Brexit

We asked pro-European readers of The New European how they will mark the end of the Brexit transition period at 11pm on Thursday December 31. “By doing another property search in Scotland” – Nicholas Crosby “I will hang out my EU flag to annoy my neighbours” – Sandi McDonagh “I’ll raise a glass to the fantastic pro-EU […]

A former MP has claimed that the Essex town of Clacton was responsible for delivering Brexit. Douglas Carswell, who defected from the Tories to UKIP in 2014 before calling a by-election, claims that his win in that vote caused David Cameron to hold the EU referendum shortly after. The Vote Leave politician, recently appointed to […]

Boris Johnson’s post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union has won the backing of the European Research Group, who have said the agreement “preserves the UK’s sovereignty”. A self-styled “star chamber” of lawyers – led by senior Tory Sir Bill Cash – was assembled by the ERG to examine the 1,246-page text of the agreement. They […]

The government has signed a deal which will allow British businesses to continue trading with Turkey on the same terms after Brexit. The deal between Ankara and London will roll over the benefits UK and Turkish businesses had while trading with each other when the UK was still part of the European Union. The tariff-free […]

A Labour MP has explained why she will defy the party leadership over Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal. Appearing on Channel 4 News, Rupa Huq said she “doesn’t want to be a part” of the consequences of voting to support the deal. “It’s a relief that a deal has been done because obviously if you’re jumping […]

A Brexiteer has spoken of his regret for supporting the Leave vote – claiming it’s a case of “be careful what you wish for”. Peter Wood, an exporter of glass eels in Gloucester to the EU, appeared on Sky News to talk about Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal. He told a reporter: “We all produce the […]

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas has explained why she will reject Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal – saying she wants to avoid being complicit in the creation of a “poorer, smaller UK with diminished global influence”. Lucas, a pro-European campaigner, said that there is no mandate for the agreement the prime minister secured with the EU. […]

A pro-Brexit fisherman who was one of the forces behind the Fishing for Leave campaign has claimed the Brexit deal is so bad that remaining in the EU would be a better option. Writing for Conservative Women, John Ashworth commented on the impact of the deal on the industry. He wrote: “I keep hoping I will […]

A Brexiteer’s claim that Boris Johnson’s deal with the European Union will give the country just 2.32% more fish has been mocked. Martin Daubney, a former Brexit Party MEP, took to Twitter to herald the Brexit agreement that Boris Johnson had secured on Christmas Eve claiming that they had “fought against the entire establishment – […]

Two former Brexit Party MEPs have clashed over Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal – amid accusations the prime minister has “sold out” the fishing industry. Turning to Twitter, Lance Forman tweeted his praise for the agreement secured on Christmas Eve with the EU. He wrote: “Congratulations Boris Johnson for remaining firm to secure the Brexit deal that benefits […]

A German newspaper columnist has described his “anger” surrounding Brexit as he hit out at the “liars and amateurs” in Britain that took over the running of the country. Nikolaus Blome, writing for Der Spiegel, said Boris Johnson and the Brexiteers were “an eternal shame for all conservatives” as he explained to his newspaper audience […]

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is facing a high-profile revolt over his decision to back Boris Johnson’s EU trade deal in this week’s Commons vote. Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell and ex-cabinet minister Ben Bradshaw are among the signatories to a letter calling on opposition parties not to support the “rotten” agreement, The Guardian reported. […]

Tory Brexiteers in the influential European Research Group are set to support Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal ahead of a vote in the House of Commons. The prime minister had expected up to 20 of the MPs in the Eurosceptic faction of the Conservative Party to vote against the agreement with the EU, after giving Theresa […]

The DUP has joined a majority of Northern Ireland’s MPs in saying it will not vote for Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal. The Democratic Unionist Party announced its eight MPs will vote against the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the UK and the EU in the House of Commons when it is recalled on Wednesday. An […]

EU ambassadors have given the “green light” to Britain’s post-Brexit trade deal to be implemented from January 1. The move paves the way for the agreement which allows for the continued tariff-free trade with the EU single market to take effect when the current Brexit transition period expires on Thursday. “EU ambassadors have unanimously approved the […]

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has rejected claims that Britain’s fishermen will be worse off as a result of the post-Brexit trade deal struck with the EU. Fishermen’s leaders have accused Boris Johnson of betraying the industry over the compromise struck with Brussels over future fishing rights in UK waters. However, Gove insisted they would […]

