despite this being the obvious thing to do, that pretty much all businesses and economists want, and quite understandable when the world's governments and economies have been sidetracked for months by covid:
The end of this month is the deadline - written into law via the Withdrawal Agreement Act that Mr Johnson's government triumphantly passed at the start of this year - to extend the transition period.
Currently the UK remains in the EU's single market trading arrangements, accepting free movement of people and the bloc's laws until 31 December, by which time the government aims to negotiate a trade deal.
We can extend that transition period for up to one or two years; but have to agree it this month.
https://news.sky.com/story/brexit-this-month-is-a-crucial-moment-if-the-uk-and-eu-are-to-agree-a-trade-deal-12003668OECD warns of UK jobs hit with no EU deal or transition delay
Britain risks a big hit to trade and jobs if it cannot strike a post-Brexit deal with the European Union by the end of 2020 or fails to extend its current Brexit transition, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said on Wednesday.
Risks around Britain's future relationship with the EU were compounding the uncertainty about the duration of COVID-19 restrictions on the economy, the OECD said.
"The failure to conclude a trade deal with the European Union by the end of 2020 or put in place alternative arrangements would have a strongly negative effect on trade and jobs," it said in an update of its global economic forecasts.
https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/oecd-warns-uk-jobs-hit-103905310.htmlFinancial leaders back Brexit delay as they brace for recession
Across Europe, 83 percent of those polled also believe that Brexit should be postponed while the effects of the pandemic are dealt with. In the UK, more financial leaders believe that Brexit should be delayed for longer, with 32 percent stating negotiations should be delayed for more than a year – compared to just 31 percent and 21 percent in France and Germany respectively.
https://thefintechtimes.com/financial-leaders-back-brexit-delay-as-they-brace-for-recession/British government reiterates opposition to delaying EU split
Boris Johnson’s government reiterated its opposition to extending trade talks with the European Union beyond the end of 2020, even as the deadlock in the negotiations increases the threat of a disruptive split.
“It would be crazy to extend it,” Cabinet Office minister Penny Mordaunt said in the House of Commons on Tuesday, repeatedly saying the government won’t delay Britain’s final break with the EU. “We want to conclude the negotiations to give people time to prepare for the end of the year.”
The U.K. and EU are due to hold a high-level summit about the talks later this month, where Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will discuss progress. The two sides are trying to thrash out a free-trade accord to replace Britain’s decades-long membership of the bloc, but talks have stalled over issues including fishing rights and the extent to which the U.K. will be bound by future rulings of EU courts.
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But Mordaunt said it was important to give businesses certainty about the future and avoid further delays.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-09/extending-brexit-talks-would-be-crazy-u-k-minister-saysThey don't want to "avoid further delays", you brain-dead twat; they keep telling you they want a successful negotiation, not a rushed failure with no agreement. The only thing they'll be able to prepare for at the end of the year is more recession, induced by a lack of trade deal with our major trading partners, and chaos (and possible violence) at the Irish border.
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