Turbot-charged Boris Johnson gets his quota of fish at Brexit dinner with EU chief

Fish was firmly on the menu at this evening’s Brussels Brexit showdown between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen.

The prime minister and EU Commission president locked horns over a scallop starter and steamed turbot main course.

The EU tried to sweeten the deal with a pavlova and exotic fruit sorbet desert, but it is not yet clear whether the offer was to Mr Johnson’s taste.

On my way to Brussels to meet @EU_Commission President @vonderleyen.

A good deal is still there to be done. But whether we agree trading arrangements resembling those of Australia or Canada, the United Kingdom will prosper mightily as an independent nation 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/6z1Tlr1ltI

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) December 9, 2020

Major disagreements remain on fishing rights, business competition rules and how a deal will be policed.

At the dinner, the prime minister and his team worked through a list of the major sticking points with Mrs von der Leyen, who is representing the leaders of the 27 EU nations.

A UK Government source said progress at a political level may allow the negotiations – between the UK’s Lord Frost and EU’s Michel Barnier – to resume over the coming days.