Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 24th May 2019

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Social climbers The Brexit Party wins the battle for Facebook clicks

However the Brexit Party fares at the ballot box, it has won the battle for clicks. It has spent no more than most of its rivals on Facebook ads in the past month. But it has got dramatically better results. The party’s Facebook pages have attracted 2.2m likes, shares and comments, more than all the other parties combined, and some 30 times more than Change uk, a pro-Remain upstart which outspent it.
25th May 2019 - The Economist

Sort Brexit and win an election: Five things on the next PM's to-do list

Whoever takes over from bleary-eyed Theresa May as prime minister - tear today, gone tomorrow - will face the same Brexit crisis that has brought about her downfall. The new prime minister's first problem will be that the parliamentary arithmetic won't have changed since Theresa May's humiliating Commons defeats earlier this year. A Brexiteer prime minister could still be thwarted by a pro-Remain House of Commons. The next problem is Brussels.
24th May 2019 - Sky News

Farage on course to thrash Tories as Euro Election polls close - and Boris could be heading to No10, Mail poll reveals

Nigel Farage is heading for a landslide victory in the European Parliament elections – and Boris Johnson has raced into a big early lead in the battle to succeed Theresa May as Prime Minister. They are the main findings of an opinion survey which concluded at midnight on Wednesday after it became clear that Mrs May was on the brink of resigning. The Survation poll for the Daily Mail shows Mr Farage’s Brexit Party well ahead in the European elections on 31 per cent, trailed by Labour on 23, the Conservatives on 14 and the Lib Dems on 12. Nearly seven out of ten Tory voters said the reason they did not intend to vote for Mrs May yesterday was because of her failure to deliver Brexit. Calls for her to step down were backed by 57 per cent of Conservatives with 25 per cent against.
24th May 2019 - Daily Mail

European elections latest polls: Brexit Party forecast to win the most votes

With the public having voted in the European Parliament elections on Thursday, the latest polls show that Nigel Farage's Brexit Party was likely to gain the most votes in the UK. Although the vote took place in the UK on Thursday, the results are not expected until Sunday evening due to most other EU member states casting their votes that day. The Conservatives are on course for their lowest ever share of the vote in a nationwide ballot and could even slip into fifth place behind the Greens. Establishment parties are expected to suffer across the EU, both at the hands of the populist-Right as well as resurgent liberal parties. The result is likely to be a more fragmented European Parliament
24th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Cabinet ministers urge May to ditch her Brexit plan as she clings on to power

Theresa May has been urged by Cabinet colleagues to scrap her heavily criticised Brexit legislation as speculation mounted about her future. The Prime Minister was involved in a “frank” discussion with Home Secretary Sajid Javid, while Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt made clear he did not believe her Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) could get through the Commons. The Prime Minister will discuss her leadership in a meeting on Friday with backbench leader Sir Graham Brady amid speculation she could set out the timetable for her exit from Number 10.
23rd May 2019 - Belfast Telegraph

Brussels rejects 'fraudulent' Raab claim used in election video

The European commission has described a claim made by the Conservative leadership hopeful Dominic Raab about a key EU official’s views on Brexit as “fake, fraudulent and pure disinformation” after it was spread in an election campaign video. Raab, who resigned as Brexit secretary last year over the deal struck with the EU, claimed in November that the commission’s secretary general, Martin Selmayr, had boasted that “losing Northern Ireland was the price the UK would pay for Brexit”. The quote attributed by Raab to Selmayr has been used in a two-minute video posted on a Twitter account called NI in Union urging voters in Northern Ireland to support unionist parties in the European elections. The video features images of bombings and says Northern Ireland has been “threatened before” and that voters should “stand up” and make their voice heard.
23rd May 2019 - The Guardian

PM to lay out a timetable to quit within weeks in last-ditch bid to pass Brexit deal

Jeremy Hunt and Sajid Javid told Theresa May her Brexit offer was flawed but neither told her to resign in visit to No10. Theresa May is today expected to lay out a timetable to step down within weeks. In a last-ditch bid to buy more time for her Brexit deal, the PM is set to refuse spiralling Brexiteer demands to quit immediately despite losing much of her Cabinet’s support, allies say.
23rd May 2019 - The Sun

European election predictions: what the pollsters are forecasting

In the likely event of a Conservative wipeout and Brexit party triumph, expect to hear Tory calls for a leader to replace May who can tack to the right and mop up the millions of Brexit party votes. Arguably, something similar happened in 2015, when David Cameron made his fateful referendum promise.
23rd May 2019 - The Guardian

Change UK pays for Facebook ad blitz amid dismal EU poll ratings

Change UK has run a last-minute Facebook advertising campaign to try to shore up its support amid dismal poll ratings for the European elections, but most other parties have mostly avoided large spending on online campaigning. The upstart pro-EU political party, formerly known as the Independent Group, spent £87,000 on Facebook adverts in the seven days up to Wednesday, becoming the biggest single political advertiser on the social networking site, following predictions it could fail to elect a single MEP and faced with the potential resignation of the party’s interim leader, Heidi Allen. Not all Change UK’s adverts have hit the spot. In one example highlighted by iNews, the party spent at least £1,300 promoting Facebook adverts saying it was campaigning to “remain in the UK”.
23rd May 2019 - The Guardian

European elections latest news: Theresa May suggests she will fight on as Sajid Javid tells her he cannot back the current deal

Theresa May has indicated she is willing to change her 'new' Brexit deal in order to stay in Number 10, despite facing growing calls to quit from her MPs. The Prime Minister's official spokesman has claimed she is "listening to colleagues" and will be holding on to push her Brexit deal through
23rd May 2019 - The Telegraph

Theresa May's day of destiny arrives after Jeremy Hunt withdraws support for Brexit bill

Theresa May must finally confront her own destiny on Friday after Jeremy Hunt withdrew his support for her last-chance Brexit bill. In a pivotal meeting on Thursday the Foreign Secretary made it clear to the Prime Minister she must abandon the deeply unpopular plan on which her hopes of survival rested. Mrs May had agreed to announce the timetable of her departure after a vote on the Brexit “divorce” bill next month, but after she cancelled that vote her reason for remaining as Tory leader also fell away. It leaves the Prime Minister cornered as she prepares to meet Sir Graham Brady, her most senior backbencher, on Friday morning to discuss her future.
23rd May 2019 - The Telegraph

Why the UK’s European election is not proxy Brexit referendum

It is widely accepted that only a referendum on Brexit could permit the government to abandon the U.K.’s departure from the EU — the European election won’t change that. In truth, both sides will likely take the result as vindication of their stance. Brexiteers will argue it backs a swift exit, while Remainers will say only a people’s vote can end the political impasse.
23rd May 2019 - Politico.eu

Senior government figures fear UK is inching towards no-deal Brexit

The mood in Dublin on Brexit has darkened in recent weeks with some political figures now wondering if the UK crashing out of the European Union in October without a deal can be avoided, senior sources say. After warnings by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney at Cabinet this week that a no-deal Brexit was more likely than ever, the Taoiseach insisted that he believed an orderly, negotiated Brexit was still the most likely outcome. The Government’s official spokesman said that a British exit on the basis of the withdrawal agreement was still Dublin’s “central-case scenario”. However, senior figures in Dublin say privately that the momentum in London appears to be heading for a no-deal outcome.
23rd May 2019 - The Irish Times

Brexit: Boris Johnson ‘irresponsible and dishonest’ with £350m-a-week NHS pledge, court hears

Boris Johnson could be summoned to court to face accusations ​of misconduct in public office over his infamous pledge to claw back £350m a week from Brussels for the NHS. Lawyers accused the former foreign secretary of lying to voters during the 2016 referendum campaign, as part of efforts to launch a private prosecution by the Brexit Justice campaign. Mr Johnson, who is a frontrunner to succeed Theresa May, has already been rapped by the statistics watchdog for using the figure, which was splashed across the side of a Vote Leave campaign bus.
23rd May 2019 - The Independent

Duncan Smith calls for May's cabinet to quit if Brexit bill published

The former Conservative party leader Iain Duncan Smith has stepped up the pressure on Theresa May by urging her cabinet to resign en masse if the revised EU withdrawal bill is published on Friday. Downing Street is still insisting May plans to publish the bill despite Andrea Leadsom’s resignation as leader of the House of Commons and speculation that the prime minister will have to set a date for her departure on Friday.
23rd May 2019 - The Guardian

UK heading for another Brexit extension in October, suggests Juncker

Jean-Claude Juncker has suggested that the UK is drifting towards another Brexit extension in October as he criticised MPs for prioritising the prime minister’s removal over finding agreement on a Brexit deal. With May appearing on the brink of resignation, the European commission president spoke of his admiration for her resilience and his disdain for the attempts to remove her. “What I don’t like in the British debate is it seems more important to replace the prime minister than to find an agreement among themselves,” Juncker said in an interview with CNN. “This is a woman who knows how to do things but she is unable to succeed in doing things. I like her very much; she is a tough person.”
23rd May 2019 - The Guardian

Dominic Grieve threatens to quit Tories to BLOCK no deal Brexit - ‘EVERYTHING in my power’

Conservative MP Dominic Grieve has sensationally suggested he could quit his party, potentially bringing down the Government, in order to stop a no deal Brexit. The senior backbencher was speaking on the ITV Peston politics show. Theresa May is under intense pressure to resign as Prime Minister, and could be replaced by an advocate of a no deal EU exit. Yesterday Commons leader Andrea Leadsom resigned from the Cabinet saying she no longer trusts the Government to implement Brexit.
23rd May 2019 - Express.co.uk

Theresa May's final days are crashing us into a whole new world of Brexit madness

One of May’s finest attributes has been the heartening way that, on several occasions, she’s decided to go over the heads of the MPs who have rejected her, so she can appeal to the public and be rejected by them as well. The most impressive attempt at this was when she cleverly tried to win people round by going on television and calling everyone an arsehole.
23rd May 2019 - The Independent

Brexit pits young against old through the corruption of ‘traditional values’. But there is a way to reverse the damage

Voter registration, Brexit, Extinction Rebellion and racial injustice – we're attempting to reshape a society in our image. As we begin to reflect on a remarkable European elections campaign, it's also worth looking at political grandees who have been brilliantly speaking out on behalf of young people. I've seen both former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine and former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett speak in public, and they're always most passionate about the impact Brexit will have on the young. There is a genuine desire, across generations, to create a society in a modern age, which reflects some of those old fashioned values. New rules to curtail the influence of money in politics, electoral reform and a covenant for the internet.
23rd May 2019 - The Independent

This prime minister was destroyed by Brexit. And the next one will be too.

The truth about Brexit - the plain and simple truth of it, which no-one can make go away - is that it can only be done to a long timetable and with a lot of pain. It is fiendishly complicated. It requires the full capacity of the British political system for about five to seven years. The sacrifices it demands would probably never be accepted by parliament. And if you managed to get over all those obstacles, your only accomplishment would be to make the country poorer and weaker than it was before. A true Brexiter, someone who was really committed to doing this, would not be lying and misleading, like May, or out on the street promoting their own pure ideological certainty, like Nigel Farage. They would be honest about the timeframe and the trade offs.
23rd May 2019 - Politics.co.uk

UK Prime Minister Theresa May expected depart with Brexit

U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May appears, finally, to have reached the end of the road. A plan to resuscitate her Brexit deal was abandoned on Thursday. The London Times reports that she'll "announce a timetable for her departure tomorrow morning." The bottom line: May came into office three years ago with a singular mission — to deliver Brexit. Anyone would have struggled to do so. She, quite clearly, failed. May labored desperately to stitch together a party that nonetheless continued to fray. British politics are more polarized and gridlocked than at any time in recent memory
23rd May 2019 - Axios

Tory leadership contest to start 10 June, I am told, writes Robert Peston

Put 10 June in your diary. Because that is when the contest to elect a new Tory leader, and therefore a new prime minister, will begin, I am told. Why am I confident of that? Well it is the last possible date for the contest that the shop stewards for Tory MPs, the executive for the 1922 committee, deem acceptable. And - perhaps more importantly - it is the date that the PM has signalled to her closest allies that she can tolerate.
23rd May 2019 - ITV News

Brexit: Jeremy Hunt becomes first cabinet minister to tell May to abandon doomed bill

Jeremy Hunt has broken ranks by becoming the first cabinet member urging Theresa May to abandon her Brexit bill because it is “clear it wouldn’t pass”. In a face-to-face meeting, the foreign secretary told the prime minister it was “too much to ask” Tory MPs to vote for the doomed legislation, The Independent has learned. It is understood that Mr Hunt did not ask Ms May to quit – ahead of a showdown meeting on Friday, when Tory MPs will demand a rapid timetable for her to go.
23rd May 2019 - The Independent

Theresa May halts vote on new Brexit deal as her leadership enters 'death spiral'

Theresa May caved in to her Cabinet today by dramatically halting her Brexit withdrawal Bill in a move that heightened expectations she will resign as Tory leader tomorrow. An isolated Prime Minister began the day by rebuffing members of her own Cabinet ...
23rd May 2019 - Evening Standard

Theresa May’s government pulls June Brexit vote

Theresa May's government pulled a planned vote on her Brexit deal scheduled for the first week of June. Mark Spencer, a government whip, told the House of Commons that the government still planned to publish the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the week commencing June 3, but that a second reading — at which MPs would have the opportunity to vote — could not be confirmed.
23rd May 2019 - Politico

How Boris Johnson sealed Theresa May's doom

Boris' manoeuvres with his backbench colleagues have made it impossible for the PM to have her Brexit plan approved - were she to put her Withdrawal Agreement Bill to a vote, as she still promises to do - because he has persuaded them there is an escape from the Brexit deadlock that is destroying their party but not while she is in 10 Downing Street. It has been put to me as uncontroversial and incontrovertible truth by senior members of the Cabinet whose Brexit credentials are at best moot. "What Boris did was convince my colleagues that if he were PM, he could persuade Brussels to ditch the hated backstop," said one. "Or rather that it is worth a go. And if he fails then it is full steam ahead to a no-deal Brexit, though with proper preparation".
23rd May 2019 - ITV News

Nigel Farage's 'official website' is publishing attacks on Brexit Party leader

A website apparently owned by Nigel Farage has started publishing articles attacking the Brexit Party leader. Recent posts on the website’s blog include two videos from Channel 4 News probing his finances.
23rd May 2019 - Daily Mirror

Macron wants to avoid Brexit 'polluting' EU after 31 October

France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, has said he wants to avoid Brexit “polluting” the EU after 31 October, and that European leaders need to know when the UK’s prolonged departure will come to an end. In April, Macron stood alone at a meeting of the EU27 in championing a short Brexit extension in opposition to those willing to give the UK until next year to complete its withdrawal. The October deadline for the British government to have ratified the withdrawal agreement or face a no-deal exit was a compromise position brokered with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel. Macron, in a sign of the frustration in Brussels at the risk posed to its future agenda by the UK’s continued membership, told the Belgian newspaper Le Soir the EU needed a clear end date to the continuing saga.
22nd May 2019 - The Guardian

European parliament elections: The Brexit effect

Fast-forward almost three years and here we are, it's European Parliament elections time - and although Eurosceptic parties are expected to make a strong showing at the polls, there's barely a peep amongst them (UK parties remaining the exception) about leaving the EU. Why have European voters gone off the idea? In part, this is down to a growing awareness that the world out there is downright unpredictable: with President Trump in the White House; Russian President Putin at large around the European corner; looming trade wars; the environment in a mess; and the threat of mass migration to this continent from poorer parts of the globe.
22nd May 2019 - BBC

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 23rd May 2019

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Andrea Leadsom quits over Brexit leaving deluded Theresa May clinging on to power as Cabinet deserts her

Theresa May was desperately clinging on to power tonight after Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom dramatically quit in protest at her Brexit plan. In one of the darkest days for the isolated PM, she faced a mass revolt from her own Cabinet and Tory backbenchers - but she insisted she will not give into their demands for her to quit now.
23rd May 2019 - The Sun

The Haphazard Coup: Theresa May’s Final Hours Begin As Andrea Leadsom Quits Over Brexit ‘Betrayal’

22nd May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Andrea Leadsom quits the Cabinet as Theresa May clings to power

22nd May 2019 - The Telegraph

Andrea Leadsom quits over Theresa May's Brexit bill

22nd May 2019 - The Guardian

Commons leader Andrea Leadsom quits government over Brexit

22nd May 2019 - BBC

Furious Tories call on Theresa May to resign immediately for 'betraying' Brexit by offering second referendum

Theresa May faced calls from her own party to resign “immediately” on Tuesday night after putting a second referendum on the table in a “sellout” attempt to save her Brexit deal. The Prime Minister provoked fury after she caved in to Labour demands for a vote on holding a so-called “confirmatory” vote on a final Brexit deal
23rd May 2019 - The Telegraph

Why Boris Johnson could back a new Brexit referendum as prime minister

Boris Johnson is the breakaway favourite to replace Theresa May as prime minister, given his popularity among Conservative party members. While the former foreign secretary is vocally opposed to holding a second Brexit referendum, some of his colleagues believe a Brexiteer prime minister could nonetheless be forced to hold one. The choice could be between that and a general election, with the Tories trailing Labour by a significant distance in the polls.
22nd May 2019 - Business Insider

Michael Gove Suggests Planned EU Withdrawal Bill Vote Could Be Dropped

Michael Gove has suggested the government may ditch plans to ask MPs to vote on its EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the first week of June, following a backlash from all sides of the Commons. Theresa May’s “new deal” unveiled yesterday has been savaged by Tory and Labour MPs and looks extremely unlikely to be able to survive a vote in the Commons. Asked on BBC Radio 4′s Today programme on Thursday morning whether the Bill would definitely be voted on in the week beginning June 3, Gove said the government “will reflect over the course next few days”. But speaking to MPs, May contradicted the environment secretary and said the Bill would be introduced.
22nd May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Jeremy Hunt has just what is needed to be a truly great Prime Minister

In the latest part of our new series on the leadership contest awaiting the Conservatives, Rob Wilson explains why Jeremy Hunt has the integrity, principles and strength to deliver Brexit and much more The job of Prime Minister is now so demanding few truly know whether they have the right personality to suit the burdens of the role until they actually do the job. Nearly 200 Conservative MPs thought Theresa May was the right choice in 2016, only to find they couldn't have got it more wrong as she has proved unsuited to its requirements of leadership and first class communication skills - the result of which currently is the Conservative Party wandering aimlessly over an electoral cliff.
22nd May 2019 - The Telegraph

Voting For Labour Would Be A Fundamental Mistake For Young People

Voting Labour delays the organisation of a referendum, and so decreasing the possibility of an informed vote, and gives the Tories the possibility to convert lack of support for Lib Dems/Greens/Change UK as a green light for them to fashion their Brexit deal without taking other views into consideration.
22nd May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Pressure grows on May to quit as Leadsom resigns over Brexit deal

Theresa May faces the stark choice of quitting or being turfed out of Downing Street by her own party, after Andrea Leadsom resigned from the cabinet amid a furious backlash against the prime minister’s “new Brexit deal”. Leadsom quit on Wednesday evening, using her resignation letter to attack the ill-discipline of her cabinet colleagues, and warn that she no longer believed its approach would “deliver on the referendum result”.
22nd May 2019 - The Guardian

The surprise new clause in Theresa May's Withdrawal Agreement that proved the final straw for MPs

Theresa May triggered a fresh Cabinet revolt on Wednesday after explicitly laying out the path to a legally-binding second referendum in her Brexit deal. Ministers on Wednesday accused the Prime Minister of attempting to "bounce" her Cabinet after they read the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in full for the first time. Several ministers including Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Michael Gove and Liz Truss - all potential leadership contenders - felt it went further than Cabinet had agreed on Tuesday, with Andrea Leadsom resigning from the Cabinet and suggesting Theresa May should quit over the new Brexit deal.
22nd May 2019 - The Telegraph

Ed Davey: Only Lib Dems can win it for Remainers in two-horse race

Already, this is a two-horse race. Across the UK, Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party is in front. But closing hard, leading Labour and Tory rivals by a nose, is a gold outsider, the Liberal Democrats. After Michael Heseltine endorsed the Vince Cable-trained flyer, the question arises: will other prominent figures endorse the Lib Dems to form a popular front against Brexit? As the strongest remain party, a Lib Dem triumph would be a dramatic and unequivocal rejection of Brexit.
22nd May 2019 - Evening Standard

Forget the withdrawal bill – things could now move very quickly for Theresa May

Since the speech yesterday, a series of previously loyal Conservative MPs have declared against her Brexit plan. Support for her deal is going backwards. The withdrawal agreement bill (Wab)has not even been published yet, but barring a big change of position from a major group of MPs, it would be irresponsible to bring it forward. At this stage there seems zero prospect of a majority at second reading. A Conservative leadership contest is now imminent, with Brexit a running sore. With well over a dozen possible candidates, events could move extremely rapidly. At the core will be the question of how to find a Brexit policy that can succeed in this parliament where this prime minister has so spectacularly failed. Expect unicorn-chasing, a potential race to the bottom, and simple answers to complex problems. It is often repeated that all political careers end in failure, unless politicians leave on their own terms. With the Conservatives expected to be knocked into fifth position in the European elections, sadly Theresa May seems about to prove just that point.
22nd May 2019 - The Guardian

@Channel4News "I can tell you that Arron Banks is not involved in the Brexit Party whatsoever." 　 That's what Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice told Channel 4 News when we asked him if Mr Banks was still funding Nigel Farage's lifestyle.

"I can tell you that Arron Banks is not involved in the Brexit Party whatsoever."That's what Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice told Channel 4 News when we asked him if Mr Banks was still funding Nigel Farage's lifestyle.
22nd May 2019 - @Channel4News

@BBCPolitics Conservative Dominic Grieve says some Tories are "living in a world of fantasy" about the kind of #Brexit that can happen, adding the "only solution" is to have another referendum

Conservative Dominic Grieve says some Tories are "living in a world of fantasy" about the kind of #Brexit that can happen, adding the "only solution" is to have another referendum
22nd May 2019 - @BBCPolitics

European elections 2019: Expats fear postal votes will not count

Ann Bone, who lives in Maury in the Pyrenees Orientales, said her postal vote did not arrive until Friday - and when she went to return it to Calderdale Council she was informed by the French postal service that it had "no chance" of arriving in the UK in time. Her husband's ballot has still not arrived in France. She said: "We've been denied a vote, basically."
22nd May 2019 - BBC

Labour's John McDonnell on Theresa May's Brexit deal: 'I can't see this deal going through parliament'

We spoke to shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, and began by asking if he would vote for a second referendum.
22nd May 2019 - Channel 4 News

Yes, a vote for Labour this week will help stop Brexit, but it will also achieve much more than that

In the hundreds of hours spent in Parliament debating Brexit, I constantly think of how we could have spent our time better. In Britain we are not having these debates about policy that we so desperately need. These European elections have become a proxy vote on Brexit instead. While we obsess over our Brexit psychodrama, the world moves on. Multinational companies exploit national differences to abuse their workers, to dodge their taxes and to “regulation shop” as a means to avoid meeting their responsibilities.
22nd May 2019 - The Independent

Brexit bill: PM sets out details of customs compromise

Theresa May is setting out the details of a series of compromises designed to try and win the support of Labour MPs for her Brexit plan. The cabinet earlier agreed the idea of a temporary customs relationship until the next general election, and measures on the environment and workers' rights. These will be included in the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, to be put to a vote in the Commons in early June. The SNP and some Tory Brexiteers have already said they will vote against. The PM briefed MPs and ministers on the contents of the speech - entitled "A new Brexit deal - seeking common ground in Parliament" - beforehand. Ex-minister Mark Francois, a vocal critic of the prime minister, said if the vote was held today the bill would be defeated by a huge margin. He told the BBC that MPs who had backed the PM in the past would be "more reluctant" to do so if the party got a drubbing in the European elections and she would have to rely on Labour votes to get her way. "Unless she is rescued by a Marxist, the Withdrawal Agreement Bill is dead on arrival," he told Radio 4's World at One.
22nd May 2019 - BBC

May pleads for Brexit support as her leadership comes under intense pressure

Conservative Eurosceptics have reacted with fury to the Brexit plan’s offer of a vote on whether to hold another referendum. Senior Tory MPs will again seek to change party rules to allow a confidence vote in her leadership if she refuses to leave Number 10. Mrs May said the WAB would be published on Friday and backing it would help get the UK out of the EU by the end of July. “We can bring an end to the months – years – of increasingly bitter argument and division that have both polarised and paralysed our politics,” she said. “We can move on, move forwards, and get on with the jobs we were sent here to do, what we got into politics to do. “That is what we can achieve if we support this new deal. “Reject it, and all we have before us is division and deadlock.”
22nd May 2019 - Daily Mail

George Osborne's Evening Standard backs Lib Dems for EU elections

The Evening Standard, edited by the former Conservative chancellor George Osborne, has urged readers to consider voting Liberal Democrat in the European elections, in the latest sign of David Cameron-era Tories breaking with the party over Brexit. The London newspaper said the Lib Dems had the “courage from the start to say the referendum result was a mistake” and as a result, “voters have started to think again about them”. However, the Standard stopped short of a full endorsement for Vince Cable’s party, simply saying “we wish them well”.
22nd May 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: Theresa May resists calls from MPs to resign

The prime minister is resisting calls to resign despite a growing backlash against her Brexit plan from Conservative MPs. Several cabinet ministers told the BBC that she cannot stay, with one saying it is "the end of the line". Tory backbenchers met on Wednesday evening, but decided not to change rules which would have allowed an immediate vote of no confidence in her. The BBC's political editor says the PM seems to have bought herself 36 hours. Mrs May will meet the chairman of the influential backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, on Friday. In the meantime, the UK will vote on Thursday in European Parliament elections, with the Conservatives widely predicted to do very badly.
22nd May 2019 - BBC

Theresa May must go - now. This is a national emergency

What can the Prime Minister be thinking? It’s over. She can no longer pass critical legislation; the latest draft of her Withdrawal Agreement is dead in the water; her backbenchers are up in arms; Cabinet members would like to meet to discuss her future. Andrea Leadsom has resigned as Leader of the House, saying Britain will not be “truly sovereign” under the agreement and that “government processes” have broken down. And yet, Theresa May clings on. Why? What does she think she has left to achieve? What political face is there left to save?
22nd May 2019 - The Telegraph

Theresa May's Brexit Offer Immediately Rejected By MPs Across The Divide

Theresa May’s “one last chance” Brexit offer appeared to be dead on arrival as Remainers, Leavers, the DUP and past Tory supporters of her exit deal lined up to dismiss it. The prime minister put a vote on a second referendum at the heart of a ten-point plan designed to win over opponents from all political sides and pass her Brexit deal through the Commons. But several Tories who backed her withdrawal agreement in the last vote immediately said they would reject it this time, declaring it “worse than before”. Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the arch Brexiteer European Research Group (ERG), revealed he would be switching back to opposition, stating: “The prime minister’s latest proposals are worse than before and would leave us bound deeply in to the EU. It is time to leave on WTO (no deal) terms.”
22nd May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

After Theresa May, the Tories could benefit from Andrea Leadsom's Maggie-esque steel

Andrea Leadsom is a tough lady. Make no mistake about that, but she is also quite feminine. Shades of Margaret Thatcher come to mind and that's no bad thing. I first came across Andrea shortly after she had been selected following the imposition of new boundaries which meant I would lose 40 per cent of my rural electorate, and I was not best pleased. I would still be the local MP in the bit that went to Northamptonshire South, but Andrea would be the candidate. In other words, we had to work quite closely together
22nd May 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit: Has PM's 'new deal' made things worse?

After May finished presenting her plan, public rejections from almost all quarters started to pour in. Of course, the vote itself on this bundle of measures won't be for at least a week - a lifetime in this hyper-speed world. A lot could change. But the diplomatic way of describing the situation tonight? Compromising when no one else is interested in consensus is impossible. The more brutal political interpretation - Theresa May's mishandling of this whole situation has, over many, many months, pulled her deeper and deeper down into a quagmire of her own creation. An attempt at this stage to ask others for understanding to help her escape is just too late - far, far too late. Now some Conservative minds are turning to whether she can stay on to have this vote at all.
22nd May 2019 - BBC

The Remain strategy: Region-by-region voting guide

A cut-out-and-keep voting guide for Remainers trying to work out how to vote this week in the 2019 European elections.
22nd May 2019 - Politics.co.uk

Tory MEP warns party will be 'annihilated' and candidates feel 'abandoned' as voters head to the polls

A Tory MEP has said the party will be “annihilated” in Thursday's European elections as he hit out at the party for abandoning its candidates on the campaign. Sajjad Karim, a Conservative North West MEP and top candidate for the region, laid bare the “reality” of the campaign, warning the party “will live to regret” its decision to go ahead with the democratic exercise. Speaking to PoliticsHome, Mr Karim said he was fighting for every vote in the North West “virtually single-handedly.” He said: “I think Brexit party are going to lead the polls, Labour is going to get smashed, we’re going to get annihilated. The parties that are providing clarity to people are the ones who are going to do well… “However, we and the Labour party are going to be absolutely smashed because people do not know what on earth it is that we are doing.
22nd May 2019 - Politics Home

Theresa May faces new coup TODAY after gamble to force Brexit deal through by offering second referendum

Theresa May faces a new coup today after a gamble to force through her Brexit deal by offering Remainers a second referendum backfired spectacularly. The offer was blasted by MPs on all sides — and left Brexiteers seething at her “betrayal”. Senior Tory backbenchers will now try to force a confidence vote in the PM when the party’s grandees meet at 4pm on Wednesday. Brexiteer Nigel Evans said: “She has U-turned on absolutely everything. We cannot put up with this any longer.
22nd May 2019 - The Sun

The last days of Theresa May

Theresa May is into the final days of her premiership. As she struggles to overcome her latest (and probably last) Brexit reversal, this is the assumption many MPs and journalists at Westminster are now making. This afternoon, Mrs May has been urging MPs in the House of Commons to back the “new and improved” Withdrawal Agreement Bill — or WAB — that she unveiled in a speech on Tuesday. But after the drubbing it received from Conservative and Labour MPs in the hours after that speech, there is not the slightest chance of her bill making progress.
22nd May 2019 - Financial Times

Nigel Farage's Brexit Party refuses to rule out joining far-right EU group with Salvini and Le Pen

The Brexit Party has refused to rule out joining a new alliance far-right parties in the European Parliament, fuelling concerns that Nigel Farage could link up with extremist parties once safely re-elected. Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy’s extreme-right League party, invited Mr Farage’s new outfit to join his group at the weekend, saying he was “waiting for” the arch-eurosceptic. Brexit Party did not respond to repeated requests by The Independent to clarify whether it would be joining the alliance, which would see it sit alongside Mr Salvini, Marine Le Pen, and other extreme-right parties from across the continent. Mr Farage previously claimed that he had founded The Brexit Party to escape Ukip’s increasingly extremist direction. The new outfit is leading in the polls ahead of this week’s European Parliament election – despite so far having left voters in the dark about what its policies are on issues beyond EU membership. “I'm waiting for Nigel Farage. We can work together, I hope,” Mr Salvini told the BBC on Saturday, responding “yes” when asked if he wanted the Brexit Party to join his group.
22nd May 2019 - The Independent

Theresa May offers MPs a 2nd referendum vote if they back her Brexit bill

Theresa May offers Members of Parliament a binding vote on holding a second referendum. The prime minister made the offer ahead of the vote on her Withdrawal Agreement Bill. MPs would need to back her bill before holding any vote on a second referendum.
22nd May 2019 - Business Insider

Why I'll vote Lib Dem for the first time in my life

I’m in no doubt what I must do. I’ll vote Lib Dem, and urge any Tory Remainer to do the same: not because we’re suddenly Lib Dems but because they’re the only non-Brexit party in England with a chance of getting MEPs elected. Theresa May claims Tory votes are votes to leave, so in European elections I’m not going to send that signal. Nor should any Tory Remainer. But this will hurt. I belong in my Conservative tribe. On any ballot paper with a Tory on it, I’ve never in 50 years ticked any other box. Many fellow-Tories, like me, will be feeling the same sense of a wrench. But we know what we have to do. There are loyalties beyond party.
21st May 2019 - The Times

Leadsom gives May ultimatum over Brexit bill support

Andrea Leadsom, the Commons leader, has warned Theresa May that she will not accept a new Brexit plan that leaves open the possibility of a customs union, before a key cabinet meeting to finalise the proposals. In a sign of the difficulties the prime minister faces in getting her withdrawal agreement bill (Wab) past her own ministers, let alone the Commons, Leadsom stressed that her backing was conditional. “I continue to support the prime minister to get her withdrawal agreement bill through,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “It is leaving the European Union, and so long as it continues to be leaving the European Union I continue to support it.” Asked what she meant, Leadsom said that while she could support the customs arrangements already in the plan, any move to tempt Labour voters by holding open the possibility of a formal customs union, which could affect the UK’s ability to sign its own trade deals, would make it impossible for her to support it
21st May 2019 - The Guardian

No-deal Brexiteers want to 'hijack' referendum result, says chancellor

Philip Hammond is to warn that "all the preparation in the world will not avoid the consequences" of a no-deal Brexit. The Chancellor will say in a major speech on Tuesday that MPs calling for Britain to fall out of the EU without an agreement want to "hijack the result of the referendum". In one of his strongest attacks yet on a no-deal Brexit - an option the government is leaving open - Mr Hammond will declare that the scenario would "knowingly... inflict damage on our economy and our living standards".
21st May 2019 - Sky News

Building the Brexit party: how Nigel Farage copied Italy's digital populists

The former Ukip leader forged an alliance with the Five Star Movement just as they bulldozed Italian politics using a tightly controlled digital operation. And now he’s putting their techniques to work in Britain.
21st May 2019 - The Guardian

Inside Cabinet: How Theresa May pushed her Eurosceptic ministers to the brink with her Brexit climbdown

It was the moment that pushed Theresa May's already beleaguered Eurosceptic ministers to the brink. At the start of a three hour 20-minute marathon Cabinet, that Prime Minister presented her ministers with a paper outlining her "bold" new Brexit offer. To those present, it appeared to give "anything and everything" to Labour. There, in black and white, was an explicit offer of free votes on a permanent customs union with the EU and a second referendum. Chris Grayling, the Transport Secretary, and Andrea Leadsom, the Leader of the Commons, both made clear that the Prime Minister's deal was "unacceptable".
21st May 2019 - The Telegraph

Philip Hammond is determined to assassinate Brexit, as he reaches the climax of his career

For someone not renowned for their witty repartee, sparkling Commons chamber oratory or indeed having any discernible political personality, Philip Hammond can always surprise us with his shameless chutzpah and brass neck. His speech to the CBI tonight is but one more conspicuous example. However, like the Prime Minister, he’s nearing the very end of the road, and will probably be fired by whoever succeeds Theresa May. He doesn’t care what most Tories think of him now, and is not holding back his opinions.
21st May 2019 - The Telegraph

John le Carré and Neil Gaiman join writers warning Brexit is 'choosing to lose'

Some of the UK’s most garlanded novelists, including Robert Harris, John le Carré and Philip Pullman, have lambasted the promises made by Brexiters as being too unbelievable for fiction, writing: “We are the people who spend our lives making things that are not true seem believable, and we don’t think Brexit is even a good effort.” Dozens of writers have put their names to a letter to the Guardian that urges UK voters taking part in Thursday’s European parliament elections to use their franchise to support the European Union, “unless they know what they are choosing to lose, for themselves and everyone they know, and are happy with that”.
21st May 2019 - The Guardian

'He desperately wants to hold it all together': Corbyn on the campaign trail

Clive Lewis, the Norwich South MP who is one of the group’s founders, says: “I think the frustration of so many members, especially those who have supported the political project for the last three years, is that they look at the biggest ringleaders for leaving the EU, they look at the dark money, they look at all those far-right organisations across Europe who are cheering Brexit on, and they think: ‘Why isn’t the Labour party standing up to these fascists and authoritarians? If they think Brexit is good, why aren’t we against it?’”
21st May 2019 - The Guardian

Sajid Javid to scrap plans that recommended EU migrants must earn £30k to work in Brexit Britain

Sajid Javid is ripping up Theresa May’s post-Brexit plans for a £30,000 minimum salary threshold for EU migrants, The Sun can reveal. The Tory leadership hopeful wants a powerful committee to look into lowering prospective wage bands in a move that will enrage Tory Eurosceptics. In an explosive letter, he instructs the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to consider allowing firms to pay the “going rate” for foreign recruits after Brexit – and to look at regional wage limits. He also wants them to study exemptions for a range of professions, and whether “new entrants” or inexperienced workers can be paid less.
21st May 2019 - The Sun

May's offer was neither 'new' nor bold. It will be her final failure

In another faux-concession, the prime minister has offered a vote on customs between a “facilitated customs arrangement” and a temporary customs union, lasting until the next general election. But the former has already been rejected by the EU as unworkable (it has never been attempted anywhere in the world) and the latter is essentially what is already in the standstill transition in the withdrawal agreement. So in fact, this is no concession at all, and one of the main reasons that talks with the Labour party broke up without agreement.
21st May 2019 - The Guardian

These Are The 76 Tory MPs Who Say They'll Vote Against Theresa May's Withdrawal Agreement Bill

Theresa May is expected to hold a vote on her Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the first week of June. Following her new "bold" offer to MPs on Tuesday, the number of rebels are — unfortunately for Downing Street — going up rather than down. BuzzFeed News is keeping a rolling list of Tory MPs who are indicating they are going to vote against the WAB.
21st May 2019 - BuzzFeed News

Brexit second referendum vote explained: What PM pledged and what happens now

Theresa May played her final hand tonight. Again. The Prime Minister offered MPs a bombshell vote on holding a second referendum - if they pass her Brexit deal. It's a massive gamble both for her, sacrificing what she believed in, and Remain MPs, who might back her only to find they don't get what they want. The new pledges - which also offer a temporary customs union with the EU and close alignment with EU rules - will be a huge leap to a softer Brexit if Mrs May's package passes. But MPs are already blasting the PM's "one last chance" offer and warning they'll annihilate it.
21st May 2019 - Daily Mirror

May critics waste little time in thumbs-down for new Brexit push

For Theresa May’s gamble of a repackaged Brexit deal to pay off, four factions of sceptical MPs had to be convinced. Eurosceptic Conservatives, Labour MPs in favour of a second referendum, Labour pragmatists who want Brexit over the line and Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist party — all were all needed to come on board. Unfortunately for the UK prime minister, all four groups have condemned her latest Brexit proposals. Within an hour of Mrs May speaking, it appeared that her fourth — and final — attempt to pass a Brexit agreement may be dead on arrival. Mrs May is hoping to win a House of Commons vote in the first week of June on the legislation to implement her exit deal with the EU. But one prominent Eurosceptic MP condemned her approach as “a total lack of leadership and desperation”, adding: “It is fundamentally the same deal but worse, with lots of other crap thrown in. I’m not impressed and won’t be voting for it.”
21st May 2019 - Financial Times

Most Brits Support Free Movement – So Why Are The Lib Dems The Only Party Fighting To Save It?

Watching Jeremy Corbyn squirm on The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, one thing became clear: he, Nigel Farage and Theresa May are united. Not just in wanting to deliver Brexit, but also in wanting to end free movement with the European Union when they do. “Ending free movement” has been a Brexiteer slogan for so long that it’s easy to forget what Corbyn, Farage and May are really saying when they deploy it. What they’re really saying is that they want to take away your right to live, work and study anywhere in the EU. That if you love someone from elsewhere in Europe, they want to make it much harder for you to live together. They’re saying that the NHS should be cut off from the supply of thousands of nurses, doctors and support staff who come from the continent every year to staff our hospitals. And that British businesses should be tied up in reels of new red tape when they try to hire the European workers they need.
21st May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Boris is preparing for a legal battle against Tory MPs trying to block his leadership bid

Allies say legal advice drawn up for the ex-Foreign Secretary says action to thwart him would be in breach of the Tories’ leadership contest rules. An ‘Anyone But Boris’ group of largely Remainer Conservative MPs have vowed to stop him from seizing the keys to No10 by voting tactically for rival candidates. But allies say secret legal advice has been drawn up for the former Foreign Secretary that finds the action would be in breach of the Conservatives’ leadership contest rules. Under the lawyers’ interpretation of the party’s constitution, Tory MPs cannot stop a candidate from getting down to the last two if members express significant support for them as the new leader must be the members’ decision. A close ally of Boris’s said last night: “We have legal advice that was drawn up for Boris that proves if members want a chance to vote on him in big numbers, MPs and CCHQ cannot stop that. “Nobody wants this to go to the courts, but we’d win a judicial review if it did.”
20th May 2019 - The Sun

Tory MPs declare war on 'intolerant' hardcore pro-Brexit colleagues ahead of leadership race

MPs from the ‘One Nation Conservatives’ group said they would fight against any candidate who might usher in a no-deal departure from the EU. The move opens up a new front in the battle to secure the Tory crown, after Theresa May announced she would soon set out a timetable for her departure. Dozens of MPs, including Cabinet ministers Amber Rudd and Rory Stewart, as well as ministers Caroline Nokes, Margot James and Tobias Ellwood, met in a Parliamentary committee room to lay out their demands. They vowed to test leadership hopefuls against a statement of values, penned by former Downing Street policy guru George Freeman, which included the rejection of “narrow nationalism”. Co-chair of the group Sir Nicholas Soames declared: “Debate in our party has been drowned out by the very aggressive and intolerant tone of the [hardcore pro-Brexit] European Research Group. “What we are relaunching here today is that long, Tory tradition of tolerance, pragmatism and not being ideological, with an absolute determination to get these values back, front and centre of the Tory party for the future.”
20th May 2019 - Politics Home

British consumers at risk of being exploited by big firms after Brexit, say Liberal Democrats

“Labour and Conservative governments have consistently shown that they are both unwilling and unable to stand up to giant multinational companies when they exploit consumers. “Only with the combined strength of 28 countries acting together through the EU can we protect consumers from rising prices and limited choice by breaking up international cartels and monopolies. "Only together can we fight tax avoidance and the abuse of personal data.”
20th May 2019 - The Independent

Brexit Party Senedd group made official by Welsh Assembly

The Brexit Party has been officially recognised as a group in the Senedd by the presiding officer. In a letter to the new party's leader in the assembly, Elin Jones said the requirements of the assembly's rules had been met. Mark Reckless said he was pleased the decision had been made but added he was "surprised" it took five days. Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage unveiled the new group made up of four former UKIP AMs last week. The move means Mark Reckless, Mandy Jones, Caroline Jones and David Rowlands will have access to more staff and will be given a greater status in the assembly.
20th May 2019 - BBC

Michael Heseltine Has Tory Whip Suspended After Threat To Vote Lib Dem

Former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine has had the Tory whip suspended after saying he would vote Liberal Democrat at the European elections, a Conservative spokesman said. Noted europhile Heseltine, who has long opposed Brexit, had prompted outrage from some Tory members after he endorsed a Liberal Democrat candidate ahead of Thursday’s poll – in contravention of party rules. A spokesman for the Tories said: “Lord Heseltine has given more than half a century of service to the Conservative Party, and his longstanding and sincerely held views on Europe are well understood. “But, with his long experience, he will know that publicly endorsing the candidates of another party is not compatible with taking the Conservative whip in parliament.
20th May 2019 - Huffington Post

Pro- and anti-Brexit parties neck and neck in EU election, says poll

Three in five British voters say politics in Westminster and Brussels is broken, according to a poll that finds pro- and anti-Brexit parties are running neck and neck ahead of the European elections on Thursday. The survey, shared with the Guardian by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), found Britons nurture some of the highest levels of political disaffection in Europe, with 60% of those polled saying the system in the UK and the EU is broken. Only in France and Greece are levels of disenchantment higher.
20th May 2019 - The Guardian

One Nation conservatism can make a success of Brexit

Our nation is at a crossroads and so is our party. The next prime minister must redefine Brexit as a One Nation project. If they do not, the door will be wide open for Britain’s first-ever Marxist government and a likely decade of decline. The consequences of that will echo down the generations and serve as our party’s greatest failure. We still have a chance to avoid it.
18th May 2019 - The Guardian

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 20th May 2019

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The middle ground no longer exists over Brexit. It’s all or nothing now

Pressure is building within Labour for the party to take an unambiguous stand on the other side of the barricades and become an anti-Brexit party. That pressure will be increased when the Euros see large numbers of previous Labour voters desert the party for the Lib Dems, Greens and Change UK. If a general election hasn’t happened by September, Labour’s party conference is highly likely to force its reluctant leadership to make a no-qualifications commitment to a fresh referendum. The middle ground, such as it was, has become scorched earth. The chances of this concluding with no Brexit or a no-deal Brexit are both rising sharply.
20th May 2019 - The Guardian

Farage REFUSES to support Johnson’s PM bid if he backs May's deal - 'It's a REAL problem'

Nigel Farage was quizzed on whether the next leader needs to drop support for Theresa May’s Brexit deal. He told The Daily Telegraph: “Of course. Absolutely. “If a new Conservative leader said ‘we are leaving on WTO terms on Halloween Day’ then that would be a great step in the right direction but would they actually stick to it? How could we trust them? That is the problem. “Everyone keeps shouting Boris’s name at me - Boris voted for the Withdrawal Agreement despite everything he had written in your newspaper.
20th May 2019 - Daily Express

Brexit latest: MPs left 'very frustrated' as 'totally unprecedented' deadlock results in no Commons votes for more than a month

MPs from across the House of Commons have expressed their anger at the lack of action in parliament after weeks in which the Brexit deadlock has left the Commons with almost nothing to do. There has not been a significant vote in the Commons since 10 April and on several occasions MPs have been sent home hours earlier than scheduled because there was nothing for them to debate. Attempts to secure agreement for a Brexit deal have monopolised ministers' attention, meaning other legislation has all but dried up.
20th May 2019 - The Independent

Change UK's Chuka Umunna Says UK Must Revoke Article 50 To Avoid No-Deal Brexit

The UK must now revoke Article 50 to fight the threat of a no-deal Brexit, Chuka Umunna has said. “We are now at a point where we are going to need to revoke Article 50,” the Change UK spokesman told the BBC’s Andrew Marr on Sunday. “At the beginning of these European election campaigns we had time to provide for a People’s Vote on what happens on Brexit,” he continued, saying a second referendum would take “at least” five to six months. “We now no longer have the time to do that by the 31st of October, when we are due to crash out, so we need to stop the clock now to allow that to happen.”
20th May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Brexit news latest: Theresa May set to make ‘bold offer’ in final bid to get MPs to back her deal

The WAB - which is needed to ratify the deal with Brussels - is expected to include new measures on protecting workers' rights, an issue where agreement with Labour was said to have been close. However, Government sources made clear the package would not just be aimed at Labour MPs but would seek to secure the widest possible support across the Commons. It is expected to include provisions on future customs arrangements with the EU and on Northern Ireland, including the use of technology to avoid the need for border controls with the Republic. It will not, however, seek to re-open the Withdrawal Agreement - which included the controversial Northern Ireland "backstop" - after the EU repeatedly made clear it could not be re-negotiated.
20th May 2019 - Evening Standard

BBC forced to apologise after Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable says ‘b******s’ live on air

The Beeb was forced to apologise yesterday after Lib Dem chief Vince Cable said “b******s” live on air. BBC political presenter Andrew Marr stepped in when the veteran uttered the Remain party’s ‘B******s to Brexit’ campaign slogan. Sir Vince insisted he wasn’t embarrassed about it. And he said the word had a “long and distinguished history” going back to the 18th century of meaning ‘nonsense’.
20th May 2019 - The Sun

Brexit: New UK PM will not alter withdrawal deal - Coveney

Ireland's deputy prime minister has ruled out any renegotiation of the Brexit withdrawal deal if Theresa May is replaced as UK prime minister ... Mr Coveney described political events at Westminster as "extraordinary", as he questioned the logic of ...
20th May 2019 - BBC

MPs to debate immunity for Northern Ireland veterans

A petition calling for soldiers who served in Northern Ireland to be immune from prosecution will be debated by MPs amid reports No 10 has vetoed calls for legislation to protect veterans. Several Tory MPs are expected to urge an end to what they say are "abhorrent" proceedings against elderly veterans. The petition says criminal probes into historical incidents should be outlawed "after a certain period of time". Ministers are consulting on how to deal with "legacy" cases fairly. Some victims' groups and politicians in Northern Ireland believe that no-one should be above the law. Six former soldiers are currently facing prosecution over Troubles-era killings, although not all the charges are murder
20th May 2019 - BBC

Brexit party's funding must be investigated, says Gordon Brown

The former Labour prime minister will use a speech in Glasgow on Monday to say an investigation into the Brexit party’s finances is urgent and essential. “Nigel Farage says this election is about democracy. Democracy is fatally undermined if unexplained, unreported and thus undeclared and perhaps under the counter and underhand campaign finance – from whom and from where we do not know – is being used to influence the very elections that are at the heart of our democratic system,” he will say, according to pre-released extracts. “Now Mr Farage heads a new Brexit party, which is making questionable claims about the true source of its funding at a time when the Electoral Commission has warned of the dangers of multiple, small, anonymous donations being a cover for dirty money.” While other parties require personal information from donors, the Brexit party allows donations of less than £500 via just a PayPal account, which critics said leaves the way open to abuse by foreign donors wishing to influence British elections.
20th May 2019 - The Guardian

European elections: Lib Dems could ‘shake foundations’ of British politics by beating Labour and Tories, says Vince Cable

The Liberal Democrats could “shake the foundations” of British politics by finishing ahead of not only the Conservatives but also Labour in this month’s European elections, leader Sir Vince Cable has said. Speaking to The Independent, Sir Vince said the “confusion and disorientation” of the two major parties over Brexit had created conditions where the Lib Dems could outpace both their rivals in a national election for the first time in a century. After generations of being told a Liberal Democrat vote is “wasted” because of the domination of the big two parties, it is now “abundantly clear” that voters who back European Union membership should consider voting tactically for them on 23 May, he said. “I think there is a recognition that we are clearly the strongest of the three parties on the Remain side and people who think tactically will get behind us,” said the former business secretary.
19th May 2019 - The Independent

Cabinet minister insists Theresa May could still get Labour to back Brexit deal after talks collapse

The Government is still in the "territory" of a Brexit deal with "sensible, moderate" Labour MPs despite the collapse of cross-party talks, Cabinet minister Rory Stewart has insisted. There is speculation that the move could include fresh protections for workers' rights or further movement on a customs union, Labour's central demand in the talks. Mr Stewart told the BBC's Andrew Marr show that ministers should keep reaching out to Labour MPs who might be willing to back the Withdrawal Agreement Bill when it comes to a Commons vote in June. "The Labour and Conservative positions are about half an inch apart,” he said. And the frontbencher said he did not "believe there’s anything that Jeremy Corbyn or we want that’s that far apart". He added: "We’re in the territory of a deal, and in the territory of a deal where we need to focus is parliament. "And particularly getting Labour votes across. Now, maybe not Jeremy Corbyn’s vote, but there are many other moderate, sensible Labour MPs that we should get across."
19th May 2019 - Politics Home

Brexit: Theresa May plans 'bold offer' to get support for deal

Theresa May has said a "new and improved" Brexit deal will be put to MPs when they vote on the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill in early June. Writing in the Sunday Times, Mrs May said the bill will be a "bold offer". Cabinet minister Rory Stewart told the BBC he hoped extra guarantees on workers' rights would enable "sensible" Labour MPs to support the government. But Jeremy Corbyn said Labour would oppose the bill and it was "very difficult" to see it making progress. While he would consider new proposals "very carefully", he said what was being talked about did not appear "fundamentally different" from what was already on the table.
19th May 2019 - BBC

Brexit secretary warns no-deal preparations must be sped up

Preparations for a no-deal Brexit should be brought forward "at pace" if MPs do not back the prime minister's deal, the Brexit secretary has warned. The comments are likely to reignite the debate about whether the government should be prepared to take the UK out of the European Union with no-deal if - as expected - MPs fail to back the withdrawal agreement when it returns to the House of Commons in June. Stephen Barclay told Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "Members of Parliament do need to face facts, and if the deal were not to go through then there are only two alternatives - you either leave with a no-deal or you revoke.
19th May 2019 - Sky News

Corbyn urges voters to ‘come together to oppose far right’ ahead of European parliament elections

Jeremy Corbyn sounded a warning at a Labour rally in Merseyside about the rise of the far right. The Labour leader gave a speech from a bandstand at the event in Derby Park, Bootle, on Saturday. He described the danger of the far right and “their simplistic answers which can only breed hatred and division”. Candidates for the European elections in the northwest include English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson. Mr Corbyn compared the “propaganda” being put out by the far right during the European election campaign to the rise of the Nazis in Europe in the 1930s.
19th May 2019 - The Independent

Change UK leader Heidi Allen hints at Lib Dem alliance

Change UK’s interim leader has denied speculation that she is defecting to the Liberal Democrats after a bruising week in which the party lost one candidate and sank to the lowest poll numbers since its launch. Heidi Allen, the South Cambridgeshire MP who resigned from the Conservatives in February, said: “It wouldn’t look good if I defected from one party and defected to another a few weeks later.” She added: “It’s not something that I am considering.” The pro-Europe MP hinted, however, that Change UK might have to enter an alliance with the Lib Dems after Thursday’s European elections. Allen, 44, said: “I hope we’ll be able to work more effectively in the future.”
19th May 2019 - The Times

UK's opposition will not back 'fundamentally' unchanged Brexit bill

The leader of Britain's opposition said he would not support Prime Minister Theresa May's new attempt to push through her Brexit bill if it was fundamentally the same as the bill that had been defeated three times before. "We haven't seen whatever the new bill is going to be yet but nothing I've heard leads me to believe it is fundamentally any different from the previous bill that has been put forward so as of now we are not supporting it," Jeremy Corbyn told the BBC's Andrew Marr show on Sunday. May said in the Sunday Times she would present a "new bold offer" to lawmakers with "an improved package of measures" in a final attempt to get the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement Bill through parliament before she leaves office.
19th May 2019 - Yahoo Finance

Vote for a pro-EU party, not mine, says Labour’s Dame Margaret Hodge

Jeremy Corbyn’s row with Dame Margaret Hodge escalated last night after the MP said party members should vote for pro-EU candidates in the European elections, even if it means not voting for Labour. Hodge has clashed often with the Labour leader on his handling of anti-semitism and his approach to Brexit. At an event last week hosted by Progress, the Blairite think tank, Hodge was asked if she agreed with a panellist who dismissed tactical voting and said all members should vote Labour in the upcoming contest. A leaked tape reveals the 74-year-old Barking MP responded: “No, I don’t.” She said: “I think taking whatever action you need, within your locality, that gives you the best likelihood of electing somebody who will be a pro-European MEP, I think is the way you should go, I really do.”
19th May 2019 - The Times

European elections: Michael Heseltine to vote Lib Dem in Brexit protest

Tory grandee Michael Heseltine has said he will not be supporting the Conservatives in the European election, and will instead vote Liberal Democrat. The former deputy prime minister and lifelong pro-European said the party has become “infected by the virus of extremism” and he cannot endorse its support for leaving the EU. In an article for The Sunday Times, he said: “The reason for my experiment with the Lib Dems is, of course, the government’s position on Brexit.
19th May 2019 - The Independent

'Early election could kill Brexit', says health secretary Matt Hancock

An early general election could mean "killing Brexit altogether", according to health secretary Matt Hancock. The cabinet minister, speaking amid uncertainty surrounding Theresa May's future in Number 10, said such a vote should not be called until Britain has left the EU. Mr Hancock, a Remainer during the 2016 campaign, said the Tories need to "take responsibility for delivering on the referendum result".
19th May 2019 - Evening Standard

Theresa May's 'bold Brexit offer' is just a 'retread' of old ideas, leaked document suggests

Theresa May’s final attempt to get a Brexit deal through Parliament appears doomed after a leaked document suggested it was nothing more than a “retread” of old ideas. The Prime Minister claims she has a “bold offer” to put to MPs next month, but The Telegraph has learnt that it contains nothing new on customs arrangements and retains the controversial Northern Irish backstop. To stand any chance of winning the vote, Mrs May must persuade Brexiteer Tory MPs who opposed her deal in the previous three votes to change their minds, but leading Eurosceptics said there was “nothing new” to tempt them.
19th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Tories Turn to Leadership Race as May Puts Up One More Fight

Pessimism is growing over whether May will be able to win over enough MPs. A leaked document seen by the Telegraph suggests her new plan is just a “retread” of old ideas. Any concessions aimed at Labour members of parliament are likely to erode support among those on her own side. In a sign that the differences between the government and opposition Labour Party over Brexit are getting even harder to bridge, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Sunday went the furthest yet in his support for a second referendum. May has repeatedly rejected going back to the public again. So May’s colleagues are focusing on who will replace her.
19th May 2019 - Bloomberg

Change UK: Revoke Article 50 to hold second Brexit referendum

Britain's EU exit should be stopped to allow time to hold a second referendum, according to Change UK. Party spokesman Chuka Umunna said the country was facing a "national emergency" - the prospect of leaving the EU with no deal at the end of October. "I have come to the view that we are now at the point where we are going to need to revoke Article 50," he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.
19th May 2019 - Sky News

Nicola Sturgeon: Independence vote by 2021 even if UK stays in EU

Nicola Sturgeon has signalled that her timetable for a second independence referendum before 2021 will remain if the UK chooses to stay in the EU. The First Minister said she would “not necessarily” abandon her independence plans even if there is a second EU referendum that reverses Brexit, citing the risk of Boris Johnson becoming Prime Minister.
19th May 2019 - The Scotsman

Nigel Farage claims Leavers are the true democrats – this is why he’s wrong

Our democracy is under threat from the Brexit result. The legitimacy of the result is undermined by the unlawful means used to reach it. Maybe voters will want Brexit in greater numbers, but they should be asked in a second referendum. But it must be clear that its point is not to give the public a second chance to fix its mistake, but to give the winning campaign side another opportunity to win by the rules rather than by breaking them. The sooner both sides in the Brexit debate see that a second vote is in their interests whether pro-Leave or pro-Remain, we have our best hope for breaking the current gridlock in parliament – and we stand up for the democracy we hold so dear. Failing to back a second vote is to say democracy only matters when you like the result and that would betray our British values altogether.
19th May 2019 - The Independent

Guy Verhofstadt: ‘If you want to see what nationalists have done, come to Britain'

I asked him the obvious question of how he thought Brexit would go in the coming months, whether he felt he would ever escape from it. “Like you, all we can do is watch,” he says. “The withdrawal agreement is there. We are ready to sign it. My view is that in any other country, after such an existential decision as the referendum, there would have immediately been a cross-party commission. But you seem to prefer always the usual two-party fight. Like many of you, we are just asking, when, if ever, are they going to put country before party?” He believes this week’s elections are a good place to start.
19th May 2019 - The Guardian

Bame voters, Farage is counting on your apathy to win – don’t give him the satisfaction

Among Bame Labour voters, there are some who think they ought to sit this election out, because they believe that unleashing another abhorrent political party in Europe will never really affect them. But it’s imperative that we don’t sit this out. Use your vote to ensure the socialists and democrats can form the largest party in the European parliament, to ensure we deliver hard-working Labour MEPs that will actually make us proud (for however long it is we have left in Europe). Make sure you vote – just try not to embolden the far-right in Europe, by accident.
19th May 2019 - The Independent

Nigel Farage: McDonald's asked not to sell milkshakes during rally

Police asked a McDonald's in Edinburgh not to sell ice cream or milkshakes during a rally run by Nigel Farage. As hundreds of Brexit Party supporters joined a rally led by Mr Farage at Edinburgh's Corn Exchange, the nearby branch of the fast food chain avoided selling the products - to prevent a repeat of recent dairy-based attacks. The branch on Chesser Avenue also had to increase its door security between 6pm and 10pm.
19th May 2019 - Sky News

Green co-leader Sian Berry: 'There has to be confirmatory vote' on new Brexit deal

19 May 2019 Green co-leader Sian Berry: ‘There has to be confirmatory vote’ on new Brexit deal Matt Frei Europe Editor and Presenter Share Tweet Send Email We spoke to Sian Berry, the co-leader of the Green Party, and began by asking her if the Greens would support Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement if there was a second referendum.
19th May 2019 - Channel 4 News

Theresa May promises 'bold offer' in last-ditch bid to win support for Brexit deal

The Prime Minister said she would "not be simply asking MPs to think again" about the same deal they have rejected three times when the Withdrawal Agreement Bill comes up for a vote next month. The pledge comes in spite of Labour pulling the plug on long-running talks with the Government aimed at thrashing out changes to the Brexit deal.
19th May 2019 - Politics Home

Theresa May plans to put 'bold' new Brexit offer before Commons

The Prime Minister has promised a “bold offer” to MPs in a final bid to get her Brexit deal through parliament, but we’re yet to hear the detail of what that could possibly entail. Lib Dem leader Vince Cable says if it means she’s now going to offer the country a confirmatory referendum on her deal, his MPs would back it. One cabinet minister said today he’d like to shut all 650 MPs in a room until a deal was hammered out.
19th May 2019 - Channel 4 News

Brexit: May faces calls to quit as collapse of Labour talks kills off EU withdrawal plan

Theresa May is facing growing clamour from within her own party to quit immediately as prime minister, after the collapse of Brexit talks with Labour sounded the death knell for her EU withdrawal plans. With Tories trailing in fifth place on a humiliating 9 per cent in one poll for next week’s European parliament elections, furious backbenchers predicted certain defeat when the Withdrawal Agreement Bill comes before the Commons in June. Brexiteers said there was no prospect of Ms May averting a “significant” rebellion by tacking towards them on totemic issues like the Irish backstop and free trade. “There’s nothing she can say,” said one former minister. “No one trusts her any more.”
19th May 2019 - The Independent

Could the European elections redefine British politics?

