A post brexit trade deal. The brexit negotiators, from both sides, are believed to still be, in the negotiating room in brussels. President trump has vetoed a defence spending bill approved by the us congress this month in part because he objects to plans to remove the names of confederate leaders from military bases. Around 3,000 migrants in bosnia are living outdoors in freezing conditions after an emergency camp was shut down and then set on fire. There are no reports of anyone being hurt during the blaze. Tempers have become frayed at the english port of dover as Truck Drivers face continuing delays despite france reopening its border. Drivers must show they have a negative covid test result before they can travel. Hello and welcome to our look ahead to what the the papers will be bringing us tomorrow. With me are rachel cunliffe, comment features editor at city am and iain anderson, executive chairman of cicero. No surprise this evening that all the front pages thank you again for being with us. No surprise this evening that all the front pages have a heavy focus on brexit we start with the telegraph, saying that borisjohnson is poised to seal brexit trade deal. The sun describes it as the night before brexmas, with the Prime Minister depicted as santa claus. The ft says that the eu and uk are on the cusp of an historic trade deal. The times follows suit. Their headline is britain and eu on brink of signing brexit deal. As does the i, suggesting the uk and the eu are ready to sign an agreement. The independent says britain is on the verge of a trade deal with the eu. The express is even more confident, proclaiming that the deal is done. And finally, the daily mail, rejoices with hallelujah, its a merry brexmas an upbeat message from the papers. Lets go to rachel first of all. They are pretty unanimous, arent they . Almost identical headlines. 0n the break of signing a break the deal. Are you in any doubt that thats whats going to happen . are you in any doubt that thats whats going to happen . I think for this much briefing to have gone out for it to fall apart at the last minute would be very disappointing and quite embarrassing for both sides, so i am fairly confident, yes, although, the language on all
of them, poised to sign a deal on the cusp of signing a deal, on the brink. I think the idea was that they would be able to make an announcement, they were scheduled for that didnt go ahead, in order to have those front pages to really sell this like an early Christmas Present like some of the papers are going with. And indeed it is. I think weve seen the last couple of days the disruption at our ports, what happens when barriers are placed in the way of trade and not enough workers to smooth those things out. So the knowledge that the vast majority of our trade will be able to go ahead as normal, covert allowing, when the transition period ends in january, covert allowing, when the transition period ends injanuary, i think that is really positive. Will it have given everyone everything they wanted, no, is it better than the alternative, yes. All right, ian, its couldnt have gone much closer to the wire, it please make the deadline is the end of year, just a
few days away, theyve left it almost until the last minute. Yes, this really is five minutes to midnight on the whole thing, stop i mean, we have been living with this, weve been living with brexit before the referendum, but we have been living with it pretty intensively for the last four and a half years since britain voted to. So, hopefully, this is going to be a moment where we can breathe again, move on, move on from the point of view of having done deal with our single biggest trading partner. I mean, this is going be the biggest ever deal, trade deal done by the eu, but obviously, the steel ever done by the uk now. So, you know, its going to be an important moment, but im in between our last conversation and now, ive had a couple of messages from a couple of ministers who said look, you know,
its still to be done. Apparently, they are really in the weeds now about looking at the individual amounts of fish, over five different species. I think we now have got a sense of the complexity of all of this. Intensively for the past ten months. The lawyers are added right iiow. Months. The lawyers are added right now. Lawyers in business, lawyers really get in the way of being able to get things over the line really, really quickly because they want to be absolutely certain. And, of course, be absolutely certain. And, of course , you be absolutely certain. And, of course, you know, this whole package, 2000 pages of its you know, has got to pass the Uk Parliament probably when parliament recalled just after christmas, and indeed past the European Parliament as well. But, you know, very intense conversations taking place amongst all of the capitals over the last few days. So, its looking like we
