Brexit negotiators are expected to break their silence on the progress of UK-EU trade talks on Wednesday as they update political leaders on how the discussions have developed. After almost two weeks of talks in London and Brussels, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and his British counterpart David Frost will take a day out to brief their administrations. Mr Barnier will address representatives of all 27 member states, while Lord Frost will meet the Prime Minister and other Cabinet ministers.
The content of their briefs is expected to be the clearest sign of whether or not a trade deal will be agreed before December.
The two sides are understood to have made some progress since negotiations restarted 12 days ago, but sticking points, such as the level playing field and fishing rights, remain.
The Government insists it is still preparing for the possibility that talks will collapse without reaching agreement on a deal before the end of the transition period next month.
In an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, though, Ukip’s founder and emeritus professor at the London School of Economics (LSE) argued Mr Johnson might be waiting for the result of the US election before striking a deal with Brussels.
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Professor Sked said: “It is no secret that Boris decides things at the last minute.
“He did it with Brexit and will likely do it this time.
“If Donald Trump wins the election, there is obviously more chance that Boris will go for a no deal Brexit.
“He will get tougher all of a sudden, particularly on fishing.”
The prominent eurosceptic added: “If Joe Biden wins, I suspect he will go for a deal.
“So that he won’t upset the Americans over Ireland.”
When the Government published the new Internal Market Bill in September, Democratic presidential nominee Mr Biden weighed into the controversy, warning of its complications for a future UK-US trade deal.
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He wrote on Twitter: “We can’t allow the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland to become a casualty of Brexit.
“Any trade deal between the US and UK must be contingent upon respect for the agreement and preventing the return of a hard border. Period.”
BBC Newsnight policy editor Lewis Goodall echoed Mr Sked’s claims by saying that a victory for Mr Biden would “all but guarantee a Brexit deal”.
He claimed that Mr Biden, and the Democrats, were “suspicious” of Brexit, as they see it as the “British version of Trump”.
Mr Goodall explained: “On top of this, Biden has strong ties with Ireland and the Irish American caucus. He has made clear he expects there to be no consequences to the peace process in Ireland and is essentially committed to the softest Brexit possible.
“At this stage, an FTA is that. No 10 know this and will be cognisant of the fact that no longer in the EU, some (emphasise some) of the UK’s usefulness as its conduit to the block is no longer there.”
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He added: “All of this (atop of the big problems at home with lockdown) will make a deal even more likely with Biden in the White House (or about to be).
“I still think that’s likely with a Trump win but clearly, Trump is basically opposed to the EU, in favour of Brexit and wouldn’t care if there’s an FTA either way.”
Recent national polls have shown Mr Biden leading by eight points, giving the former Vice President the advantage heading into tonight’s election.
However, Democrats have still been nervous in the lead-up to election day, largely because of Mr Trump’s surprise win in 2016.
The President and his allies have insisted that they are poised for another comeback victory.