Here in the UK, Brexit dominates the campaign that was never supposed to happen for Thursday’s European elections. Six weeks of talks between Labour and the government to find a deal on the Withdrawal Agreement have ended without consummation. With both sides blaming the other. The latest polling has the Tories in fourth, even fifth place and both big parties have been campaigning as if in a witness protection programme for an election about as welcome to them as root canal surgery.
18th May 2019 - Channel 4 News

Brexit: 'Don't betray Gibraltar' urges Vince Cable as the Rock fears a Spanish crackdown

Sir Vince Cable may have little time left as Lib Dem leader but he is determined to make the most of it. So just a week before crucial European Parliament elections the energetic 76-year-old jetted to Gibraltar to deliver a stark message to Theresa May - “don’t betray” the Rock. Sir Vince, who visited the Gibraltar on Friday for the first time, said Brits living there are “totally committed to being in the UK family – we have a duty to them”. Locals told the Mirror they felt “forgotten” amid the squabbling of politicians in Westminster. Gibraltar, which voted 96% to remain in the EU, fears Spain seizing on our chaos to resurrect claims on the peninsula.
18th May 2019 - Daily Mirror

Brexit: Withdrawal Agreement Bill 'should include public vote'

The government should add a public vote to the Brexit legislation which MPs will vote on next month, the shadow Brexit secretary has told the BBC. Sir Keir Starmer said including another referendum in the Withdrawal Agreement Bill would "break the impasse". Talks between Labour and the government to find a compromise Brexit deal broke down on Friday without agreement. Theresa May has said she would consider putting different Brexit options to MPs to see which ones "command a majority". Labour's preferred plan is for changes to the government's Brexit deal or an election, but if neither of those are possible, it will support the option of a public vote.
18th May 2019 - BBC

Bagehot The return of Mr Brexit, Nigel Farage

He has never held a seat in the House of Commons, let alone a seat around the cabinet table. Yet Nigel Farage is one of the most important British politicians of the past few decades. History will have little to say about many members of Theresa May’s under-achieving government. But it will have a great deal to say, whether good or bad, about this former commodities trader turned champion of the populist revolution. Mr Farage has changed the course of British history once and may be about to change it again. He persuaded David Cameron to call a referendum on membership of the eu, by turning the obscure uk Independence Party into a powerful electoral machine that hoovered up discontented Tory voters. Now he is trying to force Mrs May to “deliver on” that referendum by demanding that Britain leave with no deal. His brand-new Brexit Party is likely to win more votes than any other in next week’s European election and send an electric shock through the political establishment.
18th May 2019 - The Economist

As his Brexit talks with Theresa May finally collapse, Jeremy Corbyn has the most to lose

Labour isn’t working. The famous Tory poster, which helped Margaret Thatcher win power 40 years ago this month, could be applied equally to Labour’s campaign for next Thursday’s European parliament elections. The party is losing support to two rivals that Jeremy Corbyn thought he had seen off – the Liberal Democrats and Greens. Their crystal clear anti-Brexit pitch contrasts with Corbyn’s fuzzy approach, which is alienating Remainers without keeping Labour Leavers on board. Figures I have seen show how Labour’s campaign is not reaching its natural supporters on social media, a far cry from its huge success in this area when Corbyn deprived the Conservatives of their overall majority at the 2017 general election
18th May 2019 - The Independent

Bombshell Brexit leak reveals Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn discussed plan to leave EU on July 31 and avoid second referendum

A bombshell leaked document today reveals Theresa May’s plan to block a second referendum and stage “preferential votes” in the Commons designed to allow Britain to leave the EU on July 31. The leaked memo, shown to the Evening Standard, was sent to Labour on Wednesday, a day after the Prime Minister and Jeremy Corbyn met for private talks. The revelation came as a surprise on the day Mr Corbyn pulled the plug on cross-party talks with the Government, saying that they had “gone as far as they can”.
18th May 2019 - Evening Standard

Theresa May to give MPs ‘multiple choice’ option over Brexit asking them to rank options for exit

Theresa May is said to be mulling giving MPs a multiple choice vote on the kind of future relationship the UK should have with the EU in order to get her Brexit deal through Parliament next month. The proposal would use a preferential vote system under which MPs would rank different options in order of preference. The government is considering holding the series of 'indicative votes' before MPs vote for the fourth and final time on her Brexit deal in the week beginning June 3.
18th May 2019 - Daily Mail

I’m standing to be an MEP because only our party can unite the country behind a new referendum

I’ve put myself forward as a candidate for Labour in Yorkshire and the Humber because I want Europe and Britain to provide opportunity for all working people, whatever their background. My introduction to political activism was in the struggle against climate change, and I am proud that Labour under Jeremy Corbyn has become the party of radical economic change built on a Green New Deal. On Brexit, I have spent the last two and a half years campaigning for a public vote and to stay in the EU. It’s clear now that the Brexit the nation was sold is a fantasy. Labour’s talks with the government have been going round in circles, so it is right that we have pulled the plug. We now need to make sure the people get to decide what happens next.
18th May 2019 - The Independent

Scotland won't be independent within EU, says Farage

Nigel Farage has called on “genuine Scottish nationalists” to vote for his Brexit party in next week’s EU elections, as he described Nicola Sturgeon’s campaign for an independent Scotland within Europe as “the most dishonest political discourse anywhere in the world”. As anti-racist protesters chanted outside the venue, Farage told cheering supporters at a rally in Edinburgh: “If you’re genuinely a nationalist lend your vote to the Brexit party, let’s get out of the EU and then have an honest debate about independence.”
17th May 2019 - The Guardian

Remain voters are left with no choice but to ignore Labour next week

Change UK’s launch may have been hamfisted, but the Lib Dems and Greens still offer viable alternatives
17th May 2019 - The Guardian

Remaining in EU a must, say Labour MPs

Labour’s leading Scottish candidate in the European elections and more than half of the party’s MPs north of the border have said that staying in the EU is “non-negotiable” in a direct challenge to their leadership. David Martin, Britain’s longest-serving MEP, hit out at Jeremy Corbyn and Richard Leonard’s stance on Brexit as he called on the public to elect MEPs “who believe in a better future leading and not leaving the EU”. In an open letter to voters, signed by four of the seven Scottish Labour MPs, Mr Martin said it was in the country’s best interest to continue to play an integral role at the heart of the EU.
17th May 2019 - The Times

Brexit: Does collapse of Labour talks spell end for Theresa May's hopes?

A leaked memo from the government side, not agreed by Labour or the cabinet, contained a wheeze that could have been attractive to both leaderships. Even before the Withdrawal Agreement Bill makes its appearance, the memo suggested there could be a "free vote" in Parliament on another referendum. This is rather different from what the shadow Brexit secretary, Sir Keir Starmer, was suggesting - that there ought to be a "confirmatory" vote, as part of a package, on any agreed deal. The leaders of both the main parties aren't keen on another public vote, to say the least. So a stand-alone Commons vote on the issue, divorced from the deal, would be more likely to go down to defeat - as it has on previous occasions.
17th May 2019 - BBC

I’ve always backed Labour. But on Thursday, I will vote Green for the first time

I left Labour a couple of years ago, feeling disappointed by its direction, and yet hamstrung by loyalty to it, which seemed problematic for a journalist. As I have watched Labour tear itself apart over Brexit, failing to fully commit to a course of action as the clock has run down, I have stayed mostly quiet, in the naive hope that there was some sort of long-term strategy at play. I no longer trusted Corbyn, but I believed in and trusted many of Labour’s other excellent politicians. Unfortunately, they seem to have little say, and the party appears torn between what it sees as its white working-class voter base and its middle class “ultra-remainer” supporters.
17th May 2019 - The Guardian

REVEALED: Why Boris wants Brexit deal VOTED THROUGH before May goes

Boris Johnson has thrown his hat in the ring to replace Theresa May as Prime Minister but there are fears that a failure to pass the Brexit deal could lead to a general election.
17th May 2019 - Express.co.uk

Better to leave the EU than make a hero of Farage

Remainers should see that letting Brexit happen may be smarter in the long run than allowing a grievance to fester
17th May 2019 - The Times

Nicola Sturgeon: Real chance for Scotland to remain in EU

There is now a “real chance” to keep Scotland in the EU, with the future of the country at stake ahead of the European elections, according to Nicola Sturgeon. The First Minister will speak in Glasgow on Friday to launch the SNP’s European manifesto and will indicate that a vote for the party would send a message to Prime Minister Theresa May to stop Brexit and to stop ignoring Scotland.
17th May 2019 - The Scotsman

Vote SNP even if you’re against independence, Sturgeon urges Scots

Nicola Sturgeon has urged voters across Scotland to support the SNP in next week’s EU elections “whether you’re for or against independence”, to send a convincing message about the country’s opposition to Brexit. While opponents have accused her of using the Brexit deadlock as an excuse to campaign for independence, Sturgeon stepped up her appeals to pro-European voters to discount Labour. Launching her party’s EU manifesto on Friday, she dismissed as “pointless” Jeremy Corbyn’s talks with Theresa May, and accused him of wanting to overturn the referendum result in Scotland, where a majority voted to remain. Speaking to an audience of candidates and activists hours before the Brexit party leader, Nigel Farage, was due to hold a rally in Edinburgh, Sturgeon said: “We have senior Tories now openly calling for an electoral pact with Nigel Farage … it is a deadly serious possibility and for Scotland it would be a nightmare.
17th May 2019 - The Guardian

The Guardian view on the EU elections: a chance to reshape our politics

Brexit or no Brexit, Britain will remain a European nation, subject to the same regional pressures as before. Member of the EU or not, Britain will have to respond to issues like climate crisis and security threats in cooperation with these neighbours and allies. And, unless the “ourselves alone” Brexit extremists take over in Britain – which they must not be permitted to do – our businesses, our industries, our scientists, our research and development teams and our individual citizens will remain intimately networked with theirs.
17th May 2019 - The Guardian

Boris Johnson crushes leadership rivals in poll of Tory members

Boris Johnson is the clear favourite to be the next prime minister, according to a poll of members of the Conservative Party. The former foreign secretary was the first choice to replace Theresa May for 39 per cent of those polled. The second-most popular, Dominic Raab, attracted 13 per cent, with support for all other contenders in single figures. In a head-to-head vote, Mr Johnson would beat Mr Raab by 59 points to 41, and every other contender by a bigger margin, according to the YouGov poll for The Times in which 858 Tory party members were interviewed between May 10 and 16.
17th May 2019 - The Times

May and Corbyn blame each other as Brexit talks collapse

The government and Labour have sought to blame each other after cross-party talks to find a compromise Brexit plan collapsed, leaving any remaining hopes of an imminent solution to the impasse in tatters. While both sides insisted the discussions had taken place in good faith, Theresa May said a sticking point had been Labour splits over a second referendum. Labour in turn said the government had been unwilling to compromise and that May’s imminent departure from Downing Street meant there was no guarantee any promises would be kept by a successor such as Boris Johnson. Nick Boles, the former Conservative MP who helped spearhead efforts to prevent a no-deal Brexit in March, said he now feared such a departure was almost inevitable when the EU27’s latest deadline of 31 October is reached.
17th May 2019 - The Guardian

Revealed: The Government's planned Brexit deal with Labour

The document shows the government wants to hold these indicative votes next week, before the EU parliamentary elections and the short recess. "We would make an emergency business statement on Monday; votes would take place on Wednesday," the paper says. It adds: "Whilst neither the Government nor the Opposition can commit to be bound by all of these votes, the purpose of holding them is to test the will of the House and, as far as possible, reflect that in the WAB to maximise the chances of it securing Royal Assent. To that end, the Government and the Opposition will consider not just the result of each vote but the level of support for it". In other words, the cabinet wants to bind Labour's leadership into a rolling process of assessing what compromises are necessary to secure passage of its Brexit legislation.
17th May 2019 - ITV News

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 17th May 2019

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Lib Dems leapfrog Labour as Tories trail in Euro polls

The Liberal Democrats have overtaken Labour while the Tories are pushed to fifth place, according to a poll for The Times before the European elections. The Lib Dems appear to be picking up support from Labour and Green voters after Sir Vince Cable argued that opponents of Brexit should vote for his party. YouGov interviewed 7,192 British adults between Sunday and Thursday this week. When asked whom they would support in the European elections, 35 per cent said the Brexit Party, up 1 point on the week before. Lib Dems were on 16 per cent, up 1, Labour on 15 per cent, down 1, Greens on 10 per cent, down 1, Conservatives on 9 per cent, down 1, Change UK unchanged on 5 per cent and Ukip unchanged on 3 per cent. The decline of the Conservatives into single figures is likely to increase the panic in the party’s high command, with 62 per cent of Tory voters in the 2017 general election now saying that they will vote for the Brexit Party in the European elections. Only one in five who backed the party at the last general election is sticking with the Tories in the European elections.
17th May 2019 - The Times

Brexit talks between the Government and Labour set to collapse without a deal

The negotiations, which have been going on since the end of March, could break down as early as Friday. Senior Labour sources said on Thursday that they were not going to walk away "imminently" - leaving the door open to the party pulling the plug at some point in the next few days. Labour negotiators had also insisted that any deal agreed with the Government - which they also wanted to contain guarantees on workers' rights and environmental standards - must contain provisions preventing a future Tory leader from being able to tear them up. Meanwhile, BBC Newsnight's Nick Watt also reported that Tory whips believe a deal with Labour was not possible.
17th May 2019 - Politics Home

Could Nigel Farage end up rescuing - or even owning - the Tory Party?

Is the Brexit party the enemy or friend of the Tory Party? Is Nigel Farage its destroyer - or could he turn into its redeemer? This is not as crazy a question as it may sound, even though right now Farage’s new venture is set to humiliate the Conservatives in the forthcoming EU parliamentary elections. The answer is contingent on other events, and in particular who wins the power struggle within the Conservative Party after Theresa May stands down (which every Tory MP I ask believes will be before the June 15 extraordinary vote by Tory local association chairs and grassroots officials on whether she is fit to remain in office - strikingly Bridgen and Vaizey, from the polar opposite wings of the party, endorsed that scenario on my show last night
16th May 2019 - ITV News

Probation privatisation debacle: Crazed obsession with the market fails again

It is hard to fully describe the wastefulness of this debacle. Probation is the system that monitors offenders when they leave jail and tries to ensure that they do not reoffend. It is the harsh and unloved wing of public services. It isn't exciting, like the armed forces. It doesn't win public sympathy, like schools or hospitals. Most people don't even really know what it is. But when it goes wrong, we all suffer, because we all become less safe. There is a direct causal line between someone stealing your phone on the street and this service. Grayling shattered the system then tried to rebuild it according to the profit motive. He split low, medium and high risk cases and put the former two in the private sector, with the latter retained in the public sector. Then 21 seperate companies were given the contracts. The end result is clear. The National Audit Office found that probation companies had much lower business volumes than the Ministry of Justice had modelled, underinvested in their clients and didn't meet performance targets. They failed to work with charities, or develop appropriate supply chains, or provide innovative changes to the service, or meet contractual commitments, or help offenders with accomodation, employment, finance, mental health or drug problems. In repeated checks, they were found to be inadequate, particularly in the area of public protection. After the reform, there was a 22% overall increase in the number of proven re-offences per re-offender.
16th May 2019 - Politics.co.uk

Union Flag on Theresa May’s official car is flown upside down in Paris — famously a coded signal for ‘distress’

Theresa May’s Brexit “distress” was sent around the world yesterday as bungling Brit officials appeared to fly the Union flag upside down. Eagle-eyed readers pointed out TV footage from Wednesday evening which showed the flag on the PM’s official car in Paris fluttering the wrong way round as she met President Emmanuel Macron for talks.
16th May 2019 - The Sun

Beginning the hunt for the next PM

But the paragraph tucked into the short formal letter from Sir Graham Brady to Tory MPs all but marks the end of Theresa May's premiership and the beginning of the official hunt for the next leader of the country. After the lines in the short note restate the prime minister's determination to get Brexit done, it confirms in black and white that after the next big vote, in the first week of June, the prime minister will make plans with the party for choosing a successor. Right now, the expectation is that vote will be lost (although it is not impossible, of course, that Number 10 could turn it round). And the conversation that's been arranged won't just be a gentle chat about what to do next. Senior sources have told me that means, even though the letter doesn't spell it out, that if her Brexit plan is defeated again, Mrs May will announce she is going.
16th May 2019 - BBC

Britain's cross-party Brexit talks due to end soon - BBC's Watt

Brexit talks between Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives and the opposition Labour Party will soon draw to a close after the ruling party gave up on finding a compromise to break the Brexit impasse, a BBC reporter said on Thursday. May opened cross-party talks with the Labour Party more than a month ago after parliament rejected her European Union withdrawal deal three times, leaving Britain in political limbo. Nicholas Watt, political editor of the BBC Newsnight programme, said he understood that the cross-party search for a solution would end soon, after Conservative officials gave up on the phase of the talks. "(They) are looking to pack the (EU withdrawal) legislation with goodies for Brexiteers," he said on Twitter.
16th May 2019 - Yahoo!

Blair: Social democracy needs 'narrative about the future'

When I asked Tony Blair whether he took the Thorning-Schmidt line or that of Angela Merkel, the German chancellor who ruled out any possible deal with the AfD, he gave a nuanced answer. "It depends on what you're being asked to trade in terms of policy in order to go into that coalition", Mr Blair explained. "If, for example, you know going into coalition with a right-wing party means you're going to adopt policies that are completely contrary to your principles then you shouldn't do it. "If on the other hand by forming that coalition you're keeping out a more destructive right wing coalition then you might do". Unsurprisingly, he castigates the current Labour leadership, and they reject his blueprint. But the Blair formula involves creating a compelling narrative for a future where the dizzying changes engendered by artificial intelligence, big data and robotics need to be channelled to create hope rather than insecurity.
16th May 2019 - BBC

Boris Johnson confirms bid for Tory leadership

Boris Johnson has said he will run for the Conservative Party leadership after Theresa May stands down. Asked at a business event in Manchester if he would be a candidate, the former foreign secretary replied: "Of course I'm going to go for it." Mrs May has said she will resign once MPs back her Brexit deal. A decision on her exit timetable will now take place after the House of Commons votes on her Brexit bill early next month.
16th May 2019 - BBC

Theresa May to agree resignation timetable in WEEKS after showdown with MPs

Theresa May looks set to agree her resignation timetable in just over two weeks' time after a showdown with Tory MPs. Cabinet ministers and the PM's allies now believe there'll be a full-blown Tory leadership contest before the summer holiday after her two-hour meeting with the 1922 Committee.
16th May 2019 - Daily Mirror

May agrees to set her exit date after Brexit bill vote

Theresa May has agreed to set a timetable for her departure as prime minister in the first week of June, leading MPs to believe she will trigger a leadership contest before the summer. Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 Committee of backbenchers, said she would agree a timetable for the election of a new leader after her Brexit legislation returned to parliament for a final attempt in the week of 3 June. Another member of the 1922 Committee told the Guardian that May understood she would have to name a quick date for her departure if the withdrawal bill is voted down, with a leadership contest before the summer. The MP said some Brexit supporters on the committee were disappointed that the prime minister was not forced to announce her departure immediately but this represented a “fair compromise”.
16th May 2019 - The Guardian

Momentum urges Labour to adopt 'radical' pledges in next manifesto

Momentum, the grassroots group set up to support Jeremy Corbyn, is directing its campaigning muscle into urging Labour to adopt a series of “radical and transformational” pledges in its next manifesto, including a green new deal and the four-day week. With Westminster politicians deadlocked over Brexit, which has divided Labour activists, Momentum wants to use its 40,000-strong membership to influence the direction of policy on other issues. It also hopes to act as a bulwark against the influence of MPs from the social democratic wing of the Labour party.
16th May 2019 - The Guardian

Nigel Farage's funding secrets revealed - Channel 4 News

Channel 4 News investigation reveals how millionaire Arron Banks spent approximately £450,000 on Nigel Farage to fund lavish lifestyle the year following the EU referendum in summer 2016.
16th May 2019 - Channel 4 News

Change UK is dying before it even learned to walk

Change UK is dying before it even learned to walk. Its MPs know it. Its candidates know it. The public knows it. Change UK never really wanted to change anything. What it wanted most of all was for things to stay the same. For the UK to remain in the EU and for the extremes of both the Tory and Labour parties to shut up and go away.
16th May 2019 - The Guardian

Pro-EU Tory MP Philip Lee to face no confidence vote from his local party’s Brexiteers

Rebel Tory MP Philip Lee is to face a no confidence vote by local party Brexiteers trying to oust him, The Sun can reveal. The outspoken MP for Bracknell resigned as a justice minister last year to back a second referendum. He is the latest in a series of pro-EU Tories to face deselection attempts. The vote will be held on June 1, after 53 members signed a petition calling for one.
16th May 2019 - The Sun

Momentum to try to force Jeremy Corbyn to adopt four-day working week as Labour Party policy

A pro-Jeremy Corbyn campaign group will try to force the Labour Party to adopt a four-day working week as official policy ahead of the next general election. Momentum will use its 40,000-strong activist base to campaign in the run up to Labour’s annual party conference in September to push through “radical and transformational” pledges. Those pledges will also include a much tougher position on combating climate change by requiring the UK to become carbon neutral by 2030. That would go much further than the party’s current position of achieving net zero emissions before 2050. But the Tories said the proposals would weaken the UK’s economy and put jobs at risk.
16th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Why is Labour just letting the Brexit party win the European elections?

Why is Labour making such a historic mistake? To judge from public statements, the leadership believes that Labour’s poor showing in this month’s local elections proves simply that the public wants us to “get a deal done” on Brexit: the leadership also argues that their ambiguous approach to Brexit in the 2017 election helped them win voters. Actually, Labour’s 2017 success depended on people believing that it was fundamentally a remain party despite tactical ambiguity on Brexit. And regardless of the suggestion that the public simply want the political class to get on with Brexit, polling shows that a large portion of the public now wants to stop Brexit. There are, of course, hardcore voters who want to leave no matter what, but they have mostly already shifted to Farage and his Brexit party.
16th May 2019 - The Guardian

Arron Banks 'spent £450,000 on Nigel Farage in year after Brexit vote - providing him with £4.4m Chelsea home, £32,000 Land Rover Discovery, close protection driver, furniture and even utility bills'

Millionaire insurance tycoon Arron Banks spent close to half a million pounds funding Nigel Farage's lavish lifestyle, according to the findings of a Channel 4 News investigation. The investigation to be broadcast tonight reports that Rock Services Ltd, a company owned by Mr Banks, leased a £4.4m 3-bedroom Chelsea home with garage for Mr Farage at an estimated rent of £13,000 a month in the summer of 2016. It is claimed Mr Banks also fitted and furnished the house, buying crockery, chairs and bathroom accessories and even a shower curtain for Mr Farage. Former UKIP leader Farage - who now fronts the Brexit Party - was also said to have been handed a Land Rover Discovery, valued at £32,300, for his personal use.
16th May 2019 - Daily Mail

Millionaire Arron Banks ‘spent £450,000 bankrolling Nigel Farage’s lavish lifestyle’

The tycoon Arron Banks spent £450,000 bankrolling Nigel Farage’s lavish lifestyle, including the rent of an exclusive home in Chelsea, according to a Channel 4 News investigation. Mr Banks bought furniture and fittings for the house, including crockery, chairs and bathroom accessories – even a shower curtain. He also paid for a car and security trained driver and leased a private office for Mr Farage, who now leads the Brexit Party, Channel 4 reported. Its investigation claimed that Rock Services Ltd, which is owned by Mr Banks, leased the £4.4m 3-bedroom house at an estimated rent of £13,000 a month in summer 2016. Mr Farage was provided with a Land Rover Discovery, valued at £32,300, for his use and Mr Banks paid £20,000 for a close protection driver
16th May 2019 - iNews

Arron Banks 'gave £450,000 funding to Nigel Farage after Brexit vote'

Nigel Farage was lavishly funded by Arron Banks in the year after the Brexit referendum, Channel 4 News has alleged, with the insurance tycoon providing him with a furnished Chelsea home, a car and driver, and money to promote him in America. According to invoices, emails and other documents, Banks, who regularly bankrolled Farage’s former party, Ukip, spent about £450,000 in the year after the referendum, when Farage had quit as Ukip leader, the programme said. It said the money, some provided via Rock Services Ltd, a company owned by Banks, was used to rent a Chelsea home for £13,000 a month, with Banks purchasing furniture and fittings including crockery and a shower curtain. Farage was also provided with a Land Rover Discovery and a driver, and Banks sought to raise an extra £130,000 from supporters to cover security.
16th May 2019 - The Guardian

Nigel Farage’s funding secrets revealed

Channel 4 News investigation reveals how millionaire Arron Banks spent approximately £450,000 on Nigel Farage to fund lavish lifestyle the year following the EU referendum in summer 2016. Millionaire insurance tycoon Arron Banks spent close to half a million pounds funding Nigel Farage, who is now the Brexit Party leader. Mr Banks is currently under investigation by the National Crime Agency over the source of his funding for the Brexit campaign. However, Nigel Farage claims Mr Banks has never funded The Brexit Party, which was founded in February this year. An investigation by Channel 4 News reveals: Mr Banks, through one of his companies, rented exclusive £4.4m Chelsea home for Mr Farage - Gifts included furniture, council tax, water and electricity bills - Banks provided a £30k car and £20k for a driver - Banks also leased private office for £1,500 a month and paid Mr Farage’s personal assistant - Hundreds of thousands of pounds were spent promoting “Brand Farage” in America - A company owned by Mr Banks, called Rock Services Ltd, leased a £4.4m three-bedroom Chelsea home with a garage for Mr Farage at an estimated rent of £13,000 a month in summer 2016.
16th May 2019 - Channel 4 News

Boris Johnson confirms he will 'of course' run to succeed Theresa May

Boris Johnson has confirmed he will run to replace Theresa May as leader of the Conservative Party, claiming he has a "boundless appetite to try to get it right". Speaking at a private event in Manchester alongside the BBC presenter Huw Edwards, Mr Johnson told those in attendance "of course I'm going for it". “I don't think that is any particular secret to anybody,” he added. “But you know there is no vacancy at present." It marks the first time that the former foreign secretary has publicly stated his intention to run. Mr Johnson is the Grassroots favourite to succeed Mrs May, topping every leadership poll published in recent months. He is expected to run as the candidate offering a "clean Brexit"
16th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Two rising star Tory MPs launch leadership bids after being urged to take on Cabinet big beasts

Two rising star Tory MPs have launched leadership bids after being urged to take on “failing” Cabinet big beasts. Housing minister Kit Malthouse and Brexit minister James Cleverly are discreetly setting up campaign teams to challenge for the nation’s top job, The Sun can reveal.
16th May 2019 - The Sun

Amber Rudd warns Tories not to give up and let 'extremists' win as EU elections loom

Amber Rudd has warned that the Conservatives must occupy the centre ground if they are to defeat the "extremists" currently dominating British politics. Amid a surge in support for Nigel Farage's new Brexit Party, the Cabinet minister told Tory activists that the Conservatives were now in "the fight of our lives" to push back against populists. A spate of recent polls have suggested that the Brexit Party, which is pushing for a no-deal exit from the EU, will come out on top at the EU elections on 23 May.
16th May 2019 - Politics Home

For a Tory revival that can truly see off populism, all you need is Gove

In the latest part of our new series on the leadership contest awaiting the Conservatives, Harry Hodges explains why Michael Gove is the man who can deliver on the promise of Brexit
16th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Meet the real Alexander Nix. An interview with the notorious former head of Cambridge Analytica

If you have heard of Alexander Nix, you probably think he’s a villain. He is the former head of Cambridge Analytica, the data analytics company that helped Donald Trump win the presidential election. Nix and his colleagues have been accused of all sorts of other dastardly deeds: conniving with the Kremlin to hack democracy, ‘dark messaging’ people with racist ads on Facebook in the run-up to Brexit, and more and worse. Nix lost his job after a Channel 4 investigation into Cambridge Analytica in March last year — the exposé won a Bafta last weekend. By May, Cambridge Analytica and its parent company SCL had gone into administration, and Nix had been widely condemned as a Machiavellian crook.
16th May 2019 - The Spectator

Anti-Brexit feeling expected to help SNP in European elections

With the SNP presenting itself as the logical pro-EU option north of the border – where 62% voted to remain in the 2016 referendum – the party leader, Nicola Sturgeon, urged voters to treat both Labour and the Conservatives as pro-Brexit parties when she launched her European election campaign last week. Curtice said the polling evidence suggested Labour’s vote in Scotland was more pro-leave than the rest of the UK yet, like the Tories, its support at this election had been eroding, leaving it likely to lose one of its two European seats.
16th May 2019 - The Guardian

The end of Theresa May, writes Robert Peston

Today's joint statement by the 1922 Committee and the PM may seem opaque but it means something very simple and unambiguous: the Tories will have a new leader, and we will have a new prime minister, by August. That is what a majority of Tory MPs want. But for reasons of decorum, they have not spelled out the exact timetable ahead of the European Union parliamentary elections, which take place on Thursday, or before the fourth and final attempt to have the PM’s Brexit deal ratified, in the week beginning June 3. Theresa May is being allowed the flimsiest fig leaf of control over her destiny. But sources tell me that a majority of the 1922 executive committee want the new leadership contest done and dusted by the time the Commons rises for the summer at the end of July, to give a new leader the opportunity to shape a Brexit path with a few months to spare before the new deadline of 31 October.
16th May 2019 - ITV News

Brexit: Talks between Tories and Labour set to close with no deal

Brexit talks between the Conservatives and Labour are about to close without an agreement, the BBC has learned. Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn will now move to a second phase, aimed at agreeing on a process for Parliamentary votes designed to find a consensus. It comes after Mrs May promised to set a timetable for leaving Downing Street following the next Brexit vote in June. Ex-Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has said he will stand in the Conservative leadership election that will follow.
16th May 2019 - BBC

EU fines major banks €1 billion over currency cartels

Regulators in the European Union have levied a hefty fine on Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, Citigroup, JPMorgan and Japan's MUFG over collusion in currency trading. The European Commission on Thursday fined five major banks €1.07 billion ($1.2 billion) for collusion in the foreign currency market. The fines would normally have been 10% higher, but they were reduced after the banks admitted their involvement.
16th May 2019 - Deutsche Welle

European elections: is the party over for the centre-right?

Sara Hagemann, associate professor in European politics at the London School of Economics, argues the election may determine whether Mr Orban will “remain something the EPP has to deal with internally”. Handling him as an external opponent could be easier for the party. But there are downsides: losing Mr Orban’s seats could bring the Socialists close to the top spot in the European Parliament. The Hungarian could also act as a rallying point for the right in Europe — narrowing the appeal of the EPP, much as they feared Mr Berlusconi would in 1998. With the EPP divided over Mr Orban’s fate, some observers see the Hungarian as having the upper hand. He can gamble on the EPP being unwilling to expel him later this year, while making the case for the EPP working with nationalist and anti-immigrant politicians such as Mr Salvini. “I have the impression that the identity battle for Europe’s right is a fight Orban is winning, not losing,” says Mr Vallée. “He is pulling the EPP, and in reality the entire European political structure, to the right.”
15th May 2019 - Financial Times

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 16th May 2019

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Theresa May due to meet Tory MPs over leadership

Theresa May is due to meet senior Conservative MPs who are demanding she sets a date for her departure from Downing Street. Under pressure from her MPs to stand aside, the prime minister is meeting the executive of the backbench 1922 Committee to discuss her future. But current leadership rules mean she cannot be formally challenged until December. Mrs May has said her departure would depend on delivering Brexit.
16th May 2019 - BBC

One Million Londoners Set To March Against Trump During UK State Visit, New YouGov Poll Suggests

More than a million Londoners look set to protest at Donald Trump’s visit to the UK after a new poll found 13% of the city’s residents are ‘likely’ to join the demonstrations. A new YouGov/QueenMaryLondon poll, shared with HuffPost UK, found that more than one in ten of the capital’s eight million residents were poised to turn out against the US President next month. The survey also found that one in five (20%) 18-24 year-olds expect to march on the streets during the ‘State Visit’. Overall, Londoners of all ages oppose Trump’s trip by a margin of more than two-to-one, with 54% against it and just 24% supporting it.
16th May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Lib Dems And Brexit Party Outspending Labour On Euro Election Facebook Adverts, New Data Shows

Labour has hit back at claims that it is running a “mealy-mouthed” European elections campaign after new figures showed the party’s spending on Facebook ads was dwarfed by the Lib Dems, Change UK and Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party. Jeremy Corbyn is under fire from his own MPs, who claim the party lacks a clear message on a second referendum and lacks the firepower to counter its rivals ahead of next Thursday’s poll, HuffPost UK has learned. New data from the ‘People’s Vote’ campaign shows that from May 5 to May 11, Labour spent just £7,331 on Facebook advertising for the elections - less than a third of the Lib Dems outlay of £23,191.
16th May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

May set to reject new definition of Islamophobia

Ministers will instead appoint two independent advisers to draw up a less “legally problematic” definition, Whitehall officials said. Calls to abandon the reform, under which hostility to Islam would be treated as a form of racism, were led by Sara Khan, the anti-extremism tsar, and Neil Basu, head of counterterrorism policing. More than 40 people wrote to Sajid Javid, the home secretary, saying that the change would bring in “a backdoor blasphemy law”. The reform was proposed by the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on British Muslims, which had become concerned by threats such as attacks on mosques. The new definition says: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, have already accepted the wording.
16th May 2019 - The Times

Poor performance in European elections could finish off Change UK

On Friday evening in the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, the latest troupe which seeks to break the mould of British politics took to the stage. The Tiggers, the ChUKas, the Remain Alliance, those for Remain and for a People's Vote, all rolled into one. They were there to announce their "Charter for Remain" and despite the smiles, the breezy entrances and the jokes, everyone there knew that they met under a cloud; the latest polls showed them plumbing the depths of the low single digits and the day was marked by the party's freshly written farce: their failure to nominate a candidate for the Peterborough by-election. For a few weeks, a few precious weeks, this group had such force, such elan, such goodwill. Yet through a mixture of misstep and mistake, most but not all of their making, it has ebbed away.
15th May 2019 - Sky News

Delivering Brexit won’t quell the forces of nationalism, as Eurosceptics might hope

This emergent league of xenophobes is bound by few taboos, but it does not seek to dismantle the EU. That is not a badge of moderation. It reflects a strategic judgment that illiberal causes are better advanced from within the union, because leaving the club is a fast-track to diminished influence. (A point well illustrated by the UK experience.) Next week’s elections to the European parliament are likely to boost the profile of radical nationalists. They don’t need to achieve spectacular breakthroughs to have an impact. It is sufficient to instil panic in moderate parties, which then mimic the populists’ rhetoric and co-opt parts of their agenda.
15th May 2019 - The Guardian

English Democrats raise £58,000 for Brexit court battle

The leader of the English Democrats has said he is 'very confident' of proving that Britain has already left the EU - despite government claims that his case is 'hopeless'. Robin Tilbrook said his movement had raised £58,000 for the High Court battle and enjoyed an 'upsurge of people joining our party'. The pro-Brexit campaigner vowed to press ahead with the legal challenge despite government lawyers calling his case 'totally without merit' and trying to have it thrown out.
15th May 2019 - Daily Mail

Tory chairman Brandon Lewis tells party's MEP candidates they have no chance in European elections

Brandon Lewis, the Conservative Party Chairman, has told Tory MEP candidates standing for election next week they have no chance of winning a seat, The Telegraph can disclose. In a sign that the Tories are braced for an electoral wipeout in the European elections on May 23, Mr Lewis has told the party’s candidates that if “you are not an MEP already you aren’t winning”. Mr Lewis recently told Conservative candidates at the party’s central office that the “chances of somebody further down the list getting elected are pretty slim". Having refused to launch a national campaign amid a widespread backlash over the delay to Brexit, the Tories are on course to plummet to fourth place next week
15th May 2019 - The Telegraph

PMQs: Barry Sheerman and Theresa May on Brexit and EU

A Labour MP called on the PM to speak the "truth about Europe" rather than the "big lie" of those who opposed it. Barry Sheerman told her he was a "passionate Eurosceptic" when he became an MP 40 years ago, but had changed his mind as the EU had "delivered prosperity" and "kept the peace". Theresa May said the government planned to deliver Brexit, and said it was her party that “gave this country prosperity”.
15th May 2019 - BBC

Why should Jeremy Corbyn bail out Theresa May? He can force an election by holding back

Theresa May is constantly accused of playing for time, a charge that often rings true, but what about her Labour rival? Jeremy Corbyn can't be accused of being any more decisive. Take his choice at Prime Minister's Questions today not to talk about Brexit, instead focusing his six questions on issues like inequality and poverty. Is that because he did not want to derail any spirit of compromise ahead of a potential cross-party deal, or because he knew it was doomed so wanted to whip up Labour voters ahead of an imminent election by bashing the Tories over some familiar areas? Only he will know for sure.
15th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit: Theresa May has set herself a huge test

A loyal lieutenant who's been fighting off attempts to oust her for months says "losing the bill would have to be it - we are in the end now." This has already for Theresa May been a very long goodbye, and we can't know yet when she will actually bid a final farewell. But by committing to bringing the Brexit bill back to Parliament, the prime minister has set herself another huge test, that if she loses, it could turn out to be her last in the job.
15th May 2019 - BBC

PM accused of secretly blocking a bid to stop Troubles veterans being investigated

Theresa May was accused of secretly blocking a bid to halt thousands of ageing Northern Ireland veterans from being investigated to keep power-sharing talks with Sinn Fein alive. Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt’s new law will end prosecutions for accusations against service personnel more than 10 years old without compelling new evidence
15th May 2019 - The Sun

Labour could ‘ABSTAIN’ from fourth Brexit vote – Theresa May handed LIFELINE?

Labour could abstain from a fourth meaningful vote on Prime Minister Theresa May’s controversial Brexit deal with the EU, which could be enough to scrape it through Parliament. Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn has appeared to thrown Mrs May a Brexit lifeline, as if a large number of his party was to abstain, it would be enough to clear the deal of its first hurdle at next month’s ballot. A Labour spokesman was asked six times by a variety of media outlets including The Sun, Guardian and the Daily Mail today, and refused to rule it out on the second reading of the EU withdrawal agreement bill. The spokesman said: “We’ve made pretty clear we won’t support it.”
15th May 2019 - Express.co.uk

Theresa May to demand more time for Brexit deal in showdown talks with key Tories

Theresa May will ask for more time to deliver her Brexit deal in showdown talks on her future with Tory chiefs. She is expected to tell the Tory backbench 1922 committee that key laws must be passed by the summer break for the UK to leave the EU when they meet at Number 10 tomorrow. Senior Tories want the Prime Minister to set a timetable for her departure from No 10 even if Brexit remains unresolved. She has promised to stand down when the first phase of Brexit is done but has resisted naming a date for her departure. But MPs on the 1922 executive could take matters into their own hands and change party rules to allow another confidence vote. Rebel MPs have warned that Mrs May faces defeat when she tries to get the withdrawal agreement bill through Parliament.
15th May 2019 - Daily Mirror

Brexit secretary admits Theresa May's deal is 'dead' if MPs reject it again

Theresa May's Brexit deal is "dead" if MPs reject it again next month, the Brexit Secretary has admitted. Stephen Barclay indicated June’s vote would be the “last chance saloon” for Theresa May’s withdrawal bill. And it would leave MPs to decide between a no-deal Brexit and revoking Article 50. It comes after Number 10 revealed plans to bring Mrs May’s withdrawal agreement back to the commons in early June. Mr Barclay told the Lords EU committee: “I think if the House of Commons does not approve the WAB then the Barnier deal is dead in that form.
15th May 2019 - Daily Mirror

Liberal Democrat rising star Layla Moran rules herself out of party leadership race

Rising star of the Liberal Democrats Layla Moran has ruled herself out of the race to succeed Sir Vince Cable as the party’s next leader. The Oxford West and Abingdon MP, who was first elected in 2017, was among the frontrunners tipped to take over the Lib Dem veteran, who is expected to stand down imminently. In a statement however, Ms Moran said she did not believe she could take on the “busy role” of leading the party while fulfilling her duties as an MP after just two years in the job.
15th May 2019 - Politics Home

No 10 hints Commons Brexit vote is make or break for Theresa May

The vote on the withdrawal agreement bill will be make or break for Theresa May’s future as prime minister, Downing Street has indicated, as a member of her cabinet said defeat could also kill off the deal entirely. No 10 said the key piece of Brexit legislation would be voted on in the week beginning 3 June, and talks with Labour would continue in the meantime.
15th May 2019 - The Guardian

If Theresa May resigns, what will the leadership contest look like?

Despite suffering the largest defeat for a sitting government in history when her Brexit deal was rejected by MPs, Theresa May continues to cling to office. In May, it emerged that she could stand down if her hated bill fails for a final time in July. So how would a leadership campaign play out? The Sun discusses it
15th May 2019 - The Sun

Exclusive: Lib Dems Send Activists 'Jeremy Corbyn Brexit Dossier' As Party Plots Assault On Labour Heartlands

Lib Dem activists targeting Labour heartlands in the European elections have been armed with a ‘Jeremy Corbyn Brexit dossier’, HuffPost UK has learned. The eight-page document is being sent to candidates and grassroots activists as Vince Cable’s party aims to convince “increasingly soft” Labour votes. The document, which is to be issued with Labour attack leaflets, collates pro-Brexit quotes from Labour’s frontbench MPs, including from supporters of a second referendum, such as Keir Starmer and Emily Thornberry. It also outlines in detail the party’s voting record on a second referendum and soft Brexit options, underlining that Corbyn’s MPs were whipped either to abstain or to vote with the Tories on 29 key Brexit votes.
15th May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Brexit Party Welsh Assembly group to be set up

Four former UKIP AMs have joined Nigel Farage's Brexit Party, announcing plans to form an assembly group. Mr Farage declared Mark Reckless group leader on a visit to Cardiff on Wednesday. The planned group, which includes Mandy Jones, Caroline Jones and David Rowlands, is subject to assembly approval. Some Plaid Cymru and Labour AMs want it stopped. Mr Farage said: "The leavers in Wales are all coming back together again."
15th May 2019 - BBC

'Political tectonic plates are shifting': Greens aim to gain from Labour's pain

Labour and the Conservatives are widely expected to pay a heavy price for the Brexit impasse in next week’s European elections, and the Green party hopes to take advantage. Normally best known for environmental policies, the Greens aim to attract pro-EU voters with their “clear pro-remain” position. The difficulty is that the competition for that segment of the vote is crowded, with the Lib Dems and Change UK equally keen to take a share. Still, the Greens are optimistic. In London they hope to double their number of MEPs, to two, and they believe they can pick up a significant number of protest votes from people who want to send a clear message to Jeremy Corbyn over Labour’s Brexit position, even in his own backyard.
15th May 2019 - The Guardian

Theresa May to be told: give us your leaving date or you'll be gone in a month

Theresa May will be forced from office within a month if she does not set out a timetable for her departure when she meets senior backbench MPs on Thursday. The Prime Minister will be told she faces the prospect of a confidence vote of her own MPs on June 12 if she does not agree to quit before the summer. Mrs May has already promised to stand down once Britain has formally left the EU, but the executive of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories will tell her on Thursday that she must agree to resign regardless of whether her Brexit deal is passed by Parliament. There is growing unease within Tory ranks about the swift rise of Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party, which now has more than 100,000 paying subscribers
15th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit: Stephen Barclay says PM's deal is 'dead' if bill fails

The prime minister's Brexit deal will be "dead" if the withdrawal bill does not pass in the Commons in June, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay has said. Mr Barclay said the bill - which paves the way for Brexit - will be considered by MPs in the week beginning 3 June. He said if the plan is rejected by MPs, the UK will face no deal, or Article 50 could be revoked - so no Brexit. But Jeremy Corbyn's spokesman has said Labour would not support the bill if no cross-party agreement were reached. Attempts to find a cross-party compromise began after Theresa May's Brexit deal, the withdrawal agreement that was negotiated with the EU, was rejected three times by MPs. Asked twice whether she would resign if her Brexit plan is rejected again by MPs, Mrs May said the withdrawal bill will "ensure that we deliver Brexit for the public".
15th May 2019 - BBC

Why Theresa May faces defeat on her flagship Brexit bill

Experts said there were three broad reasons why the government now risked defeat in the Commons on the withdrawal agreement bill. First, the bill gives effect to the Irish backstop, the provision in the divorce treaty to prevent the return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic through a customs union between the UK and the EU if necessary. Northern Ireland, but not Britain, would also be bound by the EU’s goods regulations. Second, the bill maintains a limited role for the European Court of Justice in UK law after Britain leaves the EU. “The EU withdrawal act passed in 2018 turned off the principle of supremacy and direct effect of EU law in the UK,” said Catherine Barnard, professor of EU law at Trinity College Cambridge. “What the WAB does is turn it back on again. Third, the bill enacts the arrangements under which UK has agreed to pay up to €45bn to the EU as part of leaving the bloc. “The bill give ministers powers to make payments to the EU,” said Ms Thimont Jack. “But MPs could amend these clauses to make payments conditional on the EU reaching a trade agreement with the UK, or on future parliamentary votes.
15th May 2019 - Financial Times

@ITVPeston .@EmilyThornberry says if we end up with a deal it should go back to the public to ensure its what they want, with an option to Remain. #Peston

.@EmilyThornberry says if we end up with a deal it should go back to the public to ensure its what they want, with an option to Remain. #Peston
15th May 2019 - @ITVPeston

Both parties frozen in terror as Brexit destroys the system

It is a fundamentally meaningless project, which simultaneously makes it impossible to do anything else. It's a curse, a hex on the body politic. If you don't remove it, it simply sucks you dry. The easy answer to take from this is that the Tories need to turn into the Brexit party, and Labour needs to turn into the Remain party. There are numerous things which make that difficult, if not impossible. But there is something else, something more pronounced. Regardless of Brexit outcome, politicians need to change they way they speak about this issue. They need to be honest, plain-spoken, and precise. Voters deserve that. And politicians' failure to live up to it is destroying them.
14th May 2019 - Politics.co.uk

With so many alienated by Westminster, it should be no surprise that Welsh independence is gaining strength

Two decades later, we have a situation that closely parallels the circumstances that ultimately led to that historic repatriation of powers: 10 years of austerity that have pushed hundreds of Welsh communities back into the grip of poverty, and a Brexit process that has left large swathes of the population feeling like no-one speaks for them. A sense that those in power have barely even a peripheral focus on our interests. Support for independence in Wales has always been fuelled by a sense of alienation from those calling the shots in Westminster. The current growth in momentum and activity would certainly suggest that more people feel that way than ever before.
12th May 2019 - Wales Online

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 15th May 2019

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Brexit chaos: ‘nothing's changed’ - ERG and DUP chiefs savage Theresa May's new vote

“Unless she can demonstrate something new that addresses the problem of the backstop then it is highly likely her deal will go down to defeat once again. "The Prime Minister has not pursued the one option that has ever achieved a positive vote for something in Parliament. "For the Bill to have any prospect of success then there must be real change to protect the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom and deliver Brexit.” Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt also warned that if MPs fail to deliver Brexit, they will be “crucified” by voters.
15th May 2019 - Express.co.uk

EU elections: Cable says Remain parties 'shouldn't be squabbling'

Lib Dem leader Vince Cable says he was in favour of working with other Remain parties to present a "common front" at the European elections. The pro-EU MP told LBC Radio he had approached the Green Party and Change UK to suggest joint candidates. He said the parties "shouldn't be squabbling", but added: "Frankly, we didn't get a very warm reception." The Greens say joint lists are not "desirable" and Change UK has said an alliance "wasn't ever on the agenda". Elections for 73 MEPs to the European Parliament will take place on 23 May.
15th May 2019 - BBC

May uses 'high noon' Cabinet to set a summer deadline for passing her deal and stepping down

Theresa May last night made a 'final offer' to Jeremy Corbyn on Brexit, as she bowed to Cabinet demands to accelerate efforts to take Britain out of the EU. In a high risk move, Mrs May told the Cabinet that she would finally bring forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill legislation in the week beginning June 3 – with or without a deal with Labour – in the hope of getting a version of her deal through Parliament at the fourth attempt. That is the same week that President Trump is due to make a three-day state visit to the UK. It will also come just after the May 23 European elections in which the Tories are expected to take a huge battering from voters over delays to Brexit.
15th May 2019 - Daily Mail

By obsessing about the Brexit Party, Remainers are failing to inspire their own side

Meanwhile, by obsessing about the Brexit Party, Remainers are failing to talk to their own side. The 16 million people who supported staying in the EU (a group which, according to all polling, has grown) are being ignored; put off even. “When campaigns disintegrate into shrill attacks”, Fridkin Kahn and Kenney found in the American Political Science Review, “voters tend to stay home”. So, not only are we energising his base, we are suppressing our own. Much has been made of the fragmenting of the Remain vote. Much hand-wringing on social media about how much better it would be if there had been some Remain alliance. As if moaning about it on Twitter can turn back time. More negativity, more turnout suppression. We must stop. Think back to the Brexit Party’s objective – they have it spot on. The reward for doing well in the European Election is not a seat at the table. It is influence over those already at the table. The best strategy for Remain is to syphon as many votes as possible from those players – especially Labour.
14th May 2019 - iNews

Nicola Sturgeon: Climate change is the greatest challenge facing the world – there is no ‘planet B’

The UK Committee on Climate Change said that achieving net zero by 2045 will require “extensive changes across the economy” and they are right. The country faces a climate change emergency says Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
14th May 2019 - Evening Times

Peterborough by-election candidates grilled on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme

The Peterborough by-election featured on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning. Several of the candidates faced some tough questions from the BBC’s Ross Hawkins during the segment, which featured shortly before the 7.30am news. The by-election is ...
14th May 2019 - Peterborough Evening Telegraph

BBC host forced to intervene as 'PATRONISING' Martin Lewis fiercely CLASHES with Tory MP

Martin Lewis and Tory MP Suella Braverman fiercely clashed on a BBC panel while discussing the upcoming European elections. Mr Lewis argued the Brexit vote was “never structured as it should have been”, and Ms Braverman contended he showed a “patronising attitude towards British people”. Speaking on BBC’s Politics Live, the MoneySavingExpert.com founder declared: “It is just horrendously shameful from our political classes that we have been allowed to get to this stage. We trusted the political classes in the management of this process, and for polemic reasons the vote was never structured as it should have been.
14th May 2019 - Daily Express

European elections debate: Brexit Party’s Nigel Farage refuses challenge to take on Change UK leader Heidi Allen on live TV

Nigel Farage has dismissed a challenge from Change UK leader Heidi Allen to a live TV debate ahead of next week’s European Parliament elections. Ms Allen, the former Tory MP who left to join pro-Remain Change UK, said she wanted to debate Brexit Party leader Mr Farage in order to allow the public to see “two futures to the British people” and choose between them. But Mr Farage declined to take up the offer, with a party spokesman telling i: “One thing one learns in politics is not to aim down.” Ms Allen made the challenge in a party election broadcast, aired a rally in Cardiff on Monday evening.
14th May 2019 - iNews

Brexit: PM and Corbyn holding meeting over cross-party talks

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn are meeting to discuss ongoing Brexit talks between their two parties. A Labour source told the BBC it was about "keeping in touch" after meetings of both the PM's cabinet and the opposition leader's shadow cabinet. Earlier, Labour's John McDonnell said there had been no "significant shift" in the government position. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said a compromise was not impossible but talks could not continue "indefinitely". The discussions have been going on for weeks with little sign of progress. Following a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, BBC political correspondent Nick Eardley said ministers had agreed they would continue.
14th May 2019 - BBC

Why the lack of a Remain alliance will hand Nigel Farage's Brexit Party victory in the EU elections

In just over a fortnight, the UK will head to the ballot box to vote in the European Parliament elections, with both main parties expected to take a battering. Nigel Farage's does-what-it-says-on-the-tin Brexit Party are currently riding high in the polls as the clear voice of the pro-Brexit protest vote. However, the three UK-wide pro-Remain parties - the Lib Dems, the Greens and Change UK - have chosen not to form an alliance for these elections, risking a split in their vote and an underwhelming performance as a consequence. This decision seems even more short-sighted due to the slightly unusual electoral system that the UK uses for the European elections.
14th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Lib Dems hope Brexit can outweigh anger over coalition years

“We are not trying to win over Brexiteers,” he said. “There may become a point at which we get a referendum and that battle for the hearts and minds will take place, but this isn’t it. We are basically trying to get remain voters to get behind us.” Vince Cable said he was optimistic his party would win more MEPs in the south-east, London and the south-west. He said the Lib Dems were now hopeful they could secure some MEPs in the north, something they didn’t initially think would be possible. “We’re not going to get lots of MEPs,” he said. “But we hope to have a respectable showing. We only won one last time, so it’s difficult to go backwards.”
14th May 2019 - The Guardian

Tory MP Crispin Blunt calls for a pact with Nigel Farage's Brexit Party if there is a general election saying 'otherwise Brexit doesn't happen'

A Eurosceptic Tory has said the party should do a deal with Nigel Farage if the current deadlock over quitting the EU results in a general election, warning that 'otherwise Brexit doesn't happen'. Crispin Blunt said that the Conservatives must make an 'accommodation' with the Brexit Party but stopped short of calling for a full coalition. He suggested they try to do a deal where the new anti-EU party 'runs in the seats that we don't hold', in an interview on the BBC's Newsnight. The Reigate MP, 58, also said that Theresa May has to step down as party leader before the conference in the autumn.
14th May 2019 - Daily Mail

Senior Tory MP calls for election pact with Nigel Farage to save Brexit

14th May 2019 - Politics Home

Theresa May to table vote on Brexit deal in early June as she demands three more months in office

Theresa May has tried to delay her resignation for almost three months by telling ministers she can get a Brexit deal done if she is allowed to stay as Prime Minister until the end of July. Mrs May met Jeremy Corbyn for cross-party talks on Tuesday night where she told him she will table a vote on a Brexit “divorce” bill next month with or without a deal with Labour. Mrs May earlier told her Cabinet it was “imperative” the Brexit legislation is passed before Parliament breaks for the summer. The Prime Minister has promised to quit once the Brexit divorce deal is agreed, meaning she would stay in Number 10 for at least another 11 weeks.
14th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Tories Face Oblivion If They Do Not Satisfy Farage's Brexit Demands, Steve Baker Warns

The Conservative party will face “oblivion” unless it satisfies Brexit Party voters’ desire for a hard withdrawal from the EU, a senior MP has warned amid suggestions of a Tory pact with Nigel Farage’s outfit. Arch-Eurosceptic Steve Baker called for a “reconciliation” between the parties after his Tory colleague, the former minister Crispin Blunt, urged an electoral pact with the Brexit Party.
14th May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Brexit talks with Labour are blind alley, senior Tories tell May

Theresa May’s Brexit talks with Labour have been criticised as a “blind alley” as she came under intense pressure from 14 senior party figures to abandon the idea of a cross-party pact. The former defence secretary Michael Fallon said the talks should be stopped, after he joined 12 other former cabinet ministers and Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 Committee, in warning No 10 against any deal that involved a customs union. Fallon, who was forced to resign by May in 2017 for inappropriate behaviour towards women, said it would be better to stay in the EU than sign up to a customs union – a key demand of Labour. “This is a blind alley taking us into a customs union,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “We said we would leave a customs union very clearly at the time of the election. If you go into a customs union you can’t start pursuing independent trade deals.
14th May 2019 - The Guardian

What tonight’s Corbyn-May meeting means for Brexit

“The Labour leader set out the shadow cabinet’s concerns about the Prime Minister’s ability to deliver on any compromise agreement. “In particular he raised doubts over the credibility of government commitments, following statements by Conservative MPs and cabinet ministers seeking to replace the Prime Minister. “Jeremy Corbyn made clear the need for further movement from the government, including on entrenchment of any commitments. The Prime Minister’s team agreed to bring back documentation and further proposals tomorrow.”
14th May 2019 - Labour List

Theresa May Sets ‘Summer’ Deadline For Brexit In Bid To Defuse New Tory Leadership Plot

In a sign of hardening attitudes against the Labour talks, May and her ministers also agreed that it was “imperative” that MPs passed the necessary legislation by the time parliament’s recess starts in late July. A No.10 spokesman said: “This evening the Prime Minister met the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons to make clear our determination to bring the talks to a conclusion and deliver on the referendum result to leave the EU. “We will therefore be bringing forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the week beginning June 3.” In response, Corbyn rejected any idea of Labour supporting the bill without its demands being met.
14th May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Brexit: MPs to vote on implementation bill in early June

MPs will be asked to vote on Brexit again in early June whether or not the government and Labour have reached a deal, Downing Street has said. A spokesman said a vote on the bill that would pave the way for Brexit was "imperative" if the UK was to leave the EU before MPs' summer recess. However, this would not amount to a fourth so-called meaningful vote on the PM's Withdrawal Agreement itself. Labour sources say they will not back the bill without a cross-party deal.
14th May 2019 - BBC

@Peston @theresa_may⁩ sets a deadline of 3rd June to agree a Brexit deal with Labour. In that sense the government is prepared to be held hostage by ⁦@jeremycorbyn⁩ till AFTER the EU elections

@theresa_may⁩ sets a deadline of 3rd June to agree a Brexit deal with Labour. In that sense the government is prepared to be held hostage by ⁦@jeremycorbyn⁩ till AFTER the EU elections - which is an odd look for ⁦@theresa_may⁩ to choose. But as I said...
14th May 2019 - @Peston

Nicola Sturgeon: I suffer from 'imposter syndrome'

Nicola Sturgeon has said she "absolutely" suffers from "imposter syndrome" in her job as Scottish First Minister. She also revealed she speaks to her mother Joan every day and that getting married to her husband, SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, had made her feel "more secure and stable". The condition involves a lack of self-confidence, anxiety and doubts about your thoughts, abilities, achievements and accomplishments. The SNP leader told community radio station Sunny Govan Radio: "Even though I have been in politics for a long time, I have been First Minister for four years, there will be days when I think 'should I even be here? Is somebody about to find me out?"' Radio host Anne Hughes had asked Ms Sturgeon, who is Scotland's first female first minister, if she ever suffered from imposter syndrome. The SNP leader told her: "Absolutely, I don't think there is a woman alive, particularly working-class women, who don't experience that at some point in their lives, and probably quite regularly. "I just think it is natural. In some ways I think women should work to overcome that, and be encouraged to overcome it, but there is a bit of humility as well that I don't think we should ever lose completely.
14th May 2019 - STV News

Brexit talks between Labour and the Conservatives hit a low point

Senior Labour Party figures say Brexit talks with the government are still a long way finding an agreement. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said that the government's offer was "nowhere near" what Labour wanted. He added that Conservative party infighting was making it harder for Labour to sign up to a deal: "Let's be absolutely straight, today hasn't helped." Theresa May and her Cabinet agreed to continue Brexit talks with Labour on Monday.
14th May 2019 - Business Insider

@Peston Whatever the government and Labour say later tonight after talks between @theresa_may and @jeremycorbyn I would be staggered if the Brexit negotiations between government and Labour continue beyond the end of this week.

