THERESA May and her top Cabinet ministers last night agreed a high-risk plan to publish a long Brexit trade deal wish list in a bid to outmanoeuvre Brussels. The PM’s Brexit war cabinet gave the green light to the bold bid to set the running for the summer’s tense negotiations ahead of an October deadline. The document will lay down a draft text of what Britain wants to see in the political statement with the 27 EU leaders over their future relationship with the UK. The EU outmanoeuvred Britain during divorce deal and transition period talks by laying down its own terms first, setting the agenda. But the strategy is also high risk, as Mrs May will face humiliation if she fails to win the significant majority of her public asks. The plan was hatched as Mrs May’s Brexit inner sanctum met for 90 minutes yesterday afternoon in her Commons office to agree Britain’s full negotiating strategy for an EU trade deal. The draft document – which will cover trade and security deals - could run to more than 50 pages. It will be published as early as next month. A Whitehall source said: “We have learned from the EU’s tactics of the last two rounds. “We are not going to wait for Michel Barnier to box us in again. The PM wants us to set the agenda now, and the pace too.” The EU only wants rough guidelines agreed for a future trade deal, along with the final divorce settlement by October for national Parliaments to then ratify them. Britain wants to force the pace to agree as much detail as possible on the future relationship before Brexit on March 29 next year to persuade Tory MPs that the £39bn divorce bill is worth paying. Brexit Secretary David Davis also told MPs yesterday it’s possible to use the six months before the October deadline to negotiate most of the trade treaty. Opposition MPs accused Mr Davis of talking up the “impossible”. Lib Dem Brexit spokesman Tom Brake said: “Given everything we know about how long the EU takes to negotiate trade deals - 7 years for the Canada deal which doesn’t even cover most services - David Davis has clearly lost all touch with reality”. PENSION CUTPensions’ triple lock must be axed to help pay coronavirus bill, experts say FAILED TESTMinisters set to to miss critical coronavirus test and ventilator targets Exclusive LOCKED OUTMinisters worry plan to end lockdown is drifting due to No10 power vacuum CREDIT CRISISPassport Office ordered to help process 1.2million Universal Credit claims Exclusive LIFE LINEPensioners should get daily 'happy hour' calls to fend off loneliness, MPs demand BACK TO SCHOOL?Education Sec pushing to open schools in May over fears for kids' learning Mrs May will duck a confrontation with rebel Tory MPs today by ordering ministers to stay away from a Commons debate on staying in a customs union. Pro-EU Tory backbenchers will have pledged to ally with Labour to inflict a symbolic defeat on the government with a non-binding vote. Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer will accuse the PM of putting her party before the country when he insists any economic case for ruling out a customs union “has collapsed”.
UK prime minister Michel Barnier is aiming to set the agenda, rather than the European Union, by presenting a draft text of requirements, notably on trade and security, from the other members ahead of this summer's Brexit negotiations. It is rumoured that the document, which could be published next month, may run to over 50 pages. A Whitehall source said the move is aimed at preventing the UK government from being "boxed in" by EU chief negotiator Theresa May, but critics have warned May risks humiliation if her demands aren't met.