are pretty much there, albeit some of the newspapers who dont obviously have front pages on Christmas Day cant necessarily claim victory quite yet. Rachel, thoughts look at the telegraph of. Johnson plays to seal brexit radio. If and when its done, whether its tonight, tomorrow, the next day, pa rt tonight, tomorrow, the next day, part of it is going to be selling this deal, isnt it . And proclaiming both sides of victory. Think borisjohnson started doing that, and he certainly has fired for presenting a deal is the best possible deal when in fact, some critics might say that that was when you have tried and failed to get something better. Putting back to one side, there certainly will be hard liners in the conservative party who be disappointed about this, partly because they didnt wa nt this, partly because they didnt want any kind of deal at all. I will come back to fishing in a minute. But i think getting this deal through Uk Parliament fairly straightforward because its highly likely that labour will either abstain or even vote with the deal. Here starmer really wants to get labour away from the brexit issue. Soi labour away from the brexit issue. So i think we can be fairly confident that its going to be an Emergency Parliament session on the 30th of december, just before new years eve, to get this all through. 0n the arguing over the individual species of fish, i said in the last round about fishing is worthless to the eu economy uk economy than Harrods Department store, i was called out on that on twitter, the ft has an excellent piece on that, so ft has an excellent piece on that, so go read that. Also on the eu side, fish are very important to countries like france, which have been arguing very fiercely on this, but some of the eu Member States are blocked and fishing is very important to them, but what is important to them, but what is important to them as having a market for them to sell their goods, because the eu exports more in terms of goods than we do to them. So really is in both sides interest to hammer out a deal, notjust for the disruption but to the economy in general. This one is where worth
£668 billion between the two partners, and also, importantly, while it is necessarily covered services in quite the way that some in professional services wouldve liked, it definitely paves the way for future liked, it definitely paves the way forfuture agreements, liked, it definitely paves the way for future agreements, future arrangements and for both sides to keep talking in the way that a very sharply fetch brexit at the end of your wouldnt. One front page that borisjohnson will your wouldnt. One front page that Boris Johnson will definitely your wouldnt. One front page that borisjohnson will definitely like in the morning is the sons, if he gets a chance to see it, because its got him dressed up as santa with a big goodie bag going down the chimney in the union flag colours, the night before but xmas is the front page. Oh, i am sure that he has already probably seen that front page right now, because somebody in numberten will page right now, because somebody in number ten will have put it directly in front of him. Now, who wouldnt, as Prime Minister, want to look like sa nta cla u s as Prime Minister, want to look like santa claus with a big set of goodies, in this case, 2000 pages of
a brexit deal to trumpet and to celebrate, obviously, the sun back brexit, they backed boris, so unlike some of the other newspapers, they are really, really going to push this moment. But, look, it is, whatever you think of brexit, whatever you think of brexit, whatever you think of brexit, whatever you think of Boris Johnson, you know, all of the mood music, you know, has, for months and months and months, particularly in the last 2 3 weeks, suggested that a deal was not going to be possible. In fact, we watching just but whats been happening over the last 2 3 days in and around dover, its been a real concern that this might tax if i the negotiations. But, look, this is, you know, this is good news. If it happens, business will welcome this, particularly after the of everybody
and businesses had, and its also providing the basis for wider negotiations for services. Now, remember, services are 75 of our economy here in the uk. This deal doesnt cover services. It covers the kind of tangible stuff that crosses the border. It doesnt cover the intangible stuff that you cant quite see in the same way, but services are incredibly important. The fact that there is a deal provides a good springboard to start to talk about services. So it makes me,| to talk about services. So it makes me, i must admit, pretty optimistic for what 20 21 might look like. Ok. A forestjohnson likes that front page, hes going to love the daily mail. Its got its a mary Brexit Christmas. Boris is on the brink of delivering gifts. We have been waiting so long for. Hopes rise for a joyful new year. Im not sure how
joyful it will be with coronavirus cases surging, but what do you make about one . Welcome of those two friend pages i think are quite interesting because in focusing so much on the victory over this deal, and it is a victory, certainly a good thing for britain, they are pushing to one side the news that for boxing day, half of the country will be interiorfour, thats for boxing day, half of the country will be interior four, thats very worrying news about the transmission rates of covid. A lot of the good news, the christmas story that most people were hoping for isnt going to happen. It is certainly been a sombre couple of days, and the news today in other areas going to tier 4 was, i think, today in other areas going to tier 4 was, ithink, staggering. We are talking about people, half of england under restrictions that are as severe, or even more so as the november lockdown. We are basically back to where we were in march. So for those two friend pages to portray Boris Johnson for those two friend pages to
