Brexit: Michael Gove gives MPs details of UK's negotiating mandate for trade talks with EU – live news – The Guardian, Theguardian.com

The Govt is doing everything to avoid an EU trade deal @ MichaelGove s silver tongue can’t hide the fact that Brexit zealots are firmly in control

We are heading for a No Deal Brexit with catastrophic results for business, rights & UK’s global influence https://t.co/nXam8xsJ2M

Here is paragraph 9 from the document in full.

In this passage, the government is threatening to walk away from the talks in June if at that point the “broad outline” of a deal is not apparent.

Instead of the government would revert to preparing for what used to be called a “no deal” scenario – trading with the EU on WTO terms – although ministers are now banned from calling that “no deal” (on the grounds that this would not be the same as leaving the EU with no deal of any sort, because the withdrawal agreement was signed).

The government will not extend the transition period provided for in the withdrawal agreement. This leaves a limited, but sufficient, time for the UK and the EU to reach agreement. The UK is committed to working in a speedy and determined fashion to do so, with an appropriate number of negotiating rounds between now and the June high-level meeting foreseen in the political declaration. The government would hope that, by that point, the broad outline of an agreement would be clear and be capable of being rapidly finalized by September. If that does not seem to be the case at the June meeting, the government will need to decide whether the UK’s attention should move away from negotiations and focus solely on continuing domestic preparations to exit the transition period in an orderly fashion. In so doing, it will be necessary to take into account in particular whether good progress has been possible on the least controversial areas of the negotiations, and whether the various autonomous processes on both sides are proceeding on a technical basis according to agreed deadlines.

Updated at 6. am EST

5). (am) (EST) :

Gove tells MPs he wants to get a free trade agreement so that EU nations can benefit from “the dynamism of the UK economy”.

5). (am) EST :

You can read the government’s document setting out its approach to the trade talks with the EU here. Government document setting out its approach to the trade talks with the EU

5. am EST 16:

The SNP’s

Pete Wishart

accuses Gove of “Unicornism”. He says the UK will not get a better deal than the one it has now.

5. 066 am EST :

Ian Duncan Smith

, the Tory Brexiter , asks Gove to confirm that the UK will not leave itself under the control of the European court of justice when it comes to enforcing state aid rules.

Gove says that is correct.

5. am EST :

From the Sun’s

Tom Newton Dunn

Tom Newton Dunn (@ tnewtondunn)

Another controversial aspect of the UK mandate – the Government will consult on an economic impact assessment of any trade deal, but no promise publish one by the end of this year. Technically known as long-grassing.

pic.twitter.com/IlzbQkwlKR

(February) ,

(5.) (am EST ) :

Gove is responding to Blomfield.

He says the government is “wholly committed” to implementing the withdrawal agreement, including the Northern Ireland protocol, and to giving effect to the political declaration.

But he says the government does not accept that it has to align to EU law to protect environmental standards.

He says the UK is just seeking a relationship for which there is already a precedent with the EU. So it should be possible to conclude the negotiations in time, he says.

He says there will be no border down the Irish Sea. There will be “unfettered access” for Northern Ireland business to the rest of the UK, he says.

(5.) (am EST : 50

In the Commons Michael Gove has finished his opening statement . I will post a full summary once I’ve seen the text.

Paul Blomfield,

a shadow Brexit secretary , is responding for Labor. He says that, although Gove claims the government has got Brexit done, that is not the case.

(5) (AM EST) :

From Sky’s

Beth Rigby

Beth Rigby (@ BethRigby)

NEW: A new deadline in 4 months. Govt says it will quit trade talks by June and focus on no trade deal prep if progress is not being made on the easiest elements of a trade deal. pic.twitter.com/xXYLz9O9FP

(February) , ()

(5.) (am) (EST) : 48

UK says it will consider walking away from Brexit talks in June

(Boris Johnson) is asking the EU for a Canada-style trade deal but will consider whether to walk away from talks in June and prepare for an “orderly” exit from the transition period, my colleague Rowena Mason reports.

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