Britons welcome the return of gyms with hilarious memes as Duncan Bannatyne praises 'important' news - Daily Mail

'Can't wait to curl for the girlsss': Britons welcome the return of gyms and nail salons after four months with hilarious memes as owners including Duncan Bannatyne praise 'vitally important' news

• Britons with bulging stomach lines rejoiced at news that gyms are reopening
• Gym-goers took to Twitter to express excitement by sharing hilarious memes
• Female social media users enthused at news nail salons can reopen next week

By Jack Wright For Mailonline

Published: 09:24 BST, 10 July 2020 | Updated: 09:24 BST, 10 July 2020

Locked-down Britons with bulging stomach lines have been sharing hilarious memes as excitement for the reopening of indoor gyms this month mounts.

After months of 'letting themselves go' during the coronavirus pandemic, fitness lovers were given a welcome boost yesterday when Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told them indoor gyms could reopen on July 25. 

Gym-goers quickly flocked to Twitter to express their excitement at getting back to lifting weights and using the treadmill again by sharing memes.

Female social media users also enthused at news that nail salons can reopen next week, with many relieved they won't have to do their own nails for a while.  

Other Britons were more than nervous about shifting the extra pounds piled on by being stuck indoors for nearly four months during lockdown.

The move to reopen indoor gyms was welcomed by Dragon's Den star Duncan Bannatyne, the owner of health club and spa firm Bannatyne Group.

He said he was 'incredibly pleased' his 57 clubs in England could reopen and called the fitness sector 'vitally important, both for the nation's health and the economy'.

Locked-down Britons with bulging stomach lines have been sharing hilarious memes as excitement for the reopening of indoor gyms this month mounts

The move to reopen indoor gyms was welcomed by Dragon's Den star Duncan Bannatyne, the owner of health club and spa firm Bannatyne Group

Gym, spa and salon owners cheered the Government's latest rollback on current lockdown restrictions to allow them to reopen sites (stock photo)

Gym, spa and salon owners cheered the Government's latest rollback on current lockdown restrictions to allow them to reopen sites.

Mr Bannatyne said: 'I am incredibly pleased that we have a definite date for reopening our 57 health clubs in England.

'The fitness sector is vitally important, both for the nation's health and the economy.

'In my discussions with ministers over the last week or so, I was gratified that they understood that the majority of health clubs could reopen safely and that it was essential to do so.'

The Feel Good Group, which runs 90 tanning salons across the UK, welcomed the Government's decision to allow its shops to reopen on July 13, but said they should be able to reopen immediately.

Adam Mooney, founder and chief executive, said: 'While we welcome the decision to finally allow us to reopen, the Government could have allowed us to open last week, when hairdressers reopened.

'We are ready to reopen today, not next week.

'More than 90% of our staff are women, and most in the 18 to 25-year-old age group, which is the demographic which has been worst hit financially by the pandemic, and they are very keen to get back to work.' 

Oliver Dowden yesterday announced gyms in England will be allowed to reopen from July 25

Female social media users also enthused at news that nail salons can reopen next week, with many relieved they won't have to do their own nails for a while

Richard Darwin, chief executive of The Gym Group - which runs 179 gyms in the UK - said he was 'delighted' by the announcement.

But the Group, one of Britain's biggest fitness chains, revealed it had lost around a fifth of its members during lockdown - even though it froze their payments.    

The Gym Group said that 178,000 people had cancelled their memberships with one of its 179 gyms, which are mainly across England. 

Before lockdown, on March 18, the company had 870,000 members. This had dropped to 692,000 on Thursday, at an average age of 32.

Direct debit repayments will now restart, but members can request to have their membership frozen for longer.

'We are in the process of un-furloughing our colleagues, who will be ready to open the doors of our gyms in England on July 25 and in the other home nations once restrictions are lifted,' Mr Darwin said.

'We are encouraged by the response of our members, the vast majority of whom are keen to get back to the gym to begin working out again. 

'We look forward to welcoming them back and being able to continue providing affordable fitness for all.' 

