NEWS
A deal with the EU looks imminent, but will Boris Johnson be able to sell it to Brexiteers?
British negotiators have ‘made huge concessions’ in the last 48 hours in talks with the EU, ‘mostly on fishing’, so says a French official close to the talks. It seems likely that a deal will be agreed upon today, though pro-Brexit critics of the Government are sceptical as to whether this will be suitable for Britain. One Tory leader fears the Prime Minister may have ‘copped out’ on key issues, and Nigel Farage has suggested that a deal now accounts for nothing more than a ‘Christmas Eve announcement to hide the fisheries sell-out’ — Telegraph
Millions more to be placed under Tier 4 Covid restrictions from Boxing Day — Telegraph
Hundreds of Pfizer vaccine doses in Macclesfield are thrown away after ‘refrigeration issue’ — Mail
More data needed before giving just one vaccine dose, says Covid adviser — Guardian
Channel 4 criticised for ‘totally distasteful’ fake CGI Queen speech — Express
Rape and murder suspects failing to show up in court — Times
‘I had to tell my pregnant wife and daughters I won’t be home’: Thousands of lorry drivers stranded in Kent are unlikely to make it home in time for Christmas Day — Mail
COMMENT
Lockdown money-printing sets us up for an even greater Covid collapse — Liam Halligan, Telegraph