This is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. Hours to do a deal post brexit trade talks resume today but are said to be on a knife edge. It would have been great to have got this nailed down sooner, but ultimately its not the Biggest Surprise in the world that its going right to the last minute. Final preparations are being made for the uks Mass Vaccination Programme against coronavirus, which is due to begin tomorrow. Snowy winters could come to an end in the uk because of Climate Change, according to analysis from the met office. Donald trumps personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, is admitted to hospital with coronavirus. Hes tweeted that hes feeling good. And hes a man on a Marathon Mission. Rugby League LegendKevin Sinfieldsets off on his seventh marathon in seven days in support of former team mate rob burrow. Team mate rob burrow. I actually feel today theres an army of the mnd community that will be running with us, and were all really, really proud. Its probably been the most special week my life. Hello and welcome if youre watching in the uk or around the world, and stay with us for the latest news and analysis from here and across the globe. Negotiations on a post brexit trade deal are resuming in brussels this morning, as the two sides try to secure a trade deal before the brexit transition period ends injust over three weeks time. Eu sources said an agreement on fishing rights was close after talks over the weekend. But that has been disputed
by downing street, which said there had been no breakthrough. The irish Prime Minister, micheal martin, cautioned against over optimism, putting the chances of a deal at 50 50. Borisjohnson and the European Commission president will discuss the state of negotations later today. And mps will vote on legislation that would allow ministers to override parts of the brexit Withdrawal Agreement. This report from our Political Correspondent chris mason. Last night in brussels, the lights on, the talks ongoing, a huge amount at stake. Things are on a knife edge here and it is serious. My gut instinct is that its 50 50 right now. Its 50 50 right now. And i dont think one can be overly optimistic about a resolution emerging. And my sense is, having spoken to some of the key principals here, that this is a very challenging issue to resolve, and particularly around the level Playing Field. There are three main sticking points the so called level Playing Field, a reference to rules to ensure fair competition, how any deal is enforced, and fishing rights. Eu sources suggest a deal on fish is close. British sources say it isnt. It seems the two sides cant even agree on what they disagree on. After todays negotiations in brussels, these two will talk again tonight. The Prime Minister and the European Commission president , ursula von der leyen. The coming hours, the coming days, will be crucial. Chris mason, bbc news. Our Political Correspondent helen catt explained more about the divergences that still remain between the uk and the eu. Well, we are frankly running out of days, were on 7th december, and the transition period ends on 31st december. However, both sides are still talking and we know that there are still significant differences remaining on key issues, as they have been throughout the negotiations. As we heard from chris, on the Playing Field, the idea of being able to ensure fair competition, as the eu calls it. Also on fishing, the suggestion last night that there had been some progress made, absolutely scotched this morning firstly by the uk government, who said that the eu sources had literally made it up, but then also by Michel Barnier, who it is reported has told eu ambassadors this morning that no progress has been made there, either. So, the talks are going round, not progressing massively far. However, they are still talking. And while they are still talking, it does imply there is a possibility of a deal. Here is what the Foreign Office ministerjames cleverly had to say earlier. Absolutely, a deal can be done. Precision of wording matters here, a deal can be done. There is an opportunity to get a deal that works in the uk national interest,
that also works for the eu. The one thing we have learnt from negotiating with the European Union is, they often, these negotiations, often go to the last minute of the last day. And so it would have been great to have got this nailed down sooner, but ultimately, its not the Biggest Surprise in the world that its going right to the last minute. Now, of course, there arent an awful lot more minutes until we reach that last minute, particularly as the government intends to put any deal that is reacjed before parliament, and to get it through parliament. The labour shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Reynolds was asked earlier if labour would support any deal. Its appalling that we havent got that deal already. Were in the transition zone, we should be preparing for what comes next, and given the government was elected just a year ago on the promise of that oven ready deal, they should have kept their promises. But to answer your question directly, we would have to see it first. Weve always said we would oppose in all circumstances no deal,
and we are in a position where it is an up down vote on a deal or no deal, we think, although the government havent even told the house of commons yet exactly what form that would take. So we would have to look at it but we do want a deal and we do want to move on from this and give the country a chance to recover from the pandemic by not having to focus on brexit for the next few years. Before it gets to parliament, of course there needs to be a deal to put in front of it, so those talks continue today in brussels, and later, the Prime Minister will be speaking to the president of the European Commission, ursula von der leyen. In the last hour, the uks chief negotiator, lord frost, chief negotiator, lord frost, left his hotel in brussels ahead of resuming trade talks with his eu counterpart, Michel Barnier. Lets hear what he had to say. Can you tell us about any progress . Is ideal still possible . Were still working very hard. Are you optimistic a deal can be achieved . Nick beake is in brussels. Nick, how are we going to learn of any progress . Well, Johanna Konta can tell you, there are lots of briefings on both sides today, in the absence of an official commentary, you do get lots of behind the scenes assessments of what is going on behind closed doors in the trade talks. Notjust the trade negotiators who are talking today, weve had a lot of comings and goings, the day started with Michel Barnier, the eu chief negotiator, briefing the ambassadors of the 27 eu countries, and im told that his assessment, really, was quite downbeat. He scotched the suggestion that progress had been made last night, particularly on fish. And i think that was echoed by the Irish Foreign minister, who told us the Irish Foreign minister, who told us that mr barnier was pretty downbeat. I was actually told that in terms of his mood, he was said to describe himself as realistic, neither being optimistic nor
pessimistic. But clearly, there are on these big three issues weve been talking about, a lot of work to be done if they are going to bridge the 93p done if they are going to bridge the gap. I say there are comings and goings today. Weve just heard that michael gove, the senior government minister, is now in brussels. Hell be having a meeting with his counterpart this joint committee, it is complicated but basically there is complicated but basically there isa is complicated but basically there is a joint committee that was set up to try and resolve some of the issues over Northern Ireland that they agreed in the divorce deal. So, lots of meetings today. I think we arejust going to lots of meetings today. I think we are just going to have lots of meetings today. I think we arejust going to have information seeping out throughout the day rather than one big moment or announcement, for now. You talk about the big issues, fishing being right at the centre of that, it accou nts right at the centre of that, it accounts for such a small proportion of gdp here and in france, i think in this country it is somewhere between 0. 05 and 0. 12 of gdp, why
is it such a tough area to negotiate . I think it is hugely politically sensitive. It represents in so many ways, for so many people, vividly, taking back control. We know that fishing was something that was illustrated during the Referendum Campaign for. 5 years ago as being symbolic of britain taking back control of its waters, its seas, it conjures up images of the past. But if you talk to people on the eu side here, they say it is a smokescreen, really, because as you say it is a very small part of the economies of both the uk, and a key number of eu states. And if you talk to eu diplomats here, they say fishing is one thing but the much bigger thing for them is competition rules, the idea that britain would be signing up to an agreement on how the two sides trade in the future. That is really crucial to the whole eu project, the idea of keeping
their Single Market intact, they dont want to be undercut, they say, by the british, in the future. The problem is that at the same time the british are saying, brexit has happened and if we are going to be following eu rules, what is the point of brexit having happened if we are still going to have to sign up we are still going to have to sign up to all of these rules and regulations . The eu is not accepting the fact that weve become a newly independent country. Yes, fishing, you can look at quotas, the price of fish, access of boats, that is tangible. But the idea of sovereignty is really difficult to pin down and if there is going to be a deal, both sides need to be confident that theyve ticked off what they need to, and crucially i guess for Boris Johnson what they need to, and crucially i guess for borisjohnson in particular, he can turn round to the british people and say, weve taken back control, look at this deal, it is here, look at it, this isjob done. Thank you very much, nick beake, in done. Thank you very much, nick bea ke, in brussels. The British Chambers of commerce have warned that uk businesses still have a large number of unasnwered questions about brexit, and many feel unprepared ahead of the end of the transition period on 31st december. We can speak now to their director general, adam marshall. Thank you very much forjoining us. Before we come to the specifics, i just want to know how youre feeling right now as the clock grinds around inexorably to this moment where we leave and everything changes . Well, of course, business expected that in a negotiation, we were likely to see a negotiation, we were likely to see a moment like this. For us, however, it is coming back late in the game. Businesses across the uk do want to see a deal happen. They do want to see a deal happen. They do want to see the two sides keep talking, but theyre running see the two sides keep talking, but they re running out see the two sides keep talking, but theyre running out of time to in whatever may be agreed or not agreed in brussels. And that ticking clock, that worry, is at the back of the minds of many businesses today. So, what are the Unanswered Questions that are at the forefront of your
mind right now, and concerns around the preparedness of businesses . Well, in so many ways, this is a matter of detail. Businesses across the uk have been receiving letters like this encouraging them to prepare for departure from the European Union. But its the detail that goes underneath that that they dont yet have. Things like the rules of origin that will apply to goods that get exported from the uk, the labels that need to go on Food Products to Northern Ireland, so many other things, vat, whether people can go and take business trips into the eu and practice their profession whilst theyre there. These are the nuts and bolts things that so many businesses need answers on, and they have been highlighting the problems here forfour years now, so the patience of so many of those companies is wearing thin, as is their ability to do anything, u nless is their ability to do anything, unless that clarity comes out. So,
what is the solution . Because even if there is suddenly clarity right now, is there enough time to implement those things that businesses have been told to prepare for, but as you say they have not specifically know what to prepare for, is there a need for another extension of the transition period, do you think . Well, i think there are two things at stake here. The first is getting as precise information as is possible on uk government guidance, and onto government websites, and out to businesses, over the next few weeks, so businesses, over the next few weeks, so that they can do what they are able to do with the time that does remain. And in some areas, were going to have to look at whether the uk and eu can agree some form of easements, all grace periods, as businesses work to get the new arrangements right, but after the ist of january may need a bit of extra time in order to settle into those new routines. In a number of detailed areas around customs, for
example, that may be required, and we would hope that the two sides, if they reach a deal, will also sit down and look at how to implement it ina way down and look at how to implement it in a way that keeps trade flowing across borders. From your perspective, do you see any potential upside from brexit . Well, of course, a lot of businesses all across the uk have known this has been coming for some time, theyve been coming for some time, theyve been looking at changes to where they sell their goods or services, asa they sell their goods or services, as a result of changes in market access. Every challenge, for some businesses, creates opportunities for others. So undoubtedly around the country today there are firms that are seeing problems and difficulties and costs ahead, but there are also firms see an opportunity and new markets for the future. So, its a real mixed picture in business communities of. And on the specifics of the points that you were raising about the rules of origin labelling, obviously, there is a lot that has
been agreed when we look at those final areas, they are the hardest ones for the negotiators to Reach Agreement on, but this is a massive agreement on, but this is a massive agreement spanning every aspect of the relationship, so, why do you think it has been so hard to get the information which has effectively already been agreed . 0k, nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, but actually just putting agreed until everything is agreed, but actuallyjust putting across to businesses what they need to know, do you think that could have been done differently . Well, i think in a negotiation, both parties do keep their options open until the last minute and even if 97 or 98 of the content is closed down, they would be very unlikely to share it with businesses in case that last 2 collapsed or fell apart in some way which means that the whole deal. Away. But there is a lot of information that businesses require right now that are highlighted in the Unanswered Questions of the
chambers of commerce, which are in the gift of the uk government. I think where businesses are understanding is where things are subject to negotiation. Where they are incredibly frustrated is where the uk government could tell them right now, tomorrow, what it is that they need to do in order to get ready, but some of that information has not yet been forthcoming. That is where we need to see a remedy immediately. And of course we have to hope that we would also see a deal which would unlock many more of those questions as well. And a final thought on fishing, it is not the only outstanding area, the level Playing Field obviously covers everything, and thats a really contentious issue, too, but the fishing being right there at the end is one of the most knotty issues, representing somewhere between 0. 05 and 0. 1 of gdp in the country, how do you feel about that being given such a priority effectively . Well, it may be a small part of the economy, it is a big part of the
political consciousness. I just do hope that an issue of that size and significance doesnt end up becoming a stumbling block to an agreement thatis a stumbling block to an agreement that is in the mutual interest of both countries, because there is much more in the economy besides where a deal would be of great benefit. Adam marshall, director general of the British Chambers of commerce, thank you. Hospitals across the uk are receiving the Pfizer Biontech vaccine ready for the first doses to be administered from tomorrow. Priority will be given to vaccinating the over 80s, frontline healthcare workers and care home staff and residents. Aru na iyengar reports. A precious delivery from belgium arrives at Croydon University hospital in south london, one of 50 vaccination hubs across england which will receive some of the 800,000 doses available in the first batch. The Pfizer Biontech vaccines are packed in ice. They have to be kept at 70 degrees. They need handling with care. These small vials will kick start