Tory grandee Lord Heseltine has called on MPs and peers to abstain when voting on Boris Johnson’s Brexit trade deal with the European Union, which he warned will inflict “lasting damage” on the UK. The former deputy prime minister, who campaigned to remain within the bloc, said however that he would not vote against it […]

Members of Labour’s frontbench are preparing to rebel and resign over Keir Starmer’s instruction to vote for Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal. The Labour leader is facing a revolt after he said on Christmas Eve he will back the agreement even though he has doubts about the deal. His party is maintaining its stance on voting […]

Prime minister Boris Johnson has “bottled it” over fishing rights as his Brexit deal has secured “a fraction of what the UK has a right to under international law”, according to a leader representing fishermen. Barrie Deas, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO), said Johnson was guilty of “surrender”. Following the release […]

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey indicated the party is likely to vote against the Brexit trade deal with the European Union. He told BBC Breakfast: “If the details turn out to be what we’re hearing, we cannot support it. This will be so bad for British business, so bad for families to mean they’re […]

Scrutiny of the Brexit trade agreement with the European Union has begun after the full treaty was published less than a week before it is due to be implemented. Legal experts and MPs were poring over the 1,246-page document published on the morning of Boxing Day, as Boris Johnson worked to persuade Eurosceptic Tories to […]

Home secretary Priti Patel insisted the Brexit deal will help make the UK safer, despite police chiefs’ concerns about lack of access to a key EU information database. The deal allows the two sides to co-operate on security and policing issues, but Brussels said the UK will no longer have “direct, real-time access” to sensitive […]

Cabinet minister Michael Gove, writing in The Times, has said the government’s Brexit deal will end the “ugly” politics since the 2016 Brexit referendum. The leading Brexiteer said he “won’t deny it’s been difficult” for many people since then. “Friendships have been strained, families were divided and our politics has been rancorous and, at times, […]

As ambassadors meet to discuss the Brexit trade deal over Christmas, one diplomat warned it will leave the UK with more export rules than any other country in the world. Sebastian Fischer, a spokesman for the German presidency of the Council of the EU, joked that he was looking forward to the diplomats’ meeting “because […]

Boris Johnson has used a festive message to the nation to urge people to read the new Brexit trade deal after Christmas lunch. The prime minister posted a video on Twitter in which he brandished the document, which has not been released in full yet, and at one point punched the air with enthusiasm at […]

The first political party to commit itself to immediately campaigning for the UK to rejoin the EU has been revealed. Pan-European party Volt UK is part of the Volt Europa family which has achieved success around Europe for promoting open, progressive and collaborative politics. With Westminster opposition parties ruling out campaigning for the UK to rejoin the […]

The EU and UK agreement over Brexit allowed both sides to review the deal in four years time – enabling the government to choose a no-deal Brexit or closer alignment The ‘break’ clause will allow the European Union and the UK government to bring the agreement to an end if they are not happy with […]

Pro-European campaigners have issued a warning about Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, after cautiously welcoming the end of the prospect of no-deal. Lord Heseltine, European Movement President, said: “We must welcome the news that Brexit does not end in the chaos of no deal with the sense of relief of a condemned man informed that his […]

Instant analysis of Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal has shown that the best agreement for Britain is to remain in the EU. Brussels has published a checklist of “big changes” EU member states can expect when trading with Britain under the newly-agreed Brexit deal. The chart shows frictionless trade coming to an end, Britain’s services industry undergoing a shake-up with the […]

Boris Johnson has said he is launching a new scheme to replace the UK’s participation in the Erasmus exchange programme – which had seen participants able to study across Europe. Asked about it at a Number 10 press conference, Johnson said it would be replaced by a worldwide scheme named after Bletchley Park code breaker Alan […]

Boris Johnson has been roundly mocked following a tweet he made celebrating the newly-announced Brexit deal. Johnson became the centre of ridicule after posting a picture of himself, thumbs-up, declaring that a “deal is done”. The tweet comes after a trade deal was agreed between the European Union and the United Kingdom – six days before the […]

The public has reacted to news that British students will no longer be able to participate in the Erasmus exchange programme under the new Brexit deal agreed by Boris Johnson. Speaking at a press conference after the deal was agreed, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said: “I have just two regrets in terms of our societal […]