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Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Dr Adler claimed that despite Emmanuel Marcon’s tough stance on fishing at the EU Summit last week, EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has been trying to convince him and other member states’ leaders to give up on their fishing ambitions in order to get a trade deal by the end of the deal. 

She said: “If there is serious intent for a deal, fish will not be the reason.

“The EU knows full well that it needs to compromise on fish.

“Yes, we heard Emmanuel Macron at the Summit last week saying the UK voted for Brexit, not the EU, our fishermen and women shouldn’t suffer as a result.

“But privately, they know full well the coastal states of the EU that they will have to compromise.

“Michel Barnier has been trying behind the scenes to push them over and over again to actually say this to the UK.

“But the view of the coastal states is yes, we will give in over fish but fist of all we have to see that the UK is willing to compromise over those competition regulations, the so-called level playing field.”

Britain said on Monday the door was still open if the European Union wanted to make some small concessions to save Brexit trade talks, but that unless the bloc budged there would be a no-deal exit in 10 weeks.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday there was no point in continuing talks and it was time to prepare for a no-deal departure when Britain’s informal EU membership – known as the transition period – ends on Dec. 31.

But Michael Gove, his Brexit supremo who favours a deal, has struck a more conciliatory tone, saying agreement could be reached if the bloc compromised.

“It would be sensible at this point for them to go that extra mile, to come closer to us on the points that remain for discussion,” added British Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick.

“We hope that they could come forward now with some relatively small but important changes which respect us as an independent sovereign nation,” he told Sky News.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier had been due in London for talks with British counterpart David Frost this week.

Instead, they will now speak by telephone on Monday to discuss the structure of future talks, Barnier’s spokesman said.

European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic is due in London for a meeting on implementation of the 2020 divorce deal with Gove.

Negotiations broke down on Thursday when the European Union demanded Britain give ground. Issues still to be resolved include fair competition rules, dispute resolution and fisheries.

EU diplomats and officials cast Johnson’s move as a frantic bid to secure concessions before a last-minute deal was done, and European leaders have asked Barnier to continue talks.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said compromises on both sides would be needed. French President Emmanuel Macron said Britain needed a Brexit deal more than the 27-nation EU.

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“We are ready for a deal, but not at any price,” he said.

A no-deal finale to the United Kingdom’s five-year Brexit crisis would disrupt the operations of manufacturers, retailers, farmers and nearly every other sector – just as the economic hit from the coronavirus pandemic worsens.

Britain is launching a campaign this week urging businesses to step up preparations for that. In a statement accompanying the launch, Gove says: “Make no mistake, there are changes coming in just 75 days and time is running out for businesses to act.”

More than 70 British business groups representing over 7 million workers on Sunday urged politicians to get back to the negotiating table next week and strike a deal.

“With compromise and tenacity, a deal can be done.

“Businesses call on leaders on both sides to find a route through,” they said.

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