Boris wants a 2024 election – and wants to start his building boom now

‘The clock is ticking.’ It is surely only a matter of time before Michel Barnier returns to his notorious catchphrase from the Brexit talks. The EU’s chief negotiator is already warning that if a trade deal cannot be agreed ‘within the constraints of the time limits imposed by the British PM’, then there will be ‘consequences’ as the UK and EU will end up trading on World Trade Organization terms. Or, as the Prime Minister prefers to call it, an Australia-style deal.

Last time around, because Theresa May had no majority in parliament, Barnier was able to throw the British side into confusion: it was quite possible that Brexit could be delayed, or even abandoned. But now the Prime Minister has a majority of 80 and doesn’t need to worry about parliament undercutting his negotiating position. Just because the clock is ticking, this doesn’t mean he’ll request extra time via an extension to the transition period.