Proposal to avoid no-deal Brexit rejected by UK's chief negotiator

A proposal seen as the best chance of avoiding a disastrous no-deal Brexit at the end of the year has been rejected by the UK’s chief negotiator.

With the talks deadlocked, it was thought the EU could agree to give the UK the ability to break free from its rules – in return for the right to impose tariffs if it chose to do so.

The arrangement would have avoided the feared cliff-edge on 31 December, when the UK will crash out of the single market and customs union unless an agreement is struck.

But, in a series of tweets, David Frost, Boris Johnson’s negotiator, announced: “I want to be clear that the government will not agree to ideas like the one currently circulating giving the EU a new right to retaliate with tariffs if we chose to make laws suiting our interests.

“We could not leave ourselves open to such unforeseeable economic risk.”

British officials had suggested Boris Johnson would consider the compromise, under which the UK would secure the right to deviate from Brussels’ standards in areas such as state aid.

The EU was thought to be sceptical – preferring to strike a firm deal, rather than set a path for future conflict in the relationship – but had welcomed what it viewed as new-found flexibility in London.

After clashes following recent remote negotiations, optimism had crept up that an agreement could be reached when face-to-face talks resume next week.

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