Whatever the government and Labour say later tonight after talks between @theresa_may and @jeremycorbyn I would be staggered if the Brexit negotiations between government and Labour continue beyond the end of this week. Collapse looms, probably Thursday, I am informed
14th May 2019 - @Peston

Police investigating Leave campaign could make decision 'within weeks'

The police force investigating alleged breaches of election law by Leave campaigners during the EU referendum could decide if they believe any offences were committed "within weeks". The Metropolitan Police have been examining material passed to the force by the electoral commission, which found both the Vote Leave and Leave.EU groups breached spending rules. Met commissioner Cressida Dick said a criminal investigation has not yet been launched, but told the London Assembly's police and crime committee her officers are close to coming to a decision on whether they believe any offences have been committed. "I think it's fair to say the team believe... that in some matters at least we may be able to come to the end of the assessment in weeks and not months and months and months," she said. "I hope that is the case and that would be based on our view we have all the relevant material. There may be a tiny bit more to get."
14th May 2019 - The New European

Theresa May vows to give MPs fresh Brexit vote next month even without Labour deal

MPs will be given a fresh vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal within three weeks - even if the Government fails to strike a deal with Labour. Downing Street has confirmed that the Withdrawall Agreement Bill - the legislation needed to confirm the UK's departure from the EU - will be introduced to the Commons at the start of June. The announcement followed "useful and constructive" talks between the Prime Minister and Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday evening.
14th May 2019 - Politics Home

@BBCPolitics During the European Parliamentary elections campaign all the main UK parties will be interviewed on the BBC News Channel @huwbbc

During the European Parliamentary elections campaign all the main UK parties will be interviewed on the BBC News Channel @huwbbc has been putting questions from BBC viewers to Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage
14th May 2019 - @BBCPolitics

@BBCPolitics @huwbbc has been putting questions from BBC viewers to Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage

During the European Parliamentary elections campaign all the main UK parties will be interviewed on the BBC News Channel @huwbbc has been putting questions from BBC viewers to Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage
14th May 2019 - @BBCPolitics

McDonnell in heartfelt appeal to Remainers drifting from Labour

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said he and Jeremy Corbyn are Remainers “deep” in their hearts as he warned that Labour MPs wouldn’t sign up to a compromise Brexit deal that could be ripped up by the next Conservative leader, and which doesn’t include a second EU referendum. Speaking at the Wall Street Journal CEO Council conference in London, Mr McDonnell appealed to pro-EU voters who have drifted away from Labour, saying: “Deep in my heart I’m still a Remainer.” Asked if Mr Corbyn was also a Remainer in his heart, the shadow chancellor said: “Yes.”
14th May 2019 - The Scotsman

People's Vote campaign accused of taking orders from Labour

Senior figures in Change UK have expressed concern that the People’s Vote campaign may fall foul of electoral law, accusing key staff at the non-partisan campaign of taking orders from Labour. Among those who have made complaints are the Change UK MPs Chuka Umunna, formerly of Labour, and Anna Soubry, a former Tory, both founding members of the campaign. The Guardian understands that other parties, including the Lib Dems, have also expressed concerns about how the campaign has portrayed Labour’s position on a second referendum. The allegation has been fiercely disputed by the People’s Vote campaign, which said it had repeatedly criticised Labour’s position on Brexit for being too weak. It denied that the party had had undue influence in its campaign. The row spilled into the open last week after senior People’s Vote staffers were accused of persuading a pro-remain activist, Femi Oluwole, to drop his independent candidacy in the Peterborough byelection, where he would have been backed by Change UK, the Lib Dems and the Green party. A Change UK source said the candidate was “subject to the most extreme pressure by Labour figures in the People’s Vote campaign”.
14th May 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: May reveals plan for Commons vote on key legislation after late-night talks with Corbyn

Theresa May has vowed to bring forward key Brexit legislation for a Commons vote in the first week of June in what could be her last move as prime minister. After a late-night meeting with Jeremy Corbyn, the prime minister said the cross-party talks with Labour to find a solution to the deadlock at Westminster will continue – despite both sides being downbeat about any resolution being found. The government made clear a vote on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) will be brought forward regardless of the outcome of the discussions, however, in the week beginning 3 June – the same week the US president Donald Trump is to visit the UK on an official state visit.
14th May 2019 - The Independent

Twenty-four hours with Nigel Farage: 'I won't be rolled over. This is the fightback I promised'

Nigel Farage is channelling Lord Kitchener. The Field Marshal’s hat has been replaced by the Brexiteer’s trademark flat cap and there is no elaborate moustache but the message is as pointed as Farage’s index finger: “Britain needs the Brexit Party, and the Brexit Party needs you!” Standing on a ledge overlooking the white cliffs of Dover, the campaign video echoes the mood inside the Featherstone Working Men’s Club near Pontefract, where Britain’s beleaguered political system appears well and truly on the brink. Former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe has just been given a standing ovation and now the largely Left-leaning residents of this former mining town are chanting the name of the nation’s new party leader
14th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 14th May 2019

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Brexit: Olly Robbins heads to Brussels

Are the talks between the government and the opposition dead? Not yet. Olly Robbins, (remember him?) the government's Brexit negotiator, is off to Brussels on Tuesday to talk about how long it might take, and how the broad outline of the future arrangement between the EU and the UK could be changed if there were to be some kind of deal. On its own, that sounds rather promising. It's been a demand from Labour that there would be changes to the so-called political declaration so that any compromises can be trusted. And broadly, the actual policies of the two main Westminster parties aren't so far apart after all. If you squint at the detail you can just about see where, with some understanding, and urgency, they could collide.
14th May 2019 - BBC

Brexit: ‘A customs union is both bad policy and bad politics’

As the chairman of the 1922 Committee and former cabinet ministers, and who voted for your Withdrawal Agreement in the most recent vote on March 29, we are writing to urge you not to agree any customs union with the Labour Party. A customs union with the EU is both bad policy and bad politics. On policy, we would be stuck in the worst of both worlds. First, the democratic deficit: for the first time in this nation’s long trading history we would have neither an independent trade policy nor any significant say in the trade policy of a wider entity. The British people would not be able to understand how none of their elected representatives had any say. A Latvian MEP would have more say over our trade policy than anyone elected in this country.
14th May 2019 - The Times

Theresa May serves no one by clinging on to power

Even Tory loyalists cannot deny the pointlessness of carrying on as now. Brexit is unresolved; they cannot move on to any other issues and a radical Labour opposition goes unchallenged. It is not only the Tories who are suffering; those who wish to undermine faith in politics are being handed a new weapon with each week of torpor. There is no reason for Tory moderates to be optimistic about the next leader. Yet the “delay till a deal” strategy is exhausted. The governing party has ceased to function and so has Westminster. Mrs May should bank her records and set a departure date. In the words of one Tory MP: “Whatever comes next is coming. We may as well get on with it.”
13th May 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit news latest: Theresa May told to abandon talks with Labour and not give ground on customs union

Theresa May is under pressure to abandon Brexit talks with Labour amid warnings she risks losing the "loyal middle" of the Tory Party if she gives ground on a customs union. Thirteen former ministers, together with the backbench 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady, have written to the Prime Minister urging her not to concede Labour's key demand. The signatories of the letter, seen by The Times, were said to include Gavin Williamson, who she sacked as defence secretary, as well as Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab.
13th May 2019 - Evening Standard

@alexwickham NEW: Julian Smith has just told Tory MPs they are now on a three line whip for Thursday. It was previously a one line whip. No reason given for the update. MPs are asking if this means we could finally be getting a vote on the WAB

NEW: Julian Smith has just told Tory MPs they are now on a three line whip for Thursday. It was previously a one line whip. No reason given for the update. MPs are asking if this means we could finally be getting a vote on the WAB
13th May 2019 - @alexwickham

Not voting Labour will let Nigel Farage win, warns party's deputy

Labour's deputy leader said not voting for his party in the European elections will give Nigel Farage a win, and has reached out to Remainers by saying its agenda is to "remain and reform" in Europe. Tom Watson is expected to plead in a speech at the Fabian Society for supporters to back Labour in the polls next week. "There are only two forces that can win this election - that nasty nationalism of the Farage Brexit Party, or the tolerant, compassionate outward looking patriotism of the Labour Party," Watson will say. "I can only plead with Labour supporters - don't stay at home, don't put that cross elsewhere, don't let them win."
14th May 2019 - The New European

Pressure grows on Sajid Javid to allow asylum-seekers to work in Britain

Pressure is growing on Sajid Javid to allow asylum seekers to work in a desperate hunt across Government for new cash streams. The Treasury has demanded the Home Secretary reduce the spiralling bill for claimants in the UK, which now stretches into the hundreds of millions every year. One idea being looked at is to end the long standing ban on foreign nationals who have claimed asylum taking jobs. The controversial move - which could be pushed through as part of new post-Brexit immigration rules - would save the Treasury a fortune in paying out handouts as well as bringing in extra income tax.
13th May 2019 - The Sun

Brexit: Cross-party deal must include new referendum - Sir Keir Starmer

A cross-party Brexit deal will not get through Parliament unless it is subject to a fresh public vote, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer says. Talks between Labour and ministers over leaving the EU have been going on for a month with little sign of progress. Sir Keir told the Guardian that without a new referendum up to 150 Labour MPs would vote against any agreement made. Environment Secretary Michael Gove suggested Labour needed more time to come to terms with the idea of a deal. "For some in the Labour Party it will be a significant step to accept supporting Brexit and to come behind the prime minister's approach," he told the BBC. After talks broke up on Monday evening, a Labour spokesperson said the shadow cabinet would be updated on what had been discussed.
13th May 2019 - BBC

Mark Harper: “I will vote Conservative, but I can understand why many of our supporters aren't going to"

Mark Harper MP insists such “self-indulgent” speculation about the party leadership should not be the priority with the European elections looming large. But is the former chief whip mulling a crack at the top job? He speaks to Sebastian Whale
13th May 2019 - Politics Home

Michael Gove: Theresa May will be prime minister 'for a while to come yet'

Theresa May will be prime minister "for a while to come yet", a Cabinet minister has told Sky News. Environment Secretary Michael Gove said Mrs May should be given the "time, space and dignity to leave in a way that she believes is right". The PM has promised to leave office once the first phase of Brexit has been sorted out, but the deadlock over Britain's departure from the European Union continues to drag on.
13th May 2019 - Sky News

Which senior Labour figures support a second Brexit referendum?

Labour's Brexit divisions have been laid bare once more, after two frontbenchers warned any Brexit deal was "impossible" to get through the Commons without a public vote attached. Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, and deputy leader Tom Watson have both thrown their weight behind calls for a second referendum on a cross-party agreement. But the prospect of a Final Say vote remains divisive among senior Labour figures, which has led, in part, to the party's carefully crafted Brexit position.
13th May 2019 - The Independent

Seven in 10 Londoners would back staying in EU over Theresa May’s Brexit deal

Londoners are saying an emphatic “no” to Theresa May’s Brexit deal, with seven out of 10 saying they would rather stay in the European Union. The exclusive poll also found that nearly half of Londoners want a second referendum to be called, the strongest support yet, with 47 per cent in favour and just 29 per cent against. The findings by YouGov, with research commissioned by Queen Mary University of London, suggest a big shift from the referendum in 2016 when the capital divided 60-40 for staying in the EU.
13th May 2019 - Evening Standard

The party leaders have failed on Brexit. The UK’s fate is now in MPs’ hands

A greater challenge then presents itself. The Commons must empower a plausible executive machine to deliver what it decides. The party leaders must agree in advance to implement that decision. This would require the Tories to support May, still their leader, to present Brussels with whatever the Commons has decided, irrespective of what the Tories alone decided. To carry any credibility, the prime minister would need other Commons parties alongside her.
13th May 2019 - The Guardian

Liz Truss says Tories should build a million homes on green belt as she drops clear hint at leadership bid

Top minister Liz Truss has said the Conservatives should build one million homes on the green belt, as she all but confirmed she would stand for the party leadership. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury said the eye-catching proposal would “allow the under 40s to own their own homes”. But it is likely to get short shrift from the old guard in the Tory membership, which has been strongly opposed to building on green belt land.
13th May 2019 - Politics Home

@BBCLauraK Brexit talks are not in good health, but not dead yet, Olly Robbins is heading to Brussels tomorrow to talk about how, and how long it might take to change the political declaration IF there were to be an agreement

Brexit talks are not in good health, but not dead yet, Olly Robbins is heading to Brussels tomorrow to talk about how, and how long it might take to change the political declaration IF there were to be an agreement
13th May 2019 - BBC

Brexit talks between Labour and Government on brink of collapse as deadlock continues

Brexit negotiations between the Government and Labour are on the brink of collapse after the latest round of talks ended without agreement. Senior frontbenchers from both sides met for nearly two hours on Monday in a fresh bid to find a breakthrough. But sources said they broke up without any “substantive progress” being made. In a clear sign that the negotiations a deal is as far away as ever, no further talks have been pencilled in. Theresa May will report back to her Cabinet on Tuesday, as will Jeremy Corbyn with his Shadow Cabinet. And it looks increasingly likely that both sides will decide to pull the plug on the talks, which began more than a month ago.
13th May 2019 - Politics Home

Nigel Farage to launch eighth bid to become an MP at next general election

Nigel Farage has confirmed that he will mount an eighth attempt to become an MP in a bid to ensure Britain leaves the European Union. The former Ukip leader's new Brexit Party is on course beat both Labour and the Conservatives at the EU elections next week, amid a growing backlash from Leave voters over the ongoing parliamentary deadlock. Mr Farage also confirmed that he would be willing to prop up a minority Tory government at Westminster if it meant that a no-deal Brexit would be delivered.
13th May 2019 - Politics Home

Theresa May’s ‘Plan B’ Brexit Compromise Set To Be Rejected By Labour As Talks Falter

Theresa May’s hopes of a ‘Plan B’ Brexit deal with Jeremy Corbyn look set to be dashed as senior Labour figures have warned they can’t sign up to her plea to abide by a fresh set of Commons votes. Talks between the government and opposition broke up again without any substantive agreement on Monday night, and few on either side now expect a cross-party agreement on major issues such as customs or a second referendum. But with her preferred option of a joint deal on the edge of collapse, HuffPost UK has learned that even May’s fallback plan - of a series of ‘indicative votes’ - is set to be rejected by Labour.
13th May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

At Change UK we will fight to save London from Brexit

As a BBC correspondent in Northern Ireland I often asked prominent members of the IRA what they made of Corbyn. They repeatedly used the same phrase: he was, they said, a “useful dupe”. Now he is flirting with Theresa May’s Brexit deal. It will make London poorer and will see Mrs May replaced by a hardline Brexiteer in her own party. Even his supporters surely cannot wish for him to become a useful dupe once more — this time of Nigel Farage, Mark Francois, Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Ukip.
13th May 2019 - Evening Standard

Brexit impasse leads to longest UK parliament session since civil war

The Commons has sat for 298 days, and with MPs unable to agree a Brexit deal no new session is in sight. The current session of parliament is now the longest since the civil war period as the impasse over Brexit continues, House of Commons officials have said. As of Friday, the Commons had sat for 298 days, comprising 2,657 hours and 56 minutes, the House of Commons library said in a briefing. The existing record was set during the “long parliament”, when members sat for 3,322 days without prorogation from 3 November 1640 until 20 April 1653. The record session, which the library noted was unlikely to be broken, included not just the civil war but the trial and execution of Charles I, and ended only when Oliver Cromwell used soldiers to remove MPs.
13th May 2019 - The Guardian

Thanks to the Brexit Party, the Conservatives can expect their worst ever result next week

The Brexit Party looks set to drain the Tories' Eurosceptic base, though Labour are struggling too. There have been plenty of previous challenges to the electoral grip of the Conservatives and Labour. The Liberal Democrats have long been snapping at their heels, regularly winning around a fifth of the vote until they entered the 2010-15 Coalition. In the last Euro-election in 2014 Ukip shocked the political establishment by coming first. Scotland is now a SNP fiefdom. However, until now these challenges have occurred separately, not in combination. Ukip’s challenge coincided with a collapse in the Liberal Democrat vote. The SNP does not threaten the two main parties south of the border. Now, The Brexit Party does.
13th May 2019 - The Telegraph

@TNewtonDunn Gove is far from alone among Cabinet Brexiteers in not wanting the leadership contest until after Brexit. Holding it before in their view,

Interesting. Gove is far from alone among Cabinet Brexiteers in not wanting the leadership contest until after Brexit. Holding it before in their view, 1. Favours Raab and Boris, 2. Creates a No Deal showdown with the Commons, and therefore 3. Invites on a general election.
13th May 2019 - @TNewtonDunn

Why I won't be advising people to vote tactically in the European elections

With Brexit on the horizon and the main parties so divided, it’s no wonder that progressive voters want to come together to show a united front. Tactical2017, a progressive campaign that encouraged people to vote tactically in the 2017 general election to get the Conservatives out of government, is being asked again for guidance, this time for the European parliament elections on 23 May. Here is why we won’t be making any solid recommendations, and why we advise people not to follow other sites that do
13th May 2019 - The Guardian

How will Labour’s heartlands greet its Brexit tightrope act?

Jude Kirton-Darling was looking forward to spending a bit of time with her toddler Natan this spring. Although the north-east Labour MEP remained disappointed about the EU referendum result, she thought it would be nice to be a full-time mum for a while. But Theresa May’s failure to get a deal through parliament means Kirton-Darling finds herself on the stump again instead of going to playgroup. “If you had told me three years ago, I wouldn’t have believed you,” she said. “As MEPs we see the Brexit process very, very closely from both sides and I have never seen such incompetent negotiations.”
13th May 2019 - The Guardian

How ironic that Farage the City boy could help Corbyn crash the economy

The most significant consequence of a Brexit Party advance, however, would be Labour winning well over 300 seats, way ahead of the Tories. On this basis, Jeremy Corbyn, with the support of the Scottish National Party, would become Prime Minister, and John McDonnell Chancellor of the Exchequer. That would not bring about the Brexit that Nigel Farage wants. Labour is fundamentally a Remain party, and even if it were to take the UK out of the EU, it would be only on the basis that we remained permanently part of the Customs Union: it has repeatedly said as much.
13th May 2019 - Daily Mail

North-east England is not obsessed with Brexit – it’s just a symbol

Brexit was, and remains, largely about this mythical EU and its symbolic opposition to an equally mythical Britain, rather than about anything specific to the actual EU. Brexit is pure magic – standing in for your hopes or fears. Bring it down to the level of the prosaic, to MEPs and trade policy, and it loses this magic and becomes ugly and undesirable. Ultimately Brexit cannot be fulfilled, it can only be betrayed.
13th May 2019 - The Guardian

Heidi Allen challenges Nigel Farage to live TV debate before EU polls

Heidi Allen, the leader of the pro-remain Change UK party, has challenged the Brexit party leader, Nigel Farage, to a live TV debate before the European elections. Allen, the former Conservative MP who joined the breakaway Independent Group, said she wanted to take on Farage so the British people could decide which new party’s vision they preferred. The challenge was made on Monday night in Change UK’s party election broadcast, launched in Cardiff at a rally in which Allen spoke alongside the former Labour MP Chuka Umunna, another key voice in the party. “I’m challenging Nigel Farage to join me in a new live TV debate and let’s share with the British people our vision for the future and let them decide which they prefer,” Allen said.
13th May 2019 - The Guardian

Tom Watson says late Labour leader John Smith would have backed a second Brexit referendum

Late Labour leader John Smith would have backed calls for a second referendum on Brexit, Tom Watson will declare. In a heartfelt address on Monday, the deputy party leader will argue that Mr Smith, who died in 1994, would have seen a so-called ‘People’s Vote’ as a route out of “this destructive mess”. Mr Watson will also urge Labour voters to stick with the party at the upcoming European Parliament elections and deny victory to the far right and the Brexit Party led by Nigel Farage.
13th May 2019 - Politics Home

Tories slump to fifth place in polls ahead of European elections

The Conservatives have fallen into fifth place behind every major political party with the exception of Ukip and ChangeUK in this month’s European elections, a new poll for The Times suggests today. The YouGov research has the Tories at just 10 per cent behind the Liberal Democrats on 15 per cent and the Greens on 11 per cent. The poll indicates that Labour is also haemorrhaging support to Nigel Farage’s new party, with its vote share down five points to 16 per cent. The Brexit Party is up four points on 34 per cent while ChangeUK is on 5 per cent.
13th May 2019 - The Times

Fading away: Brexit Party and Change UK gone within a decade

Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party. Both will be fighting for political survival in an increasingly crowded field. A poor performance is likely to send them to an early grave. As things stand, the public don’t think either of these two new parties will still be around in a decade’s time. The majority of Britons (56 per cent) think Change UK “will eventually fade from politics, and probably not be a force in British politics in 10 years”. Just 10 per cent think that “they are here to stay and will likely remain an important part of British politics for the next 10 years”. The public are even more pessimistic about the Brexit Party, with 63 per cent thinking it will fade over the next decade, although 13 per cent think it’s here to stay. UKIP’s prospects are just as gloomy as those of their newer rivals: 61 per cent think it will fade and 13 per cent think is here to stay.
13th May 2019 - The Times

Corbyn urged to commit Opposition to People's Vote to secure Labour MPs' support for cross-party Brexit deal

Jeremy Corbyn is facing increased public pressure from senior figures in his own Shadow Cabinet to throw the leadership’s weight behind a second EU referendum on any cross-party Brexit deal in order to gain the backing of their own MPs. Sir Keir Starmer, the Shadow Brexit Secretary, warned it was "impossible" to see how an agreement between the Conservatives and his party could clear the Commons unless it guaranteed the deal would be put back to the public for a "confirmatory vote".
13th May 2019 - Herald Scotland

Brexit: Labour's old leader would have backed a second referendum, Tom Watson tells Corbyn

Tom Watson has launched a fresh bid to convince Jeremy Corbyn to back another Brexit referendum by claiming that former party leader John Smith would have understood the need for a Final Say vote. In a speech on Monday, the party’s deputy leader will admit that Labour supporters are “not happy” with its current Brexit policy and make an impassioned plea to them not to abandon the party in European parliament elections later this month. In comments that will be widely interpreted as on attack on Mr Corbyn, he will hit out at left-wing critics of the EU and say that they are just as “wrong-headed” as right-wing Eurosceptics.
13th May 2019 - The Independent

DUP: Arlene Foster says Brexit vote would put 'democracy at risk'

A confirmatory Brexit referendum would place democracy at risk, Arlene Foster has warned. The DUP leader rejected calls from senior Labour politicians that any Brexit deal that might emerge from their party’s talks with the Conservatives should be put to a public vote.
13th May 2019 - Herald Scotland

Brexit: Cross-party deal must include new referendum - Sir Keir Starmer

A cross-party Brexit deal will not get through Parliament unless it is subject to a fresh public vote, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer says. Talks between Labour and ministers over leaving the EU have been going on for a month with little sign of progress. Sir Keir told the Guardian that without a new referendum up to 150 Labour MPs would vote against any agreement made. Environment Secretary Michael Gove suggested Labour needed more time to come to terms with the idea of a deal. "For some in the Labour Party it will be a significant step to accept supporting Brexit and to come behind the prime minister's approach," he told the BBC.
13th May 2019 - BBC

Sir Vince Cable, Lib Dem leader: ‘Three options’ in second EU referendum

Vince Cable that there could be three options on any future second referendum - No Deal, Theresa May's Deal or Remain in a TV interview with Krishnan Guru-Murthy
13th May 2019 - Channel 4 News

Theresa May remains opposed to any form of Brexit referendum

Downing Street said May had made clear her views about a second public vote: “She has said on many occasions that she is focused on delivering the result of the first referendum.” May’s spokesman declined to put a deadline on the talks but said the government was prepared to move on to a series of indicative votes in parliament if no resolution was possible. “If we were able to make progress with Labour then we would look to bring the bill before the House of Commons before the European elections,” he said.
13th May 2019 - The Guardian

Poll puts Lib Dems just 1% behind Labour as the opposition to Nigel Farage

new YouGov poll has thrown into doubt claims that Labour is the main opposition party to Nigel Farage's Brexit Party - with 60% of 2017 general election voters moving away from the party. The latest figures put Labour in second place, but with just 16% of support, as 44% of voters from the 2017 general election plan to vote for pro-Remain parties instead. It has given the Liberal Democrats a boost, giving them 15% of the support, a difference of just 1%. This is followed by the Greens on 11% and Change UK on 5%.
13th May 2019 - The New European

Brexit: EU vote demand is 'torpedoing' Labour-Tory talks

Cross-party talks to break the Brexit deadlock are not succeeding because of Labour's demand for another referendum, a Welsh MP has warned. Aberavon Labour MP Stephen Kinnock says his party's call is "torpedoing" the discussions between both main parties. Talks between Conservative ministers and Labour over leaving the EU have been going on for a month with little sign of progress. Half of Welsh Labour's 28 MPs have backed another public vote. The shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer has said a cross-party deal will not get through Parliament unless it is subject to a fresh public vote. He suggested a referendum on the final deal had become a red line of its own for many Labour MPs, saying "a significant number, probably 120 if not 150, would not back a deal if it hasn't got a confirmatory vote".
13th May 2019 - BBC

Jeremy Hunt says UK 'should consider defence spending boost'

The UK should consider "decisively" increasing defence spending after Brexit, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said. He told the Lord Mayor's Banquet in London the threats facing the UK had changed "markedly" since the Cold War. "We simply do not know what the balance of power in the world will be in 25 years' time", he added. He said any extra money should be spent on "new capabilities and not simply plugging gaps". Mr Hunt said it was "not sustainable" to expect the US to spend 4% of its GDP on defence while other Nato allies spent between 1% and 2%. "So for these and other reasons I believe it is time for the next Strategic Defence and Security Review to ask whether, over the coming decade, we should decisively increase the proportion of GDP we devote to defence," he said.
12th May 2019 - BBC

Conservative MPs' fury as party leaflet takes aim at Brexiteers who opposed Theresa May's deal

Conservative in-fighting has broken out after the party produced a European Parliament election leaflet which tells people to lobby directly Brexiteer MPs who have voted down Theresa May's Brexit deal. A leaflet - seen by The Telegraph and titled "How to show you want a Brexit deal delivered as soon as possible" - says that "for a deal to pass it needs the support of more than half of all MPs". It includes a photograph and quote from Mrs May saying: "At this critical moment for our country, parties should not be playing politics - or acting for their own personal gain. We need to come together, stay the course, and deliver Brexit in the national interest."
12th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Tory civil war erupts as party's own election leaflet urges voters to pile pressure on Brexiteers

13th May 2019 - Politics Home

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 13th May 2019

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Battle for Brexit: May and Corbyn face brutal defeat if they try to do deal

The warning comes amid rumours that ministers may try to bring the Withdrawal Bill before Parliament as early as Thursday. Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned the Prime Minister that trying to strike a deal with the Labour leader in ongoing talks has reunited the Brexiteer European Research Tory MPs in opposition to any deal. Remainer Conservative MP Phillip Lee, the first minister to resign over Brexit, said that the 14 or so Tory MPs on his side of the debate were set to oppose the deal.
12th May 2019 - Express.co.uk

Brexit news latest: More than two thirds of Labour would reject Brexit deal without second referendum, Sir Keir Starmer has warned

The shadow Brexit secretary has warned that without a second referendum, up to 150 Labour MPs would reject a Brexit deal. Sir Keir Starmer said more than two-thirds of the party's 229 MPs could reject a deal in his first major interview since talks with the Government began almost five weeks ago. Speaking to the Guardian ahead of another meeting on Monday, Sir Keir said he doubted any agreement that was not set to be ratified by a public vote would pass through Parliament. "A significant number of Labour MPs, probably 120 if not 150, would not back a deal if it hasn't got a confirmatory vote," he said. "If the point of the exercise is to get a sustainable majority, over several weeks or months of delivering on the implementation, you can't leave a confirmatory vote out of the package.
12th May 2019 - Evening Standard

EU' Guy Verhofstadt tells Brit voters it would be 'insane' to back Farage in Euro elections

The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator has told British voters it would be 'insane' to re-elect Nigel Farage as an MEP, as the Brexit Party stormed to a commanding lead in the polls. Former Belgian PM Guy Verhofstadt tweeted that the Brexit Party leader 'would rather go to the pub than fight for British interests in Europe' in his latest interjection in the UK's European election campaign. It comes after Mr Verhofstadt said he didn't know whether Brexit would happen, and on the campaign trail with the Lib Dems said the coming vote was a chance to send message 'to the continent to say never repeat Brexit again.'
12th May 2019 - Daily Mail

Failure to deliver Brexit has fuelled support for Farage's party, says Gardiner

The shadow international trade secretary, Barry Gardiner, has said parliament’s refusal to deliver Brexit has led directly to the surge in support for Nigel Farage’s Brexit party, and is allowing him to dictate what the departure terms should be. Gardiner, who is among those on the Labour frontbench most sceptical about the idea of a second referendum, criticised the former prime minister Tony Blair for recommending in an Observer opinion piece that voters could opt for anti-Brexit parties in the European elections on 23 May.
12th May 2019 - The Guardian

Reconciliation in UK could take a generation, says Gordon Brown

The divisions in the UK are so deep and pervasive that reconciliation could take a generation, Gordon Brown has said. The country was facing competing visions of its future: isolated, inward-looking and disengaged, or open, outward-facing and internationalist, the former prime minister said. Speaking at the launch of Christian Aid Week in Westminster on Sunday morning, Brown set out a passionate defence of the international aid budget and the importance of the fight against global poverty before addressing the themes behind the Brexit debate. The UK had endured three years of “almost internecine division”, he said. The debate triggered by the Brexit referendum raised a fundamental disagreement about what it means to be British. “And I’ll be honest, my worry is that the divisions in our country are now so deep and so pervasive that it could take a generation for us to reconcile these differences, bring people together and find a unifying vision of our country and a sense of purpose and direction that takes us forward into the modern world,” Brown said.
12th May 2019 - The Guardian

Forget the polls. Even if the Brexit Party succeed at the European elections, it’ll have no impact on Brexit

Even if Nigel Farage won every single vote, he could not guarantee frictionless trade, he could not prevent a post-Brexit recession, and he could not solve the Irish border riddle. Nor could any other politician
12th May 2019 - The Independent

Labour fears Tom Watson coup if Jeremy Corbyn strikes deal with Theresa May

Allies of Jeremy Corbyn fear his deputy, Tom Watson, could launch a coup within days if the Labour leader agrees to strike a Brexit deal with Theresa May that is not subject to a confirmatory referendum. Sources close to the Labour leader have become increasingly alarmed by Watson’s behaviour after he began recruiting colleagues to join his Future Britain group following the defection of eight Labour MPs for the Independent Group — now Change UK — in February. There are fears in Labour’s high command that Watson is establishing a party within a party that could eventually take control of its finances and MPs. The fears have been fuelled by claims that more than 100 Labour MPs will demand a firm guarantee that any Brexit deal is put to a confirmatory referendum before endorsing a “Westminster stitch-up”. A senior Labour source said: “There has been lots of chatter for months about the idea of Labour MPs resigning en masse if Corbyn backs away from a second referendum. But it’s clear as day to many of us that there will be an internal challenge for the leadership first before there is any kind of further break away from the party.”
12th May 2019 - The Times

Keir Starmer: Brexit deal unlikely to pass without confirmatory poll

The shadow Brexit secretary said he feared the party risked losing its remain voters after worse than expected losses in the local elections, but he warned Labour remainers tempted to vote for the Liberal Democrats or Change UK that only Jeremy Corbyn’s party could deliver a fresh referendum. In his first major interview since talks with the government began almost five weeks ago, Starmer: Suggested a referendum must be part of any package agreed with the government. Said Labour could call time on the cross-party talks within days if it became clear no new offer was forthcoming. Warned Theresa May would further damage the prospect of any deal if she set an imminent departure date from No 10. Said the option was “on the table” to face Nigel Farage or Tommy Robinson in an EU elections debate. Starmer, a human rights lawyer for 20 years, is to be the key face of Labour’s EU elections campaign, which will be framed as a battle of values.
12th May 2019 - The Guardian

Tony Blair warns a no-deal Brexit would spark a 'silent revolution'

If we go ahead and tumble out of the European Union with a no-deal Brexit of the sort that Farage and Boris Johnson and these people want, you are going to get a silent revolution in this country as well. "There are people who are going to feel so strongly about this, that I just say this to both main political parties - they're going to sweep them away."
12th May 2019 - Sky News

Brexit: Cross-party talks to break deadlock 'are not getting very far', Labour shadow minister says

Cross-party talks to break the Brexit deadlock are "not getting very far", a senior shadow minister has said, dealing a further blow to hopes of a breakthrough. Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, claimed the government was refusing to agree to Labour's demands for a customs union with the EU and accused Theresa May of being "unprepared to compromise". The comments contradict claims made by those involved in the negotiations, who have repeatedly said that talks have been "constructive" and made progress.
12th May 2019 - The Independent

EU elections: key dilemma for remainers is who to choose

Our Devastated Pessimist group are young. They make up 53% of 18- to 24-year-olds, but only 21% of those aged 65-plus, and are well educated and middle class: 44% of the AB social class, but only 24% of DEs. This makes them natural Labour supporters but they are particularly angry with Labour, with more than half agreeing that, on Brexit, “Jeremy Corbyn is more concerned about his political career than the national interest”. Disappointment in Corbyn is palpable as his apparent fence-sitting challenges the “man of principle” positioning he successfully occupied in the early days of his leadership.
12th May 2019 - The Guardian

Liberal Democrats are 'only pro-European party in Britain', Guy Verhofstadt says

Guy Verhofstadt has claimed the Liberal Democrats are the only truly pro-EU party in Britain as he joined Sir Vince Cable for campaigning in London. The European Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator endorsed the Lib Dems ahead of EU elections later this month, saying they offered an “alternative to nationalism”. Speaking alonside Sir Vince in Camden, north London, he said: “The reason I’m here to support the Liberal Democrats is there is only one pro-European party in Britain and it is the Lib Dems.
12th May 2019 - The Independent

Theresa May warned Gavin Williamson had bad-mouthed her when she became PM but she said he was her ‘b***h now’

Theresa May was warned about Gavin Williamson’s bad mouthing when she became PM, but dubbed him “my bitch now”. The former Defence Secretary, who she sacked two weeks ago after accusing him of leaking secrets, is a well-known Westminster plotter. Yesterday, Mr Williamson avenged his firing by branding Mrs May’s decision to hold Brexit deal talks with Labour as “a grave mistake”. The Premier’s aides reported the senior Tory MP – who was then Chief Whip - to her in 2016 for allegedly telling other MPs she was “a charisma free bitch ”. But in a defiant riposte that showed the PM thought she could control Mr Williamson's ways, Mrs May told her staff: “Well he’s my bitch now”.
12th May 2019 - The Sun

The Observer view on the European elections and Nigel Farage’s malign message

Farage's success is at least as much explained by the eagerness of mainstream politicians to yield to his brand of politics, rather than to challenge it. On Europe, Farage has only ever stoked anti-EU sentiment without ever offering constructive fixes. He has consistently got away with telling untruths: that the EU is on the cusp of creating a pan-European army; that EU membership costs the UK £55m a day; that three-quarters of British law is made in Brussels. He has repeatedly praised Norway as a model for the UK’s relationship with the EU in the past, but last week denied it.
12th May 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit backer tops Edinburgh’s rich list - overtaking Harry Potter author JK Rowling

The billionaire reportedly responsible for introducing Arron Banks to Nigel Farage’s campaign to leave the European Union has topped a league table of Edinburgh’s richest people for 2019. Capital-born businessman Jim Mellon was estimated to be worth around £1.1 billion – placing him tenth on the overall UK rankings – in the latest Sunday Times rich list.
11th May 2019 - Edinburgh Evening News

Brexit news latest: Amber Rudd warns Tory rebels not to move against PM as ‘she can make a comeback’

Amber Rudd has warned Tory rebels that Theresa May could “make a comeback” and urged them not to move against her until a Brexit deal is reached. The Work and Pensions Secretary described the current phase of negotiations as a “delicate time” and that launching a bid oust the Prime Minister would only deepen the crisis. Speaking on BBC Question Time, Ms Rudd admitted that cross-party cooperation was at this stage needed to break the impasse and to find the “right compromise”.
11th May 2019 - Evening Standard

BBC's Laura Kuenssberg sets date by which Theresa May will be GONE as Tories LOSE PATIENCE

BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg warned the Prime Minister might be set to face a leadership contest by the end of July. The date, speculated by Ms Kunessberg on Brexitcast, is based on the BBC veteran's knowledge of Theresa May's allies changing their tune since the results of the local elections last month. And with the Conservatives set to lose further public support at the European elections later this month after the Government's mishandling of the Brexit negotiations, the Prime Minister's position looks very unstable.
11th May 2019 - Daily Express

European elections: Change UK launches ‘Charter for Remain’ in bid to secure anti-Brexit vote

Change UK has sought to market itself as the party of Remain as it put the NHS, climate change and fighting Brexit austerity at the heart of it’s European election campaign. Acting leader Heidi Allen said Brexit was the “biggest symbol of our broken system” as she launched the newly formed party’s “Charter for Remain” ahead of the 23 May contest. The blueprint pledges to campaign for a referendum with remaining in the EU on the ballot paper and to fight to ensure any Brexit deal has a confirmatory vote attached. It also sets out how the UK could use membership of the EU to push for change on domestic and international issues.
11th May 2019 - The Independent

Labour 'doesn't exist to stop Brexit' says Corbyn ally Richard Burgon after European manifesto launch

Labour "doesn't exist to stop Brexit", the shadow cabinet minister Richard Burgon has claimed in comments that risk angering pro-EU members. Mr Burgon - an ally of Jeremy Corbyn - made the remarks after the Labour leader launched the party's manifesto for the European elections in two weeks' time. Mr Corbyn insisted Labour was neither a Remain or Leave party, and rather appealing to both sides of the debate as he made "no apology" of attempting to "offer something to everyone".
11th May 2019 - The Independent

EXCL: Sir Mark Sedwill 'facing the axe as Cabinet Secretary' if Brexiteer becomes Prime Minister

Sir Mark Sedwill faces the axe as Cabinet Secretary if a Brexiteer wins the race to become Tory leader, PoliticsHome has learned. The Whitehall bigwig, who is also Theresa May's national security adviser, is unpopular with a number of high-profile Conservatives. They include Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, both of whom are tipped as possible successors to the Prime Minister.
11th May 2019 - Politics Home

Brexit: Renewed hope for second referendum as Theresa May’s deputy discusses ‘research’ with opposition leaders

Theresa May’s deputy has given fresh hope to second referendum campaigners by saying another vote was “perfectly practical”, according to two party leaders. Change UK leader Heidi Allen said David Lidington, the Cabinet Office minister, had “clearly done his research” on the mechanics of a Final Say vote when she attended talks alongside Liberal Democrats Sir Vince Cable and Jo Swinson.
11th May 2019 - The Independent

Lib Dem leader Vince Cable claims the Government is secretly planning to hold a second Brexit referendum

Lib Dem leader Vince Cable claims that Theresa May's deputy revealed to him in a meeting that a second Brexit referendum could be imminent as secret 'planning' in the Government is already underway. Mr Cable said that David Lidington has mulled over the 'perfectly practical' idea. The Twickenham MP said he left a Thursday morning meeting with fellow remainer Heidi Allen and Lidington feeling sure that there are secret plans in place.
11th May 2019 - Daily Mail

Farage cannot be allowed to dictate Britain’s future. He must be thwarted

So, the big message: vote. Because your vote will affect their vote. Who to vote for if you’re on the anti-Farage side of the ledger. There are unequivocal remain parties – Liberal Democrats, Change UK, Greens, SNP and Plaid Cymru. If, because of Labour’s equivocation, you simply won’t vote Labour, then vote for them. If, like me, despite everything, you can vote Labour, then vote Labour. But whatever you do, vote! This is not a vote to choose a prime minister or a government. It is a vote for the Farage Brexit – or against it.
11th May 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit talks 'on the brink of collapse' as Tories 'disintegrate' says John McDonnell

Brexit talks are on the brink of collapse after Labour heavyweight John McDonnell accused Tories of “literally falling out in front of us”. The Shadow Chancellor said there was a growing sense of frustration round the talks, with Conservative leadership contenders fighting among themselves and making a deal impossible. The administration is falling apart. “In terms of different points of view, nothing new has been put on the table – in some instances it has gone backwards. “It’s so precarious. We’re dealing with an institution that might not be there in three weeks. “ Theresa May is living day by day. You can’t run a country on a 24-hour programme.”
11th May 2019 - Daily Mirror

Voice of the Sunday Mirror: Labour is ready to provide leadership if Tories aren't

John McDonnell puts his finger on the problem which faces the whole nation. The country is sailing in a rudderless ship of state whose crew might chuck the skipper overboard at any moment. We hope these talks succeed. We hope Brexit will be sorted out once and for all. But like the shadow Chancellor, we are sceptical. And because Brexit occupies every Tory waking moment, there is a vacuum of ideas needed to solve the nation’s ills. The country is crying out for leadership. And if the Tories cannot provide it, Labour is ready and willing.
11th May 2019 - Daily Mirror

It is the country’s future that matters, not the prime minister’s

Brexit is obviously important, but it seems clearer now that the only way it will be resolved is through a fresh referendum. This is no longer a matter of supporters of EU membership, such as The Independent, trying to frustrate Brexit. The Leave movement has crashed its own project. By failing to unite behind the prime minister’s withdrawal agreement it has prevented the UK from leaving. There is no majority either in parliament or in the country for a no-deal Brexit, which is what the candidates in a Conservative leadership contest are likely to advocate. Therefore, it seems that a majority in the House of Commons must eventually come round, one way or another, to giving the people a final say on the Brexit question.
11th May 2019 - The Independent

Socialists plan EU-wide minimum wage if they win control of European Commission

The EU’s centre-left is planning to introduce a continent-wide minimum wage to correct the bloc’s “neoliberal failures” if it wins control of the European Commission after this month’s elections. The socialist group, in which the UK Labour Party sits, could capture the commission presidency for the first time in decades, with Dutch social democrat Frans Timmermans as its candidate to replace Jean-Claude Juncker. With Brexit delayed the UK is set to participate in the elections on 23 May – and with a strong showing expected for Labour, it could be British MEPs that take the socialists over the line to be the biggest group in the European parliament.
11th May 2019 - The Independent

Labour warned plans for £10-an-hour minimum wage could have 'grim consequences'

Professor Len Shackleton, from the Institute of Economic Affairs think tank, said Labour's announcement made clear it was in "a bidding war" with the Tories and had closed the door on experts on the Low Pay Commission. Accusing politicians of preferring to "pluck pay increases out of the air", Prof Shackleton said: "This would mean doubling the pay of young people who understandably have fewer skills and less experience than older colleagues. "Such a rate hike could raise youth unemployment to levels comparable with those in continental Europe. "The possible dangers of a political bidding war over minimum wages have been highlighted time and time again.
11th May 2019 - Evening Standard

These are the first European elections in history to feel enthusiastic about

My apologies for recent absence from this space: I have been attempting to finish my late Thatcher studies. As a result of this temporary detachment, it has been easier to discern a deeper pattern in the repetitious deadlock in Parliament and the astonishing fact that we are now about to take part in elections for a European Parliament in which we do not intend to sit. This pattern first became visible 30 years ago. But before I explain this, did you see Brexit: Behind Closed Doors on Wednesday and Thursday nights? Probably not, since it was on BBC 4, and your idea of fun may not involve being trapped in the colourless offices of the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg for two hours
11th May 2019 - The Telegraph

You don’t have to be great to hear the Tory call to greatness

You may have become aware of a worsening background hum to British public life. Think of it as “the clamour”. This is the very specific sound heard by Tory MPs reluctantly deciding that it falls to them to answer the call for a leadership bid. The clamour. So many separate clamours. The Tory leadership field is now the size of the Grand National, though unfortunately many of the runners would find themselves intellectually outclassed by a steeplechaser.
10th May 2019 - The Guardian

SNP faces fines for data protection breach after election mailing error

The Scottish National party faces being fined for a breach of data protection laws after sending out tens of thousands of European election mailings to the wrong addresses. The Information Commissioner’s Office confirmed on Friday morning that the SNP had referred itself for investigation after voters across Scotland received letters addressed to strangers or neighbours. The ICO said it was investigating under stricter EU data protection regulations, which carry significant fines for privacy breaches. The election letters were signed by the SNP leader, Nicola Sturgeon, and urged voters to back the party on 23 May. The wrong recipients included Monica Lennon, a Labour MSP, who did not recognise the person Sturgeon was addressing.
10th May 2019 - The Guardian

Candidate row shows there is trouble in Remainia

Remainers from the Lib Dems, Greens, Change UK and Renew wanted to unite behind a single pro-EU candidate to take on the buoyant Brexit Party, as well as Labour and the Tories. They just couldn’t agree on who that one candidate should be. It was understood to be Femi Oluwole, a law graduate and member of the Our Future, Our Choice group. Gavin Shuker, a former Labour MP who is Change UK’s convener (not to be confused with its leader or chief spokesman), blamed “senior Labour figures, including senior figures campaigning for a People’s Vote” who had “made it clear that they would strenuously disrupt the campaign and obstruct an independent candidate”. It is almost as if Labour would rather win the seat than not win the seat. Given that Labour won it by only 607 in 2017, any dalliance with smaller parties risks handing victory to the Tories.
10th May 2019 - The Times

Second Brexit referendum would be doing SNP's work, Boris Johnson claims

“By undermining the verdict of the EU referendum, they are undermining the decision of 2014 and they are doing the work of the SNP and they are threatening the union. And let us be in no doubt the damage the nationalists would do. They would not only destroy the oldest and most successful political union in the world, they would destroy the very concept of Britain.”
10th May 2019 - The Guardian

Sajid Javid warns Brexit could be cancelled if MPs fail to back Theresa May's deal by October

The Home Secretary said he feared anti-Brexit MPs would bring forward legislation in an attempt to revoke the Article 50 process in a bid to prevent the UK crashing out without a deal. The UK was due to leave the EU on 29 March, but that deadline has now been pushed back to 31 October because of the Prime Minister's failure to win MPs' backing for her deal at three Commons votes.
10th May 2019 - Politics Home

@Channel4News “Aren’t you just winding everyone up by being here?” The European Parliament's Brexit Coordinator Guy Verhofstadt

“Aren’t you just winding everyone up by being here?” The European Parliament's Brexit Coordinator Guy Verhofstadt - who also heads the European Liberal group - is challenged while campaigning for the Lib Dems ahead of the European elections.
10th May 2019 - @Channel4News

Brexit ULTIMATUM: EU warns Tories removing Theresa May will NOT change deal

Theresa May is to be hauled in front of an emergency meeting of the National Conservative Convention (NCC) in June after grassroots Conservatives demanded her resignation over her failure to deliver Brexit. Irish deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney, however, warned the party changes in the leadership will not have the European Union change their stance on the controversial backstop included in the divorce deal to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Coveney said: "These realities don’t change. This is not a personality-based issue, it’s an evidence-based issue.
10th May 2019 - Express.co.uk

Guy Verhofstadt: I don't know if Brexit will happen

Guy Verhofstadt has said he does not "know" if Brexit will go ahead. Questioned on this during a visit to London, the leader of the liberal group in the European Parliament told reporters: "Ask Theresa May." Meanwhile, European Council President Donald Tusk said there was a "20 to 30%" chance Brexit would not happen. But Home Secretary Sajid Javid told the BBC it was "still possible" to get Theresa May's withdrawal agreement with the EU through Parliament. The House of Commons has rejected it three times, with the deadline for Brexit being delayed from 29 March to 31 October.
10th May 2019 - BBC

Europe must never repeat Brexit, says Guy Verhofstadt

The European parliament’s Brexit coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, has warned that the UK’s decision to leave the EU has already done “far more damage than has ever been predicted”. Appearing alongside the Liberal Democrat leader, Vince Cable, at a European election campaign event in Camden, north London, on Friday morning, the leader of the Alliance for Liberals and Democrats for Europe said he wanted to send a message to people on the continent to “never repeat Brexit again”. Verhofstadt, a former prime minister of Belgium, has been criticised for comments he made in a BBC documentary, in which he joked that Olly Robbins, the UK’s chief negotiator, had asked him for Belgian citizenship. His aide was also recorded describing Theresa May’s actions as insane and pathetic. Asked about the comments, Verhofstadt said the description of the prime minister had been taken out of context and the Robbins anecdote was “a funny joke. Where is your British sense of humour? I hope that in Brexit you don’t lose that. Your famous sense of humour.”
10th May 2019 - The Guardian

'I'm a Lib Dem' declares EU's Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt

The European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator has declared himself a Liberal Democrat as he joined the party on the campaign trail in London. Guy Verhofstadt said the Lib Dems offered an alternative to nationalism and predicted a surge for Remain support in the upcoming European elections. He joined Vince Cable's party in Camden, north London, after they launched their European election manifesto "B******* to Brexit".
10th May 2019 - Sky News

Nigel Farage says he wants Theresa May to remain Prime Minister ‘as long as possible’ to help him recruit Brexit Party members

Farage quit as head of the party after the UK voted to leave the European Union in 2016, only returning to frontline politics with his new party in January of this year. Asked if May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn should be worried about his newly-formed party, he responded: "As leader of the Brexit Party, I want Theresa May to stay in office as long as possible as she's doing a fantastic job of recruiting for us.
10th May 2019 - The Sun

‘Dire’ funding situation leaves Tories struggling for party HQ rent

Funding for the Conservatives has dried up so badly that the party is struggling to pay the rent on its headquarters, i has been told. Concern among activists and MPs deepened yesterday as James Hosking, a City financier and one of the party’s most prominent donors, defected to Nigel Farage’s new Brexit Party. The failure to secure Brexit is one of the main reasons for the crash in donations, with backers unwilling to provide more cash until the issue is resolved. Senior Tory sources told i the situation has become so “dire” that party headquarters was struggling to pay the rent at its £51m Westminster home. “They are currently paying for things at a month by month basis,” the source said. “It is like the dark days of opposition when donors were waiting to see who would take over and reserves were drying up.”
10th May 2019 - iNews

Why the Liberal Democrats’ “Bollocks to Brexit” slogan is a stroke of genius

The Liberal Democrats unveiled their manifesto for the European elections last night in Shoreditch. It was what we’ve come to expect from the party: a slick, well put together event that said – both explicitly though a speech given by leader Vince Cable and implicitly through its smooth execution – that they are the largest, most well-organised pro-Remain party and that anyone who wants to stop Brexit should back them at this European elections. They also chucked in plenty of Green lovebombing, managing to talk up their own environmental credentials without mentioning – or more importantly criticising – their competitors in that field. But all anyone can talk about is the party’s election slogan: “Bollocks to Brexit”. The broadcasters and most of the papers are talking about whether or not they have gone too far with their manifesto’s new message.
10th May 2019 - New Statesman

Scotland does not want Brexit says Nicola Sturgeon at launch of SNP campaign

Nicola Sturgeon has sent an “unequivocal message” to Theresa May that “Scotland does not want Brexit”, as she launched the SNP’s campaign for the European elections. The First Minister joined the party’s six election candidates in Edinburgh for the launch, and demanded any Brexit deal must be put back to the people in a second referendum.
10th May 2019 - Herald Scotland

I'm campaigning for a confirmatory vote. This is what I say to Leavers

If Labour had won the 2017 election, we would have left Europe on March 31st 2019 with a customs union, meeting our six tests – the least worst option. But we didn’t, and they couldn’t pull off any agreement, and now their extreme right Brexiteers are trying to trash our economy, environment and workers’ rights so they can make a killing offering them to their friends as a firesale for Trump’s America. I can’t allow that to happen. Not without a confirmatory vote, at the very least, to ensure that Brexit is really what people want. I am not saying it brings Leave voters round to my way of thinking but I am pretty sure they know where I stand. And, generally, they respect that.
10th May 2019 - Labour List

Sir Graham Brady considering running to replace Theresa May as Tory leader

The Tories’ most powerful backbencher Sir Graham Brady last night opened the door to his own run for the party’s leadership. The 1922 Committee chairman has been tipped to stand in as an interim PM if the Brexit crisis deepens. Quizzed on whether he would be prepared to be the next permanent Tory leader, Mr Brady would only say he is busy at the moment running the troubled 1922 Committee. He added cryptically: “It would take an awful lot of people to persuade me. “I’m not sure many people are straining at the leash at the moment to take on what is an extraordinarily difficult situation.”
10th May 2019 - The Sun

Love Corbyn, hate Brexit? Labour's EU elections dilemma – podcast

Jeremy Corbyn launched Labour’s European elections manifesto with a renewed promise to back a second Brexit referendum in certain circumstances – but to also respect the result of the first. Yet for ardently pro-Corbyn Europhiles such as Momentum’s Laura Parker, it has been a tough balancing act to support.
10th May 2019 - The Guardian

Dominic Raab Pockets £73,000 In Donations From Financiers Linked To Tax Havens

Tory leadership favourite Dominic Raab has netted £73,000 in donations from financiers linked to tax havens. The donations include £29,000 for a staff member in Raab’s office from the IPGL hedge fund, which is owned by ex-Tory treasurer Michael Spencer. Spencer’s hedge fund was named in the Paradise Papers in connection with a subsidiary based in Bermuda. Private banking group Arbuthnot donated £44,000 to Raab’s office. The bank’s owner Henry Angest is also named in the Paradise Papers in connection with a subsidiary of his bank based in Barbados. Overall, Angest has donated nearly £7m to the Conservative Party.
10th May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Theresa May is refusing to set a firm resignation date before her Brexit deal is passed by Commons

She fears pinning down the date before her deal approved by the Commons would see ... But despite the PM’s refusal so far, Sir Graham Brady is still insisting Mrs May fulfils his demand for a timetable to leave No10 no matter what at her showdown meeting
10th May 2019 - The Sun

Now even TORY MPs are backing Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party ahead of Theresa May because they’re so furious with the PM

Tory MPs are openly praising the Brexit Party and discussing why their voters are abandoning them ahead of the EU elections. Several high profile Brexiteer MPs have been lavishing praise on Nigel Farage and his army as they grow more frustrated at Theresa May's inability to deliver Brexit. Today Crawley MP Henry Smith said the Brexit Party boss was doing better than the PM. He told his local paper The Argus: "I won’t be surprised at all if more voters turn to the Brexit Party.
9th May 2019 - The Sun

WATCH: 'You're lying to the people' - Gavin Esler takes to task Brexit Party candidate

Martin Daubney was left squirming as Esler tried to hold him to account for what he called a "lie" over who the former Newsnight presenter had called a "village idiot". In a lively discussion on the BBC's Politics Live programme, Esler said that the Brexit Party was using a "hugely simplistic message" and that it was "worse than that because it contains lies." It led to Esler confronting Daubney for the way his party had used the Change UK candidate's comments to suggest he called every Leave voter the "village idiots". A suggestion that had been amplified by Piers Morgan on social media. Esler, however, pointed out this was in relation to Michael Gove's comments on experts, and was not made about all Brexiteers, something Daubney would not acknowledge. Esler joked it was up to Daubney if he wants to "self-identify" as one, but he had not accused him of being in this category. He explained: "What I said was we need more experts in British politics, we fewer Chris Graylings, we need people who know what they're talking about.
9th May 2019 - The New European

The Lib Dem 'Bo***cks To Brexit' Slogan Sounds Flippant, But Holds A Serious Message

‘Bollocks to Brexit’. That’s the slogan on the front of the Lib Dem’s manifesto, which is officially launched this evening in east London. It isn’t the usual sort of language used in a formal document by a political party, but these are not usual times. These are desperate times. The most pressing issue facing any of us in this country is that B-word – no not bollocks, but Brexit. If it goes ahead it will be the most damaging thing for us, our economy and our children in generations. The issue is far graver than a petty linguistic debate. People are getting their knickers in the twist over the use of a word that is officially categorised by Ofcom as ‘medium level’ of offensiveness. What that means is that it can’t be used on TV or radio before the watershed. Well, bollocks to the watershed. Anyone too young to stay up beyond the watershed isn’t old enough to vote anyway. The message is not about creating good PR. It’s about stopping Brexit – the most pressing issue in politics right now.
9th May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

It's not true to say that Labour's Brexit position is ambiguous

Labour’s position is to secure a general election and a softer Brexit deal than the Conservatives with this parliament – or, in the event that it cannot get either of those, to support a public vote to resolve the deadlock. It is, by any definition, a pro-Brexit policy because its first preference is for Brexit to happen.
9th May 2019 - New Statesman

European Parliament elections: Brexit Party to win more votes than Labour and Conservatives combined, new poll suggests

The Brexit Party will earn more votes than Labour and the Conservatives combined in the European Parliament elections, according to a new poll. The latest Opinium poll on voting intentions shows Nigel Farage’s party has galloped into first place ahead of Labour with 34% support - doubling the existing gap to 13 points in the last fortnight. It also showed the Tories continue to stagger behind in fourth place with 11% support. Labour, coming second with 21%, has fallen seven points in the last fortnight and the Lib Dems are in third position with 12%, having risen five points.
11th May 2019 - Evening Standard

Nigel Farage's Brexit Party polling higher than Labour and Tories combined before EU elections

12th May 2019 - Sky News

Donald Tusk: chance of Brexit being cancelled could be 30%

The chances of the UK staying in the EU are as high as 30% as the country would be likely to reject Brexit in a second referendum, the president of the European council, Donald Tusk, has said. The bloc’s most senior official claimed the British public had only truly debated Brexit after the 2016 referendum and there was significant reason to believe the leave vote could be reversed. Describing the decision by the former British prime minister, David Cameron, to call the vote as a political miscalculation, Tusk said he would expect a different result in a vote today given what had been learned about the consequences of leaving.
11th May 2019 - The Guardian

UK's exit from EU has 30% chance of being cancelled, Donald Tusk says

11th May 2019 - The Independent

Multi-millionaire who donated £200,000 to the Brexit Party is former Tory party donor

The businessman who handed a six-figure sum to the Brexit Party is a former Tory party donor worth £375million, it emerged yesterday. Financier Jeremy Hosking, 60, who owns a major share of Crystal Palace Football Club, said he has given £200,000 over the past two to three weeks. Nigel Farage had repeatedly refused to reveal the identity of the businessman who made the vast donation to his new party – originally thought to be £100,000. But Mr Hosking broke cover yesterday, telling The Telegraph: ‘On a Sunday chat show last weekend it was [claimed] that I have given £100,000 to the recently formed Brexit Party. ‘This is not the case. I have given £200,000, and urge all who wish to see a proper Conservative Party in Britain to support the BP as much as they can. If the Conservatives insist on diluting Brexit, what hope is there on other issues where a robust Conservative position needs to be advocated?
10th May 2019 - Daily Mail

Former Conservative backer Jeremy Hosking revealed as £200,000 donor to Nigel Farage's Brexit Party

11th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 10th May 2019

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Lib Dems tell those offended by 'Bollocks to Brexit' messaging to get a sense of humour | Latest Brexit news and top stories

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable has defended adopting the "Bollocks to Brexit" message for the European elections as the party's pro-Remain agenda becomes a talking point in the news. The message, which has been used by anti-Brexit campaigners including The New European, has been used to tap into the anger of those that want to Remain in the EU. Now Sir Vince Cable is hoping that the message will have more cut-through with the voters than rival Remain parties like Greens and Change UK. Explaining the rationale behind the messaging, Sir Vince said: "We are unambiguous, we argue we should stop Brexit, we've argued for a people's vote, we're not apologetic about it. "Some people may not like that, but I think others admire the honesty and clarity of our position."
9th May 2019 - The New European

Brexit: Vince Cable stakes Lib Dems' claim as torch carriers for remain

Vince Cable has staked the Liberal Democrats’ claim to be the leading remain party in the European elections, as he unveiled a forthright new slogan for the campaign: “Bollocks to Brexit.” The phrase, previously plastered on stickers and T-shirts by ardent remain supporters, is now emblazoned across the Lib Dem manifesto for the 23 May poll – though more squeamish candidates will have the option of one that just says “Stop Brexit”. Buoyed by strong results in last week’s local council elections, and unencumbered by the nuance of Labour’s position, Cable insisted the Lib Dems were the best-equipped party to challenge the message of Nigel Farage at the poll later this month.
9th May 2019 - The Guardian

Swearing by the EU - UK's anti-Brexit Lib Dems opt for earthy election slogan

Britain’s pro-EU Liberal Democrats are showcasing their European election campaign with a down-to-earth slogan they hope will attract frustrated voters who want to remain in the bloc: “Bollocks to Brexit”. Fresh from a strong showing in local council elections, the opposition party posted a photograph on Twitter of its leader Vince Cable with a “special edition” of its manifesto for the May 23 European parliament vote. The document will be launched on Thursday evening.
9th May 2019 - Reuters

The Lib Dems’ ‘Bollocks to Brexit’ is crass, but it might just work

The colourful language has at least marked out the Lib Dems as a party with a bit of fight in them. On the back of encouraging results in the local elections, Vince Cable’s team has recovered some energy and momentum. The contrast with the less distinct and at times rather confused-sounding interventions of Change UK – who also want to stop Brexit, but without swearing – is stark. In addition, the slogan has the virtue of sincerity. The Lib Dems are unequivocal remainers who want to stop Brexit from happening. They think it’s all bollocks and are prepared to say so. Direct language can be effective. Matt Kelly, editor of the New European newspaper, tells me that since offering new subscribers a free “Bollocks to Brexit” mug if they sign up to receive the paper, subscription rates have trebled.
9th May 2019 - The Guardian

Can Jeremy Corbyn heal the Brexit divide?