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said yesterday that people will 'no longer have to work out in their park or on their living room floor' (stock photo)

Nail bars, beauticians and spas will be allowed to welcome back customers from Monday

Gym-goers quickly flocked to Twitter to express their excitement at getting back to lifting weights and using the treadmill again by sharing memes

According to its own research, 92 per cent of members are keen to get back to exercising at one of the The Gym Group's 160 sites in England, 13 in Scotland and three in Wales which are all set to reopen from July 25.

Two in Leicester and one that is being refurbished on London's Oxford Street will remain shut for now.

The normally round-the-clock gyms will initially open from 6am to 10pm on weekdays and from 8am to 8pm on weekends.

Staff will get their temperature checked at the start of their shifts, and the number of the people in each gym will be restricted to one per 100 square feet.

The company will also launch an app where customers can monitor how busy the gym is, and check historical trends to spot patterns of when it might be safe to go.  

'Opening safely is our primary concern and we have comprehensive plans in place for both our colleagues and members as we re-open our gyms,' Mr Darwin said.

'We are pleased to have been able to work with Government and the rest of the health and fitness sector on how best to operate in a Covid-secure way.

'Together with the Government we recognise the significant benefits of exercise in improving the nation's physical and mental well-being, particularly at this time as we respond to the pandemic.' 

Nail bars and beauty salons: What treatments are beauticians allowed to give - and how can I book?

Beauticians are only allowed to provide services that are not directly in front of the face, which the government has warned is the 'highest risk zone'.

This means the below treatments are not allowed:

• Face waxing, sugaring or threading
• Facial treatments
• Advanced facial technical 
• Eyelash treatments
• Make-up application 

• Dermarolling
• Dermaplaning
• Microblading
• Electrolysis on the face 
• Eyebrow treatments 

Staff are advised to avoid skin to skin contact and wear gloves where possible, with nail bars and tanning salons able to make an exception

When it is not possible to keep a two-metre distance, beauticians are advised to wear PPE that covers the face or use a screen.

Beauty salons will operate an appointment-only booking system to limit their capacity and will keep the time taken for the treatment at a minimum.

Hand washing and surface cleaning will also be done regularly, alongside cleaning disposable equipment when possible.

Staff are advised to avoid skin to skin contact and wear gloves where possible, with nail bars and tanning salons able to make an exception.

Customer chairs will be spaced out and, other than water, no food or drink will be provided.

If staff work closely to each other, then it is recommended there are a limited or fixed amount of workers. 

Source: Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy 

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After months of 'letting themselves go' during the pandemic, fitness lovers were given a welcome boost yesterday when Oliver Dowden told them indoor gyms could reopen on July 25

Yesterday Oliver Dowden said  tanning salons, tattoo parlours and other so-called 'close contact services' will be allowed to welcome back customers from Monday - allowing Britons to get a much-needed makeover or a fake tan top-up for the first time in almost four months.

However those desperate for a face waxing, eyelash treatments, make-up application or a facial treatment will have to wait a little longer, as they will not yet be allowed.

Meanwhile, businesses will be expected  to keep records of staff and customers and share these with NHS Test and Trace where requested

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Mr Dowden said outdoor swimming pools can reopen on Saturday as he also published guidance to enable competitive grassroots team sports to resume, beginning with cricket this weekend. 

Outdoor arts performances - including theatres, opera, dance and music - will also be able to resume from Saturday although audience numbers will be restricted and will be subject to social distancing rules.  

A pilot programme will be launched to figure out how to return to socially distanced indoor performances 'as soon as possible', Mr Dowden said. 

Planning rules will be changed so that theatres, concert halls and live music venues will be protected from demolition, stopping those that have been made temporarily vacant during lockdown from disappearing altogether.

Mr Dowden said 'normal life is slowly returning', telling the press conference: 'Having allowed hairdressers to reopen, beauticians, tattooists, spas, tanning salons and other close contact services can now do the same, I'm pleased to say, from Monday.

