Despite accounting for just 0.1 per cent of the UK economy, Brexit talks have ultimately come down to disagreements over fishing rights as negotiations go into the 11th hour.
Reports last night that there had been a breakthrough on fishing were rubbished this morning by Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney, who told RTE news:
“Having heard from Michel Barnier this morning, really the news is very downbeat. I would say he is very gloomy, and obviously very cautious about the ability to make progress today.
“There was news last night on some media sources that there was a breakthrough on fishing. That is absolutely not the case from what we’re hearing this morning.”
ITV’s Robert Peston seemed to agree on that front, stoking a viral social media reaction. We’ve picked out some of the best responses below:
Related: Fish merchant who voted Brexit to “take back control of UK waters” says he was “brainwashed”
Related: What good are fishing rights without the deckhands to fish them?
