Michael Gove has just made no deal much easier

While talks between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen remain deadlocked over the level playing field, a separate negotiation between Michael Gove and EU Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič over Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit status has been moving at pace and achieving breakthroughs.

Today, the pair agreed a trusted trader scheme that would exempt 98 per cent of goods flowing between Great Britain and Northern Ireland from tariffs under any eventuality, including a no-deal Brexit. Tariffs on the remaining two per cent of goods would likely be refunded.