UK trade department faces race to get £80bn of trade agreements ratified

Deals to ensure UK can go on trading with non-EU countries after Brexit transition must be laid before MPs by Wednesday

Liz Truss's Department for International Trade (DIT) is scrambling to meet a Wednesday deadline for tabling 80bn of trade agreements before parliament, in time for them to come into force in January under standard procedures.

Truss's department has signed a string of continuity agreements" to ensure the UK can go on trading with non-EU countries on similar terms, when the Brexit transition period comes to an end on 31 December.