The UK’s business secretary has said that London has a duty to “go the extra mile” and carry on pushing for a post-Brexit trade deal, but the PM has warned a no-deal is still the “most likely” outcome.
Speaking on Monday, Business Secretary Alok Sharma told Sky News that the EU needs to respect British sovereignty if a Brexit trade deal is to finally be reached in the next few days, but he said the government would remain at the negotiating table.
“People expect us, businesses expect us in the UK to go the extra mile, and that’s precisely what we’re doing,” Sharma said.
We will continue discussing, we are of course apart on certain matters, but as the prime minister said, we don’t want to walk away from these talks.
The comments come after the EU and UK agreed to continue trade negotiations beyond the Sunday deadline.
Speaking later on BBC News, the business secretary reiterated the UK’s demands for the EU to respect British sovereignty, particularly over its fish-rich waters.
“They must understand that the UK is a sovereign and independent nation,” he asserted.
Both sides have repeatedly called on the other to make concessions during trade negotiations.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab blasted the EU on Sunday, complaining that many of Brussels’ demands had been “outlandish” and saying he believes the EU is “concerned that actually Britain might do rather well once we leave.”
Despite the agreement to continue talks, UK PM Boris Johnson said that a no-deal outcome was “most likely.”
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