portray borisjohnson as father christmas handing out the Brexit Christmas handing out the Brexit Christmas goodies at a time when so many families arent able to be together at christmas is certainly the rest of december and january looking very grim for lots of people, i can see why they are trying to strike that tone. Im not sure how much it will really take the edge off of the way that christmas has been disrupted. The telegraph, they focus on those new tier 4 rules to cover almost half of england. I mean, do you think the restrictions could get even more severe in the coming weeks . restrictions could get even more severe in the coming weeks . I dont think theres any doubt of that, given the kind of numbers that we are seeing. I mean, 750 deaths, sadly, in the last 24 hours, we havent seen those sort of numbers since april. 0ver havent seen those sort of numbers since april. Over 39,000 new infections, thats the highest numberever infections, thats the highest number ever recorded, albeit we didnt have all of the test and
trace procedures in place at the start of the year, so it was probably higher at the earlier part of the year, but the new mutation of the virus, you know, it is having a real impact on the pandemic and the trajectory of the pandemic, sol real impact on the pandemic and the trajectory of the pandemic, so i am absolutely gearing up. I think most businesses are gearing up for a january that looks pretty much like a lockdown that we had in march. Matt hancock announcing today that about half of england is going to be in tier4from about half of england is going to be in tier 4 from boxing day, all of scotland, mainland scotland, is going to be on a similar basis from boxing day as well. Wales already moving into severe lockdown like
measures, and northern ireland. So, unfortunately, i think the mix of the rising deaths, the hospitalisations, which is really what the politicians and the policymakers are most concerned about. Basically, can the health syste m about. Basically, can the Health System cope . About. Basically, can the Health System cope . And they are very concerned, i think thing, really, for the first two or three months of the year, that it cant unless everybody kind of follows the rules and pretty much stays home. So, you know, its a pretty grim prospect for the first quarter. Hopefully, by easter, things get a bit easier. Fingers crossed. The times, rachel, they talk more about that new mutant virus strain, or the second new variant thats been identified in the last few days. This one is from south africa, it says, and even more infectious than the one thats been spreading in the southeast of england. Yes, so viruses do mutate, we know thats come and weve heard a lot over the last week about the variance that was found in the southeast of england that its the one that caused them to impose tier 4 restrictions on parts of the country. This is a new variant coming from south africa, so they have suspended travel from south africa to the uk, and people who have travelled are being asked to quarantine. Its worth pointing out a few things. One is that britain actually come i dont normally praise the governments response to covid for my things a lot of m ista kes covid for my things a lot of mistakes have been made, but it does seem that britain is gathering more comprehensive data on testing and on the different variants that are picked up across the country, so its not necessarily the case that we are the only country to have seen these variants, other countries could have seen them, theyjust happen to pick them up yet, nonetheless, it is very concerning, particularly the transmission rates, evenif particularly the transmission rates, even if these variance are necessarily more deadly or harmful. They are certainly more transmittable. They are certainly more tra nsmittable. I also they are certainly more transmittable. I also think that with the great news of the vaccine, vaccine roll out under way, and therefore an end in sight, because vaccines do exist and britain does have some doses to start and certainly more to come, will conversely mean that restrictions probably are tighter in the early pa rt probably are tighter in the early part of the year, simply because if we know that there is an end goal, the motivation is there to be very, very strict until that can be fully rolled out. Whether we will see the same rolled out. Whether we will see the sa m e levels rolled out. Whether we will see the same levels of compliance during the dark days of january and february when we have certainly had covert fatigue as we did in march, april, may of this year, i just dont know. It could be different. The last one, ian, the independent teaching featuring the lorry drivers. Your heart goes out to them thousands of these drivers stuck in dover or on these drivers stuck in dover or on the motorway or advanced in airfield because france, linked to the