'Of course that will be subject to some restrictions on particularly high-risk services.' 

Some people were more than nervous about shifting the extra pounds piled on by Brits stuck indoors for nearly four months during lockdown

Gyms to return on July 25 with a limited capacity, hand sanitiser stations and booking system

Indoor sport and leisure facilities will open in England towards the end of this month, namely including:

• Gyms
• Fitness and dance studios 
• Sports venues and facilities 
• Swimming pools 

• Hot tubs
• Hydrotherapy pools 
• Whirlpools 
• Jacuzzis 

A hand sanitiser station inside the Gym Group in Vauxhall, London, alongside a sign reminding to have a 'quick squirt' when arriving and leaving the premises

To reduce the risk of transmitting the virus, a number of measures will be introduced such as hand sanitiser stations and contactless payment.

Guidance will be given to customers through signage in entrances, on booking forms and websites.

Fixing doors, left open where possible, will be fitted to increase ventilation.

Reducing the need to touch other objects, such as lockers, trunks and drawers, is advised, with equipment to be made 'readily accessible'.

The avoidance of paperwork is also recommended through online platforms and enabling a booking system, to manage demand.

Sports and leisure facilities are also advised to work on a book-in-advance basis, preferably online or over the phone. 

Source: Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy 

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2020-07-10 08:24:16Z
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Rees-Mogg slaps down SNP demands after Sturgeon's finance chief makes economic blunder - Express

Jacob Rees-Mogg slapped down SNP demands for more funding after one of the party's MPs branded the UK Government "incompetent". The SNP's Richard Thompson said that the Scottish Government was "disappointed" with Rishi Sunak's budget plans. Mr Rees-Mogg hit back, saying that Westminster was handing over at least £4.6billion to Scotland and reminded Mr Thompson that this economic strength is only possible because of the union.

Mr Thompson said: "I wonder will the leader share the disappointment 24 hours on from yesterday summer economic update, that the Scottish Government has yet to have an update on the Barnett consequentials of that announcement?

"It is not uncommon to have the Scottish Government wait several days in fact for that to feed through.

"That makes the UK Government look rather discourteous and incompetent.

"Will the Leader arrange for the relevant minister to explain to the House why these problems seem to be a built-in feature of the system and not just a glitch?"

JUST IN: Sturgeon threatens to reject Boris Johnson's new law in EU showdown

The Leader of the House hit back: "Mr Speaker, I'm glad to say the Barnett consequential so far is £4.6billion.

"So, there is a substantial amount of money thanks to the strength of the UK that is going to the Scottish Government.

"That money flows and that is an important thing."

This comes after the SNP's Finance Secretary Kate Forbes was humiliated yesterday after the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) corrected her on her economic calculations.

However, a leading economist rebuked this claim as "not true" and said the finance secretary's figures simply did not add up.

David Phillips, associate director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) told the Scottish Herald: “Firstly, it’s not clear to me where she has got that number from because looking at the announcements made, a number of them are England-only which would lead to Barnett consequentials.

“The £21million must be from a very narrow definition of things that were announced yesterday that hadn’t been announced or trailed before the speech, as I can’t see where that figure has come from.”

During his announcement on Wednesday, Mr Sunak told the Commons: ”Millions of people in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been protected by the UK Government's economic interventions - and they will be supported by today's plan for jobs.

"No nationalist can ignore the undeniable truth: this help has only been possible because we are a United Kingdom."

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2020-07-10 08:19:00Z
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Brexit LIVE: Michel Barnier mocks Brexiteer with spiky letter DRIPPING with sarcasm - Express.co.uk

Mr Francois, chairman of the European Research Group (ERG), sought to lay down the law in a "Missive from a Free Country" sent to Mr Barnier on June 26, in which he demanded Brussels "change some of the unreasonable demands that the EU is currently making". Specifically, he stressed there was no way the European Court of Justice could have any role in "the UK's national life" after the end of the year. Mr Barnier has now replied in a letter taking issue with a number of Mr Francois' points.