Jeremy Corbyn wants to ditch the labels of Leave and Remain, to stop worrying about the "48" and the "52" and to concentrate on the country as a whole. He says only Labour can bring the two warring sides together. In other words - time to move on. The idea of turning the page will be tantalising to millions, but peeling those labels off our politics is, for now at least, probably wishful thinking. In his own party, the most fevered question is over whether to allow, even help Brexit on its way, or to have another referendum to try to stop it - that's an issue of Leave or Remain. Just after he gave his speech in Kent, launching Labour's European election campaign, two party activists expressed the difference precisely. One of them told us they were "disappointed with the party's half-and-half" approach to Brexit, and keen for another referendum to stay in.
10th May 2019 - BBC

What's in Labour's EU election manifesto? Corbyn unveils policies for 2019 poll

"Some people seem to look at the issue the wrong way around. They tend to think the first question is Leave or Remain as if either is an end in itself. "I think they're wrong. The first question is: what kind of society do we want to be?" As a result, Labour's manifesto is a wide-ranging document, which reads more like a general election manifesto that you might expect.
9th May 2019 - Daily Mirror

Jeremy Corbyn says second EU referendum could be 'healing process' for Britain's Brexit splits

Jeremy Corbyn has said that a second EU referendum could be seen as a “healing process” for the country that brings the Brexit impasse to a conclusion. Speaking at the party’s EU election launch in Kent the Labour leader said there should be an option of a public vote on the outcome of talks and negotiations, and that it could “bring people together”. Mr Corbyn said: “The view we put forward, the party conference put this forward, the national executive agreed this, [was] that we should include the option of having a ballot on a public vote on the outcome of the talks and negotiations on what we’re putting forward.
9th May 2019 - Politics Home

Jeremy Corbyn rejects calls for Labour to become an anti-Brexit party

Jeremy Corbyn has rejected growing calls for Labour to become an explicitly anti-Brexit party, at the launch of his party's European elections campaign on Thursday. Corbyn has been under intense pressure from Labour Party members and Members of Parliament to make a firmer commitment to a backing a new referendum and campaign for Remain in any new public vote. However, speaking in Medway in Kent, Corbyn said he would only back the "option" of a new referendum if either forcing a general election or changing Theresa May's "bad" Brexit deal were not possible outcomes.
9th May 2019 - Business Insider

European elections 2019: Labour can unite our country, says Corbyn

Labour can "unite our country" and heal the divisions caused by Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn said, as he launched his European elections campaign. Mr Corbyn said the party backed "the option of a public vote" if a "sensible" Brexit deal cannot be agreed and there is not a general election. He said cross-party talks on Brexit were "difficult" as the government's "red lines remain in place". The European elections take place in the UK on 23 May.
9th May 2019 - BBC

European elections 2019: Labour can unite our country, says Corbyn

Labour can "unite our country" and heal the divisions caused by Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn said, as he launched his European elections campaign. Mr Corbyn said the party backed "the option of a public vote" if a "sensible" Brexit deal cannot be agreed and there is not a general election. He said cross-party talks on Brexit were "difficult" as the government's "red lines remain in place". The European elections take place in the UK on 23 May.
9th May 2019 - BBC

Jeremy Corbyn urges voters to discard labels of leave and remain

Jeremy Corbyn has again rebuffed the demands of many of his own activists for Labour to become the party of remain at the European elections later this month, insisting he will stand on the “common ground”. Launching his party’s manifesto for the European elections in Chatham, Kent, the Labour leader said voters should resist being defined simply as leavers or remainers. “We could allow ourselves to be defined only as ‘remainers’ or ‘leavers’ labels that meant nothing to us only a few years ago. But where would that take us? Who wants to live in a country stuck in this endless loop?” he asked.
9th May 2019 - The Guardian

@BBCNormanSmith Jeremy Corbyn confirms Labour will seek to deliver on Brexit. Cannot ignore 17m who backed leave, he says

Jeremy Corbyn confirms Labour will seek to deliver on Brexit. Cannot ignore 17m who backed leave, he says
9th May 2019 - @BBCNormanSmith

Amber Rudd to set out Tory leadership credentials with vision of 21st century Conservative Party

Tory leadership contender Amber Rudd will today set out her vision of a modern-day Conservative Party, saying it must support workers of all backgrounds. Ms Rudd, seen by many as a prime candidate in the race to succeed Theresa May, is expected to use a major speech in London to set out her ambition for the Tories to be the party for 21st century workers. She will become the latest Cabinet member to set out her credentials, following in the recent footsteps of the likes of Sajid Javid, Jeremy Hunt and Andrea Leadsom. The work and pensions secretary will say: “As Conservatives, we want every person, no matter their background, to progress in the workplace and outperform what society says they should be able to do.
9th May 2019 - Evening Standard

Rudd: A no-deal PM would not command majority

The candidate who wins the Conservative leadership contest could fail to become prime minister if they back a no-deal Brexit, Amber Rudd has said. The work and pensions secretary told BBC Newsnight "a no deal prime minister would not be able to command a majority in the House". Convention dictates that a departing prime minister has to advise the Queen on a successor based on one criterion: an ability to command a majority in parliament. The convention is designed to protect the monarch from political turmoil. If the next Tory leader is a Brexiteer committed to no deal, Theresa May may struggle to offer clear advice to the Queen.
9th May 2019 - BBC

Esther McVey throws hat into the ring for Conservative leadership contest

Former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey has announced that she will stand for the Conservative leadership when Theresa May steps down. Ms McVey, who quit the Cabinet in November in protest at Mrs May’s Brexit deal, became the third Tory openly to declare her ambition to be Prime Minister, after Andrea Leadsom and Rory Stewart.
9th May 2019 - Herald Scotland

Esther McVey: Former minister will stand to succeed Theresa May

9th May 2019 - Sky News

@SkyNewsPolitics "At the moment, momentum is behind @Nigel_Farage, we want to stop that momentum." Lib Dem leader, @vincecable tells #Sunrise voters should get behind his party if they want to remain in the European Union

"At the moment, momentum is behind @Nigel_Farage, we want to stop that momentum." Lib Dem leader, @vincecable tells #Sunrise voters should get behind his party if they want to remain in the European Union. For all the latest political updates, visit: https://news.sky.com/politics
9th May 2019 - @SkyNewsPolitics

Ex-Sheffield councillor claims calls are growing ‘louder and louder’ for second EU referendum

An ex-councillor has claimed the calls for a second referendum to be held on leaving the European Union are growing 'louder and louder'. Former East Ecclesfield ward member Steve Wilson quit the Labour Party earlier this year and joined his wife, Penistone and Stocksbridge MP Angela Smith, in joining the newly formed 'Change UK - The Independent Group'. The party is in favour of the People's Vote campaign for a second referendum on the UK's membership of the EU. The group has six candidates standing in the forthcoming European elections later this month and they were due to stage a public meeting at The Mowbray in Kelham Island this evening to make their case.
9th May 2019 - South Yorkshire Times

Sturgeon steps up call for pro-EU voters to shun Scottish Labour

Nicola Sturgeon has stepped up her appeals to pro-European voters in Scotland to abandon Labour, describing Jeremy Corbyn’s party as pro-Brexit and dishonest. Launching her European election campaign, the Scottish National party leader said voters needed to treat both Labour and the Conservatives as pro-Brexit parties, despite Corbyn’s attempt to “face both ways” on Europe. Describing the vote on 23 May as the most important European election in Scotland’s history, Sturgeon also reiterated her call for a fresh referendum on Scottish independence before 2021, regardless of whether Brexit happens. “It is striking, I would say depressingly so, just how close together Labour and the Tories are on Brexit. On this defining issue of our time, Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May have so much more in common than they like to pretend. They both want to take Scotland and the UK out of the European Union,” she said.
9th May 2019 - The Guardian

European elections: I'm pro-remain, how should I vote?

From Change UK to the Lib Dems, there’s more than one party looking to overturn Brexit - guidance and advice for the tactical European Elections voter
9th May 2019 - The Guardian

Attempt to form pro-remain Peterborough byelection alliance fails

An attempt to form an alliance of pro-remain parties to support a single candidate in a byelection in Peterborough has collapsed, raising concerns the failure will hinder cooperation in the future. Representatives of the Liberal Democrats, the Green party, Renew and Change UK spent several hours unsuccessfully trying to reach an agreement on a single independent candidate before a 4pm deadline for nominations for the Cambridgeshire seat. It leaves the Lib Dems and the Greens supporting their own candidates. Change UK would support Renew’s candidate, sources said.
9th May 2019 - The Guardian

@AdamBienkov Comres finds the Lib Dems are the leading Remain party in every region apart from Scotland and Wales

Comres finds the Lib Dems are the leading Remain party in every region apart from Scotland and Wales. Brexit Party doing worst in Scotland (13%) and London (18%). Best in Eastern region (32%).
9th May 2019 - @AdamBienkov

Tories reveal obsession as leaflet mentions indyref2 more than Brexit

Ruth Davidson’s obsession with independence was laid bare yesterday when social media images emerged of a Tory leaflet which mentions either independence, Nicola Sturgeon, indyref2 or the SNP an astonishing 28 times in one page. The leaflet put out by the party mentions Brexit once. Sturgeon said this proved they were a “one-trick pony which is now really limping”.
9th May 2019 - The National

What failure to agree a Remain candidate in Peterborough means for Change UK

The withdrawal of second referendum campaigner Femi Oluwole means Liberal Democrats and Greens will run their own candidates, but Change won’t stand at all. A spokesperson said "senior Labour figures, including senior figures campaigning for a People’s Vote, made it clear that they would strenuously disrupt the campaign and obstruct an independent Candidate, driven by fears that it would harm their party in Peterborough.”
9th May 2019 - New Statesman

@BBCNewsnight “We’re not going to walk away from these talks lightly because we didn’t enter into these talks lightly” - Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon on the cross-party Brexit talks

“We’re not going to walk away from these talks lightly because we didn’t enter into these talks lightly” - Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon on the cross-party Brexit talks @Emmabarnett | @RichardBurgon | #newsnight
9th May 2019 - @BBCNewsnight

The Tories can only survive now if they become the party of no deal

The Spectator Editor Fraser Nelson calls on the Conservative Party to rebrand under a new leader and actively push an identity as the No Deal Brexit party.
9th May 2019 - The Telegraph

@TNewtonDunn May's mid ranks reshuffle is finally done - 4 loyalists promoted: Robert Buckland to Prisons Minister (next one into the Cabinet) Lucy Frazer to Solicitor General (talked of as a future PM one day)

May's mid ranks reshuffle is finally done - 4 loyalists promoted: Robert Buckland to Prisons Minister (next one into the Cabinet) Lucy Frazer to Solicitor General (talked of as a future PM one day) Andrew Murrison to Middle East Minister Paul Maynard to MoJ as a Parl Under Sec
9th May 2019 - @TNewtonDunn

May earns reprieve from Tories as talks with Labour gain new life

The government and the opposition Labour Party put out statements indicating progress in their talks to forge a consensus on Brexit. May’s office said both parties are acting “with seriousness” and plan to exchange documents, while Labour said in a statement “the negotiating teams are working to establish scope for agreement.”
8th May 2019 - Bloomberg

U.K. an Outsider at the EU Summit, Hinting at Post-Brexit Future

May’s absence did not mean there was no British representation in the bucolic Transylvanian setting. A few hours before leaders talked about Iran, nationalism and their own democratic failings, Stephen Barclay, the U.K. Brexit secretary, spoke about Britain’s place in the world at a conference close to the summit. Barclay lamented the “narrative within Europe on Brexit,” which ignores the view that it’s “an opportunity of confidence, of optimism, a desire to be more global.” Referring to one of the most vocal campaigners for the U.K.’s departure from the EU, he added that the U.K.’s decision to leave the club “certainly wasn’t the Nigel Farage, little-Englander portrayal of Brexit.”
9th May 2019 - Bloomberg

UK’s top Brexit minister accuses Europeans of ‘lazy thinking’ for seeing Brexit as isolationist

9th May 2019 - The Independent

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 9th May 2019

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Brexit: When will Theresa May actually go?

"She's leading us to oblivion - I don't understand why she is hanging on", says one former cabinet minister. "She's using up the oxygen her successor will need to breathe", says another. These are not wild claims from easily over excitable eurosceptics who have been the main cheerleaders to hurry Theresa May from her job. They are genuine frustrations from MPs who have worked alongside Theresa May who until recently have believed she should stay. Again today, Number 10 bought the prime minister more time with the promise that she will meet the 1922 committee next week. And again, the Tory backbenchers did not agree that the situation is so bad for the party and this Prime Minister that she must go. There are also many Tory MPs who believe sending the removal vans to Number 10 would be completely counterproductive, and present once more to the country a picture of a party that loves nothing more than fighting with itself.
9th May 2019 - BBC

Corbyn says Labour will heal the divisions opened up by Brexit

Jeremy Corbyn will claim that Labour can “unite our country” and heal the divisions caused by Brexit as he launches his campaign for the European elections. After a bitter internal row within Labour over whether to support a second referendum, Mr Corbyn will say that the party backs “the option of a public vote” if a “sensible” Brexit deal cannot be agreed and there is not a general election. He will promise to address the “inequalities that helped fuel” the 2016 Brexit vote, insisting that the “real divide in our country” is not over Europe. The May 23 election will take place because of Parliament’s deadlock over a Brexit deal and the failure of Labour-Tory talks.
9th May 2019 - ITV News

Customs compromise a 'million miles away' from Labour demand

Labour last night rejected a Brexit compromise deal put forward by Theresa May, claiming that it was a “million miles away” from what the party would be prepared to accept. After three hours of “robust” talks in Whitehall, Labour sources said that the government had tabled a “completely unrealistic” draft agreement on a customs compromise. Downing Street characterised the talks as “constructive and detailed”, saying that both sides had agreed to meet again to continue the negotiations. Asked about the description, one Labour figure said: “You’d have to ask the government about their choice of adjectives.”
9th May 2019 - The Times

Corbyn always dreamed of a revolution – just not one involving Brexit

Having rejected a no-deal Brexit, Labour’s choices are restricted to a miserable compromise or a slide back towards full EU membership. Neither option has the ring of bold adventure that Corbynism once promised. Socialism deferred until the pesky European question has been resolved is not much of a rallying cry. Meanwhile, the radical right is on the rampage and Labour MPs seem confused as to whether they are defending moderation or opening a new front against it from the left.
8th May 2019 - The Guardian

Labour Brexit talks with government 'near collapse', writes Robert Peston

Labour's negotiations on a Brexit pact with the Government may well be pronounced dead today - partly because the party is launching its EU elections manifesto tomorrow and would presumably need to say something about a possible pact other than "don't know". To be clear, there are more talks between the two sides this evening. But those involved tell me they have no expectation a breakthrough will be seized from the jaws of futility. Simultaneously Labour's leadership is consulting "all the elements" in and connected to the party, so there's no great backlash from MPs or union leaders as and when the hopes of a Brexit compromise are officially abandoned - which could happen tonight.
8th May 2019 - ITV News

Brexit Party candidate for Peterborough by-election Mike Greene is lifelong Tory voter and star of Channel 4's Secret Millionaire

A lifelong Conservative supporter who was an early investor in music app Shazam and appeared on Channel 4’s the Secret Millionaire is the Brexit Party’s candidate for next month’s Peterborough by-election. Mike Greene, a former trustee of Peterborough cathedral and local benefactor, will fight the June 6 by-election in a bid to give Nigel Farage’s party his first foothold in Westminster. Such is the pace of activity in the new Brexit Party that Mr Greene only met Mr Farage for the first time on Tuesday night at a rally in Peterborough. All candidates for the June 6 by-election have to be declared by 4pm on Thursday.
9th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Andrew Adonis: We must spell it out now, Labour is a Remain party

He’s standing for election under a party label that doesn’t quite exist, in a contest that shouldn’t be happening, in a place that isn’t a country — but none of this puts Andrew Adonis off. The Mediterranean sun glints off his EU electric-blue tie as he strides through Gibraltar’s old town, its solid limestone walls reeking of the days when the Royal Navy called this peculiar bastion home. Adonis — academic-turned-journalist-turned-Tony Blair policy wonk-turned-peer — is doing what he has never done before in a long career shaping Britain, and standing in a national election. He’s on the list for the Labour Party in the South West constituency which, thanks to a quirk, includes Gibraltar’s 20,000 voters even though they live as close to Sierra Leone as they do to Plymouth.
9th May 2019 - Evening Standard

Tory MP Mercer withdraws support from PM over veterans

In a letter to the PM, the Plymouth MP said it was "regrettable" that he could not continue to support the government. He called on Mrs May to end the "abhorrent process" of "elderly veterans being dragged back to Northern Ireland" to face possible prosecution. He has previously called for legislation to stop this happening. The former Army officer and member of the Commons Defence Committee told the BBC he had withdrawn support for Mrs May and that he would vote with the Conservatives on Brexit but nothing else. In his letter, he said: "As you know, the historical prosecution of our servicemen and women is a matter that is personally offensive to me. "Many are my friends; and I am from their tribe."
9th May 2019 - BBC

Brexit Bulletin: Losing Hope

One of the sticking points in the talks with Labour is that the opposition can’t trust that May’s eventual successor will stand by her team’s commitments. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell says it’s like “trying to enter into a contract with a company that’s going into administration.” That problem is getting more acute as Conservatives increasingly lose patience with May. Graham Brady, the head of the rank-and-file Tories, has given May until 4 p.m. Wednesday to set out a timetable for leaving or find it forced upon her, according to the Telegraph. Stay tuned for the prime minister’s next checkmate-defying maneuver.
8th May 2019 - Bloomberg

Andrea Leadsom announces she's 'seriously considering' running for Tory leader

Ms Leadsom described Mrs May's Brexit agreement as "tolerable", but said she would be prepared to leave the EU without a deal. "I don't say that no-deal is better than the Prime Minister's deal. "I think the Prime Minister's deal is the best solution because it protects jobs and supply chains," said the Commons leader. "What I'm saying is at the same time I don't think no-deal would be the disaster some people portray it as."
8th May 2019 - Daily Mirror

Cambridge Analytica whistleblower signs book deal

The former Cambridge Analytica employee who spoke out on alleged ties between the data firm and the Brexit campaign for Britain to leave the European Union has a book deal. Brittany Kaiser's 'Targeted: My Inside Story of Cambridge Analytica and how Trump and Facebook Broke Democracy' comes out on October 22, publisher HarperCollins announced Tuesday. Kaiser will share 'the dramatic and disturbing story' of her time at Cambridge Analytica, the British company where she was the business development director.
8th May 2019 - Daily Mail

Brexit: Panel to advise on Irish border solutions

A Brexit initiative chaired by two Conservative MPs has named a panel of 20 experts to advise them on technical solutions for the Irish border. Greg Hands and Nicky Morgan chair an "Alternative Arrangements Commission". Some members of the panel, such as Dutch customs expert Hans Maessen, have previously advised pro-Brexit groups. The only member with a significant Irish connection is Graham Gudgin, a former adviser to Brexit supporter Lord Trimble.
8th May 2019 - BBC

Tony Blair says Indyref2 could 'fundamentally' damage the UK

Former prime minister Tony Blair has spoken out against the prospect of a second Scottish independence referendum, insisting such a vote should not take place "unless there is a really big groundswell of opinion for it". The one-time Labour leader, whose government created the Scottish Parliament, voiced his fears that a fresh vote on independence could "fundamentally" damage the UK. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already made clear her desire to hold a ballot within the next two years. The SNP leader cites Scotland being removed from the European Union against the wishes of voters north of the border as grounds for another referendum, arguing this is a "material change in circumstances" from the 2014 vote.
8th May 2019 - Daily Record

May buys herself a WEEK in leadership showdown: PM will face senior backbenchers next week

Theresa May has set up a showdown next week with MPs furious at her refusal to reveal when she will quit over Brexit failures. The Prime Minister will face senior backbenchers on the influential 1922 Committee next Wednesday after making an agreement with committee chairman Sir Graham Brady yesterday. It came after she faced a brutal public assault on her leadership today as backbench anger at her failure to stand down reached fever pitch in a row threatening to tear the Conservative Party apart. She had been given a 4pm deadline to set out a 'roadmap' for standing down but has been given a week's grace to explain her plans to the committee next week
8th May 2019 - Daily Mail

Peterborough by-election: Lib Dems, Greens and Change UK ‘to put forward single Remain candidate’

The Liberal Democrats, Green Party and Change UK are expected to put forward a single candidate between them to fight the upcoming Peterborough by-election. The Lib Dems (Beki Sellick) and Greens (Joseph Wells) have already chosen their candidates for the seat, so at least one of them would have to stand down.
8th May 2019 - Peterborough Evening Telegraph

Colum Eastwood: 'Brexit can still be stopped'

The SDLP's European election candidate Colum Eastwood says Brexit can be stopped. The party leader was speaking as he launched his bid to win a seat in the European elections on 23 May. The SDLP leader says the focus of his campaign will be to take a pro-European stance to the electorate and fight to stop the UK leaving the EU. He told the BBC: "The main priority is to stop Brexit and I think we still can."
8th May 2019 - BBC

How Theresa May's departure from No 10 could play out

The prime minister has rejected calls to resign as more Tories demand an exit date - how might her departure play out and when might it occur
8th May 2019 - The Guardian

EU elections may turn Brexit on its head

On these issues the outstanding guide is “The European Elections and Brexit”, a report by The UK in a Changing Europe, a research group at King’s College London. The May 23-26 elections seem certain to produce a more fragmented European Parliament. The two main party groups on the centre-right and centre-left are set to lose their combined majority. A hotchpotch of rightwing nationalists, anti-establishment populists and anti-EU critics may win 30 per cent or so of the assembly’s 751 seats. All this would undermine the prospects for a quick EU-UK deal on trade, security and other areas of post-Brexit co-operation. In fact, ratification of an EU-UK trade agreement might be a Herculean task in a European Parliament pushed one way by rightwing protectionism and another way by leftwing demands on climate change, regulatory standards and social policy.
8th May 2019 - Financial Times

David Cameron Is 'Distraught' About Brexit, According To Former Advisor Gabby Bertin

Since informing the country he would be stepping down as PM and humming a jaunty tune as he walked into Downing Street for the last time, David Cameron has said little about the Brexit process he set in motion. In January he surfaced to tell journalists he does not regret calling the EU referendum – just the result – but according to his former press secretary he is actually “distraught” about it all. Speaking to The Times, Baroness Bertin insisted the perception he has “travelled off into the sunset” is far from the truth.
8th May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Labour tanked in the north east because it offered no clarity over Brexit, not because notherners are ‘angry leavers’

If your policy is for “all options to remain on the table”, then your intent is for all to remain seated at the table. Last week, many Labour voters in the north of England got up and walked away. Of course local elections are always and rightly about all kinds of local issues. But Brexit was the elephant in the room and, when that’s the case, there is little space for the kind of deliberate ambiguity my party’s leadership has tried to create around the biggest issue facing our country for years. There was a rejection of ambiguity in Barnsley where there as a 17.3 per cent swing to the Liberal Democrats. There was a rejection of ambiguity in Sunderland where there was a 13.4 per cent swing to the Liberal Democrats. There was a rejection of ambiguity in Wirral where there was a 11.1 per cent swing to the Greens. Others followed suit.
8th May 2019 - The Independent

Anti-Brexit parties considering a Remain candidate for by-election

It has been claimed there will be a Remain unity candidate at the Peterborough by-election to tackle the Brexit Party at the ballot box. Remain campaigners had criticised the likes of Change UK, Lib Dems and Greens for rejecting an electoral pact at the ballot box during the European election campaign after the idea was reportedly floated by Sir Vince Cable. It has allowed the anti-Brexit parties to appear fragmented up against Nigel Farage's Brexit Party, which has surged in opinion polls in recent weeks. But with a by-election set to take place in Peterborough, and the Brexit Party considering standing, it has been reported there may be a Remain candidate representing the smaller parties too
8th May 2019 - The New European

Anti-Brexit parties considering a Remain candidate to take on Nigel Farage

8th May 2019 - The New European

George Osborne: Former chancellor urges cabinet to move against Theresa May

The former chancellor has urged cabinet ministers to move against Theresa May as he says the Conservative Party needs new leadership. George Osborne says: "The Conservative Party in 2017 didn't want to confront the reality. "Eventually the party has to confront the truth. It needs a new leader, a new agenda, it needs to win over supporters who have disappeared and make an appeal to urban, metropolitan Britain that has turned its back on the Conservatives."
8th May 2019 - Sky News

Brexit: Theresa May targets July 1 for UK exit but Tories more focused on resignation date

Theresa May is targeting July 1 as the day Britain leaves the EU after abandoning a deadline for a Brexit agreement with Labour. David Lidington, the cabinet office minister, said the British government was "redoubling" its efforts to ensure a Brexit deal is passed by Parliament in time to prevent MEPs taking up their seats in Brussels. If that proves impossible, the government will make sure the EU Withdrawal Agreement is "done and dusted" before Parliament rises for the summer, meaning Brexit day would be August 1. It means that Mrs May has now set five separate dates for Britain to leave the EU.
8th May 2019 - Irish Independent

Who's the MONEY MAN, Nigel?

Ever since Nigel Farage revealed, in an interview with LBC’s Iain Dale, that the Brexit Party has had “one big donor”, questions have rightly been asked as to who this anonymous benefactor might be. It seems peculiar that a ‘grassroots movement’ which sells itself on being different to the traditional parties should be so unforthcoming about something as basic as funding. It’s also in stark contrast to the other new kid on the block – Change UK (also known as TIG – The Independent Group) which, for all its many flaws in presentation and style, has been transparent from the start. Even before it formally became a political party and had a legal requirement to declare its funding, Change UK revealed this on its website.
8th May 2019 - Byline Times

@ITVPeston Who is funding The Brexit Party @Peston asks @Nigel_Farage #Peston

Who is funding The Brexit Party @Peston asks @Nigel_Farage #Peston
8th May 2019 - @ITVPeston

@Peston There is now a war attrition between Theresa May and her own MPs

There is now a war of attrition between @theresa_may and her own MPs. Most of them want her to set an unconditional timetable for her departure. She is refusing to do so, saying she will only go when her divorce deal with the EU, the Withdrawal Agreement, is law.
8th May 2019 - @Peston

Tories try to limit European election damage with cut‑price campaign

Candidates received a confidential briefing at Conservative campaign headquarters (CCHQ) on what many admit will be a damage-limitation exercise. Party chiefs are said to be sending only taxpayer-funded mailshots with the first wave of literature targeting postal voters due within days. The Conservatives’ message will be that only the governing party can deliver Brexit as it pleads with voters not to back Nigel Farage’s insurgent Brexit Party, according to a senior figure. The first leaflet includes a photograph of Theresa May. “It’s aimed at Conservative supporters who think the prime minister is doing her best to get this over the line and that the delay is not her fault,” said another source, who had seen a draft.
8th May 2019 - The Times

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 8th May 2019

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The UK will take part in European Parliament elections, May's government confirms

The European Parliament elections will take place in the United Kingdom later this month, the government has confirmed. Theresa May's deputy David Lidington said on Tuesday there was no longer enough time to pass a Brexit deal through the UK House of Commons in order to prevent the elections going ahead. Lidington said in a statement that it was "not going to be possible to finish that process" before the date of the elections.
7th May 2019 - Business Insider

European Parliament Elections 2019 WILL Go Ahead In UK, Government Confirms

7th May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

European Parliament Elections 2019 WILL Go Ahead In UK, Government Confirms

7th May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Brexit: UK will take part in European elections, says David Lidington

7th May 2019 - BBC

May regrets Britain will hold European elections - spokesman

7th May 2019 - Reuters UK

Theresa May left red-faced as deputy PM admits UK will take part in European Parliament elections

7th May 2019 - Politics Home

European elections to go ahead because Theresa May can't do Brexit in time, government admits

8th May 2019 - The Independent

Whose side is Twitter on: misogynists or women in public life?

Away from Twitter, in real life, meanwhile, we have a Ukip candidate, the odious Carl Benjamin, who released a video suggesting he “might cave” and rape Jess Phillips. After he had previously written on social media “he wouldn’t even rape her”, his party leader defended him. You cannot stand for elected office if you are subject to bankruptcy proceedings. But somehow you can publicly discuss the rape of a female MP and it’s fine?
8th May 2019 - The Guardian

Theresa May’s Team Gloomy About Chances of Labour Brexit Deal, Sources Say

The U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May will face lawmakers in Parliament on Wednesday after another day of inconclusive talks with the opposition Labour Party further dented her hopes of reaching a Brexit deal. Already under pressure after a disastrous set of results for her Conservative Party in local elections last week, the beleaguered premier’s cabinet concluded on Tuesday that cross-party talks are stalling and unlikely to deliver an agreement on the way forward, according to people familiar with the matter. That means the government’s focus is likely to turn to what happens next, and how to offer Parliament a range of Plan B options to chose from, said the people, who asked not to be named discussing confidential issues.
7th May 2019 - Bloomberg

Jean-Claude Juncker says it was a ‘mistake’ for EU to stay silent during Brexit referendum ‘lies’

The president of the EU Commission has said he regrets not intervening in the UK’s Brexit referendum to correct “lies” about the bloc during the campaign. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Jean-Claude Juncker said it was a “big mistake” to listen to David Cameron, who he said had asked Brussels to “stay silent”. “The mistake I made was to listen too carefully to the British government – Cameron, because the then prime minister asked me not to interfere, not to intervene in the referendum campaign.
7th May 2019 - The Independent

Downing Street admits new UK MEPs may have to take their seats in Brussels

Britain's new MEPs may end up having to take their seats in the European Parliament after all, Downing Street has admitted. David Lidington, Theresa May's de facto deputy, had already confirmed that the UK will have to take part in the EU elections on 23 May because of the Government's failure to deliver Brexit. However, the Government had hoped that the UK would have left the bloc by 30 June, meaning the 73 successful candidates would not have to travel to Brussels when the new parliamentary session begins on 1 July.
7th May 2019 - Politics Home

Brexit: Will a cross-party deal happen?

Inside both leaders' camps, there is a genuine desire, more intense since they both had a bad night at the polls on Thursday, to see if they can sketch out a joint escape route from the mess of Brexit. But the historically awful result for the prime minister does not seem to have shocked her into ditching her red lines - at least not yet. One former minister, experienced and not prone to make wild prediction, told me Number 10 was in "la la land" if they believed that could happen. About half an hour later, another former and experienced minister told me they believe, in fact, it will fly and perhaps by the end of this month. Whoever you ask, it is clear it is not straightforward. So when the two teams sit down again on Wednesday afternoon, whether it is "constructive" or "robust", there's still an awful lot to do.
7th May 2019 - BBC

BBC BIAS: Farage confronts BBC on lack of coverage – 'we haven’t seen you at any rallies'

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage took a swipe at the BBC during a press conference on Tuesday. The Brexit Party has said it will contest all 650 seats at a future general election as leader Nigel Farage said the party would have to fight to leave the EU beyond the upcoming European elections at the end of this month. Jessica Parker, a BBC News political journalist, asked Mr Farage about the role the Brexit Party would like to play in future negotiations, and if the UK was to seek a WTO Brexit, how much negotiating would be needed. Mr Farage replied: “Well, it is very very nice to see the BBC here, I must say, no it really is. “I have been all over the country speaking at big rallies with a couple of thousand people at most of them, we haven’t seen the BBC at any of them. So it is jolly nice that you have made the effort to come.” The quick remark prompted some jeers from audience members as Mr Farage continued. He said: “I also notice that on no single major current affairs debate or news programme has a single person from the Brexit Party appeared.
7th May 2019 - Daily Express

British government source sees Brexit breakthrough but not this week - BBC political editor

A Brexit breakthrough in talks between Prime Minister Theresa May’s government and the opposition Labour Party is possible but unlikely this week, the BBC’s political editor cited an unidentified senior government source as saying. “Senior govt source says it IS possible though to see a way to a deal, but unlikely to be resolved this week,” the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg said on Twitter. The aim is “to set out a path to get the Withdrawal Bill to Commons with a fair wind,” she said.
7th May 2019 - Reuters

Jeremy Hunt says voters are ‘very, very angry’ Brexit hasn’t been delivered – so Tories must reach compromise with Labour

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt suggested he would reluctantly accept a Customs Union with the European Union in a compromise agreement with the Labour Party, saying “angry” voters want Brexit to be delivered. The Conservative frontbencher told the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme that while he did not want a Customs Union with the EU, the drubbing his party had received in last week’s local elections meant a compromise needed to be reached.
7th May 2019 - iNews

Labour accuses government of refusing to compromise as Brexit deadlock continues

Labour has accused the Government of not being "willing to compromise" as negotiations on a joint-Brexit deal once again broke up without agreement. Shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey said the Tories were still refusing to move on their red lines and that it was still "difficult to see how any agreement can be reached". Senior frontbenchers from both parties met in the Cabinet Office for nearly three hours as part of their ongoing attempts to thrash out a compromise to put to a Commons vote.
7th May 2019 - Politics Home

Nigel Farage's Brexit Party 'Recruiting Candidates For Next General Election'

The Brexit Party is recruiting candidates for the next General Election, Nigel Farage has revealed. The former Ukip leader said he was “confident” that his newly-formed party would be ready to fight a General Election by September. “We are, as of today, recruiting candidates to fight the next General Election,” Farage told journalists at a press conference on Tuesday. “We are looking for 650 men and women and we want people with real-world experience – people who either in civic life or in business life have got some achievements under their belt,” he said. “It will be a very new kind of politics.”
7th May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Jean-Claude Juncker says it was a ‘mistake’ for EU to stay silent during Brexit referendum ‘lies’

The president of the EU Commission has said he regrets not intervening in the UK’s Brexit referendum to correct “lies” about the bloc during the campaign. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Jean-Claude Juncker said it was a “big mistake” to listen to David Cameron, who he said had asked Brussels to “stay silent”. “The mistake I made was to listen too carefully to the British government – Cameron, because the then prime minister asked me not to interfere, not to intervene in the referendum campaign.
7th May 2019 - The Independent

Labour Brexit negotiations failing after government concedes UK will take part in EU elections

Labour's Brexit negotiations with the government appear to be failing, it has been hinted, after the government conceded that the UK will take part in EU elections, despite comments to the contrary. Rebecca Long-Bailey, shadow secretary for business and one of Labour's Brexit negotiators, gave an update on cross-party talks. She said: "Without a government that's willing to compromise it's difficult to see how any agreement can be reached." When quizzed on whether there's any point in continuing with negotiations, Ms Long-Bailey defiantly said "of course there's a point" before admitting there has been no movement or agreement.
7th May 2019 - ITV News

@JessicaElgot Rumours around Labour backbench circles that the party could do a deal with Tories but then promise to whip in favour Kyle-Wilson amendment on second referendum to show Labour members they are serious about fresh poll. With a nod and wink to Eurosceptic Labour backbenchers...

Rumours around Labour backbench circles that the party could do a deal with Tories but then promise to whip in favour Kyle-Wilson amendment on second referendum to show Labour members they are serious about fresh poll. With a nod and wink to Eurosceptic Labour backbenchers...
7th May 2019 - @JessicaElgot

Theresa May cannot ignore her party forever, writes Robert Peston

Close colleagues of the PM think she wants still to be PM and party leader at party conference, which on her view would be the showcase for the duo of potential leaders picked by MPs, prior to that final vote by members. I can find NO senior Tory who thinks the party will permit her to do that. And we should learn more about when and how she goes in the next 24 hours, because Brady will communicate the PM’s response to his executive tomorrow afternoon. And they in turn will have to decide whether she has either given an acceptable resignation timetable, or failing that whether to step up the pressure on her to do so by changing Tory party rules to permit a new vote of no confidence in her within weeks. As I have said before, she remains PM despite her party, not because of it. And although her superpower is to defy political gravity, even she can’t ignore her party forever.
7th May 2019 - ITV News

I Know You've Heard This Before But The Next Few Weeks Could Be Pivotal For Brexit. Here's Why.

We've entered the stage that Number 10 aides and political journalists are embarrassingly calling the "death zone". That’s because the next month is pivotal in deciding what happens next as the UK tries to leave the European Union — and will ultimately decide the fate of Theresa May’s premiership. Everything from a deal passing, to May being ousted from Downing Street, to a push for a second referendum, to a further impasse lasting until October are all in play.
7th May 2019 - BuzzFeed News

Would MPs back a Corbyn-May pact?

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn will this afternoon resume efforts on a cross-party deal that can get Brexit across the line. But as their teams prepare to meet, MPs are asking whether any pact could possibly win majority support in the House of Commons? If Mrs May does a deal with Mr Corbyn, there would inevitably be a hefty Conservative rebellion. Any pact would require the prime minister to make a bolder commitment to membership of Europe’s customs union. This would make it very hard for the UK to do trade deals with non-EU states and there would be significant Tory discontent. Nigel Evans, executive secretary of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories, told the BBC at the weekend (reported in The Times): “If there is a compromise that turns out to be a kind of ‘Brexit in name only’ involving anything close to a customs union, there would be more than 100 Tory MPs who would never support it.”
7th May 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit discussion to be banned from EU leaders’ summit this week

Europe has breathed a collective sight of relief after EU officials announced that serious discussion of Brexit would be banned at an upcoming leaders’ summit. Ahead of Thursday’s meeting in the Romanian city of Sibiu, one senior EU official said the summit would be “in principle Brexit-free”. For two years now the UK has repeatedly crashed EU meetings about other issues and steered discussions towards Brexit – often to the great annoyance of other countries. But since April, when the leaders agreed to delay the UK’s departure until October, the continent has gone on a “Brexit holiday” and is using the time to discuss other issues.
7th May 2019 - The Independent

Brexit block: Corbyn facing MAJOR REBELLION from MPs who DEMAND another referendum

Ardant Remainers within the opposition party are demanding any deal to leave the European Union is sealed with a confirmatory vote by the British people. The Prime Minister and Mr Corbyn have been at logger-heads over any potential cross-party deal with a dispute over a customs arrangement being the main stumbling block for both parties. However, even with a closer alignment to the bloc, it is feared my Labour parliamentarians will still not vote to back an agreement in the House of Commons. One shadow cabinet minister told the Guardian: “Jeremy cannot be sure he has the numbers – even if he whipped it – so he cannot do a deal without a confirmatory vote.” Discussions between the opposition parties will continue this afternoon with ministers set to outline proposals for a ‘temporary customs arrangement’ with Brussels until the next general election.
7th May 2019 - Express.co.uk

Downing Street admits new UK MEPs may have to take their seats in Brussels

David Lidington, Theresa May's de facto deputy, had already confirmed that the UK will have to take part in the EU elections on 23 May because of the Government's failure to deliver Brexit. However, the Government had hoped that the UK would have left the bloc by 30 June, meaning the 73 successful candidates would not have to travel to Brussels when the new parliamentary session begins on 1 July. Mr Lidington hinted that the timetable could slip once again when he said hopes to "certainly to get this done and dusted by the summer recess", which will begin at the end of July. The Prime Minister's spokesman later admitted that would push the exit date back to 1 August, meaning the MEPs would have to take their seats for a month. That would be yet another major embarrassment for Theresa May, who has already seen two Brexit deadlines come and go without success.
7th May 2019 - Politics Home

Theresa May pushes Brexit deadline back to July

The European elections will go ahead and MEPs are likely to take their seats it emerged today after No 10 set a new deadline of mid-July to complete Brexit. Senior ministers said the government had abandoned attempts to claim that it may be able to meet a Brexit deadline that stops European elections going ahead on May 23. No 10 has instead set a new deadline of the Commons summer recess, likely to be the end of the third or fourth week of July, to finalise Brexit and pass legislation, suggesting that they expect MEPs are all but certain to take their seats on July 2. This suggests that Mrs May wants to stay until summer recess as prime minister, potentially pushing a leadership contest to the autumn, which could prompt a backlash from restive Tory MPs.
7th May 2019 - The Times

@BBCLauraK Cabinet source says 'Cabinet decided it was untenable to pursue no deal in March - they have to decide whether it would be justifiable to the country if we end up in the same position again in October'

Cabinet source says 'Cabinet decided it was untenable to pursue no deal in March - they have to decide whether it would be justifiable to the country if we end up in the same position again in October'
7th May 2019 - @BBCLauraK

Brexit: Theresa May meets Sir Graham Brady amid calls to resign

Theresa May has met the chairman of an influential committee of backbench Tory MPs, Sir Graham Brady, amid calls for her to set a firm resignation date. It followed a request from the 1922 Committee for "clarity" on the issue. No 10 insisted the meeting was routine, but pressure is mounting on the PM, with local Tory associations confirming they will hold a vote of confidence in her leadership on 15 June. Meanwhile, cross-party talks to break the Brexit deadlock resumed.
7th May 2019 - BBC

Tory MPs give Theresa May one day to set out 'roadmap' for her exit

7th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 7th May 2019

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Convinced this stitch-up can end the Brexit ordeal? Think again

Talks between the two negotiating teams will resume on Tuesday. According to the Sunday Times, Theresa May’s plan is to offer Jeremy Corbyn a temporary customs arrangement with the EU – to be reviewed in 2022 – bolstered by selective alignment with single market regulations on goods, and a commitment to match all EU measures on workers’ rights. If this were to be agreed – a ghastly marriage of the old Tory “magic circle” and Labour “beer and sandwiches” – Corbyn would find himself in a quite extraordinary position. In practice, the supposed enemy of the establishment would have entered a national coalition with the Conservative party. After a lifetime of Tory-baiting, he would finally be hugging close the authors of austerity, “neoliberalism” and invitations to Donald Trump. From Che Guevara to Ramsay MacDonald in less than four years: is that really how Corbyn wants to be remembered?
6th May 2019 - The Guardian

Online political ads 'need law change'

Are the UK's election laws fit for the era of digital campaigning? The Electoral Commission certainly does not think so. The watchdog has called for a change in the law to make online political adverts show clearly who paid for them. It wants online adverts to carry the same information as printed election material, which has to say who has produced it. The director of regulation at the Electoral Commission Louise Edwards told me a new law was needed to make sure that it was clear who had paid for online advertising and make spending on digital campaigning far more transparent. "What we need and what we're calling for, is a very clear change in the law to make parties and campaigners say on the face of their advert, who they are, who's paid for that advert and who is promoted," she said.
6th May 2019 - BBC

Lib Dems to press for tougher EU-wide commitment to curb climate change if Brexit stopped

An EU-wide commitment to wipe out contributions to global warming by 2050 will be at the heart of the Liberal Democrat manifesto for the European elections. Vince Cable’s party will vow to press for much tougher restrictions to end net greenhouse gas emissions across the bloc within 30 years – if Brexit is stopped. Currently, the EU is only pledged to 40 per cent reductions by 2030, an ambition overtaken by calls for emissions to end altogether in order to prevent runaway climate change. That target was negotiated in 2014, when Ed Davey, a Lib Dem, led the UK negotiations – helping to pave the way for the landmark global Paris Climate Treaty a year later. Now the party will demand the EU goes much further, on the back of its stunning local election successes which have raised hopes for the European Parliament polls on 23 May.
6th May 2019 - The Independent

A deal by 'caretaker' PM with Labour on Brexit could be scuppered by Tory backbenchers

Theresa May is returning to Westminster - after the Tories’ local elections meltdown and a Bank Holiday breather - ready to gamble on a high-risk Brexit deal with Labour. With some Conservative MPs claiming she is now no more than a caretaker leader, the prime minister is being warned by backbench rebels not to cave in to Jeremy Corbyn. She is understood to be on the brink of offering a temporary customs arrangement until the next general election, when Labour could campaign for a permanent customs union.
7th May 2019 - Sky News

UK Government signs new Brexit consultancy contracts totalling almost £160m

The UK Government has signed a new round of Brexit contracts with outside consultants, totalling almost £160 million of taxpayers’ money. Several are due to run until April 2020; that is, six months after the UK's new scheduled departure date from the EU at the end of October this year.
6th May 2019 - Herald Scotland

Nigel Farage wants a Brexit television debate with Jeremy Corbyn

Nigel Farage has challenged Jeremy Corbyn to a debate ahead of the European Parliament elections, warning a deal between Labour and the Conservatives would be “the final betrayal”. Farage, who leads the Brexit Party, challenged the Labour leader to discuss Brexit with him. Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sky News, Farage said: “There are five million voters out there, Labour voters, who voted to leave, particularly in the Midlands, the north, and south Wales. “I would love between now and polling to have a debate with Jeremy Corbyn about this because people are very confused about what Labour are standing for.”
6th May 2019 - The New European

Gavin Esler: TV News Must Stop Giving Airtime To The 'Village Idiots' Of Brexit

“I want to stop Brexit. Fix Britain. And then I want to reform the things that are wrong with the EU,” says Gavin Esler. He has a lot on. The 66-year-old former BBC Newsnight presenter is standing to be an MEP in London for Change UK - the new pro-Remain party formed by The Independent Group of ex-Labour and Tory MPs. Esler is speaking to HuffPost UK less than 48-hours after he was unveiled as an election candidate at his new party’s campaign launch in Bristol. “It’s all a bit hazy,” he laughs at the whirlwind. “We are trying to get up an organisation. We are trying to get each other’s telephone numbers and emails. And we have four weeks until the election.”
6th May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Tory leadership contenders show off wives and policies

Dominic Raab put family-friendly policies at the heart of his leadership bid yesterday as the candidates to succeed Theresa May ushered their wives and children into the spotlight. The former Brexit secretary set out his stall with a pledge for all fathers to have the right to two weeks’ paternity leave at 90 per cent of full pay. Mr Raab also suggested a change in the law to ensure new or expectant mothers cannot be made redundant during pregnancy or maternity leave. This comes alongside a commitment to take 1p off the basic rate of income tax.
6th May 2019 - The Times

Ministers spend extra £160m on Brexit consultant contracts

The government has signed a round of new Brexit contracts with outside consultants worth almost £160m. Many of them are due to run until April 2020, six months after the UK's new scheduled departure date from the European Union. Since the EU referendum, Whitehall has hired companies to carry out consultancy work to prepare for Brexit. The government said it would continue to "draw on the expert advice" of a range of specialists. In February, an analysis for the BBC found the government had agreed contracts worth £104m for outside help on Brexit.
6th May 2019 - BBC

Rees-Mogg 'to stand for Brexit Party' in Peterborough by-election to send message to May

Annunziata Rees-Mogg, a former Tory parliamentary candidate and sister of Jacob Rees-Mogg, hasn’t been far from the headlines since she appeared at the launch of the Brexit Party. Ms Rees-Mogg is now planning on fighting for the Peterborough seat vacated by Labour MP Fiona Onasanya. Ms Onasanya became the first parliamentarian in British history to be booted out of the Commons and stripped of her seat by a recall petition. The MP was jailed for lying to police about a driving offence.
6th May 2019 - Express.co.uk

Kevin Maguire: 'Corbyn could be PM - if he stops playing games with Theresa May'

Bailing out a failing PM and her unpopular bad deal would be political suicide – a real Shakespearean tragedy for a democratic socialist party which has vowed to radically renew Britain, both economically and socially
6th May 2019 - Daily Mirror

Prince Charles makes a plea to keep ‘links with Germany’ in soft Brexit hint

He will use a speech in Berlin to warn the 'bonds' with Germany 'must endure' As he begins a tour of Germany with the Duchess of Cornwall he will use a speech in Berlin to acknowledge Britain’s relationship with Europe is “in transition”. But he will ...
6th May 2019 - The Sun

Breakthrough in crunch Labour and Tory Brexit talks on a knife edge

Chances of a breakthrough in today’s crunch Brexit talks between Labour and the Conservatives are on a knife edge as both sides are under mounting pressure to abandon negotiations. Theresa May has urged Jeremy Corbyn to “do a deal” as ministers are expected to make the first formal offer to the opposition in the shape of a temporary customs union with the EU post-Brexit. The arrangement would remain in place until the next general election in 2022, when either the Tories or Labour could decide to make it permanent or abandon it.
6th May 2019 - iNews

A vote for the SNP is a vote to put the brakes on Brexit

Ian Blackford urges voters to get out and get their message over that Scotland wants to be in the EU.
6th May 2019 - Daily Record

Brexit news latest: Theresa May to meet 1922 Committee chairman as resignation pressure grows

Theresa May is expected to meet the chairman of the powerful 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers as pressure for her to set a firm departure date intensifies. It is understood that the Prime Minister will have discussions with Sir Graham Brady in the wake of the committee requesting "clarity" on Mrs May's timetable for standing down and triggering a leadership contest. With negotiations between the Government and Labour on trying to end the Brexit impasse set to continue on Tuesday, Tory impatience with Mrs May's failure to name a clear resignation date is increasing.
6th May 2019 - Evening Standard

Jeremy Corbyn should now commit to a second Brexit referendum – but with one crucial condition

Yanis Varoufakis: "We need to be careful. Those of us who think that democracy is an end in itself should be terrified by the idea of a second referendum that becomes the tombstone of all such votes in the future" - cancel Article 50 clock to make the referendum run smoothly
6th May 2019 - The Independent

‘Temporary’ customs union is May’s latest con

The prime minister plans to propose a “comprehensive but temporary” customs union with the EU lasting until the next election to get Jeremy Corbyn to support her Brexit deal, according to the Sunday Times. The idea seems to be to pacify her own MPs by saying the arrangement won’t necessarily last while winning over Labour by suggesting that it would be permanent if they win the election. Forget for a moment that a permanent customs union is a thoroughly bad idea. Even if Corbyn falls for the prime minister’s temporary wheeze, it may not get through the House of Commons. But there’s a more fundamental problem. If Theresa May is really proposing a “comprehensive” customs union lasting until the next election, she is living in fantasy land. The EU has got better things to do than negotiate yet another short-term deal with an unstable government.
6th May 2019 - In Facts

Theresa May’s Uneasy Courtship of Corbyn Puts Brexit Deal on Knife Edge

Critically for the Tory side, Seumas Milne, Corbyn’s chief strategist, is said to be fully engaged and serious in the meetings that have taken place, asking detailed questions about the government’s position and the offers on the table, in a sign he’s interested in doing a deal.
6th May 2019 - Bloomberg

Spectre of general election looms large for Conservative party

Brexit dominates debate in Westminster among top contenders for leadership. “Whatever happens I can’t see how we escape an election in the next year or so,” said a senior Tory campaigner. “Brexiter or non-Brexiter, deal or no deal, it is hard to see how the party survives a change in leadership with the current parliament.” Any new Conservative leader installed before parliament has passed a Brexit deal will face the same challenges as Mrs May: the lack of a working majority and no obvious Brexit deal that can hold the party together.
6th May 2019 - Financial Times

The emerging Labour-Tory compromise on Brexit is all a mirage

Every day that the UK remains a member state is another day gone in which Whitehall could negotiate the future relationship while benefiting from its place in the single market and customs union as part of a 21-month transition period. There is much to negotiate with the EU. The deadline of 31 December 2020 will not give enough time. The withdrawal agreement foresees this problem. It offers an extension of the transition of up to two years to the end of 2022 – one the British government is likely to need to exploit to its fullest. The offer to Labour of a temporary customs union to 2022 is therefore irrelevant.
6th May 2019 - The Guardian

Could Brexit kill the Conservative party?

“I think it is fair to say that this is the return of at least three-party politics,” political scientist John Curtice told the BBC. “But I suspect that on 23 May”—or the date of the forthcoming European Parliament elections—”we will discover that there are more than three significant players. We may see the most fragmented British electorate since the advent of mass British democracy.”
6th May 2019 - Quartz

Tory voters are at the end of their tether – they will vote in droves for the Brexit Party at the European elections

They found a formula superior to the official message that these were elections on local, not national issues. Even the widespread decision by Tory canvassers to seek to neutralise dislike of May by simply agreeing with voters about her doesn’t explain it. Both arguments worked somewhat – without them, the losses would have been even worse – but Walsall did something extra. Councillor Mike Bird, the local Conservative leader, is clear: “I think it was our attitude towards Brexit. In Walsall we have made ourselves clear that we are not going to have anything to do with the European elections at all.” To survive the backlash against the Prime Minister’s broken promises and Brexit delay, Walsall Tories effectively joined the popular revolt.
5th May 2019 - iNews

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 6th May 2019

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John McDonnell accuses Theresa May of betraying Brexit negotiations

Labour accused Theresa May of betraying the party's trust on crunch Brexit talks as they prepared for a fresh round of negotiations on Tuesday. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said he did not trust the Prime Minister after details of potential compromises emerged. He hit out after the Prime Minister issued a desperate last-ditch plea to Jeremy Corbyn for help in delivering Brexit. The Tories are expected to cave into Labour demands for a customs union, as long as it is called something else. A temporary customs arrangement would last until the next general election when parties can put forward their alternatives. Ministers and their Labour counterparts have held meetings over the past month aimed at thrashing out a deal which can pass the Commons. Accusing the Tory leader of breaking confidentiality and “an act of bad faith”, Mr McDonnell stormed: “She's jeopardised the negotiations for her own personal protection.”Asked on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show if he trusted her, he hit back: “No, sorry, not after this weekend when she's blown the confidentiality.”
5th May 2019 - Daily Mirror

John McDonnell: No trust left in PM over Brexit talks

5th May 2019 - BBC

Brexit: John McDonnell says that a public vote on any deal 'may well' happen

5th May 2019 - Daily Mirror

John McDonnell says he does not trust Theresa May after terms of potential Brexit deal emerge

5th May 2019 - Politics Home

Brexit: Labour backlash scuppers Theresa May’s hopes of cross-party deal

A fierce Labour backlash has hit Theresa May’s hopes of quickly striking a deal to rescue Brexit. A host of senior Labour figures poured cold water on the chances of a breakthrough – even as a Tory source called Tuesday a make-or-break day. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the prime minister was inflating the prospects to try to save her job – meanwhile, Tories are piling on fresh pressure for her to quit. Ms May was also accused of refusing to shift ground on a customs union and of risking the NHS going “up for sale”. The collapse in support for her saw the talks likened to negotiating “with a company about to go into administration”.
5th May 2019 - The Independent

A cynical Westminster fix won’t end the Brexit nightmares of May and Corbyn

This re-establishes a long-term trend of voter revolt against the blue-red duopoly that has dominated British politics since 1945. I have been suggesting for some time that the rise in their combined share at the last general election was the product of freak circumstances and a false positive for the big two. That looks even more the case today. Multi-party politics is alive and kicking. The fragmentation of voter allegiances continues. Neither the red tribe nor the blue clan is exhibiting a capacity to get anywhere near to speaking for a majority of Britons.
5th May 2019 - The Guardian

The only way to save the Conservative Party: a new leader, Brexit, tax cuts and a war on crime

The Government’s response to the catastrophic local election results has been astonishingly tin-eared: rally around the leader, call for unity, threaten to do a deal with Labour over Brexit just to “get it finished”. This was an anti-establishment election in which Labour did badly, too – it has no legitimacy as a coalition partner – and how does the Tory leadership respond? By creating an establishment cartel with the very same Marxists they’ve spent four years denouncing. The Conservatives are not listening to the voters. They are trying to survive the only way they know how, by circling the wagons.
5th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit: John McDonnell pours cold water on May's customs union plan

The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has poured cold water on Theresa May’s plan to offer a temporary customs union to win Labour over to a Brexit deal, saying the cross-party talks were like “trying to enter a contract with a company going into administration”. McDonnell said his party wanted to do a deal as quickly as possible but would require a permanent customs union to provide stability for businesses, not just an interim arrangement until the next election. He also said he had no trust in the prime minister after details of the talks were briefed to Sunday newspapers. Asked whether he trusted the prime minister, McDonnell said: “No, sorry, not after this weekend when she’s blown the confidentiality I had and I actually think she’s jeopardised the negotiations for her own personal protection.”
5th May 2019 - The Guardian

SNP call out Yes movement's 'keyboard warriors' and online abuse

Prominent figures from the SNP have called out the "anonymous keyboard warriors" who abuse others online, and urged those in the Yes movement to condemn those that do so. In an interview with the Herald on Sunday, Alyn Smith MEP, Stewart McDonald MP and the party's former depute leader, Angus Robertson, said campaigners opting to engage in insults and attacks against those they disagree with should consider whether they believe they are helping the case for independence.
5th May 2019 - The Scotsman

Labour accuse May of 'jeopardising' talks by leaking key details to media

Theresa May has been accused by Labour of jeopardising the cross-party talks as they enter their crucial phase after details of the key terms of a possible agreement were leaked to the Press. John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor, who has been taking part in the negotiations to find a compromise agreement, accused the Prime Minister of acting in “bad faith”.
5th May 2019 - Herald Scotland

EU leaders urged to decide swiftly on trio of senior jobs

Europe’s leaders will this week be warned that they cannot wield a veto over the EU’s top appointments, as diplomats push to agree the union’s biggest jobs reshuffle in one package next month. The crucial process to pick presidents for the European Commission, European Council and European Central Bank will be informally discussed by EU leaders on Thursday at a summit in the Romanian city of Sibiu. It is unprecedented for the EU to have such a clutch of senior vacancies. Officials involved in talks fear the process could become bogged down unless it is clear that majority voting could be used to push decisions through.
5th May 2019 - Financial Times

The Observer view on the local elections

The stunning gains made by the pro-remain Liberal Democrats and the Greens cannot be dismissed as a mere protest vote. The country remains divided, voters united only in their apparent unhappiness with both main parties
5th May 2019 - The Guardian

Government safeguards UK elections

Government announces a range of new measures to crack down on intimidation, influence and disinformation, and safeguard UK elections
5th May 2019 - GOV.UK

Theresa May 'war games' second referendum questions in case talks with Labour collapse

Theresa May has held secret discussions over a three-way second referendum ahead of a crunch meeting with Labour this week to agree a cross-party Brexit deal. The Prime Minister has carried out “scenario planning” with aides and ministers in case the Government cannot prevent a Parliamentary vote on a second referendum. John McDonnell, the shadow Chancellor, said it “may well” be the case that any deal would have to be put to a second referendum, adding: “I think the Conservatives have to recognise that if a deal is going to go through there might be a large number of MPs who will want a public vote." Mrs May and her advisers are understood to have 'war gamed' the possibility of giving voters a second chance to vote on EU membership
5th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Theresa May’s hopes of a Brexit deal with Labour look dashed by accusation that she has ‘blown the confidentiality’

Theresa May’s hopes of a breakthrough in Tuesday’s crunch all-party Brexit talks were dashed as Labour accused her of failing to negotiate in good faith. She appealed to Jeremy Corbyn to “do a deal” after both parties lost ground in last week’s local elections as voters appeared to take revenge on them for the Brexit impasse. In a move that would infuriate Eurosceptic Conservatives, the Tory negotiating team is set to unveil proposals for Britain to remain in a post-Brexit customs union until the next election.
5th May 2019 - iNews

Far from facing Blair-era oblivion, a huge electoral triumph is in the Tories' grasp

We need to get Brexit done properly – as it should have been done months if not years ago – and then knock Corbyn out of the park argues Boris Johnson
5th May 2019 - The Telegraph

DESPERATE Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn to finalise Brexit deal 'STITCH UP' next week

A top level meeting between the Conservatives and Labour will take place on Tuesday with the aim of ensuring a Brexit deal is finalised this week. The meeting – described as “the big push” – will involve Mrs May’s deputy David Liddington, Environment Secretary Michael Gove, Chancellor Philip Hammond, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay, Business Secretary Greg Clark and chief whip Julian Smith. On Labour’s side shadow chancellor John McDonnell, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer, shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey and shadow environment secretary Sue Hayman. The plan is to bring in Mrs May and Mr Corbyn to finalise a deal which sources have confirmed will be based around a “customs arrangement”. Mrs May said: “We will keep negotiating, and keep trying to find a way through, because the real thing that matters is delivering Brexit and moving on to all the other issues people care about."
5th May 2019 - Express.co.uk

Michael Gove: Tory local election disaster a direct result of Brexit failure

The Conservative Party’s disastrous showing in this week’s English local elections were a direct result of its failure to deliver Brexit, Michael Gove has said. The Environment Secretary said the main lesson the Tories should take from their drubbing at the ballot box was that “referendum verdicts must be honoured”. In a speech to the Scottish Conservative conference in Aberdeen, he said many of the 1,334 councillors who lost their seats did so “because Parliament has not yet delivered Brexit”. Mr Gove, who campaigned prominently for the Leave side ahead of 2016’s vote, also warned delegates that Jeremy Corbyn could get into power if the Tories failed to deliver on Brexit.
5th May 2019 - iNews

Theresa May urges MPs to 'break the deadlock' and back cross-party Brexit talks

Theresa May has issued yet another Brexit rallying cry in a bid to convince MPs to push a deal through parliament. Speaking after disappointing local election results for the Conservatives and Labour - which she and Jeremy Corbyn claimed were a message from voters to get on with taking Britain out of the EU - the prime minister said the Commons needed to act with "fresh urgency" to end the impasse. Writing in the Mail On Sunday, Mrs May said she understood why some Tory colleagues were "uncomfortable" with her decision to hold cross-party talks to try to secure a deal, but urged them to support her efforts.Theresa May has issued yet another Brexit rallying cry in a bid to convince MPs to push a deal through parliament. Speaking after disappointing local election results for the Conservatives and Labour - which she and Jeremy Corbyn claimed were a message from voters to get on with taking Britain out of the EU - the prime minister said the Commons needed to act with "fresh urgency" to end the impasse. Writing in the Mail On Sunday, Mrs May said she understood why some Tory colleagues were "uncomfortable" with her decision to hold cross-party talks to try to secure a deal, but urged them to support her efforts.
5th May 2019 - Sky News