variance, france didnt want people coming in across the channel potentially with that new variant. But a very desperate scene. These drivers probably not going to get home for christmas. I think thats it. We have all had a grim time this year. We have had a grim few days since the weekend, effectively, for many of us, christmas got cancelled. We are now going to have to have our own many christmases. Most of us are lucky to be able to, you know, be in our own home, its warm, and there is food available. The idea of being stuck in a lorry unable to get home to see your family, unable to, you know, frankly, basic conveniences, but you know, there is some cheer in this. I mean, that picture in the front page does show lorry drivers
getting very frustrated, but there have been really, really, simple acts of kindness that we have seen from people in and around dover who have kind of blend in to provide food and supplies for the lorry drivers. So in the midst of all of this christmas and festive spirit are much more hospitable spirits has been there, but i can only, you know, as frustrated as i think any of us would be to just stop unable to see her family. Indeed. Well, thank you very much indeed for reviewing the front pages. Thats ian anderson, and rachel at city am. Many thanks to both for being with us. Have a great christmas both of you. And a great new year as well. Hgppy you. And a great new year as well. Happy 2021. Lets hope, as you have been discussing, its going to be a
logical better than 20 20. Thats it for the papers tonight. My thanks again to our guests. And of course to you for watching. A better year than 2020. Good evening, im Chetan Pathak with your sports news. We start at goodison park where Manchester United have knocked everton out of the league cup tonight winning their quarter final by two goals to nil. Edison cavani look at that breaking the hearts of the 2,000 home supporters in the stadium two minutes from time. And united werent done, Anthony Martial with their second deep in stoppage time. Tottenham are also through to the semis after getting the job done on a wet and windy night in stoke. Gareth bale opening the scoring. The home side got back into it early in the second half through jordan thompson. But spurs ended any hopes of an upset with two further goals, this strike from ben davies put them back in front. Before harry kane who else wrapped things up forjose mourinhos side nine minutes from time. 3 1 the final score against the championship side. I knew that if the results goes in that direction, they will have a goal. Thats part of the game, so we needed to kill the game. Instead of killing it, we kill ourselves by losing a contact ball and to allow them to score the one. After that, it was a moment where we needed stability attitude, and we had it. And this is the draw for the semi finals. Itll be a Manchester Derby with united drawn at home to city, while brentfords first ever major cup semi final will be against tottenham. Those ties will be played in early january. Rangers remain 16 points clear at
the top of the scottish premiership after an 11th Straight League win at stjohnstone. It finished 3 0 to Steven Gerrards side. Champions celtic remain second following their 2 0 win over ross county with three games in hand of course. Hibernian are a point behind in third. They won 1 0 against st mirren. Elsewhere, Dundee United and livingston both won, whilst motherwell and aberdeen drew 0 0. Liverpool and everton will be the only premier league clubs that can let fans in for now, following the governments latest announcement on coronavirus tiers today. Southampton and brighton had been allowed supporters into st marys and the amex, but theyre now in the highest level tier 4 from boxing day, so matches there will be back behind closed doors. The new west brom manager Sam Allardyce has ramped up the pressure on arsenal boss mikel arteta by saying the gunners are relagation rivals. A run of poor form sees artetas
side in 15th place and just four points above the bottom three. West brom are second bottom, seven points behind arsenal. We are in the bottom made at the moment, yes, absolutely, because i believe they havent won a premier game for. Wa nt to want to cross to westminster for the possibility of a brexit deal. Lets talk to nick early. What can you tell us . Its another holding statements, im afraid. It looks like the talks are going to go on for a few hours yet. We know that they are into the real nitty gritty now. Its trop yet crossing the tease and dotting the eyes, but the latest weve heard is its unlikely to be concluded in the experience. It looks like it will be morning before we know for sure that this deal is done. It seems to be going that way. I dont pick anythings happened that necessarily makes us
think that theres not going to be a deal agreed between the eu and the uk, bots, if you are holding your breath for one to a night, i think youre going to be disappointed. It looks like the morning rather than a late one tonight. Do we know how much of the negotiations are being carried out by the negotiators in brussels, and how much by the political leaders . Its about both, actually. There has been considerable discussion between borisjohnson considerable discussion between Boris Johnson and the considerable discussion between borisjohnson and the European Commission achieved over the last couple of days. I think thats helped and some of the logjam. The truth is, a lot of this is going on behind closed doors and its not com pletely behind closed doors and its not completely clear exactly what has moved. Weve heard theres been movement on fisheries, i spoke to contacts movement on fisheries, i spoke to co nta cts in movement on fisheries, i spoke to contacts in the fishing industry tonight to our kind of still looking for more detail on those who think that its going to be around a five year transition towards a new
