BORIS Johnson is coming under renewed pressure from both sides of the English Channel to seek an extension to the Brexit transition period in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic.
The largest grouping in the European Parliament has warned the UK will face a "double whammy" if the Prime Minister insists on ending Britain's compliance with EU single market rules at the end of the year.
The warning echoes calls from opposition parties in the UK, who argue the Government must now seek more time for trade talks to continue.
Over the weekend, the SNP urged the UK Government to "hit pause" on its trade negotiations and seek to extend the transition period, saying Mr Johnson and his colleagues must focus on the coronavirus pandemic.
Philippa Whitford, the party’s Brexit spokeswoman at Westminster, said: “Continuing talks and hurtling towards the transition period deadline would be irresponsible and an act of economic and social self-harm.
"It is now vital the UK Government hits pause on all Brexit negotiations and immediately seeks an extension to the transition period to remove the uncertainty and instability."
Her comments came as a 2,000-strong poll suggested 64 per cent of people across the UK wanted the Conservative Government to request an extension to the Brexit transition period to enable it to focus on the pandemic.
But Mr Johnson has been adamant he will not request any extension to the transition period beyond December 31, arguing it should be possible to negotiate a comprehensive free trade agreement by then.
This morning, his spokesman repeated the Government’s position, insisting it had no plans to change course on the negotiations. "The transition period ends on December 31 2020. This is enshrined in UK law," he declared.
However, the centre-right European People's Party said the pandemic further complicated what many in Brussels regarded as an unrealistically tight timetable for securing a deal.
MEP Christophe Hansen, a negotiator on the Parliament's International Trade Committee, said: "Under these extraordinary circumstances, I cannot see how the UK Government would choose to expose itself to the double whammy of the coronavirus and the exit from the EU single market, which will inevitably add to the disruption, deal or no deal.
"I can only hope that common sense and substance will prevail over ideology. An extension of the transition period is the only responsible thing to do," he insisted.
The warning comes as the UK-EU joint committee set up to implement the Withdrawal Agreement was scheduled to meet for the first time.
Because of the outbreak, the talks will take place by video conference, with the British side led by Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office Minister, and for the EU by Maros Sefcovic, the European Commission Vice President.
Downing Street confirmed informal talks on a post-Brexit trading relationship between the UK and Brussels were continuing, despite an imposed lockdown on most of Europe and the lead negotiators on both sides of the Channel having been struck down by Covid-19.
Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator, is reportedly continuing to convalesce after contracting the disease earlier this month, while David Frost, his UK counterpart, was also forced to self-isolate.
The PM's spokesman said: "We have shared legal texts and they are the subject of informal discussions between ourselves and the European Commission.
"They are conversations that are taking place via telephone as both sides analyse each other's respective legal texts. We'd expect those types of conversations to be carrying on this week."
But German MEP David McAllister, who chairs the UK co-ordination group in the Brussels Parliament, said now was the time for the UK to change tack over an extension to the transition.
"The coronavirus pandemic complicates the already very ambitious schedule," he said.
"The EU has always been open to extending the transition period; the ball is now clearly in the British court. The United Kingdom would have to submit an official request. So far, the UK Government has constantly rejected such an option.
"Under the current circumstances, London should carefully re-examine a prolongation," he added.
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