He pointed out the political declaration ratified by Parliament does allocate a role to the ECJ as part of arrangements for Northern Ireland - the so-called Northern Ireland protocol.

The political declaration, he added, had been "agreed by your Prime Minister and voted for by the House of Commons, including yourself, as part of the Withdrawal Agreement ratification".

Mr Barnier also took the time to acknowledge the existence of the ERG, a likely response to a passage in Mr Francois's letter in which he said: "It is possible that you may have heard of us".

He said: "I have over the past years met British politicians representing the entire spectrum of views on Brexit, including the European Research Group, which you chair."

He also took a subtle swipe at Mr Francois's reference to living in a free country while lamenting the UK's decision to quit the bloc, writing: "In this same spirit, we approach the ongoing negotiations with your great - and indeed free - country, which will remain a close friend, neighbour and ally of the European Union."

Mark Francois has received a reply from Michel Barnier (Image: GETTY)

9.15am update: Furious Peter Bone shuts down BBC over 'leaked letter' on post-Brexit border fears

Tory MP Peter Bone lashed out at a reportedly leaked letter from Cabinet minister Liz Truss, which claimed that there could be massive issues with the UK's plan for border control after leaving the EU.

The EU Commission has unveiled its plan for the end of the Brexit transition period, prompting concerns about the UK-EU border arrangements.

Despite being set to leave the EU at the end of the year, the UK has announced that full border controls on goods will not come into effect until next July.

Conservative MP Mr Bone rubbished concerns that the delay could lead to risks of smuggling when he was confronted by a leaked letter from Liz Truss on BBC Newsnight.

8.53am update: Supermarkets vow never to stock chlorinated chicken

Supermarket chains have pledged never to stock chlorinated chicken or hormone-treated beef, regardless of any trade deal the UK may strike with the USA.

An M&S spokesman told the Business Insider website: "Our commitment to our customers and family of 10,000 British farmers has not and will not change.

"Our promise is that we only ever source our quality fresh food from Select Farmers we know and trust. That means our customers can be confident that we will never sell chlorinated chicken or hormone-treated beef."

A Sainsbury's spokesman said: "We are committed to upholding high standards for our customers and will never sell these products."

Meanwhile a spokesman for the Co-op said: "The Co-op has a clear policy to only source 100% British meat."

8.37am update: Brexit free trade deal ‘very close’ – UK finalising comprehensive agreement with Turkey

Turkey is "very close" to signing a post-Brexit free trade agreement with the UK covering manufactured goods, agriculture and services, the country's Foreign Minister has revealed.

Mevlut Cavusoglu has been in London this week meeting Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.

He said in principle there have been no differences over a potential deal, but that some technical issues need to be ironed out.

Turkey's Foreign Minister told the Financial Times: “It’s going very well and we are very close to finalising it.

“We agreed already with the UK that in the post-Brexit era we will increase our bilateral trade; in volume we set a $20billion bilateral trade target.

"If you look at the volume of our bilateral trade, 95 percent of it is industrial products, and we agreed on that, and five percent is agriculture and services."

8.35am update: "Timetable is YOUR Government's choice," says Barnier

In the course of his letter to ERG chief Mark Francois, EU negotiator Michel Barnier also regretted the lack of progress in ongoing talks aimed at striking a trade deal with the UK - while taking a swipe at Boris Johnson's refusal to countenance an extension to the transition period.

He wrote: "A restricted round of negotiations took place between 29 June and 2 July and subsequent rounds are foreseen in July, August and September.

"However, let me underline that what matters more than the format of the talks is progres on substance and for that moment, results have been disappointing.

"We will continue to work with determination to conclude the negotiations with success as we continue to believe that this can be done despite the short time available, which is the choice of your government."

Brexit timetable (Image: Express)

8.21am update: France receives nearly THREE times more funding than UK

The European Union continues to dish out billions more to France than the UK for farming, despite it being one of the wealthiest and prosperous nations in the bloc, new figures reveal.

