This is a critical step towards preventing a damaging destabilisation of the peace in Northern Ireland. Not only will this help protect the Good Friday Agreement, it also strengthens our standing with the incoming Biden administration.

It is time for cool heads to prevail, particularly as communities up and down the country, from farmers to car manufacturers, are relying on these talks to prevent a damaging trade cliff-edge.

Over the past few weeks the government has announced multiple projects designed to boost jobs, but all of that will be undermined if we leave the EU without a trade deal. In the middle of a global pandemic, supporting Britain's economic recovery must come before ideological concerns.

By the government’s own admission, bringing in the new tiered lockdown restrictions could see the UK's economic output cut by up to 12%. With that in mind, it would be an absolute disaster if a no-deal Brexit was added on top of this economic misery this Christmas.

As an official Cabinet Office document warned this week, the combined impact of COVID, Brexit, flu and flooding will be devastating this Christmas. But a no-deal Brexit and continued failure to sort out Test and Trace will make this worse.

This secret briefing shows the government is aware of the economic chaos that faces the country this winter. In this context, it would be utter madness to inflict a no-deal Brexit, and the tariffs that come with it, on the country.

Schools shouldn't have to be worrying about getting fresh food to children in the new year, but that's exactly what a no-deal Brexit would mean.

The establishment of this task force is welcome, if far overdue given the state of business preparedness. We are only weeks away from the end of the transition period and businesses are still in the dark.

While the government has spent months, and millions, telling firms to get ready for the end of transition, it hasn't told them how to prepare, or provided the specifics of what they need to prepare for.

Tate & Lyle publicly campaigned for Brexit, and now we find out that Northern Irish consumers have been made the sacrificial lamb in their pursuit of riches elsewhere.

'Significant disruption' when Brexit transition ends, watchdog warns UK trade with the EU faces "significant disruption" when the Brexit transition period ends in January, the National Audit Office has said.

This poll shows that the British public understand the damage that would be inflicted by leaving the transition period without an agreement and would not forgive Boris Johnson for failing to deliver on his election promise of an ‘oven-ready’ trade deal.

Everyone is distracted by coronavirus and yet talks are still ongoing to prevent a damaging no-deal Brexit. Such a disastrous outcome should have been ruled out long ago to give businesses some peace of mind amid all the difficulties they face.

With businesses already stretched to breaking point by COVID, leaving the Brexit transition period without a deal in place would be economically devastating. The clock is still ticking.

In the midst of a global pandemic and with so many jobs on the line, the government must resume negotiations with the EU and deliver on its election promise to secure an 'oven-ready' trade deal.

Brinkmanship has costs. There are millions of jobs on the line and the country is facing an unprecedented recession. Adding more taxes and barriers to our business with Europe is going to be devastating. Standing up for Britain doesn't look like this.

The Prime Minister was elected on a promise to secure a trade deal with the EU. To be clear, the EU has not abandoned the idea of a free trade deal with us and it would be the Prime Minister's decision to abandon these talks.

The industries impacted worst by COVID, such as hospitality, are not the same as those worst impacted by a no-deal Brexit. That means the economic pain is likely to spread further and the crisis we face is deeper. A no-deal Brexit would be disastrous in the current climate.

Given the Government's last ferry contracts ended in a court battle, many will rightly question whether this is the best way to ensure vital medical supplies and other critical goods can be smoothly delivered to the UK after the transition period ends.

New report assesses the domestic impact of Britain leaving the Brexit transition period without a UK-EU trade deal at the end of this year. Without a deal, businesses are staring down the barrel at a 'perfect storm' of Brexit and COVID this Christmas.