News and Opinion

Parts of manufacturing industry face “extinction” unless Britain remains in a customs union with the EU, the president of the CBI has said. Paul Drechsler, who is standing down from his role in the business organisation, said politicians were not focusing on the economics of Brexit. He told the BBC: “If we do not have […]

Relations between the Scottish and UK governments have reached a new low as furious SNP leaders threatened to withdraw their cooperation with Westminster, accusing Conservatives there of forcing through a Brexit “power grab” by the backdoor. Scottish Government ministers and SNP MPs were outraged when amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill related to devolution were […]

TIM WALKER gives Killer Joe at London’s Trafalgar Studios one star Killer Joe Trafalgar Studios, London, until August 18 * (One star) The programme notes for Killer Joe state that Orlando Bloom is ‘best known’ for his roles in the Lord of the Rings and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchises. It would appear that […]

Labour is avoiding answering questions on Brexit, says Liberal Democrat candidate for Lewisham East LUCY SALEK. We need a final say on the Brexit deal This week MPs vote on the Brexit bill. The people of Lewisham East also have a vote and a choice, either they send me to Parliament, safe in the knowledge […]

Anna Soubry has told the House of Commons that it is time for MPs to do the right thing on Brexit amid claims that threats were influencing votes. During an impassioned speech she pleaded for the government not to go ‘over the cliff’ into a hard Brexit and warned MPs not to ignore the 48% […]

In the end it was another fudge, another desperate bid to avoid a spat with either Tory Leavers or Remainers. And now the next five days will be key for Theresa May: the battle over exactly what will be in the Brexit Bill when it goes back to the House of Lords starts here. In […]

A last-gasp government concession to Tory rebels has avoided an embarrassing defeat in the House of Commons. Former justice minister Phillip Lee speaking during the debate in the House of Commons Photo: PA – Credit: PA Wire/PA Images After a debate with barnstorming speeches from Tory Remainers Ken Clarke, Anna Soubry and Phillip Lee the […]

Millionaire Brexiteer Arron Banks walked out of a committee hearing into fake news claiming he did not want to be late for lunch. Pro-remain protesters outside Portcullis House as Leave.EU founder Arron Banksgave evidence to the select committee Photo: PA / Philip Toscano – Credit: PA Wire/PA Images Banks and Leave.EU communications Andy Wigmore chief […]

Nobody said it was easy, sang Coldplay. This lot did “All of this is going to be bloody difficult to do,” the UK’s former ambassador to the EU, said of Brexit today as he gave evidence to the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee. “If you take Brexit seriously, which I do, you can’t say you […]

A “major crunch” is looming over Britain’s post-Brexit customs arrangements with Brussels, the UK’s former ambassador to the EU has said. Sir Ivan Rogers raised serious concerns about the two trading options which have split the Cabinet as he gave evidence to the Commons Home Affairs Committee. Senior ministers have been divided between a maximum […]

The Sun’s front cover has sparked confusion and hilarity on social media after the paper launched another pro-Brexit tirade against Remainer MPs. The newspaper – alongside the Daily Express – ran a screaming headline warning MPs not to vote against the government ahead of crucial legislation on Britain’s withdrawal from the EU returning to the […]

Justice minister Phillip Lee has quit to fight the government’s Brexit policy. Former justice minister Phillip Lee Photo: Parliament – Credit: Archant The resignation comes ahead of a crunch Commons votes on Brexit. Remain-supporting Dr Lee said: ‘If Brexit is worth doing, then it is certainly worth doing well’ and it is ‘irresponsible to proceed […]

Theresa May faces a crunch 48 hours in the House of Commons. Here are some of the key points: What is Bill trying to achieve? The EU (Withdrawal) Bill revokes the 1972 Act which took the UK into the European Economic Area, but also transposes all relevant EU law into British statute so there are […]

Brexit headbanger Nigel Farage dodged some potentially difficult question over the investigation into Russian links to Brexit when he hung up on a journalist who hijacked his radio show. The Guardian’s Carole Cadwalladr has printed several stories investigating alleged links between the Brexit vote, Cambridge Analytica and Russia. Carole Cadwalla cut off by Nigel Farage […]

In an exclusive serialisation of his new book, broadcaster and journalist STIG ABELL unpicks the ideas and institutions that make the nation tick. This week, he takes a look at law and order WHERE DO LAWS COME FROM? There are three places. The first is the ‘common law’, the collected precedents formed by judges’ rulings […]

A Conservative minister has been criticised for “oddly dark” comments about hanging following a plea for unity over Brexit from Theresa May. It followed a meeting of the backbench 1922 committee this evening ahead of a series of crunch Commons votes in which Mrs May told MPs to consider the signal that would be sent […]