Analysis from pro-Brexit group Facts4EU has shown the major gulf within the bloc's funding for nations on funding, with France receiving around two-and-a-half-times as much money from Brussels than the UK for farming.

France, which is the bloc's second richest economy, has been protective over the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which Facts4EU argues is because it continues to be the biggest beneficiary of the subsidies handed out for farming.

Across the past 10 years, the bloc has given around 40 percent of its budget to CAP projects, and according to European Commission data released last month, in 2019 this worked out at around €54.5billion (£48.8billion).

8.13am update: Barnier's reply to Francois: 'You voted for it Mark'

Michel Barnier has hit back at Mark Francois - by pointing out the eurosceptic Tory MEP voted for the political declaration which the eurosceptic Tory MP objected to in his letter to the EU's chief negotiator last month.

Mr Francois, chairman of the European Research Group (ERG), sought to lay down the law in a "Missive from a Free Country" sent to Mr Barnier on June 26, in which he demanded Brussels "change some of the unreasonable demands that the EU is currently making". Specifically, he stressed there was no way the European Court of Justice could have any role in "the UK's national life" after the end of the year. Mr Barnier has now replied in a letter taking issue with a number of Mr Francois' points.

He pointed out the political declaration ratified by Parliament does allocate a role to the ECJ as part of arrangements for Northern Ireland - the so-called Northern Ireland protocol.

The political declaration, he added, had been "agreed by your Prime Minister and voted for by the House of Commons, including yourself, as part of the Withdrawal Agreement ratification".

Michel Barnier pointed out that Mr Francois had voted for the PD (underlined by Express.co.uk) (Image: Michel Barnier)

8.11am update: Ireland’s fishermen fear ‘unmitigated disaster’ as trade talks stall

Michel Barnier and David Frost - top negotiators for the EU and UK - have been having intense trade talks over the last month, and reportedly dined on fish together at No.10 this week.

The talks have become deadlocked over a so-called ‘level-playing field’, the governance of any agreement and access to the UK fisheries.

While any potential issues with Ireland appear to have been put on the backburner after Prime Minister Boris Johnson proposed a new customs border down the Irish Sea, Irish fishermen are keen for an essential problem to be resolved before the UK leaves the EU in December.

Grainne Ni Aodha wrote in the Irish Journal earlier this month that fishermen are nervous that, without a trade deal, Ireland’s fisheries could suffer too.

8.05 update: Sturgeon threatens to reject Boris Johnson's new law in EU clash

Westminster and Holyrood are on track for the biggest constitutional showdown since the EU referendum as Nicola Sturgeon's government have threatened to block a major post-Brexit law.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her Scottish National Party are prepared to stand in the way of a law which would give the UK Government the power to set food and environmental standards following the nation’s exit from the bloc.

Michael Russell, SNP cabinet secretary for constitutional affairs, told the Financial Times the SNP would take Westminster to court if it was given the power to force Scotland to accept new standards on food, environmental and animal welfare.

Mr Russell said: “We do not accept that this is a legitimate way of operating within devolution.

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2020-07-10 07:05:00Z
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Coronavirus: Quarantine rules end for dozens of destinations - BBC News

Travellers arriving in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from many countries no longer have to self-isolate for two weeks.

The quarantine requirements are being relaxed for arrivals from 59 countries and 14 British overseas territories.

Scotland had said it will continue to quarantine passengers from countries with a higher prevalence of Covid-19 than its own.

Foreign Office advice against taking a cruise holiday remains in place.

From Friday morning, people arriving from Spain, France, Italy, Belgium, Germany and 54 other countries will no longer have to spend 14 days in quarantine when they arrive in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

But people who arrived from those countries at an earlier point in the last two weeks will still be expected to complete their period of isolation.

Scotland, which from Friday has also made face coverings mandatory in shops, has chosen a different list of exemptions with only 39 countries.

It means people arriving in Scotland from places such as Spain and Serbia will still face quarantine rules.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the "difficult decision" was necessary to protect Scotland from a resurgence of the virus and warned travellers not to try and bypass the restrictions by flying to airports in England.

