The UK government tells British businesses it cannot guarantee that global trade agreements will be in place in time

Theresa May is heading to Brussels for her latest round of Brexit crisis talks demanding a guarantee that the UK must not be trapped in the Irish backstop.

But her chances of a breakthrough are not good, after EU chiefs Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk were both adamant there can be no re-negotiation on the withdrawal agreement. Via Sky

The UK government has told businesses it cannot guarantee the British economy will be covered by “most” of the EU’s global network of trade agreements immediately after Brexit — even if parliament approves Theresa May’s divorce deal with Brussels.

The admission by the Department for International Trade that the UK will fail to conclude trade deals with most non-EU countries by the scheduled Brexit date of March 29 infuriated many executives taking part in a briefing.

The DIT told 30 business representatives on Wednesday that, while trade agreements with Switzerland, Israel and some African nations would be wrapped up before Brexit, there was no certainty that other deals Brussels has with countries around with the world could be rolled over or duplicated in time. – Via FT

Theresa May is preparing to delay a second vote on her deal until the end of February, a month before Britain is scheduled to leave the EU, in a move which ministers believe means an extension of Article 50 is now inevitable.

Julian Smith, the chief whip, is understood to have signalled in Cabinet on Tuesday that the vote will not be held next week, as previously expected, because the Prime Minister will not have renegotiated her deal in time.

The vote is now being planned for the week starting February 25, prompting a Cabinet split amid concerns from Remainers who fear it will increase the risk of no deal. – Via Telegraph

British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn met Prime Minister Theresa May last week and has written her a letter putting forward five demands by his Labour Party on the Brexit deal, his party said late on Wednesday.

In the letter made public on Wednesday, Corbyn said the Brexit deal must include a “permanent and comprehensive” UK-wide customs union, a close alignment with the single market, “unambiguous agreements” on future security arrangements, and commitments on UK participation in European Union (EU) agencies and funding programs.

The Labour leader wrote that the above demands should be put into law before Britain leaves the EU. – Via Reuters