Theresa May has begged Tory rebels not to undermine her negotiating position with the EU by backing amendments to Brexit legislation made by the Lords. Addressing a meeting of the backbench 1922 committee this evening ahead of a series of crunch Commons votes, the beleaguered prime minister told MPs to consider the signal that would […]

The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association has become the first trade union affiliated to the Labour Party to back a People’s Vote on Brexit. Union delegates at their conference in Leicester voted overwhelmingly in favour of a fresh referendum on the final Brexit deal. The union also voted to support remaining a member of the EU […]

Theresa May’s appeal for a show of unity from her warring MPs “must fall on deaf ears”, a leading anti-Brexit campaigner has said. The prime minister is seeking to avoid a series of damaging Commons defeats on the government’s centrepiece Brexit legislation. The EU (Withdrawal) Bill returns to the Commons on tomorrow with ministers seeking […]

At a pedestrian crossing in Bucharest a woman overheard us speaking English and said to us: ‘You are English, why are you in Romania?’ When we looked bemused at her question, she added: ‘The English, they hate the Romanians. I know. My sister lives in England.’ It turned out she had visited her sister here […]

However much hardship a straight white guy may have to deal with, there are whole worlds of hardship he’ll never experience, says MITCH BENN. Something which most outwardly progessive-thinking people can generally be expected to agree upon is the principle of the level playing field. This is, of course, the idea that a person should […]

In a troubled world, facing multiple threats, the Pope is emerging as an important counterweight to some of the most dangerous forces, says PAUL KNOTT. Stalin once dismissed the power of religion by asking sarcastically ‘how many (military) divisions does the Pope have?’ As it turned out, he does not always need any. Pope John […]

The self-proclaimed ‘bad boy of Brexit’ Arron Banks has been accused of conducting a series of meetings with Russian officials. The millionaire Brexit campaigner, who bankrolled the Leave.EU campaign, allegedly held several undisclosed meetings with Russian embassy officials and had discussions about a business deal involving six Russian goldmines. Banks was introduced to the ambassador […]

It is a familiar brand in the UK but almost unheard of in the US, where it is tainted with accusations of Chinese espionage. CHARLES TURNER reports. Huawei remains an obscure name in the United States, even after the Chinese company passed Apple to be the second largest smartphone maker in the world. It will […]

The failure of the European cause in Britain has many fathers, says PETER MILLAR, including some who might seem to be among ‘the good guys’. It was, the Prime Minister said, ‘a tragedy’. ‘Too many politicians have consistently failed to appreciate the reality of European integration and in so doing they have failed Britain’s interests.’ […]

Antonia Wimbush on the controversy being generated by a little-known chapter in the country’s post-colonial history. While the Windrush scandal has given Britain cause to look back at its treatment of post-Second World War migrants who were bought to Europe to help address labour shortages, France has had an opportunity to do something similar – […]

It was striking to note the portents of doom heralded by various sections of the media around the issue of the so-called constitutional crisis besetting Italy. This was, as they saw it, yet another nail in the EU’s coffin post-Brexit. Much to their disappointment, this issue was quickly resolved, with a new populist government comprising […]

The whole country now has a real need to step back and do a reality check as to where we actually are with regard to Brexit, and the unbelievably ridiculous proposals being put forward by people in charge. The justice secretary David Gauke has stated that prisoners will be able to fill the post-Brexit workforce […]

Following the cancellation of sitcom Roseanne, BONNIE GREER looks at the changing landscape of American television. America is and was built on myth. It is impossible to understand the US, to live and thrive there, without knowing this and somehow, in the end, becoming a part of it, too. Every American carries within herself/himself myth […]

PAUL CONNEW looks ahead to Trump’s summit with Kim Jong-un. Does it take a despot to know a despot? Is there Machiavellian method in the madness of Donald Trump? Big questions as the president prepares for Tuesday’s Singapore summit with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un. Trump seems to have spent much of his preparation on […]

The showdown in parliament may end in a tactical victory for the government, but it represents yet another tragic strategic defeat, says ANDREW ADONIS. Theresa May’s High Noon is next Tuesday, when the Lords’ amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill are considered by the Commons. A political shoot-out beckons on the European single market and […]

STEVE ANGLESEY picks the losers and the losers – because there are no winners – from another week on Planet Brexit. MICHAEL GOVE Two years after driving around the country in his Big Red Lie Bus as part of his duties as joint-head of a Vote Leave campaign built on falsehoods, the environment secretary has […]