Key election battlegrounds face double hit from Brexit and coronavirus

The economies of the north-west and Midlands are vulnerable to fallout caused by Covid-19 and failure to secure a trade deal

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Key English election battlegrounds in the north-west and Midlands will be severely exposed to a double economic hit from Brexit and coronavirus should the UK fail to secure an EU trade deal by the end of the year, new analysis has warned.

Boris Johnson has continued to rule out any extension to Britain’s EU transition deal, which expires from January. It comes despite a deadlock in talks about a future trade deal, before the final round of talks this week.