit transition period will not extend past 2020, according to Downing Street’s statement made today. This comes after a Government official cast doubts on assumptions that future trade talks would be “straight forward”. Mr Johnson’s divorce deal sets a deadline at the end of 2020, leaving the UK and EU only until the end of next year to iron out the details. But many critics have argued that time frame set out by Mr Johnson is too restrictive.
They argue that it simply isn’t possible to exhaustively cover everything within the year.
But Number 10 doubled down yesterday on the deadline, insisting that it will be upheld. The statements today seems to be in direct response to Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey who this week appeared to suggest it would be tough to meet.
Speaking in an interview broadcast on Sunday, Mr Johnson said he could “see no reason whatever why we should extend the transition period” but failed to provide any concrete guarantees.
However, speaking yesterday the Prime Minister’s spokesperson firmly ruled out any speculation of delays.
They said: “The government will not be extending the transition period.”
Elaborating further, he reassured the public that this was the case as “the Prime Minister believes that we will have a good trade deal agreed with the EU by December 2020.
“Both parties are committed to negotiating at speed to hit that deadline.”
The Government believes that the two sides will reach agreement faster than critics anticipate as both sides ares trading from the same point on tariffs and rules.
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“Nothing ever is straightforward, I think we have learnt that from the last three years, but candidly it would be far more straightforward with Boris Johnson in charge with a majority Conservative government so we can actually get on with Brexit and actually allow us time to focus even more on people’s priorities like the NHS”
However, she did rule out the need for a further extension, agreeing with Johnson that she did not see the “need to do that”.
With provisions in Boris’ deal to extend between one and two years after the 2020 deadline Brexiteers remain adamant that it must be stuck too in order to finally get Brexit out of the way.
This comes as the Conservativess have picked up three percentage points and hold a formidable 12 point lead over Jeremy Corbyn.
According to the poll, conducted by Britain Elects, the Tories currently stand on 39 percent, followed by Labour on 27 and the Liberal Democrats on 16.
Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party, faired the worst however with its support collapse to just seven percent – a drop of six points.