Labour and Tories need to compromise on Brexit, says David Gauke

Both Labour and Tories need to compromise to deliver Brexit, Tory Justice Secretary David Gauke said, after the two main parties suffered losses in the local elections. Voters forced out more than 1,300 Conservative councillors during a bruising round of local elections in England - causing the Tories to lose control of 49 local authorities. It was the worst performance by a governing party in local elections since 1995.
5th May 2019 - Sky News

Don’t sell us out to Corbyn with a soft Brexit compromise, Mrs May

Like a punch-drunk boxer, the Tory Party is reeling from the local election disaster and walking into the potential knockout blow of a deal with Labour. Theresa May is days away from unveiling a soft Brexit compromise, cobbled together in desperation with an equally battered Jeremy Corbyn, which risks infuriating voters even more. It doesn’t matter what they call it, this will be a customs union in all but name. Such an arrangement will block Britain from striking its own lucrative trade deals after quitting the EU, leaving us shackled to Brussels for years. If this climbdown is not enough, weak-willed Mrs May also appears to have bowed to Labour’s wish to keep us tied to EU rules on workers’ rights.
5th May 2019 - The Sun

BREXIT BOMBSHELL: Brussels now MORE committed to EU exit than UK - claims lawyer

The British Parliament is giving the impression of clinging to its EU membership while Brussels has taken clear steps towards letting the UK go, Erika Szyszczak, a Professor of Law at the University of Sussex and a fellow of the UK Trade Policy Observatory (UKTPO) said. Ms Szyszczak analysed the conclusions to the European Council Meeting on April 10 as the EU27 agreed on extending Article 50 for six more months during an emergency EU summit. There, she found Brussels more driven to deliver Brexit than the UK. She wrote: “It appears that the slogan ‘Brexit means Brexit’ has assumed greater resonance in the EU than in the UK. “The Decision affirms that the EU is not willing to reopen talks on the withdrawal agreement, and, importantly, states that the extension period should not be used to negotiate the future EU-UK relationship, but that there is a willingness to renegotiate the non-binding political declaration. In contrast, the UK is falling out of love with the process of leaving the European marriage.”
5th May 2019 - Express.co.uk

Brexit disaster is making Britain a weird place to live in

The second example of Brexit frustration can be seen in the results of municipal elections held across the UK this week, in which the governing Conservatives and the opposition Labour parties both lost huge numbers of seats. It's tempting to read an anti-Brexit protest into these results, as both main parties lost seats to groups that support remaining in the EU. But while pro-remain voters found comfort in the europhile certainty of the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party, Brexit supporters had less clear options. While the Conservatives and the Labour Party are nominally pro-Brexit, their positions are confusing. The Conservatives have entered negotiations with Labour in an attempt to compromise on a deal, diluting the clarity of their pro-Brexit message. Labour's participation in those discussions has muddied its attempt to keep remain-supporting voters on board with a position that tried to face two ways at once.
5th May 2019 - CNN

George Osborne officially BACKS new Brexit referendum as he blames Brexiteers for delay

George Osborne said he will be backing calls for a second Brexit referendum if no compromise can be found between the Leave and Remain camps as he blamed Brexiteers for the delay in Britain quitting the European Union.
5th May 2019 - Express.co.uk

WATCH: Corbyn says election results show 'we must now get a Brexit deal done'

Jeremy Corbyn has responded to the local election results by claiming there is now a “huge impetus” to deliver Brexit. The Labour leader told ITV News that parliament had to resolve the issue of Brexit and “get a deal done”. He explained: “I think there's a huge impetus on every MP – and they've all got that message, whether they themselves are Leave or Remain, or the people across the country – that an arrangement has to be made, a deal has to be done, parliament has to resolve this.
5th May 2019 - The New European

PETER OBORNE: How Jeremy Corbyn was snared in the Brexit death trap

Experts predicted Theresa May and her Conservative party would experience an electoral massacre. Certainly, the results were a stinging rebuff as they lost well over 1,000 council seats. It was even more dreadful than predicted. But the Tories were always going to do badly because the last time these seats were fought had been a high water mark for them electorally – David Cameron’s general election victory of spring 2015. However, Labour is also a big loser in these local elections.
5th May 2019 - Daily Mail

Theresa May urges Jeremy Corbyn to do a Brexit deal

According to the Sunday Times, Mrs May will comprise on three areas: customs, goods alignment and workers' rights. The paper says she could put forward plans for a comprehensive, but temporary, customs arrangement with the EU that would last until the next general election. The BBC's political correspondent Chris Mason said reaching a deal was "fraught with risk" for both Mrs May and Mr Corbyn. "A deal on a customs union would be deeply divisive for the Conservatives," he said. "Accepting there'd be no new referendum would split Labour."
5th May 2019 - BBC

We are on the cusp of the greatest recalibration of British politics since the 19th century

British politics quite often feels like an unpleasant hangover, but Labour and the Conservatives will be fully justified in spending today in bed: last night they both ...
5th May 2019 - Prospect Magazine

Nigel Farage challenges Jeremy Corbyn to European election Brexit debate as he vows to 'dig in' to Labour vote

Nigel Farage has challenged Jeremy Corbyn to a debate before the European elections as he said he wanted to “dig in” to Labour voters who felt let down by the party’s “confusing” Brexit stance. The leader of The Brexit Party said he would be targeting Leave-voting Labour heartlands in the run up to May 23 and that if his strategy was successful “we can surprise even ourselves how well we do”. Meanwhile, Mr Farage warned Theresa May against striking a softer Brexit compromise deal with Mr Corbyn as he said it would represent a “final betrayal” for Leave voters. A recent YouGov poll found 30 per cent of voters intend to back The Brexit Party at the European Parliament elections, far ahead of Labour on 21 per cent and the Conservatives on 13 per cent.
5th May 2019 - The Telegraph

May steps up calls for Labour to agree a Brexit deal

Senior Conservatives said on Saturday there was an increased need for compromise after the local election results, and the leader of the Scottish branch of the Conservative Party said a deal with Labour could be done within days. May added her voice to these calls in an essay published in a Sunday newspaper. “To the Leader of the Opposition I say this: Let’s listen to what the voters said in the local elections and put our differences aside for a moment. Let’s do a deal,” she wrote in the Mail on Sunday.
4th May 2019 - Reuters

Customs union not a long-term solution after Brexit – Jeremy Hunt

A customs union would not provide a “long-term solution” to Britain’s trade relationships after Brexit, Jeremy Hunt has said, as he suggested a breakthrough in cross-party talks could come within days. As discussions continue between the Government and the Labour Party, the Foreign Secretary said it was still possible that the UK would not have to take part in the European elections in three weeks’ time. He warned that the outcome would not be “pretty” for both parties if they had to participate in the polls and said the cross-party talks could yield a deal in the next week.
4th May 2019 - ITV News

May urges Corbyn to agree a Brexit deal

British Prime Minister Theresa May has stepped up calls on Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to agree a cross-party deal to leave the European Union, following poor results for both parties in local elections on Thursday.
4th May 2019 - Reuters

Anger grows at May-Corbyn bid to stitch up Brexit deal

Following Thursday’s local elections, in which both the Conservatives and Labour were punished severely by voters for failing to break the political deadlock, May and Corbyn have insisted their parties must now urgently agree a way forward in cross-party talks which will resume on Tuesday. On Saturday the prime minister reiterated her appeal, saying: “We have to find a way to break the deadlock. I believe the results of the local elections give fresh urgency to this.” But opposition MPs and Tory Brexiters warned any deal the leadership teams stitch up behind the scenes would face inevitable defeat in parliament and cause more acrimony in the parties. The Observer can reveal that 104 opposition MPs, mainly from Labour but also SNP, Change UK, Green and Plaid Cymru, have written to May and Corbyn insisting they will not back a “Westminster stitch-up” unless there is a firm guarantee that any deal is then put to a confirmatory referendum.
4th May 2019 - The Guardian

UK Conservatives look for Brexit compromise after local poll losses

Prime Minister Theresa May could reach a Brexit deal with the opposition Labour Party within days, a leading Conservative Party figure said on Saturday, after senior ministers urged compromise following poor local election results. Ruth Davidson, the Conservatives’ leader in Scotland, told party members that a cross-partisan agreement on Brexit was needed before this month’s European elections, or Britain’s major parties would face an even bigger backlash from voters.
4th May 2019 - Reuters

Thousands march in Glasgow to support Scottish independence

In the first rally since First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she wanted another vote on Scottish independence, tens of thousands of people marched in support in Glasgow. The rally was twice the size of the one last year.
4th May 2019 - Deutsche Welle

May presses Labour to reach Brexit deal, but leaks jeopardise talks

The parties have been in negotiations for over a month to try to broker a Brexit deal that can secure majority support in parliament, after May’s minority government suffered three heavy defeats on her preferred deal this year and was forced to delay Britain’s departure. “To the leader of the opposition I say this: Let’s listen to what the voters said in the local elections and put our differences aside for a moment. Let’s do a deal,” she wrote in the Mail on Sunday newspaper.
4th May 2019 - Reuters

Tommy Robinson: Young voters could stop anti-Islam activist from becoming MEP, polling data reveals

Young voters could prevent Tommy Robinson from winning seat in the European parliament later this month, according to new analysis. Only 41 per cent of 18-to-24-year-olds say they will definitely vote in the European elections on 23 May, a YouGov poll commissioned by anti-racism group Hope Not Hate and the National Education Union (NEU) has suggested. Hope Not Hate claims the youth vote will be “decisive” in preventing Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, winning in the North West region. Based on low turnout in recent elections, the group estimates that the anti-Islam activist only needs 8.9 per cent of the vote to take one of the region’s seat under the proportional representation system. The YouGov poll also shows that only 7 per cent of young people hold a favourable view of Robinson, while 45 per cent saying they have an unfavourable view.
4th May 2019 - The Independent

This growing voters' revolt just might change the course of British history

Nations are like people. Sometimes they just change. Does Britain encapsulate this truth, as it convulses over Brexit three years on? Middle England’s seismic revolt against the Conservatives has officially begun. After losing over 1,200 seats in local elections, the party will likely be obliterated in European elections later this month. The Tories seem irredeemably soiled by their grubby incompetence and dealings with Corbyn. Meanwhile, although it is early days, the popularity of a pristine new Brexit Party is surging.
4th May 2019 - The Telegraph

Local election results: A landslide victory for clarity on Brexit

And you’ll perhaps have heard the political analyst Professor Sir John Curtice summing up on BBC radio yesterday: “In seats where the Liberal Democrats were second to the Conservatives, double-digit swings from the Tories to Lib Dems are commonplace.” And these voters were telling you they just wanted to get Brexit done? In Remain-voting Bath, where the Tories lost 24 council seats and the Lib Dems soared, were voters telling you they just wanted to get Brexit done? And in Barnsley (Leave-voting in 2016) where the Tory vote was down substantially, Labour down massively, and the Lib Dem vote up hugely, were voters trying to tell Labour and the Tories that they just wanted to get Brexit done? And when the Tory vote in Remain-inclined Winchester went down by 5 per cent, and the Lib Dem vote went up by 5 per cent, was it because the good folk there just wanted to get Brexit done? Almost the only conclusion to draw from these results is that the two main parties, Labour and the Conservatives, have lost (a lot) to the Liberal Democrats and (a bit) to the Green Party in both formerly Leave-voting and formerly Remain-voting parts of the country. Bolsover, for God’s sake! Derby, Oldham, Sunderland, Chelmsford . . . all over Britain (whether they voted Leave or Remain in 2016) non-political people despair that neither the Tories nor Labour can secure a Brexit that benefits us.
4th May 2019 - The Times

A cry to ‘get on with Brexit’ or a Remain backlash? In fact, neither side triumphed in the local elections

Labour might do badly too, but the overwhelming message from the European elections is likely to be delivered by a record turnout of people who are furious about what they see as the betrayal of Brexit. Those who want the opposite message to be heard should take comfort from that. The howls of protest from Leavers are a sign that the Brexit project is failing. The Leave movement has split over how Brexit is to be delivered, which means that the 52 per cent majority no longer exists. The return in hollow triumph of Nigel Farage is a price that has to be paid for staying in the EU.
4th May 2019 - The Independent

Brexit: Jeremy Hunt accused of having ‘head in the clouds’ after saying royal yacht or plane would be ‘attractive’ to promote Britain

Jeremy Hunt has said that a royal yacht or a plane would be “attractive” options to promote post-Brexit Britain on the world stage. The foreign secretary, who is regarded as a contender to succeed Theresa May as prime minister, said he is a “big believer” in flying the flag for Britain overseas but also acknowledged there are other ways of projecting the UK’s “national self-confidence”. His predecessor Boris Johnson first floated the idea of a “Brexit plane” during a trip to South America last year, when he complained that the RAF Voyager jet – shared with the prime minister and the royal family – “never seems to be available”.
4th May 2019 - The Independent

Brexit: Pro-Remain Tory MP Dominic Grieve escapes deselection proceedings despite losing confidence vote

Conservative MP Dominic Grieve will not face deselection proceedings despite losing a confidence motion at his Beaconsfield Constituency Association in March. Jackson Ng, chair of the Conservative association, wrote a letter to Mr Grieve which was also sent to all association members. “The Executive Council has decided that this is not the moment to commence such procedures as it serves no constructive purpose,” Mr Ng said in the letter.
4th May 2019 - The Independent

Local elections 2019: Lib Dems hail political 'sea change' as they gain 300 seats with around half of results in

The Liberal Democrats today hailed a “sea change” in British politics as they enjoyed their best local election results in a generation. With around half of the national results in, the party had gained more than 300 seats and swiped six councils from Tory control. Home Affairs spokesman Ed Davey MP said the party had taken seats from Labour in the North, and Tories in the South, adding: “Liberal Democrats are back in business.”
4th May 2019 - Evening Standard

Thursday's results mean there's only one way forward: ask the people

Journalists look at seats, but not votes, and stop asking questions. But in the real modern city of Sunderland, the Green Party picked up their first ever seat, while the local Liberal Democrats had a good night too. It was the day Sunderland’s remain-backing Labour supporters – and there are lots of them because the city’s a big place where more people voted remain than in Cambridge – gave us a bloody nose and showed us their support is not unconditional. Even where Ukip won seats it was because the Labour vote went off to the Greens, the Lib Dems or stayed at home, rather than turning to the far right.
4th May 2019 - The Guardian

Theresa May Believes She Can Now Do A Brexit Deal With Jeremy Corbyn

In the last week government ministers and officials presented Labour with a new offer on a customs arrangement that would effectively see the UK remain in the key aspects of a customs union with the EU, sources familiar with the talks told BuzzFeed News. The proposed customs arrangement would ultimately meet the World Trade Organisation’s definition of a customs union, including a common external tariff that would see the UK apply the same tariffs to imported goods as the EU after Brexit. May is also set to make Labour what one government source described as a “generous” offer on workers’ rights, which would mean UK at a minimum follows new Brussels rules on workers’ rights after it leaves the EU. The offer would be tantamount to the government accepting in full Labour’s demands during the last few weeks of the negotiations, a source familiar with the talks said.
4th May 2019 - Buzzfeed News

Huawei leak did not amount to criminal offence, police say

The leak from a National Security Council meeting about Chinese firm Huawei did not amount to a criminal offence, the Met Police has said. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson was sacked following an inquiry into the leaking of details from the council. Met Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said he was "satisfied" the Official Secrets Act had not been breached, so he would not investigate the leak. But Mr Williamson said a "proper, full and impartial" probe was now needed. The former minister - who has strenuously denied being responsible for the leak - described the government's inquiry into him as a "shabby and discredited witch hunt" . He said it had been "badly mishandled", both by Prime Minister Theresa May and the senior civil servant who led the investigation.
4th May 2019 - BBC

The Lib Dems were rewarded for their stance on Brexit, just like they were rewarded for opposing Iraq

Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable told me just over a year ago to pay attention to council by-elections. We’re doing a lot better in them than we are in the polls, he said, just like we were when we had our last surge in the wake of the Iraq War. The Liberal Democrats fiercely opposed that unpopular conflict, by contrast to the “main” parties, and were handsomely rewarded at the ballot box.
4th May 2019 - The Independent

Britain's sitting MEPs on their long goodbye: ‘People say, “You’re still here!”’

She regrets that British politicians, of all parties, became afraid to make the case for Europe. “We were apologising, when actually we should have been saying this: ‘Be proud of our membership of the European Union.’” While McAvan thinks some of “the mega pro-Europeans” go too far in wanting the EU to be loved, “We should just ask [for it] to be recognised as another level of decision-making.”
4th May 2019 - The Guardian

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn have created an explosively bad formula for Brexit

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn are experimenting with hazardous materials. They are seeing if they can create a Tory/Labour Brexit compound without blowing up their own parties. Those in the talks are more optimistic than ever about ­getting some kind of agreement, if not a finalised deal. But they know that things are very volatile. One senior figure tells me things are “much better than people think, but could blow up at any time”. What is causing this Downing Street optimism is a sense that there is beginning to be pressure on Labour to do a deal. Look at the council seats they lost in Leave-voting areas and the progress Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party is making in ­Labour regions ahead of this month’s European elections. I understand that the ­compromise being drawn up goes as follows. The UK would initially enter into a “comprehensive customs arrangement” with the European Union. This would be very similar to a customs union. But the two parties would then commit, and hope to persuade the EU to do the same, to there being two choices for the future — either an independent trade policy under a scheme similar to the facilitated customs arrangement that May proposed at Chequers or a customs union with a UK say over future trade deals, which is Labour’s policy.
4th May 2019 - The Sun

David Mundell: Nicola Sturgeon will be barred from holding 'legal referendum'

Nicola Sturgeon will be barred from holding any "legal referendum" on independence, the Scottish Secretary has said – as he lambasted the SNP's currency plans as amounting to "chocolate money". David Mundell insisted the First Minister would not be handed any of the levers to hold a second independence vote that were agreed in 2014.
3rd May 2019 - Herald Scotland

SNP's currency plans 'single daftest idea in my lifetime', says Michael Gove

Michael Gove has branded the SNP's plans to ditch the pound after independence "the single daftest idea in British politics in my lifetime". The Environment Secretary insisted the proposals would be "economic madness" and would lead to poverty and inflation as prices rose.
3rd May 2019 - Herald Scotland

Politicians pledge to ‘sort’ Brexit after vote drubbing

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn have both recommitted to delivering Brexit after suffering the worst local election results in decades. The Conservatives shed more than 1,200 councillors, the deepest losses since 1995, while Labour failed to capitalise and lost more than 80 wards in council elections across England. Both the main party leaders said voters had delivered a rebuke over the failure to agree a Brexit deal in a strong signal that cross-party talks could produce a compromise ahead of a deadline in the middle of next week. The Prime Minister was confronted with anger from her own party, with backbench MPs calling for her removal and warning the party would be “toast” if it did not change direction.
3rd May 2019 - The Scotsman

Theresa May claims Nicola Sturgeon using Brexit as opportunity for Indyref2

Nicola Sturgeon was only ever interested is using Brexit as "an opportunity" to stage a second referendum on independence, Theresa May has said. Mrs May claimed she "knew from the start" that the SNP leader would exploit EU divisions to revive the case for independence. But the Prime Minister insisted Scotland's has a "bright future" within the United Kingdom, as she addressed the Scottish Tory conference in Aberdeen today. The SNP leader last week unveiled plans for a second Scottish independence referendum likely to be held next year in response to the Brexit turmoil. But Westminster has control over the constitution and Mrs May has refused to authorise such a vote.
Ms Sturgeon was accused of not respecting the decision of voters.
3rd May 2019 - The Scotsman

Ballot With 'Brexit' Written On It Counted As Tory Vote To Break Tied Local Election

The re-election of a Tory councillor by a majority of one has sparked controversy after a ballot paper marked with the word “Brexit” was counted as a vote for the Conservatives. Stephen Hirst retained his seat in Tetbury Town in the Cotswolds, defeating independent Kevin Painter by 232 votes to 231. The voter is said to have written “Brexit” with a large arrow pointing towards Hirst’s name – ruled to be a vote for the Tories despite a backlash against Theresa May for delaying the UK’s exit from the EU until October. Painter is considering challenging the result in court, saying it was “Blackadder-esque”, “bizarre” and had “brought the integrity of the local election system into question”
3rd May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

New poll finds 61% would back Remain in a second referendum

New polling has found that 61% of those who would vote in a second referendum would vote to Remain in the European Union. The YouGov survey for KIS Finance found that between the choice of Theresa May's Brexit deal or remaining in the EU, 61% of those who confirmed they would vote stated they wanted the UK to stay in the European Union. When a no-deal scenario is added into the mix, 53% of people would vote to Remain, while 34% would vote for no-deal, and just 12% would vote for Theresa May's deal.
3rd May 2019 - The New European

Why was Labour punished in local elections?

Labour MPs like Jess Phillips have a point when they call for Labour's "triangulation" of Brexit, its attempt to please both Brexiters and Remainers, to be dumped in favour of what they see as a more principled position of backing a confirmatory Brexit referendum. That verdict will have consequences for Theresa May too - because it will determine whether Jeremy Corbyn will be more or less enthusiastic about agreeing a Brexit compromise with her in coming days. As of first thing this morning, Labour leadership was agonising about whether signing off a Brexit pact with the government that contains a Customs-Union element would permanently alienate millions of pro-referendum internationalist supporters and would be seen as propping up an ailing Tory government, or whether it would end all the noise that makes it impossible for the country to hear the party's message for social and economic change. So these local elections will reverberate even to those parts of the UK, like Scotland, Wales and London, where they didn't take place.
3rd May 2019 - ITV News

@Channel4News "I think people are fed up and they want us to get on with it and they want the issue of Brexit to be resolved." That was Emily Thornberry's reaction to Labour losses in the local elections.

"I think people are fed up and they want us to get on with it and they want the issue of Brexit to be resolved." That was Emily Thornberry's reaction to Labour losses in the local elections.
3rd May 2019 - @Channel4News

Tories and Labour suffer Brexit backlash as Lib Dems gain in local elections

Both the Conservatives and Labour have been punished by voters in local elections, with early results showing dissatisfaction with the two main parties, while the Liberal Democrats, Greens and independents picked up large numbers of seats. The Lib Dems were particularly buoyant, gaining nearly 300 seats so far and a series of councils, including taking Bath and North East Somerset, and Cotswolds district council from the Conservatives. The party was hoping for its best set of council results since 2004, in the aftermath of the Iraq war, though the gains followed poor results the last time these seats were contested in 2015, at the nadir of the Lib Dems’ post-coalition unpopularity. The Lib Dem leader, Vince Cable, said his party was “the big winner” of the vote. He said: “Voters have sent a clear message that they no longer have confidence in the Conservatives, but they are also refusing to reward Labour while the party prevaricates on the big issue of the day: Brexit.”
3rd May 2019 - The Guardian

Michael Gove: I've not 'gone soft' over Brexit but hardline Leavers need to 'face facts' over no-deal

Michael Gove has insisted he has not "gone soft" on Brexit as he pledged to strive to get it "over the line" in the wake of the Tories' disastrous local election results. The Environment Secretary told the Telegraph that he opposes a customs union compromise with Labour but hardline Brexiteers need to "face facts" that they do not have the numbers in the Commons for no deal. Speaking from his parents' home in Aberdeen, he also said he had learned from his botched 2016 Tory leadership campaign and insisted he was now a team player. Although he refused to be drawn on whether he intends to stand again in the race to succeed Theresa May, he argued that his conduct since being "recalled from the backbenches"
3rd May 2019 - The Telegraph

Corbyn says local elections show voters want deal done on Brexit

Asked about the results, in which the Conservatives suffered much bigger losses, Corbyn told ITV: “I think it means there’s a huge impetus on every MP, and they’ve all got that message, whether they themselves are leave or remain – or the people across the country – that an arrangement has to be made, a deal has to be done, parliament has to resolve this issue. I think that is very, very clear.” His comments echoed remarks from McDonnell, who had earlier claimed the message from voters was: “Brexit – sort it.”
3rd May 2019 - The Guardian

Local elections: Corbyn defends Labour's Brexit negotiating stance

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn responds following a difficult night for his party in the local elections so far.
3rd May 2019 - Sky News

Labour’s bid for leave voters is failing. It must now look to remainers

Prof Rob Ford tells me they may instead be a symptom of a different trend visible in these numbers: that “the more votes Labour had to start with, the more they lost”. In other words, Labour dropped off most in its safest seats, whether leave or remain. There are signs too of a more general malaise afflicting the two parties, with voters sick of the sight of both of them, in line with the polls showing both Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn with catastrophically low personal ratings. Such doldrums are common for a ruling party entering its 10th year in office, but all but unheard of for an opposition that should be reaping the benefits of the government’s unpopularity.
3rd May 2019 - The Guardian

Michael Gove unveils plans to take control of Holyrood cash

Radical plans to hold back tens of millions of pounds from Holyrood and allow UK ministers instead to spend the cash directly north of the Border have been set out by environment secretary Michael Gove. The Scots-born MP is among the front-runners to replace Theresa May when she stands down. He insists his plan for Westminster to be allowed to spend Treasury funding in traditionally devolved areas would strengthen the Union. It could see Westminster funding projects in areas such as education and farming.
3rd May 2019 - The Scotsman

James O'Brien's Powerful Monologue On The State Of Brexit After The Local Elections

"Theresa May chose to put her fingers in her ears, to cover her eyes, to ignore Cambridge Analytica, to ignore Vote Leave's cheating, to ignore the Electoral Commission's findings, to ignore the mystery of where the £8m for Leave.EU came from, to ignore the fact that people's Facebook pages were full of lies of an unprecedented and unbelievable scale, she chose to ignore all that. "That's why yesterday the two-party system came close to breaking point. "Because neither Jeremy Corbyn, nor Theresa May, report reality. "And that's what happens when you let liars and chancers and racists to poison the public discourse for clicks and ratings and controversies on Question Time."
3rd May 2019 - LBC

Cabinet leak culture has damaged Brexit process, says Hunt

Britain’s Brexit decisions have been damaged by a year-long culture of cabinet leaks, the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has said in an apparent swipe at some of his colleagues, including Gavin Williamson who was sacked as defence secretary. Referring to the effect of leaks on Brexit, Hunt said: “I think it has made it harder to deliver what we have been trying to achieve and yes, of course it damages trust. “When we are faced with very difficult judgment calls on Brexit issues, it is obviously of great benefit to the country if everyone can discuss them freely without having to think how decisions will be leaked afterwards. So I am hoping this will be a moment of change for the whole machinery of government works.”
2nd May 2019 - The Guardian

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 3rd May 2019

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Theresa May has just days to seal her Brexit destiny

Well there are three failure scenarios, all of which could almost simultaneously happen. 1) She could call Corbyn's bluff and in the end find out that he has been negotiating in bad faith; it may turn out that he simply could not bring himself to do a deal with any Tory prime minister. But that would probably reflect worse on him than her. 2) She could so enrage her party that they find a way to throw her out double quick. But she knows that's going to happen in pretty short order any way. So in that sense she has literally nothing to lose from doing what she thinks is the right thing by the country. 3) She could so alienate her Brexiter MPs and Northern Ireland's DUP, whose support is vital to the Tories remaining in office, that they would join forces with Labour to force a general election. But May knows that the parliamentary arithmetic may make it impossible to secure any kind of Brexit ahead of an election in any case. So again she would have lost nothing if an election was precipitated. Or to put it another way, even though the prospect of Theresa May securing a pact with Labour for a managed departure from the EU is a remote one, trying and failing is not such a terrible thing for her - because she knows that whatever happens, her time in 10 Downing Street is almost up. Her destiny is sealed. Her time as prime minister is drawing to a close. So why wouldn't she boldly go where she has never gone before, and seek a genuine Brexit alliance with her implacable opponent, Jeremy Corbyn?
3rd May 2019 - ITV News

Gavin Williamson ‘planning’ bombshell speech likely to trigger Theresa May’s downfall

Some MPs have called for Mr Williamson to be prosecuted while others believe he should be allowed a chance to defend himself in an official investigation. However, he is reportedly thinking of delivering a speech like Geoffrey Howe’s resignation speech which sparked Margaret Thatcher’s downfall. Political editor Nicholas Watt said on BBC Newsnight: “Make no mistake, Gavin Williamson is on the war path. “I spoke to a friend tonight who said he is thinking of delivering a speech on the level of Geoffrey Howe’s resignation speech which famously precipitated the downfall of Margaret Thatcher.”
3rd May 2019 - Express.co.uk

Labour and Tories hit by Brexit backlash in local elections

Labour and the Conservatives have been hit by a Brexit backlash, while the Liberal Democrats, Greens and independents are enjoying a Brexit bounce. On a night of town hall turmoil in the local elections, broadly speaking Labour have done badly in the pro-Brexit north of England and better in the pro-Remain south. For the Tories it's the opposite: struggling in the south and yet embarrassing Labour in its northern heartlands. The Lib Dems have gained some spectacular scalps and independents are on the march. The two big parties wanted these elections to be about bins, not Brexit. Fat chance. Brexit has dominated and polarised UK politics for three years and threatens to continue to do so for years to come.
3rd May 2019 - Sky News

Labour 'trying to bail out' Tories on Brexit

Labour MP Barry Gardiner has said his party is trying to "bail out" the Conservatives over Brexit - trying to find a compromise which will break the current deadlock. Mr Gardiner, who is shadow international trade secretary, clashed with Conservative Brexit minister James Cleverly during the BBC News Channel's local election coverage on Thursday. He said: "We are now trying to negotiate with you because your prime minister, who's lost control of her party, who's lost any chance of getting her deal through Parliament, has had to come to us and say 'please, I now need to listen to the ideas that you've been putting forward'".
3rd May 2019 - BBC

Chris Philp MP: The local elections are about the everyday services in your area, not the politics in Westminster

For everyone voting tomorrow, it will be a simple choice of who you want running everyday services in your area, and how much you want to be charged for them, says Conservative Chris Philp MP.
2nd May 2019 - Politics Home

Conservative donors abandon Theresa May's party to back new Brexit referendum campaign

Pro-European Conservative donors are diverting their cash from Theresa May's party in order to fund efforts to stop Brexit, as funding for the national party dries up, Business Insider can reveal. The Right to Vote campaign for a second Brexit referendum, set up by Conservative MPs, has already raised hundreds of thousands of pounds from disgruntled Conservative donors since it was set up in January. One donor to the campaign, City Pub Group chairman Clive Watson, which operates 44 sites across England and Wales, told Business Insider that he has donated £35,000 in a personal capacity, having previously donated £25,000 to the Conservative party through his business.
2nd May 2019 - Business Insider

Chris Grayling's no-deal Brexit ferry services scrapped at cost of £83m

Chris Grayling faced fresh calls to resign today after the government wasted £83 million on no-deal Brexit ferries that have been running half-empty for more than a month. The transport secretary was criticised over his handling of contracts signed to create extra freight capacity across the Channel in the event of Britain leaving the EU without a deal. It was announced that contracts with two ferry companies were being scrapped five weeks into a six-month deal, costing the taxpayer about £50 million. This is on top of a £33 million settlement to the Channel Tunnel operator Eurotunnel after it was unfairly excluded from bidding for contracts. The additional space was bought from Brittany Ferries and the Danish operator DFDS to keep essential medicines and food flowing if there were lengthy delays at French ports.
2nd May 2019 - The Times

Conservatives and Labour fear 'plague on both your houses' as Brexit anger dominates local elections

Both the Conservative party and Labour fear a disappointing set of results as voters go to the polls in the first major set of elections since Theresa May's decision to delay Brexit. The country will on Thursday elect candidates to 8,200 seats covering 259 councils in England and Northern Ireland. Six directly-elected mayor positions are up for grabs in regions across England, too. For Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, the results will provide a clear insight into how the country feels about their handling of an extremely turbulent period in British politics
2nd May 2019 - Business Insider

Rory Stewart: I'd bring country together as PM

New International Development Secretary Rory Stewart has said he intends to stand for the Conservative leadership after Theresa May steps down. He told the BBC's Political Thinking With Nick Robinson podcast he could "help bring the country together". Mr Stewart also said he wanted to move "beyond my brief", laying out his opinions on "other issues". Mrs May has told Conservative MPs she will stand down if her Brexit deal is passed by Parliament. Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Sajid Javid, Jeremy Hunt, Dominic Raab and Andrea Leadsom are among those who have been touted as possible replacements.
2nd May 2019 - BBC

Toby Harris: We need to detoxify political debate in Britain

I am introducing a debate in the Lords next Thursday on the toxicity of debate in public life and the divisions being fostered within our society. Such toxicity led to the murder of Jo Cox in the run up to the European referendum, since when politics has – if anything – become even more fractured. Threats to MPs have rocketed with 142 offences recorded in 2017, rising to 270 last year. Death threats are now commonplace. MPs’ homes and offices are attacked and their constituency staff intimidated.
2nd May 2019 - New Statesman

Woman who's voted for 66 years turned away from local elections for having no ID

An 87-year-old woman has been turned away from today's local elections for not having ID - despite voting in every election in her adult life. The pensioner attacked the “stupid” system after taking a taxi to her local polling station in Pendle, Lancashire, only to be told she couldn’t vote.
2nd May 2019 - Daily Mirror

This County Isn’t Voting Today Because They Don’t Have Enough Money To Run Elections

Crisis-hit Northampton County council is desperately trying to make savings after years of overspending, so district and borough council elections are off.
2nd May 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Brexit: Guy Verhofstadt to knock on doors for Lib Dems in European parliament elections

The European parliament’s outspoken Brexit chief is coming to Britain next week to knock on doors in the European elections on behalf of the Liberal Democrats. Guy Verhofstadt, who is himself seeking re-election as a Belgian liberal MEP, will hop on the Eurostar from Brussels to join Lib Dem canvassers on the doorstep on Friday. While Mr Verhofstadt is best known in Britain for being the parliament’s voice in Brexit talks, the former Belgian prime minister is also leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe​ group in the European parliament, in which the Lib Dems sit.
2nd May 2019 - The Independent

Andrew Adonis - Remain supporters need to back Labour to make a People's Vote happen

The three elements are Labour's 'alternative Brexit plan', a general election, and a second referendum with an option to remain. Behind them is the reality that, despite all the political developments of recent months, including the launch of Change UK, Labour continues to be both the dominant opposition party and the only alternative government to the Conservatives, although a range of Tory leaders and Brexit policies are possible in the months ahead. Crucially, Labour alone can now stop Nigel Farage from topping the poll in the European elections on May 23. If Farage comes first, he will be rampant and the dynamic of Brexit will be his.
2nd May 2019 - The New European

Cabinet leaks are undermining Brexit, says Jeremy Hunt after the sacking of Gavin Williamson as defence secretary over secret Huawei meeting breach

Jeremy Hunt last night criticised Cabinet colleagues for damaging leaks which he warned had undermined Brexit. Backing Theresa May's decision to sack Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson over the Huawei leak, the Foreign Secretary said no Premier could have a minister at the table she did not have confidence in. He also defended Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill against Mr Williamson's criticism of the investigation, calling him a 'man of utmost integrity'. Mr Hunt insisted it was right the Huawei leak was treated differently because it had been from the 'inner sanctum' of the National Security Council which discusses highly-classified information.
2nd May 2019 - Daily Mail

@BBCLauraK Papers snapped by the inimitable ⁦@PoliticalPics⁩ show document carried by David Lidington say Williamson stays in the privy council

Papers snapped by the inimitable ⁦@PoliticalPics⁩ show document carried by David Lidington say Williamson stays in the privy council
2nd May 2019 - @BBCLauraK

May prepares to keep EU customs rules

Theresa May is preparing to accept that Britain will remain in lockstep with the European Union’s customs rules for years after Brexit in a deal with Labour. Under the terms of a tentative agreement Mrs May is close to signing up to a long-term customs union with the EU in all but name in return for Labour supporting her withdrawal agreement. Details of internal discussions began to leak as Mrs May gave her strongest hint yet that she was prepared to give ground. She told MPs that both sides now agreed on “some of the benefits of a customs union”. It is understood that under the proposal, which has yet to be agreed, the government would agree to enter a “customs arrangement” with the EU at the end of the transition period. This would include Britain aligning all tariffs on goods with the EU and allowing it to negotiate trade deals on Britain’s behalf.
2nd May 2019 - The Times

@SkyNewsPolitics Brexit minister James Cleverly says the Conservatives will "disproportionately" face a Brexit backlash from voters

Brexit minister James Cleverly says the Conservatives will "disproportionately" face a Brexit backlash from voters. Polls have closed in local elections,
2nd May 2019 - @SkyNewsPolitics

@Plaid_Cymru The Welsh Senedd has voted in favour of the Plaid Cymru motion declaring a #ClimateEmergency. Wales has just made history becoming the first parliament in the world to do so.

VICTORY. The Welsh Senedd has voted in favour of the Plaid Cymru motion declaring a #ClimateEmergency. Wales has just made history becoming the first parliament in the world to do so.
1st May 2019 - @Plaid_Cymru

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 2nd May 2019

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Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson sacked over Huawei leak

Gavin Williamson has been sacked as defence secretary following an inquiry into a leak from a top-level National Security Council meeting. Downing Street said the PM had "lost confidence in his ability to serve" and Penny Mordaunt will take on the role. The inquiry followed reports over a plan to allow Huawei limited access to help build the UK's new 5G network. Mr Williamson, who has been defence secretary since 2017, "strenuously" denies leaking the information. In a meeting with Mr Williamson on Wednesday evening, Theresa May told him she had information that provided "compelling evidence" that he was responsible for the unauthorised disclosure. In a letter confirming his dismissal, she said: "No other, credible version of events to explain this leak has been identified." Responding in a letter to the PM, Mr Williamson said he was "confident" that a "thorough and formal inquiry" would have "vindicated" his position.
1st May 2019 - BBC

May Fires Defense Secretary in Clampdown After Huawei Leak

2nd May 2019 - Bloomberg

@Tom_Watson If he has leaked from the National Security Council, Gavin Williamson should be prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act. And he should forgo his ministerial severance pay.

If he has leaked from the National Security Council, Gavin Williamson should be prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act. And he should forgo his ministerial severance pay.
1st May 2019 - @Tom_Watson

MPs make history by passing Commons motion to declare ‘environment and climate change emergency’

Introducing the motion on Wednesday, Mr Corbyn called on MPs to recognise the “devastating impact” that volatile and extreme weather will have on all walks of life, as he urged them to “declare an environment and climate emergency”. “We have no time to waste,” he added. “We are living in a climate crisis that will spiral dangerously out of control unless we take rapid and dramatic action now. “This is no longer about a distant future. We are talking about nothing less than the irreversible destruction of the environment within our lifetimes.” During the debate on the motion environment secretary Michael Gove, who met with climate activists at Westminster on Tuesday, also said the government recognises “the situation we face is an emergency”, but stopped short of meeting Labour’s demands to officially declare one.
1st May 2019 - The Independent

UK Parliament declares climate change emergency

1st May 2019 - BBC

U.K.'s May and Corbyn Hint That a Brexit Deal Could Be in Sight

Theresa May and her arch political rival Jeremy Corbyn are both signaling they may be edging closer to a Brexit deal after a month of talks between their teams that seemed to be going nowhere. Both the U.K. government and the main opposition Labour Party talked up the prospects for a compromise plan and will hold more negotiations in the days ahead. The prime minister is aiming to wrap up the talks next week, either with an agreement or without one. On Wednesday, May signaled she could move on one of her key red lines and allow the U.K. to sign up to some kind of permanent customs union with the EU. The pound strengthened. “There is a greater commonality in terms of some of the benefits of a customs union that we’ve already identified between ourselves and the official opposition,” May told a parliamentary committee. “Looking at the balance of these issues is part of the discussion. Can we come to an agreement on that? I hope we will be able to.”
1st May 2019 - Bloomberg

'Brexit customs union the only option left for Theresa May,' says Corbyn ally

Rebecca Long-Bailey made clear, however, that Mrs May will have to make a decisive shift towards Labour’s policy for a customs union. “I think, pragmatically, that they potentially may have no option in order to be able to push this deal through,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. A Tory source said the key question was whether Mr Corbyn and shadow chancellor John McDonnell “are willing to dip their hands in the blood of Brexit” and risk a split with pro-EU colleagues such as shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer and deputy leader Tom Watson.
1st May 2019 - Evening Standard

Tories delay Theresa May’s showdown with furious members so she can host Donald Trump

Tory party chiefs are to delay Theresa May’s showdown reckoning with furious members to allow her to host Donald Trump. An unprecedented Emergency General Meeting is due to be called in early June amid a grassroots activists’ revolt over Brexit.
2nd May 2019 - The Sun

Brexit makes the case for an independent Scotland - At the whim of the Tory party, Scots have been told to surrender their European identity

When Scotland voted to maintain the union with England, the argument that separation would diminish both nations seemed compelling. Five years on, Nicola Sturgeon says Brexit has broken the bargain. Scotland’s first minister and leader of the Scottish National party is preparing for a possible second referendum by mid-2021. Ms Sturgeon may be a touch impatient. She is also essentially right. Leaving the EU unpicks the logic of Scotland’s place in the UK. The independence vote in September 2014 saw 55 per cent support the union and 45 per cent opt for independence. The decision was clear, and yet still close enough to represent a reprieve rather than an unequivocal commitment to the status quo. The unspoken message was that the cloak of Britishness thrown over England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland could not be taken for granted.
2nd May 2019 - Financial Times

Corbyn’s attempt to play the electorate over Brexit has backfired. Now neither side needs Labour to get what they want

Next year, ringed in the calendar by the Labour leader and shadow chancellor as the likely date of the next election, might then mark the beginning of the end of Corbynism. “People are starting to think about life after Jeremy,” said one Corbyn loyalist. It is a process that will gather pace now that Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) has rejected grassroots calls for the party to support a Final Say referendum on any Brexit deal. Corbyn now risks alienating the very members who ensured his 2015 victory.
1st May 2019 - The Independent

Elephant on the doorstep: Plymouth’s politicians don’t mention Brexit

A third of the council’s seats are up for grabs on 2 May. There are currently only Conservative and Labour councillors in Plymouth (26 and 31 respectively), meaning the Tories would need to gain three seats to steal Labour’s majority. Neither party thinks that is likely to happen. “I think it will be tough,” says the council’s Conservative group leader, Ian Bowyer. “There are no two ways about that.” Plymouth voted to leave the European Union by 60% to 40% and Bowyer is open about the fact that the Brexit stalemate in Westminster has damaged his party’s chances. “Without the raging Brexit arguments and the lack of performance that people see in Westminster, I think we would have had a better chance,” he says. Mercer puts it rather more strongly. “I think the electorate are in no mood to vote Conservative,” he says. “Because we have signally failed to deliver our primary policy. The prime minister has said for two and a half years that if we don’t get a good deal we will be leaving anyway. I and thousands of others believed her and it was not the case.”
1st May 2019 - The Guardian

Dear Corbyn: If you fail to challenge Brexit, you will throw away your support

Take Lara McNeill, the NEC representative for Young Labour: in a blog post yesterday – posted just after she had retweeted a meme which claimed that the Communications Union’s rejection of a second referendum was “quality socialism” – how, exactly? – she made claimed that “it is clear that the electorate’s desire to honour the 2016 referendum result is hardening rather than dissipating.” In fact, the number of those who thought the UK was wrong to vote to leave, rather than right, at close to an all time high. Remain now has a consistent lead in the polls, with the lead among those who think the decision to leave the EU being wrong having grown to as much as eight points in recent months. And the overwhelming majority of young Labour members, voters, and activists backing a fresh referendum. Yet McNeill supplies no positive evidence for her claim. It’s not what the statistics say – and not what I hear from local party, Momentum and activist meetings. She also claims that it is the role of the NEC to decide which parts of established policy to include in the manifesto, not “turn existing policy on its head.” Fine – but a public vote on any deal was voted for by Jeremy Corbyn and the vast majority of the front bench on April 1st. Were they making up policy then?
1st May 2019 - Left Foot Forward

@BethRigby The PM's letter firing Gavin Williamson

The PM's letter firing Gavin Williamson
1st May 2019 - @BethRigby

May weighs up remaining in an EU customs union

Theresa May is considering agreeing to keep the UK inside the EU’s tariff wall to secure a Brexit deal, which would restrict the country’s ability to do trade deals on goods but allow it to strike agreements on services. The move could satisfy the opposition Labour party’s demand that Britain stay within the bloc’s common external tariff. The prime minister has been warned by Conservative chief whip Julian Smith that unless she strikes a deal on a customs union with Labour a second referendum would be a likely outcome, prompting ministers to scramble to find a possible compromise. Mrs May insisted to MPs on Wednesday she wanted to maintain an “independent trade policy” after Brexit but her allies said that this did not necessarily cover all parts of the British economy. “You could come up with a solution where you have freedom to do trade deals in some areas but not others,” said one person close to Mrs May. Downing Street declined to comment.
1st May 2019 - Financial Times

Cabinet ministers split over customs union Brexit deal with Labour

Cabinet ministers are bitterly divided over whether Brexit talks with Labour should broach the possibility of a customs union, with several sceptical that such a deal could even command a majority in parliament or survive hostile backbench amendments. A senior cabinet minister suggested a deal involving a customs union could be backed by as few as 90 Tory MPs and would mean a slew of resignations from the government payroll. It is also likely to be opposed by the SNP, the Liberal Democrats and other smaller parties, as well as dozens of Labour MPs who would only back a deal if it included a confirmatory referendum.
1st May 2019 - The Guardian

Chief whip warned cabinet that referendum or customs union are price of Brexit

I imagine you all know this, but I am told it is true that Julian Smith told cabinet that the only way to get the Brexit deal through the Commons is for the Government and Theresa May to agree either to hold a confirmatory ballot or to commit to a customs union. Which sounds to me like the chief whip telling the PM and ministers that the only way to secure Brexit is to ignore dearest preferences of the majority of Tory MPs and get her Brexit ratified by relying on the official opposition. Which would probably destroy the Tory party. And therefore maybe he was in practice saying that there is no Brexit without a General Election (presumably with a new Tory leader). Apparently the PM did not make any comment on the chief whip's briefing.
1st May 2019 - ITV News

Michael Gove tells Cabinet it would be better to have 'unpalatable' deal with Labour than no Brexit

In a boost for ongoing cross-party talks, the Environment Secretary is said to have told Cabinet colleagues this week that the Conservatives might need to give ground to the opposition to reach an agreement. According to The Telegraph, Mr Gove - who campaigned for Brexit in 2016 - warned that an "unpalatable" deal with the opposition would be better than the "disastrous" outcome of Brexit being shelved altogether.
1st May 2019 - Politics Home

Brexit: Theresa May admits she could cave in to Labour demands to stay in customs union

Theresa May has admitted she could agree to stay in a customs union in a bid to rescue Brexit, saying she “can’t pre-empt” the result of the talks with Labour. The prime minister’s spokesman refused – four times – to rule out the concession, which would enrage many Conservative MPs and almost certainly trigger cabinet resignations. “I can’t pre-empt what will come out of talks,” he said, asked if Ms May was prepared to agree to the central demand made by Jeremy Corbyn.
1st May 2019 - The Independent

Is an independent Scotland now inevitable? I'm beginning to believe it might be

Fast forward a year and a bit, and Britain has finally left the European Union, even if the nature of its future relationship with Brussels has yet to be settled. Unfortunately, another problem has loomed into view. By a comfortable majority, Scots have voted for an independent Scotland. A triumphant Nicola Sturgeon stands before Edinburgh’s St Andrew’s House, seat of the Scottish government, to announce that two years hence, the more than three centuries old Act of Union with England will be dissolved. Now fast forward to the moment of departure, and the Scottish government is finding that, like Brexit, actually leaving a union of such long standing in a manner that is not going to be economically that straight forward
1st May 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit: May hopes UK will leave 'well before' 31 October deadline

Theresa May has said she hopes the UK will leave the EU well before the new 31 October Brexit deadline. She told MPs there was no reason the UK could not leave in a matter of weeks once MPs backed an agreement, which they have so far rejected three times. She signalled she hoped to get Labour backing for any new customs proposal before putting it to Parliament again. She said their aims were "very similar" and "sometimes people use different terms to mean the same thing". Labour wants the PM to sign up to the idea of a customs union with the EU, something she has adamantly opposed up to now, and some have suggested she is moving in their direction. Most Conservative MPs have said they would not support the move, saying it would mean the UK would not have an independent trade policy.
1st May 2019 - BBC

'Stop stereotyping the north as Brexitland' say four Labour MPs

Four North Labour MPs, Mary Creagh, Anna Turley, Phil Wilson, and Catherine McKinnell, set out why they believe 'published opinion' is wrong about the region's voters. “THERE is no such thing as public opinion,” said Winston Churchill. “There is only published opinion.” If you are an MP in the North of England, as we are, “published opinion” (and Nigel Farage) tells you we are surrounded by shouty people who all voted for Brexit; whose entire lives are dominated by anger that the “elites” are betraying them. “Published opinion” states that we Northern Labour MPs live in constant fear of losing our seats, unless we repeat that mantra that Leave Means Leave, and if we don’t deliver “the will of the people”, we are all heading for the political scrapyard. How dare the media use our constituents to reaffirm Brexit stereotypes of 2016? They were stereotypes then and they still are. Yes, we all know Leavers who still want Brexit. But we also know Leavers who, now they know what Brexit will mean for their families, jobs and incomes, have changed their mind. We know people who are adamantly opposed to a People’s Vote. We know others who were opposed but who now see it as the only democratic way out of the mess we are in.
30th Apr 2019 - The Northern Echo

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 1st May 2019

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Ukip releases video to discredit Farage | News

Ukip has released a video of its former leader Nigel Farage making alleged anti-Muslim statements. Ukip ridiculed the claim that Mr Farage’s new Brexit Party will be “deeply intolerant of intolerance”. The video showed Mr Farage, who recently accused Ukip of a “lurch towards extremism”, talking about a “fifth column” of Muslim jihadists living in Britain. “They carry our passports. They speak our language and they hate us . . . they want to kill us . . . they want to overthrow our culture, our constitution, our whole way of life,” Mr Farage is recorded as saying at the Institute for Direct Democracy in Europe. It is not clear when the comments were made.
1st May 2019 - The Times

Scottish Labour activists pile pressure on Corbyn and Leonard over People's Vote

Ten members of the party's Scottish Executive Committee have called on the Labour leaders to recognise the need for a second Brexit referendum.
30th Apr 2019 - Daily Record

Theresa May preparing to cave in to Labour demands on Brexit, Eurosceptics fear

Theresa May is preparing to cave in to Labour demands on Brexit, Eurosceptic ministers fear, after they were told an “unpalatable” outcome would be better than a “disastrous” one. The Prime Minister has made it clear that she wants cross-party talks wrapped up by the middle of next week, adding to suspicions that she is waiting until after tomorrow’s local elections before announcing a climbdown. A Cabinet meeting yesterday was dominated by discussion of how the Government can get a Brexit deal through Parliament so that Britain can leave the EU before the current deadline of October. Brexiteers still believe Mrs May can win round Tory rebels by making changes to the Northern Irish backstop
30th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

SNP hit out at Labour over 'cowardice' of People's Vote manifesto move

Key SNP figures have slammed Labour for failing to properly back a second EU referendum in its European manifesto, with Ian Blackford calling the move “supreme cowardice”. The new policy only commits Labour to backing a new vote if no agreement is reached with the Tories on an alternative Brexit deal including a customs union membership, or if there is no General Election. "@jeremycorbyn has failed to recognise there is no such thing as a good Brexit. A People’s Vote allows for folk to have a say on the Brexit consequence. A failure to lead is supreme cowardice. Scotland has a choice #It’s time for indy”.
30th Apr 2019 - The National

Brexit: Labour NEC agrees position on second referendum after 5 hour meeting

Labour's ruling body has come to an agreement on a second Brexit referendum after a marathon five-hour meeting. In a victory for Jeremy Corbyn's allies on the ruling National Executive Committee, the party will support a new public vote - but only in certain circumstances.
30th Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

Jeremy Hunt: Tories may have to embrace no deal

Jeremy Hunt's picture rich tour of Africa shows he will be a formidable candidate in the Conservative leadership contest. Snapped taking the wheel of a Royal Marines rigid inflatable boat, he strikes the pose of a clear frontrunner among the cabinet contenders. From thousands of miles away, Hunt has also been showcasing his Brexit credentials by warning Theresa May against agreeing a deal with Labour involving a customs union. But Hunt has one fundamental weakness, that could undermine his chances when he comes up against Brexiteer candidates such as Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab. The foreign secretary is, in the eyes of many Tories, a nouveau Brexiteer.
30th Apr 2019 - BBC

Alyn Smith: Unhappy Labour voters – join a party which supports Europe!

Much as Labour are not looking at a great result, the Tories are guaranteed an awful time. So I do think the elections are happening, and as to the second question, of what comes next, I think it will be largely decided by the result of the election itself. If there is a huge Remain vote for clearly pro-Remain parties, then I think that tends towards a second EU referendum; if there is a huge Leave vote then I think that tends towards them sitting down and quietly agreeing the Withdrawal Agreement. So this really matters – this is our chance to stop Brexit.
30th Apr 2019 - The National

Labour agrees to put current Brexit policy in European manifesto

In an emergency meeting this afternoon, Labour’s ruling body agreed to include current party policy on Brexit in the European manifesto. The result means MEP candidates will be officially standing on a commitment to back Labour’s alternative Brexit plan and only support another public vote if the opposition cannot secure either changes to the current deal or a general election. It is a victory for Jeremy Corbyn and the party leadership, which faced attempts – led by deputy leader and national executive committee (NEC) member Tom Watson – to shift policy towards a clear public vote pledge that would apply to any deal.
30th Apr 2019 - Labour List

Jeremy Hunt Warns Backing Customs Union Would Cost More Tory Votes Than It Would Gain Labour

Jeremy Hunt has warned Theresa May she would lose the support of more Tory MPs than she would gain Labour MPs if she backed a customs union in an attempt to strike a Brexit deal with Jeremy Corbyn. The foreign secretary said on Tuesday he believed a deal would “definitely” be done and insisted there was still a “great sense of urgency” despite Brexit reportedly not even being on the agenda of today’s cabinet meeting. “The reality of Brexit is that it is the most controversial issue, certainly in my political lifetime, but we have a hung parliament so we cannot get it through without talking to other parties,” Hunt told BBC Radio 4′s today programme. “If we were proposing, which I very much hope we don’t, to sign up to the customs union, then I think there is a risk that you would lose more Conservative MPs than you would gain Labour MPs.
30th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Labour's European election manifesto to restate referendum position

MPs campaigning for the party to back another poll declare victory, after the five-hour meeting of Labour's ruling body breaks up.
30th Apr 2019 - Sky News

Judging by the Home Office, it’s now Tory policy to ruin Britain

Since Windrush, all we have seen is pathetic attempts at compensating victims, and more scandals. Presiding over it all is the new benevolent dictator Sajid Javid, who speaks in the language of a man who knows how to pay lip service to the forces that removed his predecessor, while doubling down on policies that have not changed, but are merely fronted by a new, more media-friendly face. One that does not hesitate to point out – as often as possible – that it is a brown one.
30th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Labour Fudges Brexit Referendum Pledge For European Parliament Elections

Labour will fight the European parliament elections without a firm pledge to hold a fresh referendum on Brexit, its ruling body has decided. In a bid to unite the party’s warring factions, the National Executive Committee (NEC) decided the manifesto for its MEP candidates should include a reference to the “option” of a fresh public vote on the UK’s membership of the EU. But the NEC rejected more radical proposals, pushed by deputy leader Tom Watson and the TSSA union, for a tougher anti-Brexit stance that would have committed the party to a referendum on any deal, not just Theresa May’s. HuffPost UK understands that the party’s Euro campaign leaflets will now be amended to reflect the new position, following a huge backlash from MPs and MEPs over a draft version that omitted any mention of a new public vote.
30th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Campaigners react as Labour continues to push for Brexit with new manifesto

Bridget Phillipson, the Labour MP for Houghton & Sunderland South and a leading supporter of the People's Vote campaign, said: “Labour has done the bare minimum needed and I can only hope it will be enough to secure the support of all those millions of our voters demanding the final say on Brexit. “There is no deal on the table other than the one negotiated by the government and there is no majority for it in parliament without a confirmatory referendum to show there is a majority for it the country too. “The decision of the NEC today reaffirms conference policy and means Labour will have little choice except to back a new public vote on the most likely outcome of this vexed process.
30th Apr 2019 - The New European

UK government is grinding to a halt

Brexit is bringing government and policymaking in Whitehall and Westminster to a juddering halt. Since the June 2017 election, it has been increasingly clear that Theresa May and her ministers don’t have the capacity to contemplate much policy that isn’t connected with Britain’s departure from the EU. But the past few days have brought home how the business of government has slowed to a snail’s pace thanks in large part to the impasse over Mrs May’s Brexit deal. On April 12, chancellor Philip Hammond revealed that he can’t be sure of finalising the three-year spending review for government departments and local authorities over the summer. A new spending review is vital if Mr Hammond is to begin ending austerity. But he told reporters: “If we don’t have a [Brexit] deal done, the level of uncertainty that will remain probably makes it inappropriate to do a long-term spending review.” Yesterday, Downing Street admitted that another major setpiece parliamentary event for later this year could also be postponed: the Queen’s Speech setting out the government’s domestic legislation programme for the next year. There have been only five years since 1900 when a Queen’s Speech hasn’t taken place. The annual address is an important sign that a government has both a robust policy programme and a Commons majority to boot.
30th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Labour ‘must commit to People’s Vote’ before EU elections

Labour needs to confirm its commitment to a public vote on Brexit, according to nearly 90 of its elected politicians. Jeremy Corbyn is facing growing calls from key members of his team to confirm whether the party backs a referendum on a Brexit deal or not. More than 90 MPs and MEPs have said the issue needs to be urgently clarified in its manifesto for the European elections next month. Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) will meet on Tuesday and there are calls for a decision to be made by then.
30th Apr 2019 - Metro

European elections: Which parties back a second Brexit referendum in your constituency?

Campaigners for a second Brexit referendum have launched a website allowing voters in next month’s European elections to find out which parties in their constituency are backing a fresh vote. The People’s Vote campaign, which set up the site, says it will increase pressure on Labour to match pledges by other parties to back a new say on EU membership. Voters can enter their constituency on the site to see who matches their views. The Liberal Democrats, Change UK, the Green Party, the SNP and Plaid Cymru are all backing a second referendum.
30th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Labour's Jess Phillips says party will get a 'drubbing' at European elections if they don't offer second referendum

Labour's Jess Phillips predicts the party will get a "drubbing" if the party doesn't offer a second referendum in their European elections manifesto. The MP spoke to ITV News Political Correspondent Paul Brand on the ITV News podcast Acting Prime Minister as Labour's National Executive Committee meets on Tuesday to finalise the party's position on Brexit for the elections in May. Asked what will happen if Labour goes into European elections without a clear promise on a second referendum, Ms Phillips said: "I think people who voted remain and voted Labour will not vote Labour again."
30th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Corbyn sees off calls to back second Brexit referendum

Jeremy Corbyn has seen off a challenge from Labour’s Europhile wing, defeating a bid to commit the party to holding a second EU referendum in all circumstances. After a lengthy meeting of the party’s ruling National Executive Committee to decide the manifesto for European elections, the Labour leader’s position on Brexit was opposed by a minority of delegates, including his deputy Tom Watson, who had argued that the party should give unequivocal backing to a second vote. The Labour leader announced afterwards that the party would maintain its existing policy of backing a soft Brexit with a customs union. He added that Labour would support the “option” of a public vote only if it was unable to secure the changes to the government’s existing withdrawal deal — and could not force a general election.
30th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit: Theresa May threatens Labour she will abandon talks if deal not reached by next week

Theresa May will abandon attempts to strike a Brexit deal with Labour if no cross-party agreement can be struck within one week. The prime minister has bowed to pressure to finally set a deadline for ending the talks with Jeremy Corbyn if necessary – deciding the Labour leader must be on board with seven days, a government source said. If Labour agrees not to block the withdrawal agreement bill, it would then be put to the Commons – but the government will “move in another direction” if no guarantee is given, The Independent was told.
30th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Exclusive: Theresa May Blocks Cabinet Demands To Speed Up Deadlocked Brexit Process

Theresa May blocked cabinet demands to speed up the stalled Brexit process this week, HuffPost UK has learned. Brexiteer ministers had expected the withdrawal agreement bill (WAB) to be brought before the Commons, but were overruled by Downing Street. The prime minister is concerned that MPs could simply vote down the laws at the first attempt, potentially triggering a general election. She is willing to give talks with Labour another week to reach either a cross-party deal or agreement on backing whatever solution comes out of a fresh round of parliamentary votes on alternatives.
30th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

@BBCPolitics "A second referendum would have no credibility," says Leave-supporting Labour MP Graham Stringer, "the first referendum should be implemented in full, it was unambiguous and unconditional"

"A second referendum would have no credibility," says Leave-supporting Labour MP Graham Stringer, "the first referendum should be implemented in full, it was unambiguous and unconditional"
30th Apr 2019 - @BBCPolitics

The Labour party agrees to reject calls to fully back new Brexit referendum

Labour party rejects calls to explicitly back a second referendum in all circumstances, in defeat for party's pro-Europeans. Jeremy Corbyn's party is heavily split over the question of a second referendum. The ruling NEC agreed to maintain Labour's existing policy of maintaining the "option" of a second referendum.
30th Apr 2019 - Business Insider

Labour needn’t worry: in its northern heartlands, Brexiters are not the only voices

You can cherrypick your vox pops to suit, but Mary Creagh, the local Labour MP, and the local People’s Vote campaigners, say they’ve found a marked change in the past two months. And this isn’t just wishful thinking from remainers. YouGov this month polled 5,000 Labour heartland voters in the north-east, north-west, Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside. Did these Labour voters back “a new public vote on whether Britain should leave on the deal negotiated or stay in the EU”? Three-quarters supported the idea, and 43% said that if Labour backed a vote they would feel greater affinity for the party. Only 8% said it would make them feel less keen on Labour; only 11% backed Theresa May’s Brexit deal. Labour never was the party of Brexit and it’s become even less so now. Don’t mythologise “northern working-class Labour man” when Brexit is overwhelmingly a Tory disease
30th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

The Guardian view on May’s elections: resolve Brexit, defend democracy

Politicians need to come clean about the costs of pursuing Brexit – about how it is likely to render poorer many of those places that voted leave; about how it risks peace in Ireland; about the awkward task of redefining the national interest, and trying to give it new meaning while preserving the integrity of the UK. Instead, amid indifference and confusion, politicians have dodged the problem of Brexit. They ought to instead re-engage in these polls, by first organising the millions of EU citizens who have most to lose from Brexit and need to be registered to vote in a week’s time for European elections. Brexit is not going away just because it seems more convenient to ignore it. Politicians have not found a way out; they will only do so by reconnecting with the public.
30th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 30th Apr 2019

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Will Labour commit to referendum on any Brexit proposed by this government?

Sources close to the Labour leader believe the emergency NEC meeting on Tuesday, which determines the Labour manifesto for the EU elections, will agree a formula that is "a restatement" of the party's equivocal and prolix party conference resolution of last September. But a senior trade union source tells me that if Unison, GMB and Usdaw are bulldozed on Tuesday, if their demand for Labour to commit to a "confirmatory" referendum on any Brexit deal is simply ignored, Corbyn and his colleagues are "being delusional about the likely consequences". The well-placed trade unionist added: "They have no idea what's going to hit them and the scale of the backlash they will face" - which captures for you how emotions are running very high. And given that Unison, the GMB and Usdaw are respectively the first, third and fourth biggest trade unions in the UK, they can certainly cause trouble for Corbyn, if so minded.
30th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Just days to stop EU elections but Minister says 'no deadline' to sort Brexit

Margaritis Schinas, the European Commission's chief spokesman, said Brussels would not speak of Brexit until London says there have been significative developments. He said: "There is nothing else we can do, there is nothing else we can say. I will not speak on Brexit again unless there are developments in London. "It is universally known that we are on a Brexit break. Cross-party talks between the Government and the Labour Party are resuming today after the Easter break. The talks between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn have entered the fifth week. But Downing Street's official spokesman has announced Labours and Tories still have to find a “way forward” on how to reach a compromise on Brexit.
30th Apr 2019 - Express.co.uk

'This is not about Brexit': Labour faces credibility test in Stoke

In next week’s local election Stoke-on-Trent faces a curious paradox: it is being closely watched as a bellwether for national trends, but at the same time no one directly involved in the battle seems able to predict what could happen, or what lessons might be learned. In the most simple terms, whether or not Labour can regain control of the Staffordshire city would seem a fairly basic test of the party’s electability under Jeremy Corbyn, and failure to do so would be a blow.
30th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

New IRA says Brexit has provided it with opportunity - Sunday Times

Brexit has provided the militant Irish nationalist group that admitted killing journalist Lyra McKee with a chance to further its campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland, the Sunday Times quoted its leadership as saying. The New IRA, one of a small number of groups that opposes Northern Ireland’s 1998 peace deal, has said one of its members shot the 29-year-old reporter dead in Londonderry last week when opening fire on police during a riot McKee was watching. The killing, which followed a large car bomb in Londonderry in January that police also blamed on the New IRA, has raised fears that small marginalised militant groups are exploiting a political vacuum in the province and tensions caused by Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. “Brexit has forced the IRA to refocus and has underlined how Ireland remains partitioned. It would be remiss of us not to capitalise on the opportunity,” the newspaper quoted one of its members as saying
30th Apr 2019 - Reuters

EXCL Unions urge Jeremy Corbyn to put referendum pledge in Labour manifesto

The general secretaries of Unison, the GMB and Usdaw have thrown their weight behind the move as a crunch meeting of the party's ruling national executive committee looms. Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson and Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer are pushing for a clear promise that any Brexit deal approved by the House of Commons should be put to the country in a so-called "confirmatory ballot". Reports on Sunday suggested that Unison boss Dave Prentis had give the Labour leader assurances that he would support his more equivocal stance that a second referendum should only be held to stop a "Tory Brexit" or the UK leaving without a deal. But PoliticsHome understands that Mr Prentis has joined forces with GMB boss Tim Roache and Usdaw general secretary Paddy Lillis in backing Mr Watson and Sir Keir. Labour's NEC will meet on Tuesday to finalise the party's position in what promises to be a defining moment.
30th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

Theresa May's Former Universities Minister Has Warned The Government Risks Being Seen As "Against Young People"

The government risks being seen as "against young people", a former Tory education minister said on Monday amid a cabinet row over plans to hike university tuition fees for EU students after Brexit. Sam Gyimah, who was Theresa May's universities minister until he resigned in November last year, said the plans — revealed by BuzzFeed News on Saturday — meant the government was "undermining the university sector and taking steps that would make it more difficult for young people in this country to live, work and study abroad".
30th Apr 2019 - BuzzFeed News

Labour members know what we need: a referendum and a campaign for remain

The challenge we face in the forthcoming European elections is not whether Labour should back a “confirmatory vote” or a “public vote on a Tory deal”, or any of the other variations on these themes circulating in Westminster’s WhatsApp world. The real challenges we face are those described by the phenomenal Greta Thunberg – and the rise of the far right.
30th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit compromise talks to end deadlock move on to 'nuts and bolts'

Cross-party talks to break the Brexit deadlock have moved on to the "nuts and bolts" after the latest "positive" set of meetings. Sue Hayman, Labour's shadow environment secretary, emerged from the Cabinet Office on Monday to declare the day's negotiations with senior government ministers as "very constructive". There is still "a lot more to discuss", she added, but suggested the government had shown willingness to drop some of its red lines.
30th Apr 2019 - Sky News

Labour to discuss 'confirmatory ballot' for Brexit

Labour's governing body will meet on Tuesday to discuss whether to call for a public vote on Brexit as part of its European election manifesto. The National Executive Committee is split between holding a referendum on any deal; holding one with caveats; or rejecting the idea altogether. The party is also holding talks with ministers to try to agree a Brexit deal and break the deadlock in Parliament.
30th Apr 2019 - BBC

Brexit talks take positive turn towards possible compromise

Talks with senior shadow ministers and officials are likely to continue this week, including on key areas of previous disagreement that had previously been swerved, including a customs union, single market alignment and dynamic alignment of workers’ rights and environmental protections. It is understood no new offer from the government has been put on the table but participants emerged with a new optimism about a change in tone and a feeling that there were grounds to continue discussions, a marked contrast to last week’s talks. May’s spokesman said cross-party talks would continue as long as there was “still a prospect of reaching a single position to put to parliament”, but added that the prime minister would then look to bring forward “a small number of votes to try and find a way through parliament”. Asked whether that would be votes on new options for a Brexit deal or on legislation, the spokesman said: “I’m referring to options.”
30th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Melanie Onn MP: Labour must stop its sleight-of-hand on a second Brexit referendum or risk alienating working people

Continuing to back a second referendum, a sleight-of-hand position which by nudging and cajoling incrementally, really only has one definitive intention, to revoke the 2016 referendum and remain in the EU. It will send a message of a tin-eared Labour Party, unconcerned by the views of the heartlands it needs to hang on to in order to form a Government. Any decision about the Labour Party fully endorsing a second referendum on any deal must be made, not on the basis of bolstering potential future leadership ambitions, but in the full knowledge of the impact that decision will have on the future electability of Labour as a potential Government, whether that is in 2022 or later this year.
29th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

Remaining In EU Should Not Be An Option In Any New Brexit Referendum, Young Labour Rep On Ruling Body Warns

Staying in the EU should not be on the ballot paper of any fresh Brexit referendum, Labour’s representative for young people has declared. Ahead of a crunch vote by the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) on Tuesday, Lara McNeill said that it would “not be wise” to commit to putting Remain on any ballot paper in another public vote. McNeill, a final year medical student, is one of the 39-strong body due to decide Labour’s European manifesto policy as the party’s senior figures gather ahead of the May 23 elections.
29th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Second referendum part of cross-party Brexit talks, says David Lidington

Conservative MP David Lidington has confirmed that the prospect of a confirmatory referendum has been discussed as part of the cross-party Brexit talks. Labour policy is to have a second referendum on any agreed Brexit deal but Mr Lidington is cool on the idea. "We've always known this is part of Labour's policy platform, so it's something I would have expected them to raise at these meetings and they have," Mr Lidington said when asked about a second referendum after Monday's talks. "Equally, they know this is not something that is government policy and the last couple of time it has come before the House of Commons, it has been defeated."
29th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Brexit: Labour braced for showdown over second referendum

Labour is braced for a showdown over whether to back a referendum on any Brexit deal when the party’s governing body meets to agree its draft European elections manifesto on Tuesday. Party sources suggested the party was likely to agree a compromise option where it would support a referendum in order to prevent Theresa May’s Brexit deal or leaving without a deal, describing that wording as “the path of least resistance”. However, a public drive for a stronger line has been led by the party’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, who has urged remain-supporting members to write to the national executive committee’s members, including Jeremy Corbyn.
29th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

'No decision' on post-Brexit EU student fees, says minister

No decision has been made about whether to charge EU students more to study at English universities after Brexit, the government has insisted. They currently pay the same as those from the UK, but it has been reported fees could rise from 2021. Labour's Angela Rayner accused the government of "building walls" between top British universities and the EU. Lib Dem Tom Brake warned the EU would likely reciprocate, meaning only the richest from the UK could study abroad.
29th Apr 2019 - BBC

Labour's John McDonnell says UK economy requires 'revolution'

Labour is planning a "revolution" for the UK economy, John McDonnell has told the BBC. The shadow chancellor was speaking to Newsnight for a series of reports to mark 40 years since the election of Margaret Thatcher. He said he saw parallels between today and 1979 when Mrs Thatcher swept to power in a major political sea-change. "Things aren't working for people, so they're looking for change," Mr McDonnell said. Asked whether Labour's plans represented evolution or revolution he said: "OK it will be a revolution. Transformative - because we are going to change society and that's what's demanded of us now." He added: "And do you know? I think most people accept that now. We'll do it by taking people with us. But it will be done on a very pragmatic basis.
29th Apr 2019 - BBC

How the German Right Wing Dominates Social Media

Help apparently isn't just coming from Germany. Davis has found countless photos among the AfD posts that come from Russian image databases, leading him to wonder if perhaps the party is getting some social media assistance from Moscow. The AfD's spokesperson rejects this claim, at least when it comes to the accounts run by party headquarters. He said he can't be sure about the other accounts. In intelligence circles, analysts believe such a scenario to be plausible. Experts believe that support for the AfD is consistent with Moscow's strategic intention of destabilizing Western democracies by strengthening extremist forces. Just a few weeks ago, DER SPIEGEL revealed just how close Russia's relationship is with some AfD politicians.
29th Apr 2019 - Der Spiegel

@Haggis_UK Nigel Evans - We have a £50billion trade surplus with the U.S. @adamboultonSKY - While we're still a member of the EU.. so being a member is not actually holding us back.

Nigel Evans - We have a £50billion trade surplus with the U.S. @adamboultonSKY - While we're still a member of the EU.. so being a member is not actually holding us back. #PeoplesVote #FinalSay #alloutpolitics
29th Apr 2019 - @Haggis_UK

@NedSimons Ex-WTO director Pascal Lamy has an opinion on Iain Duncan Smith's Brexit plan.

Ex-WTO director Pascal Lamy has an opinion on Iain Duncan Smith's Brexit plan.
29th Apr 2019 - @NedSimons

MPs could vote again on Brexit options if talks break down

May’s spokesman said cross-party talks would continue as long as there was “still a prospect of reaching a single position to put to parliament”, but added that the prime minister would then look to bring forward “a small number of votes to try and find a way through parliament”. Asked whether that would be votes on new options for a Brexit deal or on legislation, the spokesman said: “I’m referring to options.”
29th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: Cross-party talks 'productive' and 'constructive'

The latest talks between ministers and Labour to try to end the Brexit impasse were "positive" and "productive", the PM's de facto deputy has said. Speaking afterwards, David Lidington said he was "encouraged" by a sense from both sides about the "need to inject greater urgency" into the talks. He said there would be further meetings between the parties this week. Labour's shadow environment secretary Sue Hayman said there had been "really constructive discussion" on Monday. She said the two parties were "getting much more into the nuts and bolts of the detail", and that she believed the government was "open to moving forward in our direction". Cross-party negotiations have been taking place for a number of weeks after Theresa May's Brexit deal with the EU was effectively rejected for a third time by MPs.
29th Apr 2019 - BBC

@Peston Sources close to the Labour leader believe that tomorrow the emergency NEC meeting, which determines the Labour manifesto for the EU elections, will agree a formula that is "a restatement" of the party's equivocal and prolix party conference resolution of last September. BUT...

Sources close to the Labour leader believe that tomorrow the emergency NEC meeting, which determines the Labour manifesto for the EU elections, will agree a formula that is "a restatement" of the party's equivocal and prolix party conference resolution of last September. BUT...
29th Apr 2019 - @Peston

May's spokesman - No way forward yet in Brexit talks with Labour

The British government has yet to find a way forward in talks with the Labour Party on how to reach a compromise Brexit deal, Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesman said on Monday. The spokesman said the talks would continue later on Monday.
29th Apr 2019 - Reuters UK

Labour’s NEC must commit to a public vote on any Brexit deal

Over 700 Labour party members and trade unionists call on the party’s NEC to make an explicit commitment to a public vote on any Brexit deal, with an option to remain.
29th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

My constituents backed Brexit - but they have a right to a say on how we leave

We came up with a compromise that sought to pass the Brexit deal through Parliament provided it was put to the British people in a confirmatory ballot. I am the Leave half of the Kyle-Wilson compromise, Peter is the Remain half. Our approach, with the support of parliamentary colleagues from across the House, twice came top in the indicative voting process held recently in Parliament, but unfortunately it fell short of an overall majority.
29th Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

Labour set to force Commons vote on declaring climate emergency

The party will demand on Wednesday that the country acts with urgency to slash global emissions by 45% from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching net zero before 2050, according to the Observer. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said the recent climate change protests were a “massive and necessary wake-up call” and that Parliament backing the party’s bid would make it the first national legislature to declare a climate emergency.
29th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

Brexit: Tom Watson steps up call for Labour referendum pledge

Labour's deputy leader has stepped up calls for his party to promise a referendum on any Brexit deal in its European elections manifesto. Tom Watson urged party members to message Labour's ruling national executive committee to call for a "confirmatory ballot" pledge. The NEC meets on Tuesday to decide on Labour's campaign manifesto. But frontbencher Barry Gardiner said a referendum on any Brexit deal would be a change in Labour policy. The shadow international trade secretary told BBC Radio 5 Live's Pienaar's Politics that the party's policy agreed at last year's conference was to go for a referendum "to stop a no-deal or a bad Tory Brexit." He added: "If we are being pushed into a no-deal by this government, we will have a second referendum. But we want to try - and that's why we're in there with the government now - trying to deliver on what people voted for."
29th Apr 2019 - BBC

AA finance boss nicknamed 'the sledgehammer' quits to support anti-Brexit party Change UK

The AA's finance boss has quit after five years so he can devote his time to anti-Brexit party Change UK. Martin Clarke has stepped down immediately and does not have another job. He previously worked for private equity companies, where his robust approach earned him the nickname 'the sledgehammer'.
29th Apr 2019 - This is Money

Labour split as Shadow Cabinet minister suggests party could back Brexit deal without second referendum

Ms Long-Bailey has been among the top team involved in cross-party talks alongside colleagues Mr Starmer and John McDonnell, in a bid to break the deadlock over Britain’s departure from the bloc. However when asked if a second Brexit referendum was a “red line” for the opposition in the talks, the Shadow Business Secretary said: “I wouldn’t couch it in terms of a second referendum, but our party policy has always been that firstly we want to get a Brexit deal that puts our economy and living standards first and protects our environmental protections, workplace protections, health and safety standards.” “We want a customs union arrangement in order to keep our borders open, so that our manufacturing industry isn’t detrimentally affected, and we keep the movement of goods flowing as freely as possible. And we want a strong single market relationship.”
28th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 29th Apr 2019

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Nicola Sturgeon: Time for Scotland to become independent

Nicola Sturgeon has declared it is "time for Scotland to become independent" and called on the SNP to make sure there is a "surge" in support for leaving. Addressing her party's conference in Edinburgh, Scotland's first minister said events since the last Holyrood elections "have shown, beyond any doubt, that for Scotland the Westminster system is broken". Referring to Brexit, Ms Sturgeon said that if the UK "cannot be persuaded to change course" and reverse it, "Scotland must". She added: "We must have the choice of a better future. Scotland must have the choice of an independent future."
28th Apr 2019 - Sky News

Brexit drives support for Scottish independence to 49 percent - YouGov

28th Apr 2019 - Reuters UK

Scottish independence now 'WITHIN OUR GRASP' claims SNP

28th Apr 2019 - Express.co.uk

Sturgeon: 'Scotland needs protection from Brexit and Boris'

27th Apr 2019 - BBC

Nicola Sturgeon says world is facing a climate emergency

Nicola Sturgeon has said she believes the world is facing a climate emergency and pledged to speed up efforts to achieve zero carbon emissions. Following similar moves by the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, this weekend, the Scottish first minister said she was declaring the emergency because the science showed global warming was worsening. She told the Scottish National party’s spring conference in Edinburgh that if the UK’s expert advisory committee on climate recommended more urgent action to cut CO2 emissions in a report later this week, her government would act.
28th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Nicola Sturgeon calls for SNP to ensure 'surging' support for independence

Nicola Sturgeon has declared it is "time for Scotland to become independent" and called on the SNP to make sure there is a "surge" in support for leaving. Addressing her party's conference in Edinburgh, Scotland's first minister said events since the last Holyrood elections "have shown, beyond any doubt, that for Scotland the Westminster system is broken". Referring to Brexit, Ms Sturgeon said that if the UK "cannot be persuaded to change course" and reverse it, "Scotland must". She added: "We must have the choice of a better future. Scotland must have the choice of an independent future."
28th Apr 2019 - Sky News

@Channel4News “If the UK can’t be persuaded to change its course, Scotland must.”

“If the UK can’t be persuaded to change its course, Scotland must.” First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon tells the SNP Spring Conference that she plans to pass legislation for a second independence referendum by the end of 2019.
28th Apr 2019 - @Channel4News

Nicola Sturgeon keeps Indy vote option even if no Brexit

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has refused to rule out pursuing an independence referendum, even if Brexit does not happen. Ms Sturgeon had already announced she wants a so-called 'Indyref 2', citing Britain's exit from the European Union as the reason. In an interview with Sky News ahead of her SNP party's spring conference, she declined to say whether or not she would drop plans for a referendum if Brexit did not take place.
27th Apr 2019 - Sky News

U.K. Conservatives Still Seeking Brexit Deal Before EU Election

Theresa May is still pursuing a Brexit deal that would get the U.K. out of the European Union before elections next month.
28th Apr 2019 - Bloomberg

Time has run out. Labour must seize its last chance to take a stand on Brexit

Over the next 48 hours, a battle will take place that will settle the future of the Labour party – and arguably the country. Is Labour to be the party of Europe in uncompromising opposition to the rise of an ugly, hard-right, English nationalism? Or will it continue to temporise over Europe, so enabling the centre of political gravity to shift towards the English nationalist right?
28th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Labour could sign up to Brexit deal without a second referendum, shadow minister says

Labour could sign up to a Brexit deal without a fresh referendum attached if the government makes significant concessions in the ongoing talks, the shadow business secretary has suggested. In a blow to pro-EU supporters, Rebecca Long-Bailey said the party was not “hugely prescriptive” on its terms, when asked if the inclusion of a public vote was a “red line” for Labour in the negotiations. Ms Long-Bailey, who has attended cross-party talks alongside shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor John McDonnell, said meetings had been “productive” with discussions about workers’ rights – a key ask for Labour.
28th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Conservative Party Faces Losing More Than 800 Seats In Local Elections Amid Brexit Backlash

A polling expert has predicted the Conservative Party will lose more than 800 local council seats as at faces an electoral backlash over Brexit as senior Tories acknowledged the party faces a “difficult night”. Voters prepare to go to the polls in England on Thursday against expectations of a hammering and fears that worse could follow in May 23′s European elections. Election pundit and Tory peer Lord Hayward said he expected the Conservatives to lose more than 800 councillors and “marked losses of control of authorities”. “The Tories are at an historic high for a governing party after nine years in power,” he said. “A fall from that level is therefore inevitable at some stage and it will come this year - with force.” He suggested that Labour would gain around 300 seats from the Tories and the Liberal Democrats 500.
28th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Labour takes sizeable poll lead over Tories as Brexit Party surges, ahead of European elections

Labour has taken a seven-point lead over the Conservatives ahead of the European elections, a new poll has found. A study by Opinium put Labour on 33 per cent, the Conservatives on 26 per cent and the insurgent Brexit Party on 17 per cent, when the public was grilled on how they would vote in a general election. The Liberal Democrats were on 6 per cent, with Ukip, the Green Party and the new centrist party Change UK all on 4 per cent. In a fresh headache for Theresa May, the former Ukip leader’s new party was neck and neck with Labour on 28 per cent for next month’s European elections, while Tory support collapsed to 14 per cent in the 23 May contest. Support for the Brexit Party ahead of the European elections has surged from 12 per cent in the past two weeks, with voters apparently flocking to it from Ukip.
28th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Brexit news: Remain forges eight-point lead over Leave in new poll as Labour faces backlash over election leaflets

27th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Labour hints at backing Brexit deal without promise of referendum

Labour is prepared to sign up to a Brexit deal with the government without the promise of a referendum attached if cross-party talks make significant progress in the coming days, one of the party’s negotiators has said. With talks set to resume on Monday, Rebecca Long-Bailey, the shadow business secretary, made clear that if Labour’s Brexit demands were met, she would not expect the party to insist it be put to a public vote. “Our party policy has always been that firstly we want to get a Brexit deal that puts our economy and living standards first and protects our environmental protections, workplace protections, health and safety standards,” she said.
28th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

2019 European elections: Tories aim not to have to fight campaign

Brandon Lewis has refused to say when the Tories' European election campaign will launch, saying his priority is not to have to fight them at all. The UK is due to elect new MEPs on 23 May, after Brexit was delayed amid continuing parliamentary deadlock. Several parties have launched their campaigns already but Conservative chair Mr Lewis told the BBC his focus was on next week's local elections. The UK is due to leave the EU on 31 October, or sooner if a deal is agreed
28th Apr 2019 - BBC

Labour set to retain 'equivocal' referendum position

A concerted attempt by Labour MPs and MEPs to engineer that their party would campaign unambiguously for a “confirmatory” Brexit referendum in the EU elections looks set to flop. Instead Jeremy Corbyn’s preferred position of characterising a new public vote only as an option is likely to prevail, because he seems to have retained the backing of most of the leaders of the big trade unions. The decision on how strongly to push for a referendum, and how Labour’s position on it should be worded in its manifesto, will be taken at a crunch emergency meeting of the party’s ruling NEC on Tuesday. I am told by senior party sources that in talks last Tuesday with the leaders of the so-called five big trade unions - Unison, Unite, the GMB, Usdaw and the CWU - only the GMB signalled a strong preference for a confirmatory referendum to be upgraded from an option to a clear policy preference. Unison and Usdaw are in theory aligned with the GMB on this, but sources close to Corbyn do not believe they will vote against the Labour leader’s preferred and more ambiguous referendum formulation in a couple of days.
28th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Conservatives in for 'difficult night' in local elections

The Conservatives are in for a "difficult night" in Thursday's local elections, a senior party figure has admitted. Deputy chairwoman Helen Whately admitted the poll will be a chance to "kick the government", amid predictions of a backlash over the delay to Brexit.
28th Apr 2019 - Sky News

Lib Dems accuse Change UK of 'petty tribalism' after anti-Brexit party rejects electoral alliance

Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable urges Change UK to ditch "petty tribalism" and form an electoral alliance. Cable has failed to persuade the new anti-Brexit party of former Conservative and Labour MPs to form a pro-Remain alliance for the upcoming European elections and beyond. Supporters fear this refusal to cooperate will split the Remain vote and hurt anti-Brexit parties. Cable told Business Insider that an electoral alliance was "common sense" and that millions of Remain voters would feel "angry and betrayed" if parties did not work together. Lib Dem Tom Brake hit back at Change UK suggestions that Lib Dem members should quit the party and join Change UK.
28th Apr 2019 - Business Insider

'Hold Wales independence vote if no further Brexit poll'

Wales should hold an independence referendum if Brexit happens without a further EU poll, Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price has said. People could then choose between an independent Wales at Europe's "heart" or a "forgotten second-class region in a dying British state," he said. The independence call goes further than his party conference speech in March. Polling for BBC Wales has put support for independence at less than 10% since 2011. Mr Price said Wales should hold a "new national conversation" about the country's future whatever happens with the UK's departure from the European Union
26th Apr 2019 - BBC

Plaid Cymru demands a Welsh independence second referendum if a 'people's vote' on Brexit is refused

28th Apr 2019 - South Wales Argus

Farage's Brexit Party spends big on Facebook ads

The Brexit Party of arch-eurosceptic Nigel Farage outspent both the Labour and Conservative Parties on political advertising ahead of the European elections during the Easter break, according to data published by Facebook. The Brexit Party, which is campaigning for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU at the earliest opportunity, spent £11,523 on Facebook ads between April 14 and April 20, a figure that dwarfs the £6,646 and £6,251 spent by the Labour and Conservative parties respectively, across the same period. Meanwhile, Change UK, a new party established by pro-EU advocates only begun advertising on Facebook on Tuesday, and has so far spent considerably less.
28th Apr 2019 - Euractiv.com

The Observer view on the Labour manifesto: get off the fence, Mr Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn put honesty and integrity – the idea of doing politics in a different way – at the heart of his pitch for the Labour leadership four years ago. That makes Labour’s long-standing failure to clarify whether or not it is decisively in favour of a confirmatory referendum on any Brexit deal all the more depressing. Ambiguity remains the name of the game as we approach the European elections in just a few weeks. A draft campaign leaflet that was leaked last week did not even mention a referendum, pledging that Labour would seek “a better deal with Europe” after Brexit.
28th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Support for EU membership above 80% in most member states amid Brexit mess

Support for remaining in the EU stands at well over 80 per cent in the majority of member states, a new continent-wide poll has found – with Britain’s political crisis apparently a poor advert for leaving. The survey by Kantar asked people how they would vote in an in-out referendum and found that Luxembourg (94 per cent), Portugal (92 per cent), Ireland (91 per cent), and the Netherlands (91 per cent) had the highest support for EU membership out of the 28 countries in the bloc. Apart from the UK the highest level of support for leaving was in the Czech Republic, where 66 per cent supported Remain and 34 per cent Leave. Italy was close behind as the next most Eurosceptic country, with 72 per cent Remain and 28 per cent Leave. Austria and France were the third and fourth most Eurosceptic.
28th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Labour: Government still refusing to move on Brexit red lines in cross-party talks

There appears to be no end to the Brexit deadlock in sight, with Labour again accusing the government of refusing to budge on its red lines in cross-party talks. Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey told Sky News there needed to be "hard and fast" progress in the discussions, which will continue this week. She also denied suggestions from the Conservatives that her party was stalling, saying "we're certainly not dragging our heels". Ms Long-Bailey told Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "Honestly I think the discussions so far have been productive, they've gone into a lot of detail, there seems to be a willingness on both sides to move towards some form of consensus.
28th Apr 2019 - Sky News

Labour frontbencher Rebecca Long-Bailey refuses to say if second referendum is a 'red line' if government agrees to party's proposals

A Labour frontbencher today refused to say if a second referendum is a “red line” for the party if the government meets its Brexit proposals. Talks between the Conservatives and Labour are set to resume this week in an effort to find a solution to the stalemate. When shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey was asked on Sky News’ Sophie Ridge on Sunday whether a second poll was one of the party’s demands in the talks, she said Jeremy Corbyn and his team were "not being hugely prescriptive on the minute detail of specific elements because we are willing to compromise and we are willing to be flexible".
28th Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

2019 European elections: Tories aim not to have to fight campaign

Brandon Lewis has refused to say when the Tories' European election campaign will launch, saying his priority is not to have to fight them at all. The UK is due to elect new MEPs on 23 May, after Brexit was delayed amid continuing parliamentary deadlock. Several parties have launched their campaigns already but Conservative chair Mr Lewis told the BBC his focus was on next week's local elections. The UK is due to leave the EU on 31 October, or sooner if a deal is agreed. This means the UK must now hold European Parliament elections on 23 May if it wants to avoid leaving the EU without a deal. But if agreement can be reached among MPs before 22 May, the UK could cancel its participation in the elections.
28th Apr 2019 - BBC

No-deal Brexit option should be on ballot paper says second referendum backer

The option of a no-deal Brexit should be on the ballot paper in a second referendum, the interim leader of Change UK has suggested. Heidi Allen said she felt that the choice should be offered to voters as to some people it represents a "clean Brexit" - but added that an option to "remain as we are" must also be included. Ms Allen, who quit the Tories in February to join the Independent Group, also said the new party had to be about more than just Brexit. In an interview with The House magazine, Ms Allen said she has "some sympathy" for allowing a no-deal option on the ballot paper in a second referendum.
27th Apr 2019 - Irish Independent

Here's Why Brexit Wasn't Followed By Frexit, Swexit Or Nexit

Instead of becoming a harbinger of the EU's demise, the United Kingdom descended into political chaos and became a cautionary tale for other EU countries. Isabell Hoffmann, who tracks opinion in the EU for Bertelsmann Stiftung, a German independent foundation, says Brexit hasn't hurt the EU's standing — it's helped it. "We do see a Brexit effect in the numbers when it comes to support for the European Union," says Hoffmann. "Actually, they go up in a significant manner, and they stay up ever since." That support is up by 10 percentage points since the 2016 referendum, she says. "There are now roughly 70 percent of people who'd say 'we would vote for our country to stay in the European Union.' "
27th Apr 2019 - NPR

Brexit: Irish backstop could undermine EU standards, report says

A new report, commissioned by the German Green party and seen by the Guardian, will exacerbate concerns in Berlin over the small print of the withdrawal agreement in its current form. As the dust settles after months of chaos in Westminster, suspicions are growing on the other side of the Channel that the backstop could in fact be the very opposite: a brilliant deception device constructed by crack UK negotiators, which would allow a more reckless British prime minister to undermine the EU’s green and social standards while still keeping access to the European single market.
27th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit Party candidate 'sick and tired' of Leave voters being branded 'racist' and 'homophobic'

A candidate for Nigel Farage's Brexit Party has said he's 'sick and tired' of Leave voters being branded 'homophobic' and 'racist' by the media. Louis Stedman-Bryce, a black openly gay man, announced his candidacy for the party on Thursday at a press conference in Manchester. Speaking at the conference, he said: Our democracy has been betrayed by the media’s portrayal of the type of person that voted for Brexit. The perception out there is that we’re white, we’re homophobic, we’re definitely racist and we didn’t know what we voted for. I stand before you as a gay black man and I can definitely tell you I know what I was voting for when I voted for Brexit. Stedman-Bryce, who is a property investor, will head up the EU's Parliamentary Election campaign in Scotland, reports Pink News.
27th Apr 2019 - The indy100

Why the European Parliament elections will be the most European yet

With both the Far Right and the Pro-European political parties gearing up to fight the European elections in May, The Economist believes it looks set to be the most 'European' election to date
27th Apr 2019 - The Economist

Hammond optimistic of finding Brexit compromise with Corbyn's Labour

Chancellor Philip Hammond said on Friday that he was hopeful of clinching a Brexit compromise with the Labour Party to allow the ratification of Prime Minister Theresa May’s thrice-defeated divorce deal.
27th Apr 2019 - Reuters UK

Gavin Esler: In just 10 minutes I knew I had to run as an MEP

Esler hadn’t been interviewed for a job since he applied to be North America Correspondent at the BBC in 1989. Over Skype, Heidi Allen “with two or three other people in the room” asked him questions. “‘Why do you want to do it?’ and so on.” It lasted around three-quarters of an hour. “I didn’t think I would get it,” he adds. But at six o’clock on Easter Sunday he answered the phone to Chris Leslie, who said they would like him to run, at the top of the list.
27th Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

Triumph for Extinction Rebellion as protests spark huge surge in ‘climate change’ web traffic

Alanna Byrne, a press coordinator for Extinction Rebellion, said the protests were “hugely successful” and they were pleased with the way the “message has travelled”. “Most of the feedback that we’ve had has been very positive, and even the right-wing press has been covering us pretty well,” she added. She also claimed that the protests were justified, despite criticism of the organisation’s techniques. “People have to understand that this is urgent and we have to act now,” she said. “We think the government has to do their part and take action now as well. We’re really sorry to the public for being disruptive – but at the end of the day if we don’t cause this temporary disruption now, the disruption in the future is going to be horrifying.”
27th Apr 2019 - The Independent

2019 European elections: Lib Dems stand on 'stop Brexit' message

The Liberal Democrats have launched their European election campaign with an "unambiguous" pledge to stop Brexit. Leader Sir Vince Cable accused the Conservatives and Labour of a "stitch-up" and said a "people's vote" was the only way to end the Brexit "paralysis". He added it was "a pity" that fellow Remain-backing party Change UK had not agreed to running a combined campaign. The UK is due to leave the EU on 31 October, after Brexit was delayed, amid continuing parliamentary deadlock.
27th Apr 2019 - BBC

BBC's Katya Adler WARNS EU could let UK 'walk away' with no deal if October deadline met

BBC Europe Editor Katya Adler has claimed the European Union may just let the UK walk away from the bloc without a Brexit deal if an agreement is not reached before the end of October.
27th Apr 2019 - Express.co.uk

Brexiteer Conservatives are KILLING the Union claims former Theresa May aide

Mr Wilkins said Prime Minister Theresa May had gone back on her election pledge to bring back the former Conservative and Unionists party name. Speaking on BBC Newsnight, he argued that Mrs May had not stuck to that pledge. When quizzed by the show’s host Emily Maitlis, Mr Wilkins said: “The Prime Minister talked about going back to the real name of the party and made it a central plank with a lot of narrative. Ms Maitlis then asked whether this meant she had forgotten about the union, he added: “There is a big element in the Conservative Party who would like it to be an English national party, with a Scottish version, a Welsh version. “But for them, Brexit and ideally no deal Brexit in their eyes is far more important than maintaining the union.”
27th Apr 2019 - Express.co.uk

Inside the dark world of the Tory whips and their dirty tricks

In a party so ill-disciplined that top secret decisions like Huawei landing Britain’s 5G contract get leaked to the Telegraph, it is perhaps no wonder Government whips have had their work cut out of late. As the MPs responsible for making sure as many members of their party as possible vote the way Theresa May wants, it is fair to say Brexit hasn’t brought out the best in the current crop of whips. Reports of dirty tricks and skullduggery lie at the heart of an aggressive campaign to persuade Tories to back the Prime Minister’s widely unpopular withdrawal agreement. Yesterday Johnny Mercer, the Conservative MP for Plymouth Moor View, once again accused the Government’s enforcement officers of skullduggery
27th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Nearly 90 MPs And MEPs Demand Labour Backs Second Referendum In Euro-Elections

Amid growing frustration among the party’s pro-EU rank and file that the leadership will block any campaign for a second vote. HuffPost UK understands trade union figures met today and jointly agreed to press Jeremy Corbyn to include the words “confirmatory vote” in the manifesto for the June 23 poll. But while the leadership was ready to agree the phrase would be in Corbyn’s foreword, it would be banned from the main body of the manifesto, sources have said. Unite, arguably the labour movement’s most influential union, was not at the meeting. A draft leaflet for the Euro-elections, passed to HuffPost UK on Thursday, suggested the party had decided on a pro-Brexit stance, trumpeting a “better deal with Europe” and making no mention of a second referendum.
27th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post

I'm An EU Citizen And NHS Nurse – Here's Why I'm Standing For Change UK

Brexit has turned our lives upside down and I had two options: to sit down and wait for my fate to be delivered to me, or fight for my rights and my beliefs. I choose to stand up.
27th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protesters to stand in European elections

Environmental activists who participated in the recent Extinction Rebellion protests have announced they are standing in next month’s European elections. Nine candidates are running to be MEPs under the banner of Climate and Ecological Emergency Independents – including seven in London and two in the south-west England region – having been “inspired” by the disruptive demonstration across the capital. In a statement, the collective said they wanted to see Europe reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030 and have new citizen assemblies set up to give ordinary people a voice in shaping environmental policy.
27th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Kit Malthouse: Don't pin blame for Brexit chaos on local Tories

While some ministers have found themselves cast into relative obscurity by the Brexit debate, Kit Malthouse planted himself squarely in the middle of it. In January the housing minister brokered a compromise plan formed by an extraordinary coalition of pro-EU and stridently Brexiteer Tories. For a brief period it appeared that the plan could give Theresa May a lifeline in the form of a Brexit plan that might just break the Commons impasse. But the Prime Minister chose not to adopt it as a new negotiating position with the EU. Now, Mr Malthouse, 52, who was a councillor for eight years in Westminster, is concerned that the “unedifying” mess in Westminster could harm the Tories in this week’s local elections
27th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Labour to decide on Brexit public vote on Tuesday, says Corbyn

Labour’s ruling body will decide on Tuesday whether the party will campaign for a public vote on any Brexit deal, Jeremy Corbyn has said on the campaign trail in leave-voting Peterborough. Almost 90 Labour MPs and MEPs, including a number of frontbenchers, wrote to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to demand that its European election manifesto include a “clear commitment to a confirmatory public vote on any Brexit deal”. However, Corbyn declined to guarantee the commitment. He stressed that he was not a dictator and that the matter would be for the NEC to decide.
27th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Corbyn launches bid to declare a national climate emergency

Labour will this week force a vote in parliament to declare a national environmental and climate change emergency as confidential documents show the government has spent only a fraction of a £100m fund allocated in 2015 to support clean air projects.Jeremy Corbyn’s party will demand on Wednesday that the country wakes up to the threat and acts with urgency to avoid more than 1.5°C of warming, which will require global emissions to fall by about 45% from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching “net zero” before 2050.
27th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Labour wants UK to be first country in the world to declare climate emergency

27th Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

We must have a green industrial revolution. And Labour will lead it

27th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

'Young people have the power to swing these elections' says one of the youngest candidates

23-year-old Carmen Smith is one of the youngest candidates standing for any party (Plaid Cymru) in the European elections. Here she writes why she thinks young people have the power to swing the election.
27th Apr 2019 - The New European

Heidi Allen: “The fact people are trying to pick holes shows we must be a bit of a threat”

Ever since she railed against George Osborne’s welfare cuts, Heidi Allen’s relationship with the Conservatives looked fragile. After months of feeling disillusioned with her adopted party, she helped to form The Independent Group. Now interim leader of the rebranded Change UK, the South Cambridgeshire MP is hopeful for success at the European elections – but says Brexit cannot be everything that her party’s about. She talks to Sebastian Whale
26th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

Vince Cable: Let’s train our guns on breaking Brexit and create a new brand of politics

The fact that European elections are happening at all is testament to the dismal failure of Brexiteers to have any real plan for how to deliver what they promised. They now seek to blame Remainers for not “falling in line”, as though we should somehow have ceased to believe what we do because a narrow majority of others disagreed. Yet the real reason Brexit has been delayed — and may well be cancelled — is that those who advocate it cannot agree on what it should look like. The whole project has run into the sand, as it deserved to.
26th Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

SDLP 'want to demonstrate politics work'

The SDLP leader has urged politicians to show those who murdered journalist Lyra McKee that "politics does work ... to have a Brexit committee to deal with the fallout from the UK leaving the EU.
26th Apr 2019 - BBC

Pro-Brexit newspaper puts spin on 8% Remain poll lead

A survey has found that Remain now have an 8% lead over Leave, but one newspaper has put a pro-Brexit spin on its headline. The European Parliament Spring Eurobarometer polls people Europe-wide for attitudes towards the union. It found that while 45% of UK respondents would vote to remain today, just 37% would vote to leave, giving Remain an 8% lead. The other 18% of respondents were unsure.
26th Apr 2019 - The New European

Brexit Party Threatens Tories and They Aren't Even Fighting Back

Nigel Farage is back, doing what he does best: Terrifying Conservative members of Parliament. Theresa May’s deeply divided Conservative Party can’t agree on how to tackle the threat posed by the veteran anti-EU campaigner and founder of the new Brexit Party -- a threat one Cabinet minister described as existential.As long as the Tories fail to deliver Brexit, the minister said, Farage will strip them of votes. The first test of that will be on May 23, when the country is likely to take part in an election to the European Union’s parliament -- even though Britain voted to leave the bloc three years ago.
26th Apr 2019 - Bloomberg

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 26th Apr 2019

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Sir Graham Brady urges PM to support bid to strip Irish backstop from Brexit deal

The Tories’ most powerful backbencher has called on Theresa May to support a fresh Commons bid by Brexiteers to strip the Irish backstop from her EU deal. The Sun can reveal that senior Tory Eurosceptics are planning to table an amendment to the Withdrawal Agreement Bill to remove the controversial insurance plan that keeps Britain tied to the EU indefinitely.
25th Apr 2019 - The Sun

Fury As Corbyn European Elections Leaflet Suggests Labour Backs Brexit

Jeremy Corbyn is facing a fierce backlash from Labour members after a draft leaflet for the European elections said the party would press ahead with Brexit. The leaflet, passed to HuffPost UK, makes no mention of the party’s policy to push for a second referendum on quitting the EU, was sent out to MEPs on Thursday. One Labour insider said: “MEPs were not given these leaflets to review, they were just told: this is what the party is printing and this is what they would have to put out.” The leaflet claims the party will seek a “better deal with Europe” which ensures the UK has “a say on trade deals”, while also underlining party policy on domestic issues. It has left the party’s pro-EU membership furious and dismayed, with one activist telling HuffPost UK: “In what will be an utterly polarised election, standing in the middle will be a bad move.” HuffPost UK also understands that staunch pro-European former minister Lord Adonis, who is standing for Labour in the South West region, was forced to sign a ‘loyalty’ statement or face being blocked as an MEP candidate.
25th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Government refuses public inquiry into 2016 EU Referendum misconduct

The Government has responded to a petition “To establish a Public Inquiry into the conduct of the 2016 EU Referendum,” insisting there are no plans for an inquiry. The response by the Cabinet Office insists that electoral offences “are investigated thoroughly by the appropriate agencies,” but adds “this Government wrote to every household prior to the referendum, promising that the outcome of the referendum would be implemented… This Government stands by this commitment.”
25th Apr 2019 - The London Economic

May plans Withdrawal Agreement Bill vote as early as next week following leadership reprieve

Theresa May is preparing for her next Brexit battle, with a plan to give MPs a vote on the key piece of legislation to take the UK out of the European Union as early as next week. Having just survived another attempted coup on the part of her angry parliamentary party on Wednesday night, the prime minister is now getting ready to ask MPs to ratify her Brexit deal by introducing the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB), which enshrines her Brexit plan into UK law, in the coming days. The move comes amid growing despair over Mrs May's leadership, with the officers of the 1922 committee on Wednesday only narrowly voting against a rule change to allow an early confidence vote in the prime minister.
25th Apr 2019 - Sky News

Accept the British Empire is dead and Brexit has failed, top MEP tells Farage and Brexiteers

Brexiteers must accept that the British Empire is dead and buried, a leading MEP has said before challenging Nigel Farage and his Brexit party to “bring it on” in May’s European elections. Philippe Lamberts, the leader of the European greens and member of the European Parliament’s six strong and influential Brexit Steering Group, said the Brexit Party would be powerless in Brussels even if it triumphs in May’s elections. He backed a second Brexit referendum but warned putting no deal on the ballot paper would turn Britain into a “rogue state”. He told Brexiteers that they never stood a chance of making Brexit a success before attacking Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn for caring more about their parties than the country
25th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Next Tory Leader Must 'Believe In Brexit', Says Ex-Remainer Jeremy Hunt

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has refused to rule himself out as a candidate to be next Tory leader. Asked directly if he would run to replace Theresa May if she stands down, the cabinet minister replied “wait and see”. Hunt, who stepped into the role when Boris Johnson resigned over Brexit, said the next PM must be someone who “believes in Brexit”. While the former health secretary voted Remain in 2016, he has signalled his leadership ambitions by aligning himself with Conservative members and taking a strongly pro-Leave stance. Speaking to journalists in central London on Thursday, he said the next leader should support Brexit “as I do” even if they failed to vote Leave in the past.
25th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Brexit deadlock: Is there any way out of the logjam before the European Elections?

Westminster is still paralysed by Brexit. Things might be a little less techy now that MPs have been able to have their first proper break since Christmas, but the fundamentals haven’t changed. There are several key reasons for the deadlock and only a few things that might break them. Theresa May just won’t quit This week there was yet another failed attempt to oust Theresa May from Number 10. Brexiteer MPs had hoped to curtail her 12-month amnesty from leadership challenges, but the backbench 1922 Committee voted against the idea.
25th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

No-deal better than no Brexit, Jeremy Hunt claims

Pro-Brexit convert Jeremy Hunt has claimed no-deal would be better than no Brexit, as he all but confirmed he will run for Tory leader. In a speech to political journalists in Westminster, the formerly pro-Remain foreign secretary spelled out his new pro-Brexit credentials. Quizzed about the Tory succession, in which he is expected to be a candidate, he said the next leader should support Brexit, "as I do", even if they failed to vote Leave in the past. "It's got to be someone who believes in Brexit, because that is the fundamental mission of the government at the moment," said Mr Hunt.
25th Apr 2019 - Sky News

Scottish independence: UK government 'will not grant indyref2 consent'

Theresa May's deputy has said the Scottish Parliament will not be given the power to hold an independence referendum by 2021. Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington said there was "no evidence" of a surge in support for another vote. And he said the referendum in 2014 had settled matters for a generation. Nicola Sturgeon said on Wednesday she wants a referendum before the next Scottish Parliament election in 2021 if the UK leaves the EU. But the first minister also indicated that Westminster's approval was needed to put the legal status of any vote "beyond doubt". She has not yet made a fresh request to the UK government for this to happen, but told BBC Scotland that Mr Lidington was a member of a UK government that is "clinging to power by its fingertips" and has "zero authority or credibility"
25th Apr 2019 - BBC

IndyRef2 vote will not be allowed by UK Government says top Tory

25th Apr 2019 - Daily Record

Nigel Farage reveals for the first time his Brexit Party WILL stand in next General Election

The Brexit Party is planning to take on the Tories and Labour in the next General Election, Sun Online can reveal. Nigel Farage has confirmed he wants to run candidates for Parliament in future to stop Remainer MPs blocking Brexit. His new party is on course to come top in next month's EU elections just months after it was founded. And in an interview with The Sun, Mr Farage pledged to use the Brussels poll as a "springboard" to take the party into power in Westminster.
25th Apr 2019 - The Sun

Nigel Farage says Brexit Party WILL stand in next General Election

25th Apr 2019 - Daily Mail

Nigel Farage reveals Brexit Party will stand in next General Election

25th Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

Brexit There will be no soft Brexit now. It’s no deal or another vote

The larger Brexit choices of 2019 are starker, too. With the centre option on Brexit collapsing, the decision lies between extremes. We are back to remain or leave, but now in their 2019 versions. The times will inevitably be very divided again. The effective Brexit choice will lie between no deal, promoted by May’s successor and much of the Tory party, and a second vote, hopefully but by no means certainly promoted by Corbyn, and by other parties too. But the choice for pro-Europeans has now been clarified, and no pro-European can doubt where they must stand.
25th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Jeremy Hunt: I would choose no-deal over no Brexit

The Foreign Secretary, who voted Remain in the referendum, said he wanted a "clean" Brexit in order to deliver on the result of the 2016 vote. Mr Hunt also said "wait and see" when asked whether he would throw his hat into the ring to be Tory leader when Theresa May stands down.
25th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

Would Brussels even allow an independent Scotland to join the EU?

Could the European Union allow a newly independent Scotland to rejoin the bloc after Brexit and what conditions would Brussels demand from Edinburgh? Nicola Sturgeon wants a Scottish independence referendum by 2021 if Brexit happens. “Independence,” she said on Wednesday in Holyrood, “would allow us to protect our place in Europe.” But as with so much to do with the European Union, things are nowhere near as simple as that. The European Commission today appeared to rule out any preferential treatment for an independent Scotland. It is possible with enough political will from Brussels and across the EU that rules could be bent to ease Scottish membership. But there are significant reasons why that could be tricky to achieve
25th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

May sets new deadline with Britons to vote in EU elections – ‘GREAT SHAME’

Government insiders say the Prime Minister given up hope of cancelling UK participation in the European Parliament poll by securing Commons approval for her withdrawal deal within the next three weeks. Instead, she is preparing for a determined push to force crucial withdrawal legislation through Parliament in time for the country to quit the EU by the end of June. Her new timetable will mean British voters are set to elect a new troop of MEPs next month - likely to include figures from the new Brexit Party including Nigel Farage and former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe - who will have lost their jobs by the time the new European Parliament assembles on July 2. One source said: “The focus now is on hitting the June 30 deadline so the MEPs don’t take up their seats.” Most Tory MPs expect the party to be hammered in the euro elections scheduled for May 22, with the Brexit Party tipped by many to top the poll.
25th Apr 2019 - Express.co.uk

Vince Cable: Liberal Democrat campaign to stop Brexit is like opposition to Iraq war

Sir Vince Cable will liken the Liberal Democrats’ campaign to stop Brexit to Charles Kennedy's opposition to the Iraq war as he launches the party’s EU election campaign. The Lib Dem leader and Twickenham MP is to say that only his party have the determined army of volunteers standing against the UK’s withdrawal from the bloc. He will say it should be remembered that the Lib Dems had been against Brexit from the start, even though they stood alone.
25th Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

May drops plan for new Brexit vote before local elections

Theresa May has dropped a plan to try to secure parliamentary approval for her moribund EU withdrawal agreement before next week’s local elections, as hopes fade for any cross-party accord with Labour on Brexit. The prime minister wants to ask MPs to vote on legislation to approve Britain’s exit from the EU, but the withdrawal agreement bill was not included in next week’s business for the House of Commons because of fears it would face certain defeat. Mrs May had been considering holding a vote on the bill ahead of the local elections on Thursday.
25th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Defence Secretary accuses civil servants of ‘leaking details of Huawei’s 5G role’

Gavin Williamson has infuriated Whitehall mandarins by accusing them of leaking a secret decision about the Huawei telecoms giant. The Sun can reveal the Defence Secretary pointed the finger of blame at civil servants in the Cabinet Office for the major security breach.
25th Apr 2019 - The Sun

'Hold Wales independence vote if no further Brexit poll'

Wales should hold an independence referendum if Brexit happens without a further EU poll, Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price has said. People could then choose between an independent Wales at Europe's "heart" or a "forgotten second-class region in a dying British state," he said. The independence call goes further than his party conference speech in March. Polling for BBC Wales has put support for independence at less than 10% since 2011. Mr Price said Wales should hold a "new national conversation" about the country's future whatever happens with the UK's departure from the European Union.
25th Apr 2019 - BBC

Labour's National Policy Forum wants party to campaign for Brexit referendum

The International Commission of Labour’s National Policy Forum - which consists of MPs, trade unionists, MEPs, and constituency representatives - has voted unanimously that Labour’s manifesto for European elections should pledge to hold a confirmatory referendum on any Brexit deal. My sources say there were no dissenting voices. On Wednesday all Labour MEPs voted in precisely the same unanimous way, for a referendum. Friday's Labour’s Trade Union Liaison Organisation is likely to inform the party’s ruling NEC that its big union supporters - including Unison, the GMB and USDAW, but obviously not Unite - also want a referendum. So it is increasingly hard to see how Labour’s ruling NEC can at its emergency meeting next Tuesday ignore such widespread membership pressure and do anything but adopt a confirmatory referendum as the foundation of its manifesto.
25th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Brexit: Losing Control

Andrew Duff argues that neither the EU nor the UK is now fully in control. Both are being badly destabilised by Brexit. An accidental no deal is a live possibility. Unless the British have made real progress towards the exit by the time of the next EUCO in June, attitudes will harden — including those of Angela Merkel. Talks between pro-European Tory ministers and the Labour frontbench have a 30% chance of success. If they fail, both leaders are expected to commit to more indicative votes in the Commons, this time rather more ‘meaningful’. Mr Corbyn may want to delay his agreement until after the UK has been obliged by the EUCO to fight a mock election to the European Parliament. But the June EUCO is the next important deadline if British MEPs are to be stopped from taking their seats. The proposal for a ‘confirmatory public vote’ to second guess the House of Commons is badly misconceived. It reduces the chance that the Commons can reach a solid majority on anything and would throw the nation into bitter division, enfeebling further the Westminster parliament and parties. Mr Tusk apart, the rest of the EU knows that another referendum will not resolve its British problem.
24th Apr 2019 - European Policy Centre

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 25th Apr 2019

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The Tories must reinvent themselves as the National Party – or be eclipsed by Nigel Farage

Delivering Brexit and embracing cultural conservatism are key. At the 2015 election, I helped to run the Conservative campaign that stopped Nigel Farage getting into Parliament. Four years on, I wonder if we made a terrible mistake. Back then, Farage forced the Tories to listen to millions of ignored voters. So they promised the Brexit referendum, and said they’d cut immigration. Now, without Farage breathing down their necks, they are breaking both promises.Like many other Brexit supporters, Farage seemed to believe that the will of the people would be implemented by the Government and Parliament. But we were wrong
25th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Lord Adonis praises Jeremy Corbyn's 'sensible' Brexit plan

Adonis said on Facebook that Labour wanted to unite Remain and Leave voters. He has previously demanded a second referendum to 'save Britain from Brexit'. Pro-Europe MPs were left bewildered and said it 'read like a hostage statement.'
25th Apr 2019 - Daily Mail

Theresa May rejects Nicola Sturgeon indyref2 demand and insists UK must 'pull together'

Theresa May has rejected Nicola Sturgeon's demand for a second Scottish referendum, insisting now is the time for the UK to "pull together". The First Minister announced that she wants to have another poll before the next Scottish Parliament elections in two years' time, so long as the UK has left the European Union. In a statement to MSPs, Ms Sturgeon said she would bring forward legislation before the end of this year outlining the rules for another referendum.
24th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

Scottish independence: Nicola Sturgeon outlines plan for second referendum in next two years

25th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Nicola Sturgeon slapped down by No10 after she vows to hold new referendum on Scottish independence

24th Apr 2019 - The Sun

Scottish leader aims to hold new independence vote by 2021

24th Apr 2019 - Myrtle Beach Online

Nicola Sturgeon calls for a second referendum on Scottish independence by 2021 to give residents 'a choice between Brexit and a future for Scotland'

Scots should be given the opportunity to vote again on independence before the next Holyrood elections in 2021 - if Brexit goes ahead, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said today. The SNP leader said she would try to pass plans for a second referendum into law by the end of the year - and dared Theresa May to stop Scotland voting on it again. Speaking in Edinburgh today Mrs Sturgeon argued the current Brexit deadlock at Westminster makes indyref2 necessary, five years after she lost the last one. She said: 'A choice between Brexit and a future for Scotland as an independent European nation should be offered in the lifetime of this Parliament.
24th Apr 2019 - Daily Mail

Sturgeon wants Scottish independence referendum by 2021

Nicola Sturgeon has said she wants to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence by 2021 if the country is taken out of the EU. The first minister told Holyrood that she would introduce legislation soon to set the rules for another vote. But she indicated that she would need the agreement of the UK government before actually holding a referendum. Downing Street has previously said it will not grant a new Section 30 order, which underpinned the 2014 referendum. Ms Sturgeon claimed this position was "unsustainable" and challenged her party to increase support and demand for independence. But the prime minister's official spokesman said: "As we have been repeatedly clear, Scotland has already had an independence referendum in 2014 and voted decisively to remain in the United Kingdom. This should be respected. Our position hasn't changed."
24th Apr 2019 - BBC

@BBCPolitics Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says #IndyRef2 should happen before end of current parliament in 2021

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says #IndyRef2 should happen before end of current parliament in 2021, saying it is "our route to avoiding the worst of the damage #Brexit will do"
24th Apr 2019 - @BBCPolitics

Theresa May is safe until December as party chiefs refuse to change rules so she can be kicked out earlier

Theresa May is safe from a Brexiteer challenge after Tory bosses refused to change party rules so she can be forced out. Conservative grandees tonight voted against allowing a fresh bid to oust the PM to take place within weeks. But Mrs May will have to lay out a "clear timetable" for leaving 10 Downing Street, backbench boss Sir Graham Brady warned. Under Tory party rules, the leader can't be subjected to a no-confidence vote until December after seeing off the last bid to unseat her four months ago.
24th Apr 2019 - The Sun

Secretive hard-Brexit Facebook campaign got 1m responses

A million Britons responded to a secretive Facebook campaign for a hard Brexit overseen by Lynton Crosby’s company, according to the information commissioner, who said the respondents’ email addresses may have been harvested for future use. Elizabeth Denham told MPs her investigation into the Mainstream Network campaign group had raised concerns about how valuable voter data was being collected by the under-the-radar campaign, potentially in breach of data protection rules. Mainstream Network was designed to look like a grassroots campaign and give the impression that the British public was rising up in support of a no-deal exit from the European Union, by encouraging the public to flood MPs’ inboxes with emails demanding one. However, the Guardian has revealed that the supposedly independent pro-Brexit Facebook pages were part of a series overseen by Crosby’s company, CTF Partners. They were backed by up to £1m in online advertising, paid for by an unknown source in a bid to push MPs to reject Theresa May’s Brexit deal.
24th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Tory MPs decide not to change leadership rules to allow fresh bid to oust Theresa May

Tory MPs have rejected the idea of changing the party's leadership rules in order to allow sooner a fresh bid to oust Theresa May, Sir Graham Brady has confirmed.
24th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Boost for Theresa May as senior Tory MPs agree not to make it easier to oust her

24th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

Nigel Farage's Brexit Party Is Outspending Bigger Rivals On Facebook In A Push For Voters Over 40

Nigel Farage’s Brexit party was the top-spending political campaign on Facebook in Britain last week as it ramped up a push for the support of over-40 voters in the European elections. Widely perceived as a serious threat to Theresa May’s Conservatives, Farage’s new party spent £11,523 pushing its pro-Brexit messages on the UK’s most widely used social network, according to Facebook data — nearly twice as much as that of the main parties, Labour and the Tories. In total, the Brexit party has spent around £20,000 since it formally launched two weeks ago. In contrast, the Remain-supporting Change UK, another new party with big ambitions for next month’s European ballot, only just started its Facebook push today. Separate data reviewed by BuzzFeed News reveal that Farage’s new party has been given a significant publicity boost by Facebook users organically sharing news articles relating to the launch, without the Brexit party having to pay anything for it. A column written by Farage for the Daily Telegraph newspaper on the morning of the Brexit party launch on April 11 received more than 110,000 engagements on social media, making it the fourth-most-shared UK politics story of the last month, according to BuzzFeed News’ analysis of data from BuzzSumo, a company that tracks social sharing.
24th Apr 2019 - BuzzFeed news

As Theresa May's Brexit talks with Jeremy Corbyn face collapse, all sides have massive choices to make

There were no political decisions of any substance taken over Easter. The PM, ministers, all politicians were seemingly too exhausted to do anything but roll the Brexit egg down the hill. So all the political news is about process, after the Cabinet and shadow made no Brexit decisions on Tuesday, and the 1922 executive (guardian of Tory party rules) could not agree whether to expedite a new procedure to evict Theresa May.
24th Apr 2019 - ITV News

European elections: Rachel Johnson will stand for Change UK

Boris Johnson’s sister, a former BBC broadcaster and John Major’s health secretary will all stand for Change UK in next month’s European elections, but the party’s launch yesterday was marred when one of its candidates was forced to stand down within hours over comments about Romanians. The pro-Remain party announced its MEP hopefuls from almost 4,000 applicants at a campaign launch in Bristol yesterday. Rachel Johnson, Gavin Esler, a former Newsnight presenter, and Stephen Dorrell, a cabinet minister from 1994 to 1997, were among dozens of candidates on the stage. Heidi Allen, 44, the interim leader, described them as coming from “every corner of the UK” and from “all walks of life”, adding: “These elections are a chance to send the clearest possible message: we demand a People’s Vote and the right to campaign to remain in the European Union.” Ali Sadjady, one of the candidates, rapidly came under scrutiny for a comment he posted on Twitter in 2017: “When I hear that 70 per cent of pickpockets caught on the [London Underground] are Romanian it kind [of] makes me want #Brexit”. The tweet was uncovered by The Independent, prompting the former Conservative supporter, who was running in London, to say that he would stand down “so as not to tarnish” Change UK’s reputation.
24th Apr 2019 - The Times

Ex-Tory minister Stephen Dorrell stands as candidate for anti-Brexit party Change UK

24th Apr 2019 - Coventry Telegraph

As Theresa May's Brexit talks with Jeremy Corbyn face collapse, all sides have massive choices to make

There were no political decisions of any substance taken over Easter. The PM, ministers, all politicians were seemingly too exhausted to do anything but roll the Brexit egg down the hill. So all the political news is about process, after the Cabinet and shadow made no Brexit decisions on Tuesday, and the 1922 executive (guardian of Tory party rules) could not agree whether to expedite a new procedure to evict Theresa May.
24th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Senior Tories demand Theresa May sets a 'clear roadmap' for her departure as Brexiteer coup against her fizzles out

Another Brexiteer coup against Theresa May fizzled out as the party’s senior backbenchers decided not to change the party’s rules to allow an early leadership challenge against her. However, Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the party’s 1922 committee, said that it was time Mrs May set a date for her departure by giving a “clear roadmap” for her exit from 10 Downing Street. Under the party's rules, Mrs May cannot be challenged until December after winning a no confidence vote last December by 200 votes to 117. Some members the party’s ruling 1922 committee had sought to change the rules to allow another vote after just six months.
24th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

John Bercow confirms voters to be given chance to unseat convicted Tory MP

Tory MP Chris Davies was fined £1,500 and ordered to carry out 50 hours' community service at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday. The Commons Speaker told MPs that a recall petition will now be held in his Brecon and Radnorshire constituency.
24th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

Boris Johnson’s rivals trying to destroy Tory leadership bid by keeping May in power

Boris Johnson’s rivals are desperately trying to keep Theresa May in power for as long as possible - because it is the only way to destroy his bid to become Conservative Party leader, insiders have claimed.
24th Apr 2019 - Express.co.uk

Labour can stop the poisonous Brexit Party winning if we back a People’s Vote

Farage has no real interest in the deep-seated problems people face — insecure jobs and wages, crumbling public services, poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity. He has no ideas for how to address the real challenges facing our country. Just bigoted politics and empty slogans. The antidote to the poison Farage is pushing is the same as it has always been — a strong dose of progressive values, the championing of international solidarity and a willingness to face down the hatred that he represents directly and without fear. That’s what I’ve always tried to do in my role as an MEP, and it’s what I will continue to do if I’m re-elected in the upcoming European parliament elections.
24th Apr 2019 - The Times

Boris Johnson’s rivals trying to DESTROY Tory leadership bid by KEEPING May in power

The former Foreign Secretary is surging ahead in the popularity stakes in the race to become the next Prime Minister. In a further blow to Theresa May, several Brexiteers today sought to change the party's rules to enable MPs to force her out within a matter of weeks. However, the executive of the 1922 committee rejected the rule change but indicated they want a clearer timetable for her departure.
24th Apr 2019 - Express.co.uk

Support for Extinction Rebellion soars after Easter protests

Support for Extinction Rebellion in the UK has quadrupled in the past nine days as public concern about the scale of the ecological crisis grows. Since the wave of protests began more than a week ago, 30,000 new backers or volunteers have offered their support to the environmental activist group. In the same period it has raised almost £200,000 – mostly in donations of between £10 and £50 – reaching a total of £365,000 since January. The group said the figures showed the public was waking up to the scale of the crisis, adding that pressure was growing on politicians to act.
24th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Could the tragedy of Lyra McKee unite a divided Northern Ireland?

There have been many dreadful murders followed by high-profile funerals over the years in Northern Ireland. Several during the Troubles were themselves targets for bombings and shootings. Others became opportunities for paramilitary parades which merely deepened community enmities and exacerbated personal animosities. Funerals too often were not salutary moments from which people concluded that violence was destructive and futile; they were the warp and woof of the province’s tragic sectarianism. The funeral of Lyra McKee in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, was as far removed from that grisly past as can be. An author and journalist, she was killed last week when a terrorist claiming allegiance to the new IRA opened fire on police and a bullet hit poor Lyra
24th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

A no-deal Conservative Party has no future

Dumping May and building a new angrier, more working-class coalition is superficially appealing but doomed to fail. No-dealers would not come away empty handed. For they would still have that most valuable political commodity: a sense of resentment. Around this a new Conservative coalition can be built — angrier, whiter, more working class, more northern. This no-deal Conservative Party would have chosen new allies, new champions and new seats to win. It’s a plausible political strategy, but will it produce a new majority? And if it did, would it be a majority the right would want? The no-deal Conservative Party will struggle in cities, struggle to win over ethnic minorities, struggle to persuade younger voters. Maybe there is a protest European election victory in that, maybe at a pinch even one solid general election performance, but there isn’t a sustainable new majority.
23rd Apr 2019 - The Times

‘Scots voted to stay in the UK and Europe but cannot do both’ - Keating

The United Kingdom and Scotland are both caught in their own constitutional deadlocks. Westminster is caught in a Brexit bind, with no majority for anything. Both Conservative and Labour leaderships seem to accept that the voters gave Parliament a mandate in June 2016 – but nobody can explain what the mandate was for, given the multiple versions of Brexit on offer. So the critical decision is constantly postponed. Scotland voted to stay in the UK in 2014 and to stay in the EU in 2016 but has been told that it cannot do both. The Scottish Parliament has a pro-independence majority but in the nation at large there is no combination of Yes/No and Remain/leave commands majority support.
24th Apr 2019 - The Scotsman

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 24th Apr 2019

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Rachel Johnson and Gavin Esler to stand for Change UK

The anti-Brexit party Change UK has launched its European elections campaign, revealing a slate of 70 candidates that includes Boris Johnson’s sister, seasoned politicians disillusioned with their parties, and people completely new to politics. Rachel Johnson said she was standing to make sure Brexit did not wreck the chances of a bright future for her children and other young people, and that her decision to stand was not an attack on her Brexiter brother. Johnson, a writer and journalist who will stand in south-west England, did not speak from the stage at the launch event in Bristol but said afterwards: “I’m sure that Boris understands why this is not a vote against Boris. This is a vote for change. We need to move the dial. People need to have a say.”
23rd Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Join the Remain alliance, urges Change UK at Euro election launch

23rd Apr 2019 - BBC

Boris Johnson’s sister to stand as anti-Brexit European elections candidate

23rd Apr 2019 - Metro UK

Rachel Johnson Change UK candidate: Why is Boris Johnson's sister standing in EU election?

23rd Apr 2019 - Daily Express

Change UK – The Independent Group launches European election campaign in Bristol

23rd Apr 2019 - Bristol24/7

Rachel Johnson reveals plans to stand as European elections candidate for Change UK and takes swipe at brother Boris

23rd Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

Nicola Sturgeon set to unveil party’s Scottish independence plans

Nicola Sturgeon is being urged to “take independence off the table” as she prepares to make a statement in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday on her plans for a second referendum. The SNP leader will make a “detailed and substantive” address to MSPs on Wednesday afternoon on Scotland’s future in light of the Brexit turmoil and set out her thinking on the staging of a second independence referendum, which she has pledged to hold. “The First Minister will give a detailed and substantive statement, setting out a path forward for Scotland amid the ongoing Brexit confusion at Westminster,” a spokesman for the SNP leader said. “The First Minister will take time to set out her thoughts on that front and, in doing so, she will seek to strike an inclusive tone.”
23rd Apr 2019 - The Scotsman

Sturgeon to set out case for second independence vote

23rd Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Greta Thunberg: Teen activist says UK is 'irresponsible' on climate

Teenage activist Greta Thunberg has described the UK's response to climate change as "beyond absurd". In a speech to MPs, the Swedish 16-year-old criticised the UK for supporting new exploitation of fossil fuels and exaggerating cuts to carbon emissions. She was invited to Westminster after inspiring the school climate strikes movement. Environment Secretary Michael Gove said "we have not done nearly enough". In her speech in Parliament on Tuesday, Miss Thunberg said the UK was supporting shale gas fracking, greater exploitation of North Sea oil and gas fields and expanding airports. "This ongoing irresponsible behaviour will no doubt be remembered in history as one of the greatest failures of humankind," she said. She also described the UK's carbon emissions reduction as the result of "very creative" accounting. The country's reported 37% reduction in emissions since 1990 was only 10% when aviation, shipping, imports and exports were counted, she said.
23rd Apr 2019 - BBC

Swedish teen accuses UK of 'irresponsible behaviour' over climate

Britain’s opposition leaders met Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg on Tuesday to discuss what the teenager calls an “existential crisis” for humanity. After months of Brexit tumult, climate change has leapt back up Britain’s political agenda due to protests that closed some of London’s traffic arteries. Thunberg, who rose to global prominence by staging a school strike to protest about the climate, has praised the “Extinction Rebellion” sits-ins in London. The police have arrested 1,065 people and charged 71 in connection with the Extinction Rebellion protests that targeted Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge and other parts of London.
23rd Apr 2019 - Reuters

Climate change: Miliband says UK should declare emergency

Ed Miliband has called on the energy minister to persuade Theresa May to declare a “climate emergency” in the UK. The former Labour leader asked Claire Perry about the Extinction Rebellion protests in London over the last week, saying it was "no wonder" activists were taking such a stand given the seriousness of the threat. Teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg was watching from the public gallery in the Commons.
23rd Apr 2019 - BBC

'You did not act in time': Greta Thunberg's full speech to MPs

Around the year 2030, 10 years 252 days and 10 hours away from now, we will be in a position where we set off an irreversible chain reaction beyond human control, that will most likely lead to the end of our civilisation as we know it. That is unless in that time, permanent and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society have taken place, including a reduction of CO2 emissions by at least 50%. And please note that these calculations are depending on inventions that have not yet been invented at scale, inventions that are supposed to clear the atmosphere of astronomical amounts of carbon dioxide.
23rd Apr 2019 - The Guardian

What the Papers Don’t Say about Extinction Rebellion

Much of XR's resilience is due to its decentralised collection of autonomous Affinity Groups of about 12 activists, based on the Spanish Civil War model. They follow a three-stage process of action, reflection and rest. In practice, this means that activists can create their own groups and decide their own actions as long as they follow XR’s Ten Principles and sense check with another group. Of course, these groups do work together for larger actions, but they do this as equals. This means that XR itself is like a living organism and much more sustainable than previous activist groups.
23rd Apr 2019 - Byline Times

Donald Trump's state visit to the UK set for 3 June

Mrs May said June's state visit was an "opportunity to strengthen our already close relationship in areas such as trade, investment, security and defence, and to discuss how we can build on these ties in the years ahead". But shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry voiced concerns about the visit, saying: "It beggars belief that on the very same day Donald Trump is threatening to veto a United Nations resolution against the use of rape as a weapon of war, Theresa May is pressing ahead with her plans to honour him with a state visit to the UK."
23rd Apr 2019 - BBC

Nick Thomas-Symonds: "Brexit has produced a more assertive parliament"

Like his political hero, Nye Bevan, Nick Thomas-Symonds hails from the South Wales Valleys. From excelling at school to a successful career as a barrister, his trajectory has always been upwards. Now shadow solicitor general, does the 38-year-old have higher ambitions? He talks to Sebastian Whale
23rd Apr 2019 - Politics Home

Chuka Umunna: European elections are a chance to tell Parliament what Britain really wants

At Change UK — The Independent Group, the new party of former Labour and Conservative MPs which started life just a few weeks ago, we have a different view. We welcome these elections as a chance for the British people to send an unequivocal message to the political establishment: we want the final say on Brexit and we want to remain in the European Union.
23rd Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

Theresa May could abandon talks with Labour and hold a FOURTH Commons vote on her Brexit deal next week instead

As cross party talks to pass the EU agreement began again yesterday after the Easter break, frustrated Mrs May accused Labour of dragging its feet. No10 is considering trying to speed up the process by asking Parliament to ratify the Brussels deal anyway by introducing the Withdrawal Agreement Bill that enshrines it in law. Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom were among several senior ministers who lobbied the PM for the emergency move during a meeting of her top table yesterday. It would be high risk without any newly-established majority ready to support it.
23rd Apr 2019 - The Sun

Election interference is 'online harm', MPs hear

Adverts using disinformation to influence elections is a "significant online harm" needing urgent action from the government, MPs have been told. Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham spoke to a parliamentary committee looking at disinformation. She said that she was surprised that a recent government White Paper on online harms had failed to address the issue of political adverts online. It was "a gap" that needed to be addressed, she said. "I was surprised and disappointed that there wasn't more focus on what I think is a huge societal harm, which is around electoral interference and the need for more transparency in political advertising."It's surprising to me and concerning that the government hasn't done a comprehensive examination of political advertising and the oversight that's needed in this space."
23rd Apr 2019 - BBC

Labour says Theresa May unwilling to offer key Brexit concessions

Labour has accused Theresa May of failing to offer any substantive changes to her Brexit deal in cross-party talks, as Downing Street’s hopes of a breakthrough in time to avoid taking part in European parliamentary elections waned. Brexit talks resumed on Tuesday between a team of ministers and shadow ministers. But Labour sources said the government team again appeared unwilling to countenance changes to the political declaration, which sets out the UK’s future relationship with the EU. Instead, ministers offered alternative ways of giving reassurance about the issues Labour has raised, such as on environmental standards and workers’ rights, including through redrafting the withdrawal act implementation bill (WAB) and tweaking separate planned government bills.
23rd Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: Calls for progress on cross-party deal talks

The government says "progress needs to be made urgently" on Brexit talks with Labour - but that arranging time with the opposition has been "difficult". Senior figures from both sides have been trying to break the deadlock by agreeing a Brexit deal MPs can support. No 10 said talks had "been difficult in some areas", including "timetabling". But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the government "really needs to move on" and change its Brexit agreement to solve the impasse. He said: "We cannot go on hearing this tired old mantra that the Brexit agreement has to be adhered to." The deal Theresa May negotiated with the EU has been rejected twice by Parliament, with the withdrawal agreement - the terms on how the UK leaves the bloc, rather than its future relationship with it - defeated a further time.
23rd Apr 2019 - BBC

Tory Remainers desperately try to cobble together a ‘stop Boris’ plan to stop Johnson running away with Tory leadership contest

Former Foreign Secretary is a clear favourite among member to be new leader. So moderate Tories are plotting to vote tactically to force him out of race he is leading, Mr Johnson is backed by 33% in new poll on influential Conservative Home website. His rival Dominic Raab on 15 per cent with Michael Gove next on eight per cent. Three out of five Tory voters to back Farage's Brexit Party at European elections
23rd Apr 2019 - Daily Mail

Brexit: Theresa May accuses Labour of dragging its heels in talks to find compromise

No 10 goes public on fears that Jeremy Corbyn does not share a desire to avoid next month’s European elections. The criticism is striking because it is the first time the government has turned on Labour since approaching the opposition three weeks ago. Until now, it has been Mr Corbyn’s party that has blamed the prime minister for the lack of progress, accusing her of refusing to shift on her red lines – in particular, membership of a customs union.
23rd Apr 2019 - The Independent

Nigel Farage claims his new Brexit Party could 'stop a second referendum'

Speaking at an event in Westminster, Mr Farage said: “Leavers have to get themselves mentally prepared that there could be a second referendum. “Rather than just saying it is never going to happen.” He added: “It seems to me that the better the Brexit Party does on 23 May, the less chance there is of the people of this great country being insulted by being made to vote again.
23rd Apr 2019 - The Independent

Theresa May Tries To Blame Labour For Brexit Deadlock As Euro Elections Loom

Theresa May has tried to blame Jeremy Corbyn for the continuing deadlock over Brexit, suggesting that Labour is happier than the Tories to contest the coming Euro elections. As cross-party talks between government and the opposition restarted on Monday, the prime minister hit out at Corbyn with her clearest warning yet that he was deliberately trying to slow down the negotiations. And in a sign of fresh tensions on both sides, the Labour leader accused May of “regurgitating” failed plans that had been rejected three times by parliament.
23rd Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Theresa May plans new Commons Brexit vote in high-stakes move

Mr Corbyn told the BBC that the government “really does need to move on” and change Mrs May’s deal for there to be any hope of a breakthrough in the talks. “We cannot go on hearing this tired old mantra that the Brexit agreement has to be adhered to,” he said, signalling that Labour would not vote for the withdrawal treaty unless there was an understanding with the government on future ties with the EU. Approval for the legislation on the exit treaty would kick off a tortuous passage through parliament during which the bill could be amended. Attempts to add a customs union — which is at the heart of Mr Corbyn’s demands — or a second referendum would be expected.
23rd Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Join the Remain alliance, urges Change UK at Euro election launch

Change UK has launched its campaign for the European Parliamentary elections, with 70 candidates including journalist Rachel Johnson - sister of Tory MP and leading Brexiteer Boris Johnson. The party - formerly known as The Independent Group - is made up of 11 MPs who quit Labour and the Tories. They are preparing for the European election as the latest Brexit delay means the UK may have to take part. Change UK are a pro-Remain party who back another referendum on Brexit. Ms Johnson, who was most recently a member of the Liberal Democrats, said: "I'm sure that Boris understands why this is not a vote against Boris. "This is a vote for change. We need to move the dial. People need to have a say." Interim leader Heidi Allen told the event in Bristol: "These elections are a chance to send the clearest possible message - we demand a People's Vote and the right to campaign to remain in the European Union. We are not afraid to say it as clearly as that.
23rd Apr 2019 - BBC

What will happen next with Brexit now MPs are back in Westminster?

Cross-party talks to break the deadlock will resume this week but a solution to the current crisis seems a long way off
23rd Apr 2019 - The Independent

50 MPs From Seven Parties Join Forces On ‘Issues Ignored Because Of Brexit’

More than 50 MPs have launched a cross-party movement to work together on “issues ignored because of Brexit”. The ‘More United’ group, dubbed ‘politics for the Netflix generation’, features politicians from seven different political parties, including Labour, Tory, SNP, Lib Dem, Green, ChangeUK and Plaid Cymru. The new network, which includes leading MPs David Lammy, Nicky Morgan and Caroline Lucas, will help fund candidates who campaign on poverty and homelessness, responsible technology, mental health and urgent climate dangers. Backed by 150,000 members, it has already helped MPs from different parties to work together on issues like immigration visas, restoring the ‘Enable Fund’ for deaf and disabled people and access to Legal Aid. MPs who lead and support More United campaigns will be eligible to receive money and volunteers from the movement at general elections, with almost £500,000 raised via crowdfunding and 54 candidates supported in 2017.
23rd Apr 2019 - Huffington Post

Nigel Farage can’t escape the foul legacy of Ukip

Is it unfair of me to point out that under Farage, Ukip was the party with councillors, candidates and even MEPs who spoke of “Bongo Bongo Land”, of telling Sir Lenny Henry to move “to a black country”, of having a “problem” with “negroes” because there was “something about their faces”? Back in 2014, the year of their triumph in elections to the European parliament, they had a councillor who blamed floods on God’s wrath at new laws to allow gay people to get married. Farage himself has spoken of his unease at hearing foreign languages spoken on trains, and has blamed immigrants for clogging up the M4 — and that’s before one even mentions his campaigning in the EU referendum. His horror at how Ukip has turned out reminds me of Captain Renault’s horror at gambling in Casablanca. Shocked, he was, shocked.
23rd Apr 2019 - The Times

After 40 years of EU ignorance, we are all experts now

If Brexit is stopped either through a people’s vote or revocation (still unlikely), the work must begin to discuss – objectively and dispassionately – the merits and demerits of membership. That would need to be shorn of false information (the £350 million claim being only the most egregious of many) and bombast. On leaving, if that is what we do, a new generation has it in its gift to start talking about Europe in a different way. The simple act of leaving will usher in a decade or more of negotiations. Those who thought Europe would be “over” have seen nothing yet. Complacency and ignorance characterised more than 40 years of membership. We are all experts now.
23rd Apr 2019 - The Times

Farage unveils new batch of Brexit party election candidates

Nigel Farage has unveiled five more candidates who will contest next month’s European elections for his new Brexit party. Claire Fox, a broadcaster and former Communist party member, will fight the May 23 poll for the party. Other candidates named on Tuesday included James Glancy, a former soldier and conservationist, Matthew Patten, a business and charity director, Lance Forman, the owner and chairman of the smokehouse H Forman & Son, and Christina Jordan, a former nurse. Speaking in central London, Mr Farage said the party was already “doing very well” with Conservative voters and would now set its sights on targeting Labour supporters. “Brexit is not about left or right. It is about right and wrong”, he said.
23rd Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 23rd Apr 2019

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Brexit: Cross-party talks to resume

The government will resume Brexit talks with the Labour Party as MPs return to Westminster following the Easter break. Cabinet ministers, including the PM's defacto deputy, David Lidington, will meet senior opposition figures in an attempt to solve the Brexit impasse. But the resumption of talks has provoked anger among a number of Tory MPs, with senior backbenchers meeting later to discuss their next move. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Theresa May will chair a meeting of her cabinet. Tory MP Nigel Evans, a Brexiteer and critic of Mrs May, told the BBC the government's handling of Brexit had been "frustrating" and that "fresh leadership" was needed. Senior members of the Conservative backbench 1922 committee, which Mr Evans is a member of, will meet late this afternoon. He said: "She's reaching out to the Labour Party and Jeremy Corbyn, when she should have been reaching out to the people."
23rd Apr 2019 - BBC

Emergency meeting set to be called to OUST Prime Minister over Brexit 'farce'

Last night the threshold needed to demand an extraordinary general meeting of the party’s national convention, the most powerful body representing the rank and file, was reached. Sources involved in the plot said the petition had been backed by at least 65 constituency association chairmen after the Prime Minister’s “spectacular failure to deliver” Brexit. “It’s a farce,” they added. “If she’s not capable of doing the job, then somebody come forward that is because this just can’t go on.” It will be at least a month before the meeting can be held and the results of the confidence vote will not be binding on the Prime Minister. But losing the support of the party’s volunteers, who give up their free time to knock on doors to rally support, would heap pressure on her to go. It comes amid a slew of devastating polls for Mrs May as she prepares for local and European elections next month.
22nd Apr 2019 - Express.co.uk

Brexiteers’ Irish border plan gets a boost after Theresa May asks officials to look again at the proposals

Theresa May has asked officials to look again at a rival plan by Tory MPs for the Irish border to escape the disastrous Brexit deadlock. Senior Tory Brexiteers are lobbying the PM to use the new six month delay to mount a fresh push on the EU to adopt their ‘alternative arrangements’ model. The development comes as Theresa May will today come under renewed pressure to call time on stalled talks with Labour for a cross-party exit deal. But replacing the controversial Irish backstop to keep the border open with the 'Malthouse Compromise' formula of stand off customs declarations and checks is still the only way she can win a Commons majority for one, the group insist.
22nd Apr 2019 - The Sun

MPs to warn Theresa May she will be forced out over Brexit failure if she fails to name her departure date

Theresa May will be told by her own MPs to name the date of her departure or face being ousted in June after the Conservative Party’s patience with her finally ran out. Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, will tell the Prime Minister that the party is preparing to change its rules to make it easier to throw out unpopular leaders if they refuse to go. Backbenchers have already set June 12 as the date Mrs May will be forced out if she does not comply - exactly six months on from the day she fought off the last attempt to depose her through a confidence vote in her leadership.
22nd Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

This is why my Change UK-TIG party will not be forming a ‘pro-Remain alliance’ for the European elections

I am a pluralist who thinks tribalism is overrated, so I can see the attraction of a coalition. But no one has been able to explain to me how the practical hurdles can be overcome
22nd Apr 2019 - The Independent

Theresa May could be booted out in June as PM after furious Tory MPs plot to change party rules

Theresa May could be booted out as PM by furious Tory MPs in mid-June under radical plans to be considered by senior figures today. The Sun can reveal the Conservative 1922 committee is expected to vote on an extraordinary proposal to rewrite party rules to allow a new no confidence challenge just six months after the PM survived the last one in December.
22nd Apr 2019 - The Sun

Theresa May to face grassroots no-confidence challenge

Prime Minister Theresa May is to face an unprecedented no-confidence challenge - from Conservative grassroots campaigners. More than 70 local association chiefs - angry at her handling of Brexit - have called for an extraordinary general meeting to discuss her leadership. A non-binding vote will be held at that National Conservative Convention EGM. Dinah Glover, chairwoman of the London East Area Conservatives, said there was "despair in the party". She told the BBC: "I'm afraid the prime minister is conducting negotiations in such a way that the party does not approve." The Conservative Party's 800 highest-ranking officers, including those chairing the local associations, will take part in the vote
22nd Apr 2019 - BBC

Theresa May is forced to abandon plans for major Cabinet reshuffle because of new Brexit delay

Theresa May has been forced to abandoned plans for a major Cabinet reshuffle next month because of the Brexit delay. The new blow to the PM’s survival hopes comes as it emerged that three out of five party members plan to refuse to vote Tory in the euro elections. Close allies had urged the PM to carry out a big clear of her ageing top team. The move would have helped fend off calls for her to resign immediately after an expected local election meltdown on May 2. Ushering in a younger generation of Tory MPs to the Government’s top ranks could have kept the PM in No10 until December, Cabinet allies argued. But the new six-month delay to Britain’s EU exit until October has plunged Mrs May into a fresh crisis and destabilised her yet further. A senior No10 source told The Sun: “A reshuffle is going to be impossible now. Things are just too precarious.
21st Apr 2019 - The Sun

My TED talk: how I took on the tech titans in their lair

For more than a year, the Observer writer has been probing a darkness at the heart of Silicon Valley. Last week, at a TED talk that became a global viral sensation, she told the tech billionaires they had broken democracy. What happened next?
21st Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Nigel Farage second most popular choice among Conservative Party councillors to be next Tory leader, finds new poll

Nigel Farage is the second most popular choice among Conservative Party councillors to be the next Tory leader, a new poll has found. Only Boris Johnson is more popular than the leader of The Brexit Party with Mr Farage ahead of frontrunner candidates including Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid and Dominic Raab. Mr Johnson, the former foreign secretary and prominent Brexiteer, was backed by 19 per cent of Tory councillors as the best option to take over from Theresa May when the field included Mr Farage. The former Ukip leader was supported by 15 per cent of the 781 Tory councillors polled by Survation between April 17 and 19.
21st Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Lord Buckethead reveals plans to stand against Nigel Farage in the Euro elections

Lord Buckethead has revealed plans to stand against Nigel Farage in the European Parliament elections. The candidate, who famously stood against Theresa May in the 2017 General Election, revealed his plans on Friday night. He said “so many” people had “begged” him to run against the former Ukip leader, who recently unveiled his new Brexit Party. Mr Farage is bidding to be re-elected as the MEP for the South East England constituency. Writing on Twitter, he said: “BREAKING NEWS: Since so many have begged me to run against Nigel Farage in the EU Parliament election on May 23, a clever Earthling set up this link for you to fund the cost of the pricey deposit. “Will I agree to run if the goal is met? MY ANSWER: YES!”
21st Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

Nigel and Annunziata’s Brexit show basks in the sun, but winter is coming

Like some sleight-of-hand artiste, Farage has pulled the Brexit party out of his flat cap. One moment it wasn’t there. The next it was leading the polls for the European Union elections. It was set up by Catherine Blaiklock in January, but she had to resign when it emerged that, like so many before her in her previous party, Ukip, she’d written things that were not difficult to construe as racist.
21st Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Remain would win a second Brexit referendum, poll finds

A second referendum would see the population resoundingly vote for the UK to remain in the EU, a new poll has found. The latest Comres poll revealed that Remain would now win by 58 per cent to 42 per cent of the vote. The Comres poll had Remain as heavy favourites if a second referendum were to be held tomorrow. But a separate Yougov poll found that voters had largely become even more sure that they voted the right way first time around almost three years of Brexit uncertainty since. It said 64 per cent of Remain voters were now “more sure” they voted the right way compared to 57 per cent of Leave voters.
21st Apr 2019 - City A.M.

EU president Donald Tusk says Brexit can be stopped: ‘We cannot give into fatalism’

The president of the European Council has warned opponents of Brexit not to “give in to fatalism” and accept Britain’s departure from the European Union. Speaking in the European parliament on Tuesday, Donald Tusk said Europe and Britain needed “dreams and dreamers” to keep the idea of a united Europe alive and the UK in the EU. “During the European Council, one of the leaders warned us not to be dreamers and that we shouldn’t think that Brexit can be reversed,” Mr Tusk told MEPs in Strasbourg. “I didn’t respond at the time. But today in front of you I would like to say at this rather difficult moment in our history that we need the dreamers and dreams. We cannot give in to fatalism. At least, I will not stop dreaming about a better and united Europe.” Mr Tusk said he accepts the result of the EU referendum and that the decision on whether to leave is for the British people, but he has made no secret of the fact he would rather see the UK stay in the bloc.
21st Apr 2019 - The Independent

Change UK rejects growing calls for electoral alliance with other anti-Brexit parties

An alliance of anti-Brexit parties including Change UK will not "ever be likely." Change UK: The Independent Group will probably never form an electoral pact with other pro-EU parties, the party's economics spokesperson Chris Leslie told Business Insider. This is despite polls suggesting that Change UK will suffer from the pro-EU vote being split across numerous parties at next month's European Parliament elections and potentially beyond. Leslie said that Change UK was the clearest anti-Brexit option and urged Lib Dems to quit their party.
21st Apr 2019 - Business Insider

Brexit: second referendum only way to beat Nigel Farage, warns Tom Watson

Labour will never defeat Nigel Farage if it continues to “sit on the fence” over Brexit and offers only “mealy-mouthed” support for a second referendum, the party’s deputy leader says today. In an extraordinary intervention that exposes the tensions at the top of the party over Brexit strategy, Tom Watson warns that Labour will lose to Farage’s new “far right” Brexit party in May’s European elections if it continues to give the impression that “we half agree with him”. Writing in today’s Observer, Jeremy Corbyn’s deputy argues that Labour needs to give much clearer and more enthusiastic backing to another referendum and also spell out a positive, radical vision of how a Labour government could advance socialist values by working with other centre-left parties inside the European Union.Labour will never defeat Nigel Farage if it continues to “sit on the fence” over Brexit and offers only “mealy-mouthed” support for a second referendum, the party’s deputy leader says today. In an extraordinary intervention that exposes the tensions at the top of the party over Brexit strategy, Tom Watson warns that Labour will lose to Farage’s new “far right” Brexit party in May’s European elections if it continues to give the impression that “we half agree with him”. Writing in today’s Observer, Jeremy Corbyn’s deputy argues that Labour needs to give much clearer and more enthusiastic backing to another referendum and also spell out a positive, radical vision of how a Labour government could advance socialist values by working with other centre-left parties inside the European Union.
20th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: Labour must back another referendum - Tom Watson

21st Apr 2019 - BBC

Drubbing looms as Tories face loss of 500 council seats

The Tories look certain to lose up to 500 seats in the English local elections on May 2, but it could be much worse if recent opinion polls turn out to be accurate. Some 8,400 seats in 248 councils fall vacant in England. Five councils have inaugural elections following the abolition or merger of their predecessors and there will be contests for six directly elected mayors. These largely reprise those held on the same day as the 2015 general election when David Cameron formed his majority government. The Tories did well in the local contests, too, winning six in 10 of all seats. Labour fell back and the Liberal Democrats — punished for their role in the coalition — lost 40% of their councillors. Recent by-elections show Labour and the Tories neck and neck in the battle for local votes. The Lib Dems are performing better in these contests than in the polls but are still a long way behind.
21st Apr 2019 - The Times

Change UK: ‘we’re the natural home of the remain alliance’

The anti-Brexit party Change UK will this week unveil its list of 70 candidates for next month’s European elections after receiving more than 1,000 applications from former Labour, Tory, Liberal and Green party activists. The party’s interim leader, the former Tory MP Heidi Allen, who yesterday challenged other leaders to a TV debate, claimed that the exodus from established parties showed Change UK was now the “natural home of the ‘Remain Alliance’” and of people who wanted a second referendum. The party said that, of 3,700 people who had applied to stand under the Change UK banner in the 23 May poll, 895 were former Labour activists, 105 were ex-Liberal Democrats and 92 ex-Greens. Dozens of other applicants had been active in the Tory party, including former MPs. Of the Labour defectors, 32 were either former MPs, or had previously been parliamentary or council candidates.
21st Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Realism is set to strike the EU over the Brexit timescale

The biggest danger of the Brexit extension is a delusion over time. The UK does not really have more than five months to make a decision. In reality, the effective timescale is just a few weeks. Once this drags beyond the scheduled elections of the European Parliament in late May, we enter a world of uncertain scenarios. The divisions that emerged among EU member states during the meeting of the European Council on April 10 are serious. But it would be wrong to characterise the debate as one between France and the rest. Several leaders supported Emmanuel Macron. Come October, the threat is not one of a veto by the French president, but of a shifting consensus. Heiko Maas, the German foreign minister, said in an FT interview that he believed the October deadline was hard. This is becoming a wider consensus view in Germany. Mr Macron is not isolated. He is winning the argument.
21st Apr 2019 - Financial Times

May takes lead in bid to rescue Brexit talks

Theresa May will return from the Easter break on Tuesday, seeking to breathe fresh life into talks with the opposition Labour party as both sides search for a Brexit breakthrough that can avert the need to hold “unwanted” European elections. With time fast running out to secure a deal before the European poll on May 23, the prime minister is also likely to come under growing pressure from her own MPs to stand down if she fails to find a way to break the stalemate. But nearly three weeks after the talks with Labour began, there has been scant evidence of any progress. Labour, which wants the UK to retain close alignment with the single market and a permanent customs union, has been left frustrated over what it says is the Conservatives’ failure to offer any new concessions.
21st Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Only remainers could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory like this

Going into the European elections, the serial splitting of the pro-EU vote has been a masterclass in political incompetence
20th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

First Minister sets out independence plan – with a big warning to critics

Nicola Sturgeon has today set out her “ambitious” and “credible” proposals to win independence as she prepares to update Scotland in the coming days on her plans for a second referendum. In a major intervention the First Minister referred to the ongoing Brexit turmoil and more people being open to back the Yes case, but she suggested such voters may not be won over with easy answers.
20th Apr 2019 - The National

Brexit: Jean-Claude Juncker says any type of departure will be negative

Any kind of Brexit will have “negative consequences” which will be worse for Britain than the EU and be entirely the UK’s responsibility, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said. Mr Juncker said the “ball was in Britain’s court” and urged the House of Commons to support the deal negotiated by Theresa May. A second extension to Brexit was granted to the UK following talks in Brussels earlier this month, with the so-called flextension meaning the departure date will be October 31 this year, or sooner if the Withdrawal Agreement is passed. In an interview with the German Funke Media Groupe, Mr Juncker repeated the words of European Council president Donald Tusk and urged the UK “not to waste time”.
20th Apr 2019 - The Scotsman

EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker: The UK cannot keep delaying Brexit

The UK cannot delay Brexit indefinitely and must stop wasting time, the European commission chief has said. Jean-Claude Juncker warned Britain that its departure from the EU must happen by the new 31 October deadline. "I hope that the British will make use of this time and not waste it again. We cannot keep on putting off the withdrawal date indefinitely," Mr Juncker said.
20th Apr 2019 - Sky News

May to be told to quit by top Conservative - Sunday Times

A top member of Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party will tell her in the coming week that she must step down by the end of June or her lawmakers will try again to depose her, the Sunday Times reported, without citing sources. May survived a vote of no confidence in December and although party rules mean lawmakers cannot challenge her again until a year has passed, lawmaker Graham Brady will tell her the rules will be changed unless she quits, the newspaper said. Brady, who chairs the Conservative Party’s influential 1922 Committee of backbench lawmakers, will tell her that 70 percent of her members of parliament want her to resign over her handling of Brexit, the Sunday Times said. Britain was originally due to leave the European Union on March 29, but that deadline was pushed back to April 12 and then again to Oct. 31 as May failed to break an impasse in parliament on the terms of Brexit.
20th Apr 2019 - Reuters

EU will end up with 50 angry and disruptive MEPs if it forces UK to hold European elections, Liam Fox warns

The EU will end up with 50 “disruptive and resentful” British MEPs if it forces the country to take part in elections to the European Parliament next month, Liam Fox has warned. In an interview with The Telegraph, the pro-Brexit International Trade Secretary pointed out that the parliament, which is due to elect the next European Commission president later this year, “will have an effect on the formation of the next commission”. “The last thing our European partners want are 50 disruptive and resentful UK MEPs,” he added.
20th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

The only man who can stop Nigel Farage from sweeping the European elections is Jeremy Corbyn

At a lavish party for Nigel Farage at London’s Ritz Hotel five months after the 2016 referendum, the man himself predicted a “big, seismic shock in British politics” like Donald Trump’s “total revolution” in the US. Farage told the 100 guests – friends, politicians and journalists (including me) – the UK’s problem was “still being run by the career professional political class”. He feared it would block Brexit. With Ukip seen as a basket case, in the margins of the event, his allies discussed launching a new, online-based movement based on Italy’s Five Star. The Brexit Party is now up and running, the cleverest piece of political branding since New Labour. European parliament elections on 23 May offer the perfect opening; coming almost three years after the referendum, they validate Farage’s repeated claims that politicians would betray the public. Ukip, a home for Islamophobes and misogynists who dismiss jokes about rape as “satire”, makes Farage look respectable. Not surprisingly, the opinion polls suggest his new party is on course for a famous victory. His “big seismic shock” is on the cards.
20th Apr 2019 - The Independent

This paralysing lack of leadership leaves remainers with nowhere to go

The inability of the leading opposition party to oppose extends beyond its sneaky fudges. Labour is no more challenging every half-truth and whole lie made by Nigel Farage than it is exposing the empty nationalism of the seeming limitless supply of Tory leadership candidates. It’s almost as if Jeremy Corbyn and the upper-class Stalinists who surround him are so lost in the infantile leftist belief that the EU is a capitalist and militarist conspiracy, they would rather let the right have its way than reverse Brexit. Without leaders, Labour voters are meant to solve Labour politicians’ problems for them.
20th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Nicola Sturgeon: This plan is ambitious AND credible – it can win us independence

The UK may have descended even deeper into Brexit crisis in recent weeks, but that hasn’t stopped the architects of the 2014 Project Fear campaign – yes, the same people who said Scotland would lose EU membership if we voted for independence – springing back into action. In 2014, they told us there was no way Scotland could agree with the rest of the UK to continue to use the pound sterling – this time, with no hint of irony, they’re throwing their hands up in horror at the suggestion that an independent Scotland might in future choose an alternative to sterling if that is in our best interests. Of course these politicians will always ridicule any suggestion that Scotland is capable of being a successful independent country, because they want us to believe that whatever happens to the UK and no matter what chaos ensues, the status quo is as good as it gets. But most people in Scotland don’t take that view. In 2014, many who ultimately voted No were open to persuasion.
20th Apr 2019 - The National

Theresa May 'boxed in' as voters punish the Tories for Brexit delay

onservative voters are angry and frustrated and the reason is obvious. In April’s monthly ComRes poll for The Telegraph, the only Brexit outcomes ‘acceptable’ to Tory voters were to leave with no deal or, less enthusiastically, agree to Theresa May’s deal. All other options were ‘unacceptable’ to at least 70 per cent of Tory voters. Until the Tory Party realise that Brexit is a visceral issue, outside the flexible political norms of Burkean representative democracy, they cannot recover because the Brexit Party is scratching where the Conservative electorate itch.
19th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Grassroots Conservatives refuse to take part in European election campaign in protest Brexit delay

Grassroots Tories are refusing to take part in next month's European election campaign in protest at the delay to Brexit. In an extraordinary show of defiance, the Conservative group on Derbyshire County Council has effectively voted to go on strike. They have refused to knock on doors or deliver leaflets in support of Tory MEPs, saying they will not take part in the elections because they 'should not be happening'.
19th Apr 2019 - Daily Mail

Members 'won't mention Theresa May on doorsteps' as Tories prepare for election drubbing

Theresa May is now so unpopular with swathes of her own party that some Tory members won’t mention her by name on the doorstep or have ruled out campaigning altogether, it has emerged. The Prime Minister has become synonymous with “betrayal” over Brexit in voters’ minds, leading some activists to try to focus on local issues, rather the Government’s main goal. Tory HQ has even registered a name variation with the Electoral Commission that allows the candidates to appear on ballot papers as “Local Conservatives”, downplaying any link with the PM.
19th Apr 2019 - Herald Scotland

Theresa May faces threat of new confidence vote after European elections amid Brexit backlash

Theresa May could face a new confidence vote in the wake of the European elections under plans that will be considered by senior Tory MPs this week, The Telegraph can disclose. On Tuesday the 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs will meet to discuss whether the rules should be changed to allow a new bid to remove the Prime Minister. Alan Mabbutt, a senior Conservative Party official, has confirmed that the rules surrounding leadership challenges are not determined by the party's constitution but by backbench MPs themselves. It comes as a string of senior Tory called for Theresa May to name a date for her departure amid concerns that the European elections will be a "disaster" for the party.
19th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Journalist shot dead in ‘terrorist incident’ in Northern Ireland

A 29-year-old female journalist was killed during riots in Derry, Northern Ireland, on Thursday night in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident." According to reports, violence broke out following police searches in Derry's Creggan district, with petrol bombs thrown at police Land Rovers.
19th Apr 2019 - Politico.eu

Leave.EU’s latest scandal shows digital propaganda is out of control

Elections can be energising, they can be bruising, and over the past few years the public have been to the ballot box far more often than expected. Two years ago today, Theresa May stood at the lectern outside of No 10 and announced a snap election. It had been less than a year since a divisive referendum, and there wasn’t much appetite from the public or from parliament for yet another campaign. Today, European elections are looming, a public vote on Brexit seems more and more likely, and another snap election is a constant possibility. We are in a time of political crisis and no one knows what will happen next, but trust in our elections is essential to rebuilding public faith in politics. That’s why the government must take urgent action to protect the integrity of our democracy. We do not have the laws we need to defend our democracy from online interference.
19th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Tories and Labour in jeopardy as new voting 'tribes' seek alternatives to the status quo

The Conservatives and Labour are both losing ground to smaller parties, but the Conservatives are hurting more. We analysed recent opinion polls using the new regression techniques which give better accuracy than classic polling approaches. These show a Labour lead of four per cent, with Labour predicted to win 290 seats if there were a new general election. Beneath these headline figures there are identifiable groups of voters who are changing their mind. Using a three-dimensional political landscape, we identified seven tribes, many of whom don't correspond to the traditional left-right spectrum
19th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Clash of Jeremys as Hunt tears into 'Marxist' Corbyn over austerity in fiery online row

Jeremy Hunt, a front-runner for the Tory leadership, has defended the Conservative's austerity programme during a clash with Jeremy Corbyn and said it is the Labour leader's "Marxist regime" that will put Britain's economy at risk. The Foreign Secretary said in an interview this week that he admired the "genius" of David Cameron for convincing people to accept austerity. He said their success in delivering cuts "without poll tax-style riots" had helped "put the economy on its feet to the extent we're now creating 1,000 jobs every single day since we've been in office".
19th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Nigel Farage's Brexit Party is a 'very serious threat' to Labour warns top peer

Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party “poses a very serious threat” to Labour in the European elections, a top party peer has warned. Lord Maurice Glasman said the newly-founded group was a risk to his party if voters felt Labour had ignored the result of the 2016 referendum and backed a second vote.
19th Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

Guy who shouts 'Stop Brexit' at Parliament every day to stand in Euro elections

A man who has yelled "stop Brexit" at Parliament every sitting day for the last 18 months is standing for the European Parliament. Steve Bray, known locally as the "Stop Brexit Guy", began protesting in Westminster in September 2017, wearing a blue and yellow hat and draped in a Union Flag cape. He started as a lone voice, shouting at the seat of democracy once a day. But as time has gone on, and anti-Brexit sentiment has swelled, so has his group of screaming Remainers, hurling an increasingly lengthy stream of invective at the Palace. Along with "stop Brexit", Steve and his group have gradually started adding "It's not a done deal" and "it's not going well, is it?"
19th Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

How May's failed deal shattered EU relations

Donald Tusk, though devastated by a 2016 Brexit referendum result he had predicted, counselled for calm. Brussels had no choice but to wait it out for the formal two years of withdrawal talks to start, he argued. There would be no negotiation without Britain’s formal notification of the wish to leave. Even attempts by the government’s senior Brexit adviser, Olly Robbins, to speak to the EU’s most senior lawyers would be denied until the treaty exit mechanism, known as article 50, was triggered.
19th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit Britain must avoid self-pity and revenge

Most other EU countries have experienced searing humiliations in their recent histories — defeat in war, the collapse of democracy, or occupation by a foreign power. Compared with these, Brexit is pretty mild stuff. If the UK can avoid succumbing to self-pity or a sense of victimhood, Brexit might even serve as a valuable reality-check — one that eventually allows the country to rethink its place in the world, in a calm, unhysterical and unhumiliated fashion
19th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Boris Johnson ‘WOULD WIN’ the Tory leadership contest if Theresa May is toppled in the next few weeks, key all

Both senior Tories are now counting on the votes of more than 50 Conservatives MPs, from a total of 313. But BoJo’s campaign team are convinced he will trounce his successor as Foreign Secretary in phase two of the campaign, a head-to-head run off between the two leading candidates in front of all 150,000 party members.
18th Apr 2019 - The Sun

Nigel Farage has near-total control of Brexit party, constitution suggests

Nigel Farage has almost total control over the new Brexit Party, with power to appoint its governing board and all but no membership to keep him in check, it is understood. The party – which polls suggest could win the European elections – formed in January and registered last week. While more than 100,000 people have signed up to be registered supporters, it is not yet allowing them to become formal members with power to vote on the leadership. It is understood only a handful of people have actual membership of the Brexit party, which is a skeleton operation as it gears up to fight its first election at the European polls. The party’s constitution, released under freedom of information laws, also reveals Farage’s power over the project, with the leader having the ability to appoint four to eight board members and the chairman.
18th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

@SkyNews Brexit Party leader @Nigel_Farage says leaving the EU is about upholding a 'higher democratic principle' and the UK must honour the referendum result, regardless of any economic fallout.

Brexit Party leader @Nigel_Farage says leaving the EU is about upholding a 'higher democratic principle' and the UK must honour the referendum result, regardless of any economic fallout.
18th Apr 2019 - @SkyNews

Labour MPs to urge Jeremy Corbyn not to 'torpedo' Brexit deal

Jeremy Corbyn is to be urged by a group of Labour MPs not to “torpedo” the prospect of a Brexit deal with Theresa May by insisting on a second referendum. The MPs, including Stephen Kinnock and Gloria De Piero, are set to send the Labour leader a letter early next week setting out their “deep-seated reservations about a second referendum”, which they believe would be “divisive but … not decisive”. They also express a worry that insisting on a second referendum would cause talks with the government to collapse, arguing that Conservative MPs would never back such an idea. Labour has committed to keeping a second referendum on the table as an option to stop a “damaging Tory Brexit”, but there are conflicting views at the top of the party about whether to insist on one if Corbyn can secure a deal with the Conservatives.
18th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Disunity to cost anti-Brexit parties seats in Europe poll

Anti-Brexit parties’ failure to agree a unified slate of candidates to fight the European elections next month could cost them half of the seats they would have won as a single group, according to a Financial Times analysis. If the Liberal Democrats, the newly formed Change UK and Green party combined into a single entity to contest the European Parliament elections on May 23, they would win 16 of the 60 seats up for grabs across England, the research found. But with the parties having decided to field separate slates of candidates, only seven seats would be secured, the analysis concluded, based on polling numbers from four organisations.
18th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Britain will have its second referendum – at the EU elections on 23 May

In just five weeks’ time, Britain will have a referendum on Brexit. This will take the form of elections to the European parliament, but in reality this will be a pre-referendum, or, if you like your neologisms ugly, a preferendum. So there is now one simple task: to maximise the vote for parties that support a confirmatory referendum on Brexit, giving the British people a democratic choice between accepting the negotiated Brexit deal and remaining in the EU.
18th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Electing a Brexiteer as next Tory leader will 'wreck' chances of a deal, claims former UK ambassador to EU

Electing a "true believer Brexiteer" as the next Tory leader would likely "wreck" any chance of agreeing a Brexit deal with Brussels, the former UK ambassador to the EU has claimed. Sir Ivan Rogers said Eurosceptic leadership challengers like Dominic Raab and Boris Johnson could make promises to the Tory grassroots to get elected which the bloc would never agree to. Those promises could include reopening the Withdrawal Agreement to delete or change the Irish border backstop protocol - something which the EU has repeatedly said it will not countenance. He said such a pledge would torpedo the talks and any prospect of the two sides agreeing to a new trading relationship.
18th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Putin’s far-right allies gear up for European elections

Last week, leaders of far-right parties from several European Union countries assembled in Milan to announce the creation of a nationalist alliance for the upcoming parliamentary elections. The group, known as the European Alliance for People and Nations, aims to win the largest bloc of seats in the European Parliament and already includes members from Germany, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Austria and France. “We share the same objectives, the same ideals and values,” Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister and the host of the meeting, told journalists ahead of the announcement.
17th Apr 2019 - The Washington Post

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 18th Apr 2019

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Back public vote on Brexit or hand Europe victory to Nigel Farage, voters tell Jeremy Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn will haemorrhage support and hand Nigel Farage a huge victory in the European Parliament elections if he refuses to back another public vote on Brexit, a poll suggests today. The YouGov survey shows Labour risks losing hundreds of thousands of voters if it campaigns for a customs union Brexit, similar to its current policy, before elections next month. Mr Farage’s Brexit Party would storm to victory by 10 points over Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, according to the poll findings.
17th Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

Scotland rejects hostile environment created by Theresa May: Sturgeon

Scotland’s First Minister said one of the most shameful aspects of Brexit has been the treatment of EU citizens. Scotland wants no part of Theresa May’s “despicable” hostile environment, Nicola Sturgeon has said, as she urged action against “xenophobia” in politics. Addressing the STUC conference in Dundee, the Scottish First Minister said the treatment of EU citizens in the UK is one of the most “shameful” aspects of Brexit. She warned the damage of any form of Brexit could not be fully mitigated, and said there would be “nothing disorderly” about Scotland leaving the UK following a vote for independence.
17th Apr 2019 - Shropshire Star

EU election still up for grabs, says report

The European Parliament election is very much up for grabs according to a new report, which claims there are almost 100 million swing voters across the Continent. The report by the European Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank, features data from 14 countries that will take part in May's election and shows, according to the organization's Mark Leonard, that the European electorate is in a “volatile rather than polarised state” with "swathes of voters" moving "fluidly between parties of the right and left.”
17th Apr 2019 - Politico.eu

Let EU citizens vote in UK elections

Today, 50 years on from the UK extending the vote to 18 year olds, British politics is still blighted by democratic inequality. This is particularly stark in the case of the 3.6 million EU citizens living in the UK. In just under three weeks these nationals will have a vote in local elections, but will continue to denied doing so in general elections and referendums. Fifty years on from giving more people the vote we still have a long way to go. Liberal Democrats have campaigned for a People’s Vote for almost three years. I have been proud to lead a party that has unequivocally stated that Britain is better off in the EU
17th Apr 2019 - Metro.co.uk

Revealed: Brexit group covered up its targeting of right-wing extremists

Arron Banks repeatedly lied to cover-up his Brexit campaign’s effort to attract far-right extremists. Leave.EU paid for Facebook adverts targeted at supporters of the National Front, the BNP, Britain First and the EDL. But when the BBC asked for a response to a story they planned to run, Mr Banks sent a barrage of emails in an attempt to get the story dropped. Leaked emails, seen by Channel 4 News, show Mr Banks insisted the BBC’s accusation were “wholly wrong” – despite his own staff telling him the story was true. One Leave.EU employee told him: “Those are our ads, we have targeted those groups since the beginning of the campaign as they gain most traction.”
17th Apr 2019 - Channel 4 News

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon says Scottish independence won't be as chaotic as Brexit

Nicola Sturgeon has insisted there will be “nothing disorderly” about Scottish independence despite the chaos caused by Brexit. The First Minister was branded “deluded” by opponents after pledging a smooth transition to a separate Scottish state just days before she is due to update MSPs about her plans for IndyRef2 . Sturgeon was responding to a Fraser of Allander report which warned a “disorderly” Brexit risks a deep recession in Scotland. But asked if this meant the same was true of independence, Sturgeon said: “There will be nothing disorderly about Scottish independence when it happens.” The First Minister is expected to push for a second independence referendum when the Scottish Parliament returns from the Easter recess on Tuesday.
17th Apr 2019 - Daily Record

Naomi Long: Hold another referendum on Brexit

A party leader in Northern Ireland has called for another Brexit referendum ahead of an expected run for the European Parliament. Naomi Long said she will confirm her decision within the next two days. She leads the centralist Alliance Party, which garners votes from both communities in Northern Ireland and has been strongly pro-Remain.
17th Apr 2019 - Yahoo!

Anti-Brexit adverts are appearing at bus stops and Tube stations in London

Adverts calling for an end to Brexit are popping up in parts of London. The ads have appeared in bus stops and on trains in the London underground, but people aren’t sure who, or what group is putting them up. On one of the adverts that appeared on a circle line train, read: “Stop Brexit: Defend Free Movement.” It had a mock underground map drawn next to it, and labelled: “Possible closure expected”. Another advert at a bus stop has the words “Don’t throw migrants under the bus” written on it, below which is a photo of a double decker bus.
17th Apr 2019 - Indy100

Theresa May could put off Queen's speech amid Brexit turmoil

Some within the government believe May is prepared to ignore demands for a programme of new laws, even though parliament has run out of business to discuss apart from Brexit legislation, which is currently stalled and not bring forward a Queen's Speech, for fear of a vote of confidence on it. A Downing Street source said it would not be fair to say the Queen’s Speech was being delayed, because no official date had been set for one. “There’s no obligation to have one at a fixed point and there’s no immediate plans to bring forward a Queen’s speech,” the source said.
17th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit LIVE: End of Theresa May - 40-50 Tory chairmen in plot to OUST PM in shock new coup

Theresa May could be ousted within weeks thanks to a little-known process never before used by the Conservative Party which would allow “angry and frustrated” grassroots Tories to call for a no-confidence vote. Mrs May’s days as Prime Minister may abruptly end thanks to a no-confidence vote which could be unexpectedly triggered by the National Conservative Convention, which represents the grassroots movements. Party chairmen are circulating a petition calling for an “extraordinary general meeting” which will have to be held if signed by more than 65 association chairmen. Between 40 and 50 party chairmen have already signed it. Dinah Glover, the East of London area chairman, has organised the petition addressing Mrs May as no longer the “right person” to lead the country out of the European Union.
17th Apr 2019 - Express.co.uk

The Leave.EU scandal proves the Brexit vote was rotten – only a second referendum can give us a fair result

The more we know about the Brexit referendum of 2016 the more it feels like a campaign that crossed a few lines. Legal ones in fact, with successful prosecutions against both Remain and Leave groups. The latest accusations levelled at the Leave.EU campaign are disturbing. Then again you only have to read Arron Banks’s candid memoir Bad Boys of Brexit to understand some of the excesses they went in for. We are ready now as we were not in 2016 to make the judgement. We are still divided. We may still vote Leave. But none on either side could say they didn’t know what was at stake. If we do quit, under WTO terms or the May deal then we will do so with our eyes open and our consciences clear. It is the right thing to give people the final say. It is inevitable.
17th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Tom Watson calls for inquiry into Arron Banks and Leave.EU

Tom Watson has called for a judicial inquiry into the activities ahead of the Brexit referendum of the Leave.EU campaign and its main backer, Arron Banks, after claims the group faked a video and photos connected to migrants. Watson, the deputy Labour leader and shadow culture secretary, said the inquiry should have criminal powers. “We cannot allow those who cheat and lie to mock and subvert our democracy (using millions from who knows where) to prevail,” he said in a tweet. In a joint statement, Banks and his close aide Andy Wigmore, who was head of communications for Leave.EU, said they would welcome such an inquiry.
17th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

EU elections: Farage will win unless Labour backs remain, says Beckett

Nigel Farage’s Brexit party, which is currently leading in the polls for the EU elections, will win the contest unless Labour can portray itself as the natural home for remain voters, Margaret Beckett has claimed. Polling commissioned by the People’s Vote campaign suggested the former Ukip leader’s new party was on course for a five-point lead, with remain voters split between Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National party, the Green party and Change UK. “These elections have proven to be rich hunting grounds for Nigel Farage’s brand of extreme rightwing politics before and may be again,” Beckett said. “But the message of this poll is loud and clear: it suggests that if anyone can stop Farage winning, it is Labour – and only if we back [a] people’s vote.”
17th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Key Jeremy Corbyn Ally Katy Clark 'Imposed' As Labour MEP Candidate

A key ally to Jeremy Corbyn has been “imposed” as a top MEP candidate as a bitter battle between Labour party factions came to a head. Katy Clark, who is ... Panel overruled and leader's ex-political secretary handed coveted place in the European Elections candidate list after battle with Momentum pick
17th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Moderate Conservatives eye challenge for party leadership

Moderate Conservative MPs are planning to endorse a candidate for prime minister in an effort to prevent the party being dominated by Eurosceptic Tories after Theresa May steps down. The One Nation group of Conservatives relaunched last month to provide a counterweight to the pro-Brexit European Research Group of Tory MPs. Senior Conservatives in the One Nation group include work and pensions secretary Amber Rudd, who said on Tuesday it was “entirely possible” she could run for the party leadership.
17th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Cameron And Osborne Were 'Geniuses' For Getting Public To Accept Austerity, Says Jeremy Hunt

Potential Tory leadership candidate Jeremy Hunt has hailed David Cameron and George Osborne’s “genius” for persuading the public to accept austerity without triggering violent protests. The foreign secretary said the former prime minister and ex-chancellor “put the economy back on its feet” despite “the most challenging cuts to public spending in peacetime history”. In an interview with the New Statesman, Hunt also praised his former cabinet colleagues for doing it without provoking the kind of mass riots seen when Margaret Thatcher tried to introduce the poll tax in 1990. Hunt, who is widely expected to launch a bid to succeed May, suggested austerity was necessary but bemoaned the fact that the Tories were not able to persuade the public that they were moderate centrists during a time of such widespread cuts.
17th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 17th Apr 2019

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European elections and a second Brexit vote

A formal alliance or pre-election joint lists between clear anti-Brexit parties – the Liberal Democrats, Greens, the Independent Group/Change UK, Scottish National party in Scotland and Plaid Cymru in Wales – won’t happen. But they could stop name-calling each other, as indeed could Labour its erstwhile colleagues. I remember the pleasure Labour MPs and activists got in calling the Social Democratic party “renegades” every name under the sun after their 1981 split from Labour. It didn’t help. Labour lost the next three elections. Similarly, TIG should drop its jejune insults when it will be Labour MPs, with the help of some Tories, who rescue the nation from the Brexit isolationist fanatics.
16th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Change UK registers as political party ahead of European elections

Change UK has been formally registered as a political party, allowing the centrist movement founded by former Labour and Tory MPs to field candidates for the European elections. The group, led by the former Conservative Heidi Allen, has received more than 3,700 expressions of interest in being a candidate in the elections and is polling about 4-7% for the contest, meaning it could get MEPs. Change UK’s registration was accepted by the Electoral Commission but the body rejected its proposed emblem. A spokeswoman for the commission said: “The emblem contained a hashtag, and we cannot assess the material linked to a hashtag, which will change over time, against the legal tests. The emblem also contained the acronym TIG, which we were not satisfied was sufficiently well known.”
16th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

How May miscalculated the Brexit numbers game | Politics

It is a Conservative implosion that has been years in the making. Having seen her Brexit deal defeated three times in parliament, Theresa May finally admitted that “as things stand I can’t see [MPs] accepting it”. Just days later Tory MPs delivered their own verdict. Only a minority of May’s party – 133 out of 314 – voted in favour of the prime minister’s request for a delay. She was effectively governing on the back of opposition votes.
16th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Donald Tusk is right, Britain does need more time for Brexit – so it can hold a Final Say referendum

If we decided to stay, in a Final Say referendum, there might be a heavy price to pay in the short run for the “betrayal” of the 2016 vote – but it would be the only way to allow the EU as a whole to move on to more important things. It is not up to EU leaders to tell us how to run our affairs, but Tusk is right that they should give us the time – and every encouragement – to hold another referendum to put an end to the deadlock.
16th Apr 2019 - The Independent

The Londoner: EU citizens face a voting headache

EU citizens living in the UK have to undergo a two-step process to register to vote in the elections, a system which was blamed in 2014 for what they said was a steep drop in the number of EU nationals eligible to vote. Now it emerges that despite promising in 2014 to act on this, the Electoral Commission has not made any changes to the system, risking the same problem. In 2014 the Electoral Commission promised it would “identify what can be done to simplify the system and remove unnecessary administrative barriers to participation… at the next European Parliament elections in 2019”. Today a commission spokesman explained that it was “not something we looked at” after the Government told it, following the 2016 referendum, that the UK would not be participating in the European elections. Axel Antoni, a spokesman for the3Million campaigning group of EU citizens, blasted both the Government and the Electoral Commission. “It’s disappointing that the UK makes it so hard for EU citizens to register,” he said, but added it was “a bit disingenuous” of the Electoral Commission to blame Brexit. “Between 2014 and 2016 what did they do to make it better? Nothing.” EU citizens must register to vote as normal and, for the European elections, also complete a form stating they are not voting elsewhere in Europe.
16th Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

EXCL Labour allies across EU pile pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to help overturn Brexit

Dozens of Labour allies from across the EU have piled pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to include a promise to overturn Brexit in his upcoming European Parliament manifesto. The socialist MEPs representing 10 nations urged the Labour leader to run a “strong, confident pro-European” campaign to help prevent the “rise of populism” and help shape “a better future for an entire continent”. They said: “The British Labour party must participate in the European elections and help change the balance of power in Europe. Labour would do well in European elections and could command a large coalition of internationalists who want to see vast social change. “A Labour party leading the socialist group in coalition with the other European left parties could reform the EU into a project for social and environmental justice across borders.” They said pro- and anti-EU figures on the left should “put aside our differences” to fight the far right forces that are gaining traction across Europe in Hungary, Italy, Holland, France and elsewhere.
16th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

James Murdoch set to invest $1bn in media companies

People with direct knowledge of his plans said James Murdoch wanted to distance himself from the conservative media outlets controlled for decades by his father but had yet to decide how exactly he would invest in the news media. His options range from a liberal news website to a digital magazine focused on culture, society and lifestyle, they said, adding that no final decision had been taken as the new venture was at an early stage.
16th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Amber Rudd back in Tory leadership race as she says it is 'entirely possible' she will run to succeed Theresa May

Amber Rudd said it is “entirely possible” she will run to be the next Tory leader as she re-entered the race to succeed Theresa May. The Work and Pensions Secretary gave the strongest hint yet of any potential Conservative leadership contender that she could put herself forward to be prime minister as she said she was keeping the “door slightly ajar” to the possibility. Ms Rudd was believed to have ruled herself out of the contest, partially because of her 346 vote majority in her Hastings and Rye constituency. Mrs May has said she will make way for a new Tory leader after the terms of the UK’s divorce from the European Union have been agreed.
16th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Amber Rudd keeping 'door slightly ajar' on leadership bid to succeed Theresa May

16th Apr 2019 - Sky News

The numbers don’t lie: Labour must back a people’s vote to win the next election

The UCL analysis shows that in every region of the UK, the majority of voters who put a cross next to Labour in the general election of 2017 but say they won’t vote Labour next time, are switching to a party they see as more pro-European. In London, where Labour dominated in 2017, a third of Labour voters who know how they intend to vote now say they will vote for another party, but voters switching to a party seen as more pro-remain outnumber those switching to a more pro-leave party by five to one. In the north of England, the number switching is fewer, at just 20% – but again the number switching to a more pro-remain party outnumber those switching to the Tories or Ukip by four to one. In the Midlands, where a quarter of Labour voters say they are switching, remainers outnumber leavers by five to one. Starkest of all is Scotland, where Labour must win 23 of those 80 seats to form a government. There, 48% of our 2017 voters now say they plan to defect, 45% to a more pro-remain party, just 3% the other way – a ratio of 15 to one.
16th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

EU has nothing to gain from no-deal Brexit, says Juncker

The EU has “nothing to gain” from the disruption a no-deal Brexit would bring to the UK, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has said. Mr Juncker said the EU had adopted the “necessary contingency measures”, but said only those who seek to undermine the global legal order would benefit from such an exit. “We have adopted the necessary contingency measures and we are ready for a no-deal Brexit,” he told MEPs. “But our union has nothing to gain from great disruption in the United Kingdom. The only ones who would benefit are those who resent multilateralism and seek to undermine the global legal order.” Mr Juncker made the comments as he addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg on last week’s European Council summit at which Theresa May was offered a six-month Brexit delay.
16th Apr 2019 - Belfast Telegraph

Grassroots Tories hatch fresh plot to oust Theresa May using little-known rule

Fed-up local Tory chairmen are plotting to force out Theresa May sooner than planned by using little known powers in the party rule book. An emergency meeting of the Conservatives’ National Convention, which represents the party’s grassroots, can be called if 65 local association chairmen agree, paving the way for a no confidence vote in the Tory leader. The signatures are already being gathered, with Brexit-leaning grassroots Tories furious at the Prime Minister’s handling of the UK’s departure from the EU. One Tory chairman involved in the campaign told the Mirror: “If she doesn’t go before the European elections we’ll be hammered. The problem lies not just with her Brexit deal, but her poor leadership.”
16th Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

Michael Heseltine backs David Lammy’s Brexit Nazi comparison, saying similarities to 1930s are ‘chilling’

Former Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine said he sees a “chilling” similarity between the present day and the run-up to the Second World War as he agreed with some of the points made by Labour MP David Lammy who compared hardline Brexiteers to Nazis. Mr Lammy, who is the MP for Tottenham, told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday that he had not been “strong enough” in his comparison of senior Brexiteers such as Jacob Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson to the German Nazi party of the 1930s. The Tory peer said that he did not like people discussing the “extremes of yesteryear” but said he did agree there were similarities in the economic situation that means that anti-immigrant and anti-elite politics have “basic, chilling appeal for people”.
16th Apr 2019 - iNews

TED TALK - Carole Cadwalladr ask - Are free and fair elections ever possible again given the extent of new technology disruption?

In an unmissable talk, journalist Carole Cadwalladr digs into one of the most perplexing events in recent times: the UK's super-close 2016 vote to leave the European Union. Tracking the result to a barrage of misleading Facebook ads targeted at vulnerable Brexit swing voters -- and linking the same players and tactics to the 2016 US presidential election -- Cadwalladr calls out the "gods of Silicon Valley" for being on the wrong side of history and asks: Are free and fair elections a thing of the past?
16th Apr 2019 - Political Shenanigans

Tory deregulation agenda stalling Brexit talks, says Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn has said Brexit talks with the government are stalling because of a Tory desire for post-withdrawal deregulation, including as part of a US trade deal. Corbyn said Labour had been putting forward a robust case for a customs union during the talks over the past week but suggested he feared the two sides would not find common ground. “There has to be access to European markets and above all there has to be a dynamic relationship to protect the conditions and rights that we’ve got for environment and consumer workplace rights,” he said. “We’ve put those cases very robustly to the government and there’s no agreement as yet.”
16th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Tories and Labour jittery at prospect of Euro poll

Tories are the most concerned, with senior figures predicting the party could suffer an electoral meltdown as voters protest against Theresa May and the failure to deliver Brexit because of MPs’ rejection of her withdrawal agreement. Conservative politicians in Westminster and Brussels believe that if she is still prime minister by the time of the poll, the party will lose most of its 18 existing MEPs.
16th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Is there time for another Brexit vote?

The latest delay to Brexit has energised those campaigning for another EU referendum. The extension to 31 October gives them more time to make the case for a so-called People's Vote. But if a referendum is to be held between now and then, they need to win the argument fast. Within a few weeks, the Halloween deadline - already challenging - would become a nightmare to meet. That is not to say there cannot be another referendum; just that such a vote may require more time.
16th Apr 2019 - BBC

Mike Russell: Second EU vote needed even if Brexit deal reached

Scotland’s Constitutional Relations Secretary has said a second Brexit referendum including an option to remain should be held, even if agreement is reached on the Prime Minister’s deal. Mike Russell said if a compromise is found enabling a deal to pass, people across the UK should be given the chance to vote on it.
16th Apr 2019 - The Scotsman

Government will pay NI’s €4m health insurance post-Brexit – Tánaiste

Tánaiste Simon Coveney has confirmed the Government will cover the estimated €4 million cost of EU health insurance for Northern Ireland citizens after Brexit, if necessary. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles EU citizens to state-provided medical treatment if they are injured or become ill in another member state or Free Trade Economic Association country (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland). If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, British-issued health insurance cards will no longer be valid. Mr Coveney said it would pose challenges to extend the cover to people in the North because they would no longer be resident in the EU and legislation would be necessary.
16th Apr 2019 - The Irish Times

New soft Brexit plot unveiled in bid to end deadlock (and, yes, it involves more voting)

A fresh plot is underway to force through a soft Brexit to end the Commons deadlock, it was revealed today. Veteran MPs Frank Field and Ken Clarke are teaming up to force another vote on a customs union in weeks - in a hope they can push through a soft exit. But Independent MP Mr Field told the Evening Standard that bringing it back again could get both party leaders "off the hook" and they won't have to sign a formal Brexit deal.
16th Apr 2019 - The Sun

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 16th Apr 2019

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If MPs truly value democracy, boycotting the European elections is the last thing they'll do

The elections due to take place on 23 May will be different. They will go ahead unless Theresa May ... cent would support Labour, 26 per cent pro-Remain parties (the Liberal Democrats, SNP, Greens and Change UK, also known as the Independent Group) and ...
16th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Brian Monteith: The Brexit Party should not be written off in Scotland

The tendency in Scotland is to write off sympathy for Brexit but, just as I warned in this column five years ago, there is a substantial eurosceptic minority looking for a voice. The last time there were EU elections in 2014 Scotland returned a Ukip MEP with over 140,000 votes and 10.5 per cent of the vote. On 23 May, when the European elections that were not meant to take place will be held, the Brexit Party should pick up that seat if it offers a rational and inoffensive home for that existing support. Indeed it could do even better if there is a significant fall in Conservative or Labour support.
15th Apr 2019 - The Scotsman

Senior Tories fear thousands of Brexit activists are infiltrating the Conservative Party to have a say on who the next PM will be

Senior Tories fear they are being infiltrated by thousands of Brexit activists joining to pick a new PM after the party’s membership swelled by a fifth. The Sun can reveal that a fresh surge of 30,000 have joined the Conservatives within the last 12 months. The influx boosted its overall numbers to more than 150,000 - at least a seven year high. While CCHQ insiders insist some of the rise is from a new recruitment drive, other party chiefs say the prospect of having a say on Theresa May’s successor is now being heavily exploited.
15th Apr 2019 - The Sun

Jeremy Hunt explains Brexit in 90 seconds to class of Japanese schoolchildren

Mr Hunt added: "It is absolutely clear that Brexit paralysis, if it continues for a long time, will be highly damaging to our international standing.” He also said talks with Labour had been “more constructive than people thought” but that if they are not successful, the Conservatives may need to work more closely with the DUP.
15th Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

Jeremy Corbyn on Brexit talks: ‘It is a challenge to negotiate with a Government that’s collapsing’

Jeremy Corbyn has attacked Theresa May for coming to Labour too late in the Brexit process. He said it was now sometimes difficult to believe the Prime Minister as she is making promises as her government collapses. “It’s scandalous that it came so late in the Brexit process, not at the 11th hour, not even at five to midnight, but at five past midnight after she missed her own deadline of the 29th of March. “Nevertheless, we’re engaging in the talks in a serious and constructive way.
15th Apr 2019 - iNews

Ukip MEPs quit to join Farage’s new Brexit Party

Three Ukip MEPs have said they are quitting to join Nigel Farage’s new Brexit Party. Deputy chairman and East Midlands MEP Margot Parker, West Midlands MEP Jill Seymour and Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire MEP Jane Collins announced their resignations on Monday. Mrs Parker accused party leader Gerard Batten of “carrying out a purge of party loyalists” and said he had “taken his eye off the ball”.
15th Apr 2019 - This Is Lancashire

Corby-based MEP quits UKIP and joins Brexit Party

East Midlands MEP Margot Parker has today announced her resignation as UKIP deputy chairman and has quit the party. Mrs Parker, who has championed women’s rights and equality, has joined Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party. She was UKIP spokesman on women’s rights and gender equality and said: “The party leader of UKIP is carrying out a purge of party loyalists to ensure only supporters of the far right activist Tommy Robinson, with whom he now associates with, are considered for approval by the party.
15th Apr 2019 - Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Sir Vince Cable MP: May's local elections should be about housing, social care & the environment, not Brexit

On this occasion Brexit will inevitably colour voting preferences. The Conservatives will suffer because they are seen to be badly led and divided over Brexit. And many Conservative activists, who are more radical and pro-Brexit in their motivation, will not be willing to stuff envelopes and deliver leaflets or man polling stations. Labour has a similar problem but most of these elections are not in the Labour heartlands of big cities like London and Birmingham, so they have less at stake. For the Liberal Democrats, these elections are a good opportunity. We have generally been doing well in local by-elections. Our results last May were positive with 75 net gains. We have ground to be retrieved from disastrous elections in the Coalition years. And where we have control of local councils, they have a broadly favourable reputation. We stand to benefit from a swing from the Conservatives. So we have put a lot of effort in, and I have personally been going round to support council candidates from Yeovil to York, whenever I can escape the Westminster bubble and our Brexit-preoccupied Parliament.
15th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

Harm to Irish peace accord would prevent U.S.-UK trade deal post-Brexit - Pelosi

The United States would not strike a wideranging trade deal with Britain after Brexit if a hard border was restored between Ireland and Northern Ireland, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi said on Monday. "We made it clear to all, If there is any harm to the Good Friday accord, no (trade) treaty," Pelosi said during a London School of Economics event. "I have to say though every single person, including Theresa May who we spoke to on the phone, everyone said don't even worry about that, it is unthinkable that we would even go there."
15th Apr 2019 - Reuters

Even if Theresa May gets her withdrawal agreement through parliament, Brexit is far from assured

It is far from clear she can get MPs to eventually support her deal, but even if she could, imagine the enormity of the task she faces next. In order to make good on promises made in a referendum to take back control from EU, MPs must vote to pay billions to the EU, entrench EU law into our legal system for possibly more than half a century and keep the UK under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. If the withdrawal agreement isn’t too politically toxic for May’s pro-Brexit backbenchers, the required terms of implementing the agreement surely are. Yet both must be approved for Brexit to happen and before any talks over future trade deals can start. So what next for the prime minister? She might now want to stand down, call a snap election or consider holding a public vote. However, none of these options makes Brexit any easier to achieve. In fact, it’s never looked more unlikely and difficult.
15th Apr 2019 - The Independent

The Good Friday agreement is under threat – but it’s key to resolving Brexit

It is precisely because of such issues as the border that there should be a confirmatory vote on whatever now emerges from the Brexit process in parliament. The Irish border question is a metaphor for the entire negotiation. It is not possible for the UK to have frictionless trade with the EU if it remains outside the single market, so the question is how much friction is compatible with the Good Friday agreement, and that in turns defines any Brexit agreement that will pass through parliament.
15th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit news: May says no-deal Brexit planning to continue, as Hunt insists Labour talks progressing ‘better than expected’

Cross-party talks between the Conservatives and Labour to resolve the Brexit stalemate are to continue through parliament’s Easter recess, as infighting among senior Tories revealed the divisions still plaguing progress. Chancellor Philip Hammond reportedly ridiculed Tory Brexiteers including Michael Gove and Boris Johnson for engaging in a “suicide pact” during the 2016 leadership race in a speech in the US.
15th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Hunt: Tory leadership contest must wait until Brexit deal agreed

Jeremy Hunt has insisted the contest to succeed Theresa May as Conservative party leader must wait until after the Brexit withdrawal agreement has been voted through by parliament. Hunt, a Brexit convert and Tory leadership hopeful, said passing the EU withdrawal bill remained a priority for the government, as reports suggested leading cabinet members were happy for May to stay in office until the autumn if she failed to get her deal through parliament. Tory leadership hopefuls fear any contest before May’s deal is approved by MPs would allow Brexiters, such as Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab, to gain support by pledging to reopen the agreement with Brussels, according to reports on Monday.
15th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Theresa May's Brexit plot revealed: Brexiteers sent to EU's Barnier for a 'reality check'

Express.co.uk understands the Prime Minister was keen for Mr Duncan Smith, Mr Paterson and Ms Foster to meet with Mr Barnier to understand the realities of the backstop. According to a source, the Brussels negotiator encouraged the British politicians to support the Prime Minister’s hated Brexit deal in order to unlock substantive talks to eliminate the backstop. “Barnier said as long as you ratify the withdrawal agreement, we will work on the alternative arrangements,” the EU source said.
15th Apr 2019 - Express.co.uk

Brexiteers should trust the public and support a second referendum

During the first referendum, Leave’s position was vague, with varying competing promises and visions. This was deliberate, as it made it harder to pin down, and gave Brexiteers flexibility (most also feared campaigning for a hard Brexit, worried it would alienate more cautious eurosceptics). The problem is, that fluidity made it easy for the whole thing to be hijacked, which it since has been by Mrs May. No matter how hard the government tries to sell it as Brexit, nobody voted for her deal. Yet that is the closest thing to Brexit parliament is prepared to countenance, and as we’ve seen, MPs still cannot be drawn to vote for it.
15th Apr 2019 - The Times

Labour will 'haemorrhage' votes if it fails to back second referendum in EU elections, MEP leader warns Corbyn

MEP Richard Corbett, who leads the Labour group in Brussels, said his party could lose traction with the young, pro-European electorate if Labour fails to confirm support for a public vote on a Brexit deal. Labour has insisted the option of a second referendum remains on the table as a last resort to break the Brexit deadlock, but has failed to fully support a fresh poll.
15th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

Labour doesn’t want to solve Brexit, it only wants to destroy the Tories

When you are conducting a negotiation, as leading Conservative and Labour figures are now doing over Brexit, it is essential to understand what the people on the other side of the table really want. For instance, in the talks that led to the Coalition Government in 2010, we soon worked out what the Liberal Democrats wanted most. Apart from getting their hands on ministerial red boxes for the first time in their lives, they wanted a change in the voting system so that they might be in office almost permanently.
15th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Theresa May 'not considering election' on walking break, says No 10

Theresa May is spending part of her Easter break on a walking holiday in Wales, Downing Street has said. But - stand down everyone - Number 10 has insisted the prime minister is not considering calling a general election. Mrs May famously decided to call a snap election during a walking holiday in Snowdonia in 2017 and went on to see her Commons majority wiped out. She has previously said she loves going to north Wales with her husband Philip "because the scenery's great". The parliamentary Easter recess comes at a turbulent time in politics, with Brexit deadlocked in Parliament and no resolution - yet - from talks between the government and Labour. Last week, the EU extended the Brexit deadline to 31 October, prompting calls from several Conservative MPs for the prime minister to stand down before the summer.
15th Apr 2019 - BBC

European elections will show how Britain really feels about Brexit – of course the government wants to avoid it

It’s amazing how many times in the Brexit process we have been told that something unthinkable or impossible for the government to countenance has come to pass. The prospect of Britain going to the polls on 23 May to elect MEPs is the latest such example. But how likely is it? We shouldn’t underestimate how strong the desire of both main parties to avoid the elections will be. For the Conservative Party, the problem is obvious: few Remainers will vote for it, but Leavers are also now offside in large numbers – Conservatives will hope temporarily – due to the failure to deliver Brexit on time. Brexit has consumed the government to such an extent that there is precious little other reason to vote for it. This hypothesis was backed up by polling data this weekend. For Labour, the problem is more subtle. It would need to produce a manifesto, which would surely force it to end its policy of constructive ambiguity and state, in black and white, what its position actually is on a confirmatory public vote.
15th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Bercow stays to 'kill off Brexit'

The source said: ‘The MPs have put him under huge pressure not to leave the Chair until Brexit is sorted. He is now unlikely to give any hint of his going until after the summer recess at the earliest – and may well wait to see if the new October 31 deadline is met before hanging up his boots. ‘Ken Clarke – who John listens to more than any other MP – was a particularly decisive voice, telling him that it was his duty to stay.’
13th Apr 2019 - Daily Mail

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 15th Apr 2019

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Exclusive: Jeremy Corbyn Handed 'Remain, Reform, Rebel' Manifesto For European Elections

Calls for Jeremy Corbyn to back remain at the European elections have intensified as a strongly pro-EU manifesto penned by left-wingers was passed to the Labour leader. Titled “Remain, Reform, Rebel”, the document was penned by Corbyn allies, including his ex-economic advisor Ann Pettifor, and has been endorsed by every sitting Labour MEP set to contest their seat should the Brexit deadlock trigger the May 23 poll. It demands an EU-wide Green New Deal – similar to that advocated in the US by Democrat politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – to include a “European super-grid” and pledges to make the continent 100% served by renewables by 2050.
14th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Brexit: Cross-party talks 'testing ideas' says Lidington

The government and Labour are "testing out" each other's ideas as they try to resolve the Brexit deadlock, cabinet minister David Lidington has said. He told the BBC they had a "fair bit in common" over future customs objectives but further compromise was needed. While there was no deadline, he said the sides would "take stock" in 10 days and the process could not drag out.
14th Apr 2019 - BBC

UK's Lidington says Brexit talks with Labour to continue, will not last months

The British government’s talks with the opposition Labour party on a Brexit compromise will continue, but will not “drag out” for months, Cabinet Office minister David Lidington told the BBC on Sunday. “They’re not going to go on for months, they’re certainly going to continue next week,” Lidington said. “I don’t think this question can be allowed to drag out for much longer, I think the public rightly wants politicians to get on and deal with it.”
14th Apr 2019 - Reuters

People's Vote campaigners vow to overhaul 'project fear' image

More than 80% said Brexit had “turned out to be much more complicated than we were told in the referendum”. The report concluded that a new pro-EU campaign must address the underlying causes of the 2016 leave vote and offer credible solutions, as well as avoiding overinflated rhetoric. Most importantly, it must reject a “project fear” narrative and make a positive case, the report found, a tactic that was “castigated by everyone we spoke to, it remains a complete turnoff to voters”. It found that voters “simply do not believe that leaving the European Union will cause immediate and significant harm to them and their families” and that any new campaign should be centred on the positive difference the EU can make to jobs and rights.
14th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

The Observer view on giving voters their say on Brexit

Now there is a firm deal, it would be unthinkable for parliament to ratify it without putting it back to voters, particularly given the gulf between what they were promised and what has been achieved. The reality of Brexit, with all its tough trade-offs – and the fact that there is no way of achieving a clean break from the EU that respects the Good Friday agreement – is embodied in May’s withdrawal agreement. The idea that voters should not get a say on the terms and conditions of the most important postwar decision facing Britain is preposterous. If the merits of that principled argument are not, in themselves, enough to convince, the pragmatic case becomes stronger with each passing week: there is clearly no other resolution to this gridlock in sight. Before the European elections, Labour will have to decide whether it is in favour of a soft Brexit compromise or confirmatory referendum.
14th Apr 2019 - The Observer

Alyn Smith: European elections are Scotland's big chance to shine

Along with my team – Laura, Adam, Clyn, Ciarán and Patrick – we’ve had a fair bit of personal uncertainty to navigate as well! I should have been unemployed on March 29, then again on Friday, yet somehow have survived and face next week my last Strasbourg session having already given my last speech where I asked them to leave a light on for us. I’ve had more goodbye gigs than the Rolling Stones.
14th Apr 2019 - The National

Learning from referendum failure is key to success, says leading Remain figure

A future campaign to keep Britain in the European Union will face defeat unless it learns the lessons of the first failed Remain campaign, one of its leading figures has warned. Andrew Cooper, a Tory peer and David Cameron’s former pollster, said that the “dry economic projections” of the Remain campaign had been easily dismissed as “project fear”, while advocates of EU membership failed to make “an emotionally resonant or positive case” for staying in. Cooper makes the plea for a different strategy in the event of a second referendum in a new report by the People’s Vote campaign, as it attempts to find a way of convincing voters that staying in the EU would actually help deal with some of the underlying reasons for the original vote to leave.
14th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Of course the Tories dread Euro elections. They will be marmalised

Our Opinium poll suggests that the Tories are heading for a marmalising so bad that it is without historical precedent. Among voters who say they are certain to participate in the elections, only 17% choose the Conservatives. This poll doesn’t claim to be a precise prediction of what will happen at the end of May, but it does point to a shockingly bad outcome for the Tories. This vote share is six points down on their previous record low in Euro elections, which was in 2014. The sage of electoral history, David Cowling, tells me that the Conservatives have never scored as badly as 17% in any UK-wide election from 1832 onwards. No wonder the Tories are desperate to avoid these elections. This they could do, but only by ensuring that Britain has exited the EU before polling day, a task that the government has repeatedly proved incapable of fulfilling.
14th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Let's use this time to push the case for a Yes vote

Nicola Sturgeon says wait and the Greens, along with others, say: “now is the time”. If this is what the wider Yes movement believe, than why not use this waiting period to keep the conversation going? If we use this time productively we can win the argument before the date of the next independence vote. Now is the time to talk with, listen to and work out ways of persuading those not fully convinced of independence for whatever reason. To be truthful I think much depends on how the SNP vote at their spring conference on the independence discussions, on a Scottish currency and the adoption of the Growth Commission.
14th Apr 2019 - The National

Brexit news latest: Chancellor Philip Hammond says second referendum 'very likely' to be put to Parliament again

The Chancellor has said the idea of a second Brexit referendum is "very likely" to be put before Parliament again. Philip Hammond said on Friday that he hoped MPs would pass a deal by the end of June, breaking the Brexit deadlock. He added that there was a "good chance" of a breakthrough in talks with the Labour party. "I remain optimistic that over the next couple of months we will get a deal done," Mr Hammond told reporters in Washington where he is attending meetings at the International Monetary Fund.
13th Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

The Conservatives are stuck in a Brexit bedlam that they can’t seem to find a way out of

The Parliamentary Conservative Party notoriously has two default settings: complacency or panic. The pressure of the Brexit process has moved the dial significantly towards the latter, although one should never underestimate the capacity of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership skills to encourage Conservatives into the former. For anyone who thinks long-term, though, the departure of colleagues with stinging remarks about destroying the Conservative Party should be worrying.
13th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Brexit Exposes Painful Disconnect Between England and Britain

The England-Britain split can be traced back to the Blair government’s election in 1997 on a commitment to parcel out powers.
13th Apr 2019 - Bloomberg

Brexit delay: Halloween extension feels like the final nail in Theresa May's coffin

It was the weekend after Theresa May's disastrous snap general election in 2017 that former chancellor George Osborne rather brutally described the prime minister as a "dead woman walking". Fitting then, that the EU27 have agreed to a Halloween Brexit - setting 31 October as the new deadline for the UK to leave the EU with a review point in June - given it is this Article 50 extension that could finally kill off her premiership.
13th Apr 2019 - Sky News

UK government puts no-deal Brexit contingency plans on hold

Contingency plans to cope with a no-deal Brexit have been put on hold by the government as the risk of the UK crashing out of the EU without an agreement has subsided. Whitehall officials confirmed on Friday that Operation Yellowhammer — a national strategy aimed at preventing a run on food, fuel and the banking system in the event of a no-deal Brexit — had been paused by the government. The government has spent £2bn on plans to mitigate the effects of the UK crashing out of the EU without an agreement, and thousands of civil servants were assigned to the project. Businesses have also spent substantial sums to cope with the scenario. But the government has relaxed its contingency plans after EU leaders on Thursday agreed to push back the date of Brexit to as late as October 31.
13th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Amidst the Brexit chaos, MPs are on the verge of mental breakdown

Louise Rubin’s job usually involves lobbying parliamentarians and arranging campaigns to promote good mental health legislation. Until this week, when Rubin saw various newspaper articles about the collective mental breakdown in parliament. Rubin read stories about MPs crying in the toilets, of rapid weight loss and weight gain, and of a general feeling of utter exhaustion. Most MPs, of course, attributed the stresses and strains to the never-ending turmoil of the Brexit process. “That’s when we decided it was time to step in and offer our support and advice,” Rubin says. Mind sent a letter to all 650 MPs providing them advice on how to best manage their wellbeing. Rubin called this “a low-level intervention”. “We can’t solve the Brexit crisis,” she says. “We’re only suggesting people are aware of their mental health, and seek help if they do need to.”
13th Apr 2019 - Wired.co.uk

Brexit has broken the system – prepare for a European-style realignment of politics

Watching our exasperating Brexit dispute from the safe distance of Vienna, where I was staying for the past month, it struck me how strangely Europeanised our party politics has become, with the prospect of it becoming even more so as our party system reconfigures. In one respect, however, we remain proudly uncontinental. Talking to Austrian friends about the great Brexit “mess”, I detected, along with a fair amount of Schadenfreude, a sneaking admiration for the democratic theatrics that the House of Commons has been providing
13th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Bercow stays to 'kill off Brexit'

The source said: ‘The MPs have put him under huge pressure not to leave the Chair until Brexit is sorted. He is now unlikely to give any hint of his going until after the summer recess at the earliest – and may well wait to see if the new October 31 deadline is met before hanging up his boots. ‘Ken Clarke – who John listens to more than any other MP – was a particularly decisive voice, telling him that it was his duty to stay.’
13th Apr 2019 - Daily Mail

Brexit: pro-EU parties to use European elections as 'soft referendum'

Pro-EU parties, including the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and the Independent Group, will not form pacts or alliances at the forthcoming EU elections, hoping to use the poll as a “soft referendum” to show a surge in support for remain. If no Brexit deal is passed by parliament, the UK will be required to hold the poll on 23 May. The Lib Dems, the mainstream party hoping to capitalise most on anti-Brexit discontent, has almost finalised its manifesto and plans a huge operation of ground campaigning targeting remain voters. “We want to use the momentum from the locals, which very few other parties will have, as a springboard for European elections,” a party source said. “Voters across all of Great Britain want to vote for a pro-remain party. We’re going to give them all the chance to vote Lib Dem.”
13th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: pro-EU parties in UK to use elections as ‘soft referendum’

13th Apr 2019 - The Irish Times

Brexit is losing its media support as People’s Vote and Revoke grab the momentum

These papers played a crucial role in 2016. Years of stories on Brussels bureaucracy (and immigration), set the scene for Vote Leave’s ‘Take Back Control’ campaign on Facebook. Today’s UK news output is a drumbeat of Brexit stalemate and delay. It is corrosive to the Leave cause, undermining the sense of empowerment felt by its supporters three years ago. The media momentum is now with Remainers. While the Brexit press once rallied readers with calls to break the status quo, it is social media hashtags demanding a #PeoplesVote or #RevokeArticle50 that now benefit from a sense of taking action. There is a new Twitter hashtag #RemainerNow for those who have switched sides. And it celebrates Oborne and Ferrari’s change of heart because it knows that, ‘people’s vote’ or not, there are many who look to media opinion formers for their lead.
13th Apr 2019 - iNews

Sinn Féin select European election candidate as Northern Ireland prepares to vote despite Brexit

Sinn Féin has confirmed that its current MEP in Northern Ireland will run again for her seat. Elections to the European Parliament are going ahead in May despite the United Kingdom’s imminent exit from the European Union. Martina Anderson, who has been one of Northern Ireland’s three MEPs since 2012, said she is proud to lead her party’s team in Europe.
13th Apr 2019 - Breaking News.ie

Britain can now change its mind about Brexit

Extra time, however, presents parliament — and the country — with an opportunity. Britain can change its mind about Brexit. MPs can and should agree to put any proposed settlement with the EU27 to a confirmatory referendum. The country could then be presented with the vote it was denied in 2016 — a choice between Remain and the best deal that parliament considers available to Britain outside the union. The trade-offs between prosperity and security and notional sovereignty would be there for all to see. The Kamikaze Brexiters who complain this would flout what they call “the will of the people” mistake democracy for the majoritarianism beloved of despots and demagogues. True democracy embeds the right of citizens to change their minds. As for Mr Macron, he would surely join Ms Merkel and Mr Tusk in applauding a victory for Britain’s Europeans.
12th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Can the Tories and Labour agree on Brexit?

Cross-party talks are continuing in Whitehall, amid parliamentary deadlock over Theresa May's Brexit deal. So what are the sticking points and can Labour and the Conservatives reach an agreement? Public statements on the talks have tended to be bland, ranging from "constructive" and "serious" to the slightly more negative: "We have some way to travel." Behind the scenes, the prospect of a deal, while difficult, is not impossible. There is a big incentive for both sides to reach agreement: the avoidance of next month's European elections.
12th Apr 2019 - BBC

Weary frustration and cynicism take hold in UK’s Brexit heartland

Sunderland hosts the largest Nissan factory in Europe — one reason why its vote to leave caused so much attention. A good number of workers at the facility, which employs 6,000 people from across the north-east, celebrated the referendum victory in 2016. But several leaving the plant on Thursday said there was real anxiety now about potential job losses. Nissan has already announced it will not produce a promised new sport utility vehicle at Sunderland, partly because of concerns about future ties with the EU. “Brexit needs to be sorted out properly. It is causing a lot of division and unrest,” said one Nissan employee smoking outside the plant, who declined to give his name. “The problem is that nobody seems to know what sorting it out means.”
12th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Britain’s post-Brexit future is still shrouded in fog

Is six months long enough for everyone to calm down and think through the Brexit decision? The day after the EU Council granted the UK an extension to the date on which we leave the bloc, Prime Minister Theresa May still seemed bent on driving through a version of her “deal” as fast as possible. But the extra time will be worth having if it engenders more honesty about the trade-offs at the heart of Brexit. Unless the true price of any eventual decision is fully understood by the public, the blame game will never end. Without truth, there will be no reconciliation — whichever way this goes.
12th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Rory Stewart: Brexit could kill moderate Conservatism

Shortly before the referendum, I recall reading Matthew Parris in the Times arguing that a Leave vote would “destroy” moderate conservatism in this country. At the time, this struck me as columnist’s hyperbole. This week, however, I met with prisons minister, one-nation Tory and the unlikely star salesman for Theresa May’s Brexit deal, Rory Stewart, and found him gripped with a very real fear that something like the Parris prediction could soon come to pass.
12th Apr 2019 - Prospect

DUP 'holding Conservatives to ransom' over Brexit, Tory MP says

A Conservative MP has accused the DUP of holding his party to ransom over Brexit. Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski said he would prefer the prime minister to call a fresh Westminster election rather than renew his party's confidence and supply arrangement with the DUP. Referring to the DUP, Mr Kawczynski said he does not "want the tail to wag the dog any longer".
12th Apr 2019 - BBC

MP Heidi Allen 'shaken to core' by 'Brexit hate mail'

An MP who was sent death threats "related to Brexit" said the messages had "shaken her to the core". Heidi Allen, South Cambridgeshire MP and interim leader of the Independent Group, was one of seven MPs targeted by Jarod Kirkman. It made her feel "very vulnerable", she said, but did not cause her to question her role as an MP, adding: "I will not be bullied." Kirkman has admitted sending malicious communications and awaits sentencing. Ms Allen, who quit the Conservatives to join the Independent Group in February, said Kirkman's threats were not the only abusive messages she had received.
12th Apr 2019 - BBC

Leavers should be demanding a new vote | Comment

The limbo in which we now sit until November, and which everyone calls humiliating, is a trial run for a Brino (Brexit in name only) Brexit. Adherence to the rules, no United Kingdom veto, no vote in the selection of European commissioners. Our first taste of vassalage, and the response has not been encouraging. We keep the benefits of membership at the whim of the “proper” members of the EU and the twitch of a French president’s eyebrow. This “humbling” of Britain which the news media now lament mirrors the status to which those MPs and commentators who call themselves compromisers and “reachers-out”, those who would “split the difference” between Leave and Remain, aim to reduce us. For the next six months we are rule-takers, not rule-makers. Now we know what Theresa May’s “implementation” period, and (probably trapped by the Irish backstop) beyond it, will feel like.
12th Apr 2019 - The Times

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 12th Apr 2019

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Brexit: May insists UK can still exit EU by end of next month

Theresa May has dispatched shattered MPs for a 10-day Easter recess, and urged them to use the time away from Westminster to “reflect on the decisions that will have to be made swiftly on our return,” after European Union leaders set 31 October as the new Brexit deadline. The prime minister addressed the House of Commons after her return from the late-night summit in Brussels at which EU27 leaders thrashed out an extension to article 50. She stressed her determination to plough ahead with cross-party talks aimed at striking a Brexit consensus; and shrugged off calls for her resignation from backbenchers furious at the fresh delay. “Let us use the opportunity of the recess to reflect on the decisions that will have to be made swiftly on our return after Easter. And let us then resolve to find a way through this impasse. So that we can leave the EU with a deal as soon as possible,” May told MPs.
12th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

A general election is (probably) coming – and that will unlock Brexit

All things being equal, however, the clever money must now be on the 31 October deadline. It’s not as if the sound of a ticking clock has inspired parliament to decisive action to date. May failed to convince wavering MPs to back her deal even with the real prospect of no deal looming, so it’s hard to see how she can do so now. If she stays, it is hard to see how this ends.
12th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

'TIME'S UP!' May warned of shock Cabinet plot which could REMOVE her from No10

Theresa May secured her survival in Number 10 after two attempts to bring her down in December over discontent with her Brexit withdrawal agreement within her own party. While Conservative Party regulation rules out a new confidence vote within a year from the last poll cast, public policy expert James Crabtree suggested Tory MPs may be able to oust her as fury grows over her acceptance of a new delay to Brexit. Speaking to CNBC, Prof Crabtree said: "In theory, they can’t have another leadership campaign until December but if half the Cabinet resigns en masse, or if half her parliamentary party say they want her to go, which they do, then her position becomes untenable.
11th Apr 2019 - Express.co.uk

Labour considers automatic voter registration to add millions to electoral roll

All British adults could be automatically registered to vote under radical plans being considered by Jeremy Corbyn‘s Labour Party. The move could see around seven million voters being added to the electoral register, with huge numbers of young and low income individuals automatically enrolled for the first time. Mr Corbyn's party believes the current system of individual registration has so far failed to give a voice to huge swathes of the UK public, and Labour will now examine various models around the world. According to the most up-to-date analysis by the Electoral Commission, between 7.6 and 8.3 million eligible people were not correctly registered to vote across Great Britain in 2015, including one in three under the age of 34.
11th Apr 2019 - The Independent

SNP split over referendum priority in Brexit delay

A split has emerged at the top of the SNP over how to use the six-month delay to Brexit. Nicola Sturgeon said the time should be used to hold a second EU referendum. However senior members of her party responded by saying the priority should be a second vote on independence instead. Western Isles MP Angus Brendan MacNeil said the SNP should not be "kicking the Indyref2 can" down the road. He suggested on Twitter that a referendum could be held as soon as August “but Scot Gov would need to campaign on that and not Euroref2 to be a reality”.
11th Apr 2019 - Herald Scotland

There’s an upside to our Brexit humiliation – a second referendum is more likely

Even EU council president Donald Tusk, who has been heroic in standing up for the UK, could not conceal the sense of frustration that yet again, Europe is having to listen to Theresa May tell it that she could find an approach to get MPs behind a way forward. Leaders who have been subject to her direct lobbying see her as the anti-diplomat. President Macron appeared more aggressive towards the British after her pre-summit visit to Paris than he was before. Other European leaders watching her press conference would have been shaking their heads once again.
11th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

The EU has given us the gift of time. Soon we must go back to the people

As Theresa May awaited her call into the EU summit last night, there was no mistaking the humiliating mess that has been made of Brexit — one that few foresaw following the 2016 referendum. I was disappointed by the result but felt it had to be respected. The public had voted, the majority went for Leave and that was an end to the matter. Three years later, the argument is not about who won but what has gone wrong since.
11th Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

@SkyNewsBreak Sky Sources say civil servants have been told to stand down no deal Brexit operational planning with immediate effect

Sky Sources say civil servants have been told to stand down no deal Brexit operational planning with immediate effect
11th Apr 2019 - @SkyNewsBreak

‘No vision, robotic and bland’ - Telegraph readers on the Conservative party’s youth problem

New findings were published this week from the Onward think-tank which revealed that the Conservatives’ popularity among younger votes, and in particular millennials, was moving backwards. The think-tank concluded that the average age at which a voter typically begins to vote Tory has increased from 47 in 2017 to 51 in 2019. Furthermore, the gap between younger and older voters is now 50 percentage points larger than the 1945 average. Considering that wartime leader Winston Churchill once proclaimed those who weren’t Conservative by 35 “had no brain”, it is perhaps of no surprise that Prime Ministerial hopeful, Penny Mordaunt, called the findings a “kick up the ****” for her party.
11th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

The next Tory leader can still win big by reaching out to working-class voters

There is only one catch in the coming Tory leadership election, and that is a Catch-22. Whoever succeeds Theresa May will need to work out how to build a new coalition of voters and supporters to win in future, but before that they cannot afford to lose their existing coalition of MPs. Yet divisions among Tories in the House of Commons risk making it impossible to build any future, winning coalition. The facts are as follows. The Conservatives, even with DUP support, no longer have a working majority. Their MPs are split between those who want no deal, those who want to leave with a deal, and those who want to stop Brexit
11th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit: EU Council president Donald Tusk says 'maybe we can avoid the UK leaving - it's my quiet dream'

European Council president Donald Tusk has said it is his “quiet dream” for the UK to stay in the EU after the bloc’s leaders offered to delay Brexit until Halloween. In a dramatic night in Brussels, European leaders rebuffed Theresa May’s calls for a short extension to 30 June, instead offering the prime minister a longer extension to 31 October to find a way through the Brexit deadlock. Mr Tusk appeared to confirm Brexiteer fears that Britain's departure from the EU was being kicked into the long grass, telling Polish media that Brexit could be avoided. "Maybe we can avoid the UK leaving the EU - this is obviously not my role, but it's my personal, quiet dream," he told the Polish Press Agency.
11th Apr 2019 - The Independent

I know about public inquiries. The Brexiteers face a reckoning

I have considerable experience of public inquiries. As a journalist covering them; think Franks and the Falklands. As a government official involved in establishing them, such as the Saville Inquiry into the Bloody Sunday killings. As a witness having to appear at them. Hutton. Leveson. Chilcot. Even today I can’t hear the first and third of those names without a certain level of anxiety – especially Hutton. Had the judge not found as he did (thank heavens he got to the truth not the media lies that led us to the tragedy of David Kelly’s death in the first place) it would have led not just to my demise but more importantly that of the government.
11th Apr 2019 - The New European

Emergency £4billion plans for a no-deal Brexit are halted

The Government is standing down emergency preparations for a no-deal Brexit following the latest delay to Britain’s withdrawal from the EU, it has been reported. The decision to halt no-deal operational planning by officials was taken at a meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill, according to a leaked email seen by Sky News. The email, which was said to have been sent to all civil servants in an unnamed “front line Brexit department”, says the suspension was taking place with “immediate effect”.
11th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May hold more talks as hopes rise over possible customs deal

Mrs May said: "I think there is actually more agreement in relation to a customs union than is often given credit for when different language is used. "We’ve been very clear that we want to obtain the benefits of a customs union - no tariffs, no rules of origin checks and no quotas - while being able to operate our own independent trade policy. "The Labour Party has said they want a say in trade policy - the question is how we ensure we can provide for this country to be in charge of its trade policy in the future." Mr Corbyn described the cross-party talks - which began last week - as "serious and detailed" and added: "If these talks are to be a success, the Government will have to compromise." He also hit out at International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, who described a customs union as "the worst of both worlds" in a letter to Graham Brady, chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee. The Labour leader said that was "an attempt to scupper" the negotiations between his party and the Government.
11th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

I’ve got the best job in British politics: being an MEP

As a single MEP you have an enormous amount of potential influence that a backbench MP in Westminster could only dream of. Whereas many criticise the European parliament for not being able to initiate legislation, the reality is that the parliament has a huge amount of scope to change and shape proposals that come from the commission. There is no government and no opposition. So you are not immediately locked out from the action if “your side” is not in power. The result is that in five short years, you can directly influence the course of hundreds of bits of legislation that shape lives in the UK and across the whole of Europe.
11th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

@BBCHelenCatt Work will start TONIGHT to remove the #operationbrock contra-flow on the M20 #kent. The metal barrier will stay in place though .

work will start TONIGHT to remove the #operationbrock contra-flow on the M20 #kent. The metal barrier will stay in place though .
11th Apr 2019 - @BBCHelenCatt

Why Theresa May fears dropping her Brexit red lines

Brexiteer nerves will not be settled by Jeremy Corbyn's welcoming of "indications" from the government that they may compromise in "key areas". That will be read as code for caving in on a customs union, something that is fiercely opposed by many on the front and backbenches of the Tory party. The prime minister spoke of "additions and clarifications" to the political declaration - the shorter of the two Brexit deal documents that outlines the UK's future relationship with the EU. But non-legally binding changes may not be enough to calm a Labour leader worried about a future Brexiteer prime minister ripping up the promises of their predecessor. "Red lines must move", said Jeremy Corbyn.
11th Apr 2019 - Sky News

Meet the man who interrupts Ranvir Singh on Good Morning Britain by shouting 'Stop Brexit'

The "Stop Brexit guy" can regularly be heard shouting in the background while Preston's Ranvir Singh presents on Good Morning Britain. The man has become known as the "man who shouts stop Brexit" and can often be heard on news reports. Ranvir even joked after the Brexit deadline was extended to October 31 that she'd have to put up with him for another six months. She also took extreme measures and covered her ears with ear muffs while reporting from parliament on Wednesday (April 10) morning, reports WalesOnline.
11th Apr 2019 - Lancs Live

WATCH: Geoffrey Cox says a second referendum WILL be considered

Attorney general Geoffrey Cox has signalled the government will “listen” to the option of a second referendum if it leads to a Brexit deal with Labour. This is despite Theresa May still appearing to rule out the suggestion in answers to MPs in the House of Commons. Speaking in the Commons, Cox said there are “no preconditions” to the ongoing discussions. The MP for Edinburgh South West said he had touched on the issue during a recent BBC podcast, and asked him to “tell us what recent discussions the Cabinet have had about a second EU referendum”. Cox said he could not reveal what was said around the cabinet table, but added: “What I can say is this; the discussions that are currently going forward, with the Labour Party, with the opposition, are being pursued in good faith, there are no preconditions to it.
11th Apr 2019 - The New European

Theresa May refuses to answer questions on Vote Leave fraud

Theresa May has been accused of running away from questions about the legitimacy of 2016’s Brexit referendum. In a written Parliamentary question, the SNP’s Stewart McDonald asked the Prime Minister if the Government would “set up a judge-led public inquiry to investigate the alleged fraud committed by Vote Leave”. The MP’s question came after Vote Leave, the official Brexit campaign, dropped an appeal against a £61,000 fine for breaking the EU referendum spending limit by donating £680,000 to BeLeave, a youth Brexit group
11th Apr 2019 - The National

@YouGov Do you think we will have left the EU by, or on, the 31st October? Yes: 14% No: 55%

Do you think we will have left the EU by, or on, the 31st October? Yes: 14% No: 55%
11th Apr 2019 - @YouGov

My Brexit Party will give people the chance to change politics for good

Three years after the British people voted decisively to take back their independence, they have a chance to speak again. The new Brexit Party will ask the electorate not only to support a clean break from the European Union, but also to begin a political revolution in the UK. No Brexiteer – least of all me – wanted to contest the European elections on 23 May. But from disaster springs opportunity. Next month’s enforced ballot will allow us to bring about a far wider change in our broken political system.
11th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

@MJKIndependent No need for Scotland to re-apply for EU membership if it votes for Independence before the conclusion of #brexit

No need for Scotland to re-apply for EU membership if it votes for Independence before the conclusion of #brexit | Instead it would be allowed to re-negotiate its membership as an independent country without leaving! Whoaaa! | Told you so! #scotref #indyref2
11th Apr 2019 - @MJKIndependent

New EU Brexit deadline sets up Tory leadership election and even general election

Under pressure from France's president Macron, the Brexit delay to 31 October is shorter than Donald Tusk, the EU's president, and many government heads thought desirable - though still considerably longer than Theresa May consistently said was acceptable. Its impact may well be to turn the Tories into the no-deal Brexit party and Labour into the referendum party, via a change of Tory leader and even a general election.
11th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 11th Apr 2019

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Brexit: Over half of UK voters want second referendum

More than half of the public would like the Government’s final Brexit deal to be put to a referendum, according to a new poll. The Kantar poll of 1,172 people found that 51% of Britons would like a referendum to be held on the deal once negotiations between the Government and the EU have come to an end.
11th Apr 2019 - The Scotsman

EU's Tusk tells UK - 'Don't waste Brexit overtime'

European Council President Donald Tusk told Britain on Thursday not to waste the extra time to sort out Brexit after the EU agreed a second delay to London’s departure until Oct.31. He said Britain still had all the options on Brexit available during the extension, from approving the stalled divorce deal, to changing its leave strategy to cancelling the departure altogether. EU leaders would review the situation at their regular summit in June. “June is not a cliff-edge, or a moment to take new decisions, it must be clear,” Tusk said. “June is not for decisions about extension. My intension is even not to discuss, but only to inform member states about the situation.”
11th Apr 2019 - Reuters UK

Brexit: UK and EU agree Brexit delay to 31 October

The UK and the EU have agreed a "flexible extension" of Brexit until 31 October, European Council president Donald Tusk has said. Speaking after five hours of talks at an EU summit in Brussels, Mr Tusk said his "message to British friends" was "please do not waste this time". Theresa May said the UK would still aim to leave the EU as soon as possible. Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the UK must now hold European elections in May, or leave on 1 June without a deal.
11th Apr 2019 - BBC

Britain could have 'a say' in trade deals if it joins customs union after Brexit, Irish prime minister says

Britain should have “a say” in any future customs union it joined with the European Union after Brexit, Ireland’s prime minister has said. Leo Varadkar’s intervention comes amid talks between Labour and the government over whether the UK should have such a trade arrangement after Brexit. Mr Varadkar said the UK would not be a “silent partner” in a customs union and that it was in the interests of both the EU and UK to sign a deal.
11th Apr 2019 - The Independent

May says she aims to finish Brexit by June 30

British Prime Minister Theresa May says the European Union has granted her “key request” to add an early exit clause to its agreement to a six-month Brexit extension. The U.K. and the EU agreed early Thursday to delay Brexit until Oct. 31, but May says she wants to leave “as soon as possible.” She says that if U.K. lawmakers back her Brexit deal, her country can still leave before June 30 — the Brexit deadline that she had requested from the bloc. May says Britain faces “stark” choices “and the timetable is clear.”
11th Apr 2019 - Associated Press

UK risks losing European commissioner role over Brexit delay

France is expected to demand the removal of the post of British European commissioner as a price for a long Brexit delay, leaving Britain without a seat at the top table of Brussels decision-making for the first time since 1973. Senior EU sources say the French president, Emmanuel Macron, is likely to seek to entrench the UK’s reduced status in the EU at the leaders’ Brexit summit on Wednesday evening. The British government will have to agree to losing its commissioner but it is unlikely the prime minister will put up a fight when she is presented with the terms of an extension.
10th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

May signals she would accept EU offer of longer Brexit delay

Theresa May has signalled that she would accept the EU’s likely offer of a lengthy Brexit delay at a summit of leaders as the UK would still be able to leave when the withdrawal agreement is approved. Arriving in Brussels, the prime minister said it would still possible for Britain to quit by 22 May if the Commons chose to approve her Brexit deal in the coming weeks. May is expected to have her request for a limited extension to 30 June rejected by the EU27 in favour of a longer potential delay to Brexit of up to a year. The EU is split 50:50 on whether to offer an extension to the end of the year or 31 March 2020. The prime minister has previously said that she could not countenance the UK remaining an EU member state after 30 June, and had wanted to keep pressure on MPs to back her deal by creating another cliff-edge date.
10th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Brexiters oppose a second referendum for one simple reason: They think they'll lose

"A lot of my colleagues want to stop Brexit," Labour MP Lisa Nandy told Sophie Ridge yesterday. "They don't say that they want to stop Brexit. They say they want a second referendum." It's a legitimate, if a bit tired argument, that deserves no more elaborate an answer than 'well, duh'. And yet it is trotted out practically every time any journalist interviews a supporter of a People's Vote, as if it were some huge revelation. The reverse point, however, is almost never made, but it has even more profound democratic implications.
10th Apr 2019 - Politics.co.uk

Bloodied and bruised, MPs are genuinely trying to do their best

Before you start dusting off the stocks and gathering your rotten fruit, let me assure you that I am not looking for sympathy. It’s a privilege to be an MP. But it does feel as if we are under siege. One colleague has been murdered, another has faced a plot to murder her, dozens of women have had every kind of blood-curdling threat hurled at them in the streets or on so-called social media. Angry activists talk of treason, betrayal and treachery and our in-boxes are full of emails with too many capital letters. Just this weekend one MP had his house daubed, another had a violent attack at his constituency surgery, a third had her office windows smashed, and two other women MPs had to call the police
10th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

May prepares to plead for short Brexit delay

Theresa May today acknowledged that European leaders would reject her pleas for a short Brexit extension to keep pressure on MPs to approve her deal. Arriving at a special European summit in Brussels, the prime minister said that even though she had asked for a limited extension until June 30, most important was that the UK could leave as soon as the withdrawal agreement was ratified. EU leaders are expected to offer the prime minister an extension until December or even March next year. Under Article 50, it would end as soon as a Brexit deal was concluded.
10th Apr 2019 - The Times

Theresa May sets herself up to stay on as prime minister until 2020 as EU eyes long Brexit extension

Theresa May is set to enrage her critics within the Conservative party after setting herself up to stay on as prime minister until 2020 while presiding over a long delay to Brexit. She told MPs just weeks ago that she was “not prepared to delay Brexit any further than 30 June” as prime minister and said she would resign once this stage of talks was complete – prompting her rivals to gear up for a summer leadership contest. But as EU leaders met on Wednesday night to decide on another Article 50 extension that could run until at least the end of the year, a Conservative source said the prime minister’s promised departure was tied to passing the withdrawal agreement rather than a specific date.
10th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Are Labour really heading for a landslide win in the European elections?

Labour are on course for a blow-out victory in the coming European elections, at least if the first poll of the contest, by Hanbury Strategy for the think tank Open Europe. However, many polls struggle to reach voters from certain groups - smart phone usage may be high among the Labour voting young, but much lower across the over 50s or 60s - as an example. So don't be too quick to put any weight on this intial poll and wait for more work to appear
10th Apr 2019 - New Statesman

Britain and EU wrestle with Boris Johnson question

“The idea of a ‘Boris lock’ is ridiculous,” said a senior Conservative MP. “Parliament can’t bind its successors, no matter what the prime minister might agree with Labour or the EU.”Labour remains agitated about Mr Johnson as Westminster is absorbed by speculation that Mrs May’s last days as prime minister are approaching. Although Mrs May has said she would only resign once her Brexit deal is passed by parliament, most Conservative MPs believe she will leave office in the autumn. Others believe she will have been pushed out by the summer Mr Johnson is the favoured candidate of the party’s grassroots, according to surveys by the ConservativeHome website. He is also the favourite in the betting markets — followed by former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab and environment secretary Michael Gove. All three are strong Brexit proponents, and Mr Johnson and Mr Raab are fierce critics of Mrs May’s exit deal with the EU, although they voted for it in the House of Commons at the third time of asking. Hence Labour’s fear that, without strong guarantees, any deal with Mrs May might fail to last out the year.
10th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Theresa May is going to revoke Article 50 and she just can't admit it

In the 1,022 days since 17.4million people voted for Brexit, some wonderful things have happened. Most of the country now understands the Good Friday Agreement, knows how the single market works, and has figured out that Boris Johnson is about as poisonous, emissions-wise, as a rocket made of bratwurst and powered by some posh throbber hanging out of the window and shouting "BLAAAAAH!" at passers-by. This newly-discovered knowledge is of benefit to the nation, but there is a price to pay. We've also got political chaos, the Far Right, and some sadist on a TV news desk has deemed it necessary for us to have a daily dose of that strutting knuckle Mark Francois.
10th Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

Blow for Theresa May as poll shows Tories face European elections drubbing

Theresa May hopes to get her deal through ahead of 23 May so that Britain does not have to take part, however it appears increasingly likely that the UK will need to send MEPs to Brussels as part of an agreed extension with the bloc. A poll for Open Europe found that fewer than one in four voters (23%) would opt for the Tories, while Jeremy Corbyn’s party would rake in 38% of the vote.
10th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

Labour and Tories reluctantly prepare for European elections

The official starting gun has been fired on a set of UK European elections that are distinct in two particular ways: first, they might never happen; and second, if they do, the smaller parties are looking forward to them more than the main ones. On Monday, a “day of poll order” was laid in parliament, putting in place the legal groundwork for voting on 23 May, something that will not happen if Theresa May secures a Brexit deal in the interim.
10th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

EU grants UK Brexit delay until 'October 31'

The UK has been granted an extension to Article 50, with reports suggesting that it could be until Halloween, with a review in June. Theresa May is yet to agree to the offer and will meet with European Council President Donald Tusk in the early hours of Thursday morning. Late on Wednesday night, following a summit with EU leaders which lasted for more than six hours, Mr Tusk confirmed an extension had been agreed on, tweeting that the "EU27 has agreed an extension of Article 50" and that he will now meet Theresa May to get the UK Government's agreement to these plans.
10th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Labour on track for victory in European parliament elections that could hand EU commission presidency to socialists, polls show

A strong result for Labour in the European parliament elections could be enough to hand the European Commission presidency back to the continent’s centre-left, according to the latest polls. The race to replace Jean-Claude Juncker as commission president is in practice a contest between the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), which has dominated the parliament since 1999, and the centre-left socialist group. Under the EU’s so-called “Spitzenkandidat” system the lead candidate for the group that comes top in the elections becomes the commission president, as long as member states approve. With the latest polling showing a Labour landslide in the UK, Britain’s 73 MEPs could be enough to tip the balance of power in Brussels and clinch victory for the socialists – shifting the priorities of the whole EU leftwards.
10th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Theresa May stands by pledge to cling on until Brexit deal is done

Theresa May will attempt to cling to power during the Brexit delay as Conservative sources said she was sticking by her pledge to see through the first phase of talks and pass a withdrawal deal. As EU leaders gathered to discuss an extension to article 50 of about nine months, May dropped her promise not to allow a delay to Brexit beyond 30 June while she was prime minister. However, she is abiding by her decision to step down only once a Brexit deal with the EU has been passed by parliament, meaning she looks likely to stay on and keep trying to push through a withdrawal agreement for as long as it takes. Arriving at the talks, May signalled she would accept a much longer delay from EU leaders – expected to be nine to 12 months – as long as there was a “break clause” allowing the UK to leave as soon as MPs approve a deal with a meaningful vote.
10th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit Delayed Until Halloween But UK Can Leave Earlier If It Can Agree Exit Deal

Theresa May has agreed to delay Brexit until Halloween to avoid Britain crashing out of the EU with no deal on Friday. During an historic six hour summit in Brussels, the other 27 EU leaders thrashed out the length and terms of a so-called “flextension” which will come to an end on October 31 over four hours, with the prime minister locked out of the room. May had been asking for a short delay until June 30 to avoid a no-deal Brexit on the previously agreed cliff edge April 12, previously suggesting she could resign if Article 50 was extended any longer. But she accepted the six-month postponement after stressing that her main goal was ensuring the UK could get out of the EU early if she could find a way to break the Westminster impasse and pass a Brexit deal in parliament.
10th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post

The Guardian view on Britain in Europe: an inevitable partnership

Brexit delay will force the UK to confront the fact that its future is intertwined with the European project
10th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

What makes somebody change their mind about Brexit?

Leading Brexiter voice Peter Oborne has done a U-turn, showing that even locked-in beliefs have a tipping point
9th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 10th Apr 2019

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EU ready to grant Brexit delay, length depends on British argument - Barnier

The European Union hopes cross-party talks in London will yield a majority in the House of Commons for the stalled Brexit deal and is willing to grant more time to achieve that, the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said. On the eve of an EU summit of national leaders due to decide whether to grant Britain another Brexit delay, Barnier stressed that the length of any second postponement beyond the current date of April 12 would depend on the rationale presented by Prime Minister Theresa May. "The duration of an extension - it has got to be in line with the purpose of any such extension,” Barnier told a news conference on Tuesday.
9th Apr 2019 - Reuters

Michel Barnier urges UK to agree customs union and warns that no deal Brexit will be Britain's fault

Michel Barnier has urged Britain to join a customs union with the EU after Brexit before warning that a no-deal departure would be the UK’s fault alone. He said that Britain could always cancel Brexit by revoking Article 50 to avoid a no-deal and warned that Brussels would not relax any of its red lines, such as freedom of movement, even if the prime minister did. “We are not willing to compromise in any way the very foundations of the EU,” the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said. Mr Barnier said that if talks between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn were successful, the EU would be ready to change the terms of the UK-EU future relationship to allow for closer links with Brussels.
9th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Philip Hammond suggests MPs could revoke Article 50 to prevent no deal sinking the value of pound

hilip Hammond raised the prospect that MPs will revoke Article 50 this week rather than allow Britain to leave without a deal if Brexