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Hello and welcome to Coffeehouse Shots, the Spectator's Daily Politics Podcast.

I'm Isabel Harbman and I'm joined by James Forsyth and Katie Balls.

James, there are rumours swirling of a Brexit deal.

What do we know?

Well, we know that the UK has made an offer on fish, which has become the single biggest

sticking point.

But as always, with Brexit, things are never that simple.

The UK offer on fish is a move from the previous

UK position. It envisages a five-year transition period. The UK doesn't reclaim as much of

the fish that the EU currently fishes in UK waters as it had previously insisted it wanted.

But the early signs are that the EU is not going to

simply accept the UK's offer. Those very familiar with the French thinking on the matter say that

they want more on fish and there are also some level playing field issues that they want

sorted out first. So I think we are in the final

throws of this thing yet, but there's no white smoke yet. I think on the timing it is worth

reflecting on this, which is realistically, you will have to have a vote in the UK Parliament on

this by the 30th of December.

So even if you think that the EU Council is prepared to provisionally apply this

just on a simple council decision rather than going to the Parliament,

which is what I think would now have to take place,

the time is getting properly short if this isn't fixed before Christmas,

...