EU officials have urged scepticism about British “spin” over the rising chances of a Brexit trade deal, claiming Boris Johnson’s government was “pushing a sense of positivism and momentum – but we just don’t see it”.
Charles Michel, the European Council president, with whom the PM spoke yesterday, warned that the UK needed to take “significant steps” to secure a deal, adding: “The coming days are crucial, this is the moment of truth."
Meanwhile, trade secretary Liz Truss rebuffed fresh calls to guarantee food standards in law after Brexit and avoid chlorinated chicken from the US.
Elsewhere, two Tory select committee chairs, Greg Clark and Jeremy Hunt, have launched an inquiry into the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
It was another difficult day for the government regarding Covid-19 as northern leaders raged at Boris Johnson’s failure to keep them in the loop about impending lockdown restrictions.
Finally, Thursday saw the appointment of Allegra Stratton as Downing Street’s White House-style spokesperson. The former ITV journalist, who had been working as Rishi Sunak’s communications chief, will front televised briefings for the government.
