Coronavirus: Raab accused of 'reckless insanity' for claiming pandemic strengthens case for speedy Brexit

Foreign secretary rejects calls to 'urgently' extend the transition period to 'focus 100 per cent on the emergency' - arguing it 'makes the case' for a clean break in December

Dominic Raab has been accused of “reckless insanity” after claiming the coronavirus pandemic strengthens the case for completing Brexit at the end of the year.

The foreign secretary was urged to “urgently” extend the transition period – during which the UK remains aligned with EU trade and travel rules – to “focus 100 per cent on the emergency in front of us”.

“The last thing economy needs, on top of coronavirus, is the further shock of a hard or no-deal Brexit at end of this year,” Labour MP Ben Bradshaw pleaded.

But Mr Raab suggested his experience of the crisis was that it “if anything” it had strengthened international collaboration, pointing to his dialogue with the Cuban government.

Such co-operation with Havana “doesn’t happen at the level of intensity it has in recent few days very often”, he argued.

Referring to the EU, Mr Raab said the crisis made “the case for intensive diplomacy to get this deal done and move on and take the relationship to the next level”.

Later, he suggested MPs calling for a longer transition of an “Ideological desire” not to cut ties with the EU.

Mr Bradshaw told The Independent: ““This is reckless insanity from the government.

“Ministers should be urgently agreeing with our EU partners an extension to the current transition period, so that government and business can focus 100 per cent on the pandemic emergency before us.

“The government has belatedly started listening to experts and following the evidence in Covid-19. It needs to do the same on Brexit.”

But Mr Raab – even as he announced advice against any foreign travel “with immediate effect” – insisted the negotiations could still succeed.

“I don’t think delaying the Brexit negotiations would give anyone on either side of the Channel the certainty they need,” he argued.

The comments come despite the negotiations being in disarray after the second round of face-to-face talks, starting on Wednesday, were cancelled because of the crisis.

Around 100 EU negotiators are unable to travel – requiring the two sides to set up complex conference calls instead.

Even without the setback, the talks faced a daunting task to find common ground before June, when the UK has threatened to walk away – and prepare fully for a no-deal – without marked progress.

The two sides are miles apart on the UK’s insistence on the right to break EU rules on state aid and workers’ and environmental rights, and on fishing and financial services.

The UK has the option of extending the transition by up to two years to protect the economy – but Mr Johnson passed a law to underline his determination not to do that.