The quarantine rules were introduced in June, with travellers asked to nominate an address where they would self-isolate, with fines of up to £1,000 for those who failed to comply.

As some international travel to and from the UK is opened up, the Foreign Office is continuing to warn against journeys on cruise ships, however.

Warnings against cruise ship travel were first issued for over-70s in March before the Foreign Office began advising against all but essential travel.

A spokesman said the decision not to change the advice against cruises is based on "medical advice from Public Health England", but it would "continue to review" the position.

Carnival, the world's largest cruise company which owns P&O and Cunard, said it had already put its voyages on hold until the autumn and it will not resume them until "rigorous protocols" were agreed with government and put in place.

Meanwhile the World Health Organization has warned that "in most of the world the virus is not under control" and the pandemic is "getting worse".

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO's director-general, said: "The pandemic is still accelerating. The total number of cases has doubled in the last six weeks."

He said countries have now reported more than 11.8m cases of Covid-19 and 544,000 deaths.

But with infections in the UK falling, the government and devolved administrations continue to ease coronavirus restrictions.

In England, grassroots sport will start to return from this weekend, while beauty salons can reopen on 13 July and indoor gyms and swimming pools on 25 July.

Open-air concerts and theatre performances are also allowed to take place from this weekend in England, as long as they have a "a limited and socially distanced audience".

Children's playgrounds and community centres in Wales will be able to reopen from 20 July.

And Northern Ireland has brought forward changes to lockdown restrictions, allowing indoor fitness studios and gyms to reopen on Friday, along with bingo halls, amusement arcades and cinemas.

Indoor weddings and baptisms can also resume, ministers decided.

Scotland has begun to allow people to visit each other indoors and to allow overnight stays, as well as setting dates for reopening bars and restaurants, hairdressers and barbers, and the tourist industry.

• BRITAIN'S CANCER CRISIS: How has cancer care been impacted by Covid-19?
• HOLIDAYS AND SCHOOLS: The impact of coronavirus on education and travelling abroad

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2020-07-10 03:43:37Z
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Coronavirus: What do shoppers think about wearing face coverings? - BBC News

Wearing face coverings in shops is now compulsory in Scotland, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hoping that their use becomes as automatic as wearing a seatbelt in a car. We asked shoppers in Edinburgh if they have been wearing them already, and what they think about the new law.

Some said they were already starting to get into the routine of wearing a face covering ahead of the new regulations coming into effect.

Doctor Agnieszka Janas, 26, said: "During the lockdown I wore a mask if I remembered to bring one, but now it's becoming more of a habit.

"I'm carrying one in my pocket to go to the shops."

Tom Dempsey, 29, said he had occasionally been wearing one, but had felt that the advice was "a little bit confusing".

However, he added: "I'm now carrying a buff to wear in shops."

Student Renee Stevens, 23, said she had not been wearing a mask, and had not seen other people wearing them.

"But now I have one in my bag because of the new rule," she said.

"It feels a bit late to bring in the rule as nobody has been wearing them."

Juliana Poprawiak, 44, who is originally from Brazil, said: "I have been using a mask.

"It's annoying me on my nose, but I have to wear it now so I will just put up with it.

"I think people will try to go into the shops without wearing a mask as that's what has happened in Brazil."

However, Ally Weir, 30, from Edinburgh, said he would not go to the shops unless he needed to.

"Everyone is acting a bit weird, so I'm a bit put off going to the shops.

"I wouldn't go for a browse around the shops as its all a bit stressful."

Rich Fields, 52, said: "I'm out just now getting some last bits and bobs because I don't want to wear a mask, so I won't be back to the shops until it changes.

"I've not worn a mask during the lockdown in the supermarkets, so I don't see the point in starting now."

Some small shop owners said they were worried that there could be an impact on their businesses.

Nikki Halliday, of Edinburgh card shop the Bay Tree Company, said some customers had said they were not planning to go out shopping because they did not want to wear a face covering.