arrangement, but dont know the fine details yet. Thats one of the things that we are waiting for tonight is the that we can really get into that there have been long talks to knights, and we think they are not talks to knights, and we think they a re not really talks to knights, and we think they are not really into the details of what those different fishing arrangements with mean, but the truth is, thats quite a long process and they dont think it will be when we will find out about imminently. If and when the deal does get signed and sealed and done, well, the papers are already claiming it as a victory for Boris Johnson. The sun has got him as sa nta cla us johnson. The sun has got him as santa claus delivering goodies down a chimney. The mail says holly louis. Yes, i think there will be a lot of people who are happy that borisjohnson has lot of people who are happy that Boris Johnson has managed lot of people who are happy that borisjohnson has managed to get a deal over the line, assuming thats what happens tomorrow morning. There are still Big Questions about how it will go down in his party because we dont know the fine detail, we dont know whats been signed off and we
know whats been signed off and we know for example that the brexiters and European Research group, Boris Johnson, of course, formally of that parish, they are preparing to go through it with a fine legal tooth comb to see what it all looks like. I think the chances of it not passing parliament are fairly negligible. I dont think for example, that labour would be likely to vote against it. However, i think what the most likely thing is that borisjohnson what the most likely thing is that Boris Johnson probably comes what the most likely thing is that borisjohnson probably comes out tomorrow morning and says that this deal is done, and then its a case of the various political actors and those having a proper look through a dam seeing exactly what it entails. The detailjust dam seeing exactly what it entails. The detail just isnt dam seeing exactly what it entails. The detailjust isnt there tonight, and the truth is, some of it is still being worked out. For brexit watchers, set a fairly early alarm. I wouldnt be surprised if this is quite an early one tomorrow morning. Weve had to wait a few years, now we have to wait a few more hours. Many thanks indeed from our political correspondent. Lets get the latest weather. Hello there. Wednesday brought another wet day, particularly to england and wales, and at one point, over 50 flood warnings in force. , still potential for a few problems. Theres the rain bearing cloud that we had across england and wales, but my attention right now is being drawn to this area of cloud and wales, but my attention right now is being drawn to this area area of cloud just running in across the north of scotland, because this is going to bring some of you snow. Yes, there could be a few centimetres lying on the ground in places, along with the risk of icy stretches as we head into the first part of christmas eve. A few showers also running down north sea coast, the irish seacoast, as our main band of rain continues to edge out of the way. It will be cold, mind you, a cold start to christmas eve, a widespread frost certainly for scotland, northern england, probably northern ireland, and perhaps into the north midlands and north wales as well. Now, it will be a cold day for christmas eve, these chilly northerly winds diving their way southwards and bringing showers
down north sea coasts. They will continue to fall as snow in land across parts of scotland, perhaps over the north york moors, might even see an odd flake mixed in with these showers across Eastern England at times. But away from the east coast where it will be windy and cold, should be plenty of sunshine, but those temperatures way lower than they have been for a number of days now, 3 4 in scotland, may be 4 5 for parts of Eastern England. And as we head into Christmas Day, there will be a widespread and sharp frost, so certainly a chilly start to the big day. That might be quite a nice sunrise to start the day. Best of the sunshine across england and wales, but cloud will quickly building across the northwest, and ultimately, we will see some rain move its way into northwest scotland, where it will be turning milder, as south westerly winds eventually pushing in, highs of 9 in stornoway. Best of the sunshine, then, hanging on across parts of southern and Eastern England, but cold, 4 5 degrees celsius. Beyond that, boxing day, and sunday, the second half of the weekend, weve got this area of rain pushing southwards across the country. Given that the ground is saturated, that rain is likely to lead to further localised flooding with wintry showers following the main band of rain through. Its notjust rain that
could cause issues, its also going to become very windy, gusts could reach 50 70 mph, maybe Even Stronger than that. So there is the potential for some disruptive winds as well this weekend, and beyond that into monday, still windy for northern ireland. Further east, a mixture of rain, sleet and maybe some snow