As Theresa May faces an “impasse” in Europe over her demands to create a frictionless “free trade area” with the EU after Brexit, there is talk of a “pivot” to a Canada-style free trade agreement (FTA).

But would such a deal break the deadlock in the current Brexit negotiations over a Withdrawal Agreement, or so-called ‘Divorce deal’? And what would a Canada-style trade deal mean for British jobs and business?

Here, with the help of trade experts, we look at the options.

Would a Canada-style option break the divorce deal deadlock?

No. To explain why, it is worth following this through, one step at a time.

A Canada-style FTA acceptable to Brexiteers would leave the UK outside the EU customs union, which requires all EU member states to charge the same tariffs.

The UK agreed last December to an invisible border with no new infrastructure in Northern Ireland, which will be the new UK-EU land border after Brexit.

To guarantee that the UK will make good on that commitment to an invisible border, the EU wants a cast-iron, legally operable ‘backstop’ in the Withdrawal Agreement (Article 50) before it will agree to a deal. Without a divorce deal, there will be no trade negotiation.