Keren Brynes Maclean, owner of Health Food & More in Kirkcaldy in Fife, said: "I've already had people challenging me about it and asking if I will allow them into the shop without a mask."

Kate Harahan, who owns Neal's Yard Remedies in Hanover Street, said: "I have had some customers who have been very vocal saying they definitely won't be coming in after Friday.

"It is a real shame because we are already struggling.

"I'm concerned because we have not had many customers as it is."

Adrian Smith, owner of House in Edinburgh, said he had initially been worried that the new rules might put people off visiting non-essential shops.

But he added: "I'm hopeful now that people will get used to it and that after a while they won't feel embarrassed to wear a mask."

The Scottish Retail Consortium said there were "very challenging trading conditions" at the moment - but hoped the new rules would "reaffirm it is safe to come back to the high street and support Scottish shops".

"We need customers to come out and shop because every purchase helps to support stores and protect Scottish retail jobs," said its head of policy, Ewan MacDonald-Russell.

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2020-07-09 23:07:59Z
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Fishing row: Boris issued ‘totemic’ reminder over control of UK waters - 'Don't sell out!' - Express

Barrie Deas, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations (NFFO), has told Boris Johnson the historic 2016 Brexit vote was delivered to take back sovereignty over UK fishing waters – a warning issued amid a last-ditch bid by the EU to regain access to Britain territories. Britain is on course to leave the controversial Common Fisheries Policy at the end of the year, however EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has put pressure on the UK to reconsider following a sudden compromise.

On Monday, a transcript of evidence given to the House of Lords on June 23 by Mr Barnier, revealed the EU is willing to accept a data-driven proposal involving fishing quotas - which would be determined by the amount of marine life in the sea.

The sudden shift from Brussels comes after the transcripts also revealed Mr Barnier gave the UK and ultimatum and warned there will be no trade deal unless there is a “balanced agreement” on fisheries.

Mr Deas, the chief of the representative body for fishermen in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, insisted a trade deal would be in the “interest of both parties” but warned to “surrender sovereignty” over UK waters would call into question what 17.4 million people really voted for.

He told Express.co.uk: “All the signs are that the Government as a whole, the Prime Minister and the Chief Negotiator, David Frost, understand that fishing is a totemic issue.

“The UK will not sell out fishing because that would be to surrender sovereignty over our waters and people would rightly ask what Brexit was for. A trade deal is in the interest of both parties.”

On Monday ahead of talks with his David Frost in Downing Street, the transcripts revealed Mr Barnier would support a proposal known as zonal attachment – where fishermen would be able to catch fish according to how long the marine life stays in a territory.

The method driven by data science would base fishing quotas on climate change – which has led to more fish heading to UK waters - therefore more fish would be taken out of British territories than anywhere else.

He indicated the EU would also be looking towards re-negotiating fishing arrangements every 12 months.

Mr Deas has insisted the latest concession proved the EU has finally realised its negotiating position was wrong and is moving towards damage limitation.

He said: “I think that the Commission recognise that the EU negotiating mandate on fishing is unachievable.

“The UK has made it clear that it will be an independent coastal state and can be expected to exercise the rights and responsibilities of a coastal state as defined in the UN Law of the Sea.

READ MORE: Coronavirus map LIVE: Lockdown measures SLASHED as Dowden hails UK

He added: “You can discuss fishing stocks regularly every year in the light of the scientific advice, so that we can protect resources and biodiversity, but negotiating access to waters and the fish in those waters every year would be impossible for 100-odd species.

“There will be no trade agreement with the UK if there is no balanced agreement on fisheries.

“Is this ‘balanced agreement’ the British position, as it is now? Certainly not. Is it the European position as it is today? Clearly not.”

Following the most recent talks on Tuesday, Mr Barnier said the discussions were "useful” however acknowledged “significant divergences remain”.

The next round of Brexit trade talks will take place next week in Brussels.

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2020-07-09 23:01:00Z
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