Brexit

MPs have voted 357 to 268, a majority of 89, to reinsert a controversial section of the UK Internal Market Bill which enables ministers to breach international law over Brexit. The House of Commons restored sections of the Bill removed by peers, as talks between the UK and EU continue in search of a deal […]

The government has been defeated in the Lords over giving parliament a bigger say in the approval of post-Brexit trade agreements. Peers backed by 308 votes to 261, majority 47, a cross-party amendment to the Trade Bill calling for greater accountability and transparency of deals. The legislation will enable the UK to forge new commercial […]

Shadow chancellor of the Duchy Rachel Reeves has put down James Cleverly over his claim that the “oven-ready deal” promised at the last general election had been delivered. Cleverly, appearing on BBC Breakfast earlier, said that Boris Johnson’s comments only related to the Withdrawal Agreement and not a Brexit deal overall. He said: “That ‘oven-ready’ that […]

A charity that advocates for migrant rights’ has launched legal action against Priti Patel arguing the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) causes unlawful discrimination. The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) is calling on the home secretary to scrap or at least extend the scheme beyond June 2021.   They warn failure to do so could result in tens of thousands EU nationals losing […]

The government has said it is prepared to remove three controversial clauses from the UK Internal Market Bill following discussions in the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee, providing a Brexit deal is agreed with the EU. In a statement, the government said: “Discussions continue to progress and final decisions are expected in the coming days. “If […]

David Davis has caused a stir after claiming that Britain has maintained a “civilised approach” to Brexit talks, before saying that the European Union had not. Penning an article for The Sun the former Brexit secretary wrote in support of a no-deal Brexit, claiming current negotiator Lord Frost had “played a blinder” and that Britain “had nothing […]

Downing Street has finally acknowledged for the first time that leaving the EU on an ‘Australia-style’ deal is the equivalent of a no-deal Brexit, but still insists the UK can “prosper” from it. As what is meant by the definition, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “As a matter of fact, Australia does not have a comprehensive […]

A Brexiteer MP has been described as “thick as two short planks” after suggesting tariffs on EU goods would help Britain cover export costs after it leaves the trading bloc. Andrew Bridgen has become the centre of ridicule after suggesting Britain could use levies imposed on EU-imported products to reimburse exporters hit with new fees […]

Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson has said that the prime minister has accepted that food prices will rise if the UK leaves the post-Brexit transition period without a trade deal in place. He referred reporters to environment secretary George Eustice saying there would be a less than 2% rise on some products as a result of […]

Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice has been challenged after suggesting Britain fast-tracked a coronavirus vaccine thanks to Brexit. Politics Live presenter Jo Coburn swiftly rebuffed Tice who suggested Britain was able to speedily approve a vaccine because it was no longer part of the EU. Tice was echoing comments made by the health secretary last week that […]

Nigel Farage has been reminded of his poor record of attending fisheries meetings as an MEP after slamming Boris Johnson’s potential Brexit deal climbdown. The Brexit Party leader was criticised for a tweet he made slamming news of a potential compromise over fishing rights in UK waters, which has been a stumbling block in trade talks. Responding to […]

Jurgen Klopp has complained about new post-Brexit transfer rules after the Football Association (FA) announced Brexit would have ramifications for English football. The FA, alongside the Premier League and EFL, confirmed this week that English clubs cannot sign foreign players until they are 18, or more than three overseas players under 21 in a single […]

James Cleverly has struggled to explain how the UK will access the coronavirus vaccine – which is produced in Belgium – in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Cleverly said stocks of the vaccine would be flown into the UK should a no-deal Brexit occur but stopped short of explaining other methods were being considered by the government. […]

Boris Johnson is reportedly preparing to pull out of Brexit talks in the next 48 hours if the European Union does not agree to his demands. The Sun reports that Johnson will end the negotiations between the United Kingdom and European Union by the middle of the week if there is no further progress. It […]

Piers Morgan had the perfect response to government minister James Cleverly after he was questioned about ministers preparedness for a no-deal Brexit. Answering questions from Morgan on Good Morning Britain, Cleverly dismissed questions about a document showing “reasonable worst-case scenarios” surrounding no-deal Brexit. He was asked who would be held accountable if the document, first […]

Readers have their say on the on-going Brexit and coronavirus crises. The pandemic has highlighted the need to compromise, cooperate and collaborate. Without compromise a balance cannot be struck between saving lives and livelihoods. Without cooperation communities will not work with the authorities keeping people safe and the economy supplying essential commodities and needs. Experts, including […]

Readers have their say on how Labour should vote on any Brexit deal. Let us assume, as Alastair Campbell does, that the government reaches a deal with the EU. It is sincerely to be hoped that the Labour Party does not support any such arrangement. To reject a bad deal is not only in the […]

Nearly three-quarters of the Britons do not want US healthcare companies to be given increased access to the NHS, a new poll has found. Polling commissioned by anti-privatisation campaigners We Own It found 73pc of respondents did not want US companies to be allowed to offer NHS services, compared to 13pc who do. The poll comes amidst fears […]

Donald MacIntyre on how Britain’s reputation is changing in the eyes of the world Although he was one of the most celebrated British diplomats of the era, few now remember how explosive was the leaking of the farewell telegram the UK ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas (Nico) Henderson wrote about Britain’s international standing for his […]

A Tory MP has admitted there could be Brexit food shortages after the Brexit transition period ends on December 31 given many lorry drivers plan to “give Britain a miss” in January and February. Former Conservative minister Damian Green made the claim as he discussed the impact of Brexit on his Ashford constituency in Kent, […]

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey has insisted it would be “completely wrong” for Labour not to vote one way or the other, should the UK and EU reach an agreement, given it is the “most important issue of the day”. Shadow ministers appearing on the Sunday round of broadcast interviews repeatedly said they wanted prime […]

TIM WALKER on how Brexit helped turn actor Frances Barber from an enemy to a friend. It was a young man named Tyler who first acquainted me with Frances Barber. Six years ago, she boarded a plane at Heathrow bound for Los Angeles and he’d been seated beside her. The crew made a big fuss […]

Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier has cancelled a Brexit briefing with national envoys because of “ongoing intensive negotiations in London”, a spokesman for the bloc confirmed. Barnier has binned a Friday briefing for national envoys to the bloc in the latest sign both sides could be nearing a trade deal. Hopes for an agreement had been […]

The Brexit deal we end up with won’t be worth the paper it’s written on, and Boris Johnson is to blame, writes LUISA PORRITT, the Liberal Democrat candidate for mayor of London. Like many Brits, I have been on a streaming spree of The Crown over lockdown. For those who haven’t been watching, the latest series […]

A Brexiteer economist who said Britain’s fishing industry had been “decimated” by the EU has been urged to review his facts. Liam Halligan, an economist and Sunday Telegraph writer, claimed Britain had a “colonial relationship” with the EU over fishing rights. Appearing on BBC 1’s Question Time, Halligan said: “Two-thirds of fish in British waters are caught by […]

Brexit talks are due to continue on Friday amid warnings the prospect of a breakthrough is “receding”. Negotiations between the UK and EU seemed to stall on Thursday – with Britain claiming Brussels was calling for fresh concessions at the 11th hour. And with the Brexit transition period due to end on December 31, there […]

A fish merchant has said he was “brainwashed” into voting for Brexit and that he “wishes he hadn’t”. Brixham-based fish merchant Ian Perkes told Financial Times (FT)that he “never looked at implications of the paperwork” that a vote to leave would bring.  Perkes has now added his name to a letter from the fishing industry to […]

The importance of the fishing industry – and its centrality to the Brexit negotiations – does not lie in economic figures. Fishing, in the UK, is important. And, generally speaking, many Remain supporters have failed to understand that – and it could even be argued our failure to do so helps to explain not just why […]

Weak Labour is letting itself be led by the Conservatives on Brexit.  It’s the hope that kills you. Every football fan knows the feeling. But it’s the same in politics too. Despite being kicked out of the party a while back I so hope Labour win the next election. I so hope the venality and incompetence […]

Gavin Williamson has become the centre of an ongoing joke after he claimed Britain swiftly approved a Covid-19 vaccine because it was a “much better country” than others. The education secretary told LBC radio that Britain had “much better” medical regulators than France, Belgium, and the US, who helped rapidly approve a coronavirus vaccine. Commenting UK regulators approving […]

TIM WALKER on the latest manoeuvrings for the job of BBC chair. Plus, the return of Michael Gove’s mystery leaker. Mandrake hears that the BBC plans to announce its new chair before Christmas and it looks as if Richard Sharp – a Tory donor who was once Rishi Sunak‘s boss at Goldman Sachs – is a shoo-in. More […]

Germany’s health minister has struck down claims UK officials were able to swiftly authorise the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine because of Brexit. Jens Spahn said the claims had been ‘misplaced’ as he reminded Westminster politicians that the vaccine had been partly developed by German biotech start-up. In a briefing on Wednesday, Spahn said although Britain had already approved […]