Brexit

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 […]

David Cameron has declined to comment after being subjected to a brutal tongue-lashing from actor Danny Dyer over his part in Brexit. The soap star branded the politician a “twat” on live TV and accused him of “scuttling off” after plunging the country into the confusion of EU withdrawal But a spokesman for Mr Cameron […]

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 Exeter’s Northcott Theatre, which next month plays host to The League of Gentleman. But who’s serving the special stuff – and who thinks Britain is a local country for local […]

The events of the referendum night, writes JAMES BALL, shine a fascinating light on the world of finance, polling and politics It was the week a major news organisation accused Nigel Farage of perhaps the most cynical manipulation of financial markets in history Bloomberg, the international financial news agency, suggested the former UKIP leader might […]

Migrants from Ukraine could take the place of EU workers in the aftermath of Brexit, Michael Gove has said. The UK environment secretary told MSPs at Holyrood that industries could in future have to “think about looking further afield” when recruiting staff. Some sectors of the UK economy, such as food production and the hospitality […]

The government’s hopes of achieving world-class animal welfare standards will “evaporate” unless they are written into law as Britain leaves the EU, a new report has warned. Compassion in World Farming said the UK would come under intense pressure to accept lower standards once its food production industry was removed from EU structures which currently […]

The Tories’ increasingly vicious civil war has continued with a government Brexiteer hitting out at business secretary Greg Clark over his please to listen to business. Brexit minister Steve Baker insisted Britain “must” leave the EU’s internal market as ministers jockey for position ahead of a crunch Cabinet summit at Chequers next week. His comments […]

The Conservative leader in the National Assembly for Wales has quit the post after seven years following a spat over the future for Welsh jobs after Brexit. Andrew RT Davies said in a statement that he had tendered his resignation “with deep regret” following a meeting of all Conservative Assembly Members (AMs) this morning. Prime […]

Jacob Rees-Mogg has been accused of a “pathetic little stunt” over a visit to the Irish border with a TV news crew – after failing to go on two trips with the Brexit committee he sits on. The leader of the hardline Tory European Research Group has today travelled to the border with Sky News. […]

Britain’s “divorce bill” from the EU could cost billions of pounds more than the government has acknowledged while its promised “Brexit dividend” will take years to materialise, MPs have warned. The Commons Public Accounts Committee said there was a “risk” that the final settlement could exceed the Treasury’s “narrow” estimate of £35bn to £39bn. It […]

Boris Johnson has poured cold water on England’s World Cup chances, telling fans “not to let their hopes get away with them”. The foreign secretary and Brexiteer-in-chief was criticised after downplaying Gareth Southgate’s side’s chances following their record 6-1 win over Panama at the weekend. Mr Johnson, already facing attacks over his no-show at the […]

Major job losses will occur if the government allows service industries to “fall off a cliff edge” after Brexit, London mayor Sadiq Khan has told MPs. Mr Khan called for much greater emphasis to be put on the sector during withdrawal negotiations with Brussels as services account for 40% of UK exports to the EU […]

The European Commission is making plans which could see British citizens requiring a visa to enter the EU after Brexit, it has emerged. A document titled ‘Pending and planned legislative proposals for the purposes of Brexit preparedness’, seen by the website Politico, has reportedly been presented to MEPs. The site said it was presented by […]

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 Birmingham, the show’s 47th visit to England’s second city and the first since David Dimbleby announced he would be ceasing his quarter-century bed-blocking at the end of this year. But […]

Ireland’s deputy premier has warned the UK there will be no Brexit withdrawal deal without an agreement on the Irish border. Ahead of a visit by European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker to Dublin, Tanaiste Simon Coveney indicated that a no-deal scenario was now being seriously contemplated within the EU. “This is a question many people […]

Brexit rebels failed in their bid to force the government’s hand over a ‘meaningful vote’ – but how did your MP vote? Six Conservative MPs rebelled to support the “meaningful vote” amendment tabled in Tory MP Dominic Grieve’s name to the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill. Four Labour MPs also rebelled to vote against the amendment, […]

The government has advertised for two new top jobs in airspace strategy and Brexit aviation negotiations – stressing that no experience of the complex sector is needed. The roles – officially titled Head of Airspace Strategy and Head of Aviation EU Exit Negotiations – appear on the civil service jobs website. The first role will […]

Prime minister Theresa May is facing yet another close Brexit vote as the EU (Withdrawal) Bill returns to the House of Commons amid divisions over the role of MPs in the final legislation. Here are some of the questions being asked about this week’s votes: What is the purpose of this Bill? The EU (Withdrawal) […]

Britain’s plan for a temporary customs “backstop” to solve the Irish border issue is “not acceptable” and any fall-back option cannot be time-limited, the European Parliament’s chief Brexit co-ordinator has told MPs. Guy Verhofstadt said the government’s position that the backstop of continuing UK alignment with the EU customs union would cease by the end […]

Ireland’s premier has accused the UK of stalling progress in Brexit negotiations and warned of the consequences of not striking a deal on the border. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar suggested other countries would baulk at signing trade deals with the UK post-Brexit if prime minister Theresa May failed to honour commitments made to the EU on […]

Donations of £725,000 made by the official Leave campaign in the run-up to the EU referendum should have been treated as expenses, senior judges have heard. The Good Law Project (GLP) is bringing a High Court challenge against the Electoral Commission, arguing the commission should have taken action over spending by Vote Leave Ltd ahead […]

Brexit means there as a “very clear argument” for Gibraltar to have its own MP, a Conservative MP has said. South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay claimed Brexit provided Britain with an “opportunity to build further on our relationship and to protect further the Rock’s rights and interests, and this is best guaranteed by a closer […]

A Labour MP has called on ministers to back moves to abolish the House of Lords following the latest defeat in the upper chamber for the government’s flagship Brexit bill. Frank Field – one of a small group Labour MPs to campaign for Leave in the EU referendum – has tabled a bill in the […]

Non-UK EU nationals make up more than a quarter of the construction workforce in London, according to official analysis. It found 28% of those employed in the industry in the capital are from one of the 27 other EU member states. Nationally, around one in 14 construction workers are non-UK EU citizens – referred to […]

The UK will not be able to take part in the European Arrest Warrant after Brexit, Michel Barnier said today as he hit out at British politicians who sought to blame Brussels for the consequences of the Leave vote. The European Union’s chief negotiator said Theresa May’s “red lines” meant it was impossible to remain […]