Politics

Simon Hoare - chair of the Commons’ Northern Ireland select committee - added his voice to growing calls to ‘stop the clock’ on post-Brexit trade talks with Brussels, claiming that it was “time for maturity”.

Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said it would be “unconscionable” to add a no-deal exit from the EU’s trading arrangements to the current difficulties caused by the mutant coronavirus strain.

Farage lashed out at European "thugs and bullies" who, he claimed, simply want Britain to "sign a bad deal".

Both contracts were awarded directly by ministers without competitive tenders, under emergency Covid-19 procurement rules.

After lead negotiators Michel Barnier and Lord Frost met in Brussels on Sunday, a UK source said discussions had been “difficult”.

A China state-affiliated reporter called him "Trump's puppet" and a "big joke in Europe".

Sir Charles Walker said he believed ministers knew before Friday they would be bringing in tough new coronavirus controls.

The Netherlands, Belgium and Italy have suspended flights - while trains from Belgium have also been banned. France and Germany are reportedly planning similar action.

Good luck getting across the Scottish border over Christmas.