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Brexit talks could go to the wire, says Kent MP Damian Green as concerns grow over potential gridlock

The outcome of negotiations aimed at finding a deal on Brexit look set to go on for several days as both sides say another impasse has been reached.

Differences over fishing rights continue to be a sticking point and is one of the main reasons why there have not been any firm proposals on the table.

Ashford MP Damian Green has been pushing for localised restrictions (43639811)
Ashford MP Damian Green has been pushing for localised restrictions (43639811)

The prolonged talks come against a backdrop of continuing delays on the roads leading to the Channel Ports, which saw the implementation of Dover Tap on several days last week.

Ashford Conservative MP Damian Green said talks could go on right up to the deadline of the end of the month.

Speaking on the latest edition of the “Paul On Politics” show on KMTV, he said: “Anyone who has been involved in these sort of negotiations knows that they go to the absolute wire.

"And the absolute wire in this case is the end of the month. I would not be surprised if that some time between now and the New Year, myself and my colleagues are hauled back to Parliament to approve the legislation for a deal and I will be very happy to do that.”

Commenting on the disruption at Dover, he said it was not just Brexit but the pre-Christmas rush and “to a certain extent" Covid related.

WARNING SMALL FILE SIZE..KMG GROUP USE ONLY..Conditions of Use: ..Slug: HORNS DO 020617..Caption: Lorries queued up on the A20 near Aycliffe, Dover, during Dover TAP...Location: Dover..Category: Environment Issues..Byline: Roger Golding (please credit)..Contact Name: Roger Golding..Contact Email: golding@tiscali.co.uk..Contact Phone: not supplied..Uploaded By: Sam LENNON..Copyright: Roger Golding..Original Caption:.... FM4796226. (43639815)
WARNING SMALL FILE SIZE..KMG GROUP USE ONLY..Conditions of Use: ..Slug: HORNS DO 020617..Caption: Lorries queued up on the A20 near Aycliffe, Dover, during Dover TAP...Location: Dover..Category: Environment Issues..Byline: Roger Golding (please credit)..Contact Name: Roger Golding..Contact Email: golding@tiscali.co.uk..Contact Phone: not supplied..Uploaded By: Sam LENNON..Copyright: Roger Golding..Original Caption:.... FM4796226. (43639815)

He added: “I would be pleasantly surprised if we didn't get some kind of disruption in the early days.

"Because of the problems people may be more aware they need the right paperwork. As far as I can tell Operation Brock seems to have gone reasonably well and at least we can keep traffic moving on the M20.”

But Medway Labour councillor Naushaba Khan, who was also on the programme, said Boris Johnson had “mis-sold” Brexit.

“Yes, negotiations are on a knife edge [but] we are hurtling towards Brexit with no real preparations made...it just looks like we are not ready.”

The fact that there were traffic jams and congestion and chaos on roads even before a deal had been agreed were evidence that the government was ill-prepared, she added.

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