FT News Briefing Johnson and Von der Leyen to meet on Brexit, Uber abandons plans for its own self-driving car, China’s overseas lending
Dec 8, 2020
Guy Chazan, FT's Berlin bureau chief, delves into the critical meeting between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen, emphasizing the stakes for Brexit negotiations. He discusses the shifting focus from technical details to political discussions, which could shape trade agreements significantly. The conversation also covers Uber's strategy shift from developing its own self-driving cars to investing in Aurora, and China's drastic cutbacks on overseas lending amid geopolitical tensions, highlighting the challenges faced in international relations.
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Brexit Stalemate
- Brexit talks are stalled, causing the pound to drop against the dollar.
- UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet in Brussels to negotiate directly.
High-Level Brexit Talks
- The meeting between Johnson and von der Leyen signifies a shift to high-level political negotiations.
- Months of talks between lower-level negotiators have yielded little progress.
Internal Market Bill Revision
- The UK's internal market bill, which contained law-breaking clauses, is being revised.
- This is seen as a positive step in Brussels, potentially linked to trade talk progress.