EU anger at Boris Johnson's plans for a hard Brexit: Top negotiator Michel Barnier accuses PM of a 'race to the bottom' as No 10 hints at trade deal with Japan after signalling he'd reject Brussels trade rules.
The bloc's chief negotiator (left in the EU Parliament on Wednesday) insisted a common rule book of standards, state aid and tax would be a deal-breaker in any agreement to prevent a 'race to the bottom'. But the Prime Minister (right, serving Christmas lunch to British troops in Estonia) yesterday ruled out signing up to a deal which chained Britain to alignment with the EU, setting up a crunch showdown when trade officials meet in the new year. And in a clear signal that he is prepared to forge fresh economic partnerships elsewhere, Mr Johnson revealed he discussed an 'ambitious trade agreement' with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe (inset, at the G7 summit in August). Mr Johnson, whose withdrawal bill sailed through the Commons yesterday, is now racing to secure a trading relationship before the end of the transition period next December. Mail.
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