Brexit

A future trade deal with the United States is “totally up in the air” after the Cabinet signed off on a new Brexit strategy at Chequers, the US ambassador to the UK has said. Donald Trump will discuss how an agreement could be struck after Britain quits the EU when he visits the UK later […]

Nicola Sturgeon has declared it is “game on” for campaigners hoping to keep the UK in the single market and the customs union after the UK Cabinet signed up to plans which could keep the UK closely tied to Brussels. After a day of intensive discussions at Chequers, Theresa May managed to secure the agreement […]

Theresa May faces a battle to win over her party after Jacob Rees-Mogg began the revolt against what he called her “softly boiled” Brexit. The prime minister’s plan, which will be assessed by the EU, would result in the creation of a new UK-EU free trade area for goods, with a “common rulebook”. A new […]

Here are some of the key details contained in the government’s summary of the Brexit plan Theresa May’s Cabinet agreed at Chequers. At the core of the proposal is the establishment of a “free trade area for goods” to “avoid friction at the border, protect jobs and livelihoods, and ensure both sides meet their commitments […]

Theresa May appears to have faced down Brexiteer Cabinet ministers after securing agreement on plans which will keep the UK closely aligned to Brussels. The proposals, which will now be assessed by the European Union, would result in the creation of a new UK-EU free trade area for goods, with a “common rulebook”. But under […]

Labour will not rule out a referendum on the final Brexit deal, Sir Keir Starmer said as he acknowledged leaving the EU would mean “things will get worse” in the short-term. The shadow Brexit secretary told a private meeting that Labour was not explicitly calling for a public vote on the final deal and respected […]

Voters must be given a say on the final outcome of Brexit talks between Britain and the rest of the EU, a senior member of the Scottish Government has said. Mike Russell, the constitutional relations secretary in Nicola Sturgeon’s cabinet, said that people “require” such a ballot. The comments appear to be among the strongest […]

Some consumer and business protection laws risk not being in place by the time Britain leaves the EU, the head of the National Audit Office has warned. Sir Amyas Morse said that preparing for Brexit was not easy with so many “what ifs” remaining over the UK’s future relationship with Brussels, and subsequent pressure on […]

Scottish ministers have submitted their own “realistic and workable” Brexit proposals to the UK government ahead of crunch Cabinet talks at Chequers. They include a plan to retain membership of the European single market and remain part of the customs union. Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon said “the time is fast approaching for the prime […]

Who is on Question Time tonight and where do they stand on Brexit? Here’s your guide… The BBC’s flagship current affairs programme tonight comes from the Alive Corn Exchange in King’s Lynn, Norfolk. A heart carved on the wall of the town’s market place commemorates the burning of an alleged witch, Margaret Read, in 1590, […]

The diary also focuses on open secrets in David Davis’s Brexit dept, David Cameron’s refusal to be provoked by Danny Dyer and the Goves’ love of lucre writes TIM WALKER It’s a measure of the McCarthyite times in which we live that Sir David Attenborough – without question the nation’s most revered broadcaster – has […]

As Vote Leave are found guilty of campaign overspending, whistleblower CHRISTOPHER WYLIE on why the UK still seems unconcerned by allegations of referendum wrongdoing ‘In elections, as in sport, those who win by cheating have not properly won and are disqualified. Nor is it of any avail for the candidate to say ‘I would have […]

Britain’s most senior police officer has warned that international crime fighting systems will be “clunkier, clumsier and more expensive” after Brexit if investigators are left with reduced access to information. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick told a committee hearing at London’s City Hall that forces in the UK are “big users of a lot of […]

Theresa May has insisted she has a “strong” Cabinet ahead of its Brexit showdown, in remarks she appeared to actually believe. The prime minister seemed to genuinely praise her team after Tory Brexiteer, Cabinet minister and badger botherer Owen Paterson suggested she judge her ministers against the election promise that the UK would leave the […]

Establishing a new customs system for the UK after Brexit could take up to five years, according to government papers. Documents sent to businesses as part of a consultation over the government’s post-Brexit customs model reveal it is likely to take between three and five years to put in systems in place. The upper end […]

More Tory Brexiteers are threatening Cabinet ministers not to keep the UK closely tied to Brussels ahead of a crunch meeting at Chequers. Theresa May is trying to force through a compromise that will secure support from both wings of her Cabinet at the gathering on Friday, but the Conservatives’ hardline Brexiteer backbenchers are calling […]

A watchdog is expected to find Vote Leave, the official Brexit campaign, breached electoral rules during the referendum, according to reports. The campaign group’s former chief executive, Matthew Elliott, said the Electoral Commission (EC) had concluded that Vote Leave exceeded spending limits and made a donation to a group that it should not have. But […]

Households outside London are likely to be hit hardest by an increase in the cost of living caused by Brexit, according to a new study. A Hard Brexit – in which the UK leaves the European single market and customs union – would push average household expenditure up by around 2.7% in London and 3%-3.2% […]

Brexit is turning into a “nightmare” with the shadow of job losses hanging over British industry because of the government’s handling of negotiations to leave the EU, a union leader has warned. Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite, said prime minister Theresa May had lost all authority or capacity to make decisions. He told the […]

Sinn Fein’s president has said Theresa May needs to be called out for delaying tactics over the lack of progress for the Irish border. Mary Lou McDonald expressed concern over the British government’s position in dealing with the border issue. It comes after European leaders urged the UK to intensify its efforts so a Brexit […]

Millions of EU nationals should not have to pay to register to stay in the UK after Brexit, the European Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator has told the government. Guy Verhofstadt has written to home secretary Sajid Javid, saying the £65 cost of signing up to the settlement scheme should be waived. The fee for the EU […]

Brexiteers have been accused by a former Tory minister of “planning a coup” against Theresa May. Bracknell MP Phillip Lee called for “courageous, rational leadership” after reports in the Daily Express that supporters of Jacob Rees-Mogg had amassed a £750,000 fund to fight a leadership campaign if Theresa May is forced out. Dr Lee, who […]

Philip Hammond has called for the concerns of business to be taken seriously ahead of Friday’s key Chequers Brexit summit and days after Boris Johnson is alleged to have said “F*** business”. The comments came at Treasury questions in the Commons after warnings from firms including Airbus and BMW about Brexit were also dismissed by […]

Former Tory Party leader William Hague has issued a blunt warning to Cabinet Brexiteers not to push their demands for a clean break with the EU too far. Ahead of crunch Cabinet talks at Chequers on Friday, Lord Hague said Parliament could force a “watered-down” Brexit on the government if ministers failed to agree a […]

Farmers are experiencing significant financial consequences as they face severe shortages of seasonal workers, a Tory MP has warned. Kirstene Hair (Angus) urged ministers to help the sector by reintroducing a seasonal agricultural workers scheme, which would allow migrants to work on British farms for a certain period of time each year. SNP economy spokeswoman […]

The Treasury and Bank of England have been asked to draw up analyses of the impact of any Brexit deal struck by prime minister Theresa May. The influential Commons Treasury Select Committee has also requested work from the Financial Conduct Authority on the potential impact of the withdrawal agreement and future framework. Treasury Committee chairwoman […]

Firms are running out of patience over the lack of progress in the Brexit talks, a major business organisation has warned Theresa May. The British Chambers of Commerce said companies still face uncertainty over tax, tariffs, customs and regulation, with time running out ahead of the the March 29 2019 Brexit date. Cabinet ministers were […]

Foreign secretary Boris Johnson has come to the defence of Jacob Rees-Mogg over his threat to bring down the government if Theresa May does not deliver the Hard Brexit he wants. Hard Brexiteer Mr Rees-Mogg, tipped as a future Tory leader, insisted he was “confident” that Mrs May would deliver the Brexit he is demanding […]

Russians may be clever but not so much as to sway the outcome of the Brexit referendum, a government frontbencher has bizarrely claimed. Cabinet Office spokesman Lord Young of Cookham said available information indicated the influence of pro-Kremlin internet bots on the campaign was “fairly minimal” and did not account for the 1.3m more people […]

Tory infighting over Europe has intensified after hardline Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg warned Theresa May she must deliver what he wants or risk the collapse of her government. The prime minister will face MPs this afternoon ahead of a crunch meeting of her Cabinet at Chequers on Friday to attempt to thrash out the government’s plans […]

A Cabinet minister has left the door open to extending Britain’s transition out of the EU as hardline backbenchers warned Theresa May the deadline must remain intact. Under the current timetable the implementation period is set to end in December 2020. But Business secretary Greg Clark refused to rule out an extension to the arrangements. […]

Brussels’ chief Brexit negotiator has told Theresa May to produce “realistic and workable” proposals as the prime minister called for the process to accelerate. Michel Barnier said “huge and serious divergence” remained over issues relating to Ireland and Northern Ireland and called for an extra session of negotiations with UK officials on Monday. The prime […]