Oct
16

Author: Chloe Smith, Updated: 16 October 2020 10:56

Today the Prime Minister will set out our response to the outcome of the European Council summit in light of his statement last month on what should happen if no agreement was reached by 15 October.

 

Following the meeting of the European Council, the UK Chief Negotiator, Lord Frost has expressed disappointment that the EU is no longer committed to working intensively towards reaching a future partnership as the Prime Minister had agreed with the President of the European Commission on 3 October.

 

In light of the EU’s suggestion that to get an agreement all future moves must come from the UK, the Prime Minister will carefully consider what the EU has concluded, having made clear in his statement on 7 September that the Government would have to see real progress at this moment if we were going to secure a deal before the end of the transition period.

 

The Prime Minister has always been clear that we want a deal with the EU, and a relationship based on friendly cooperation and free trade, but that the UK cannot sacrifice what it means to be an independent and sovereign nation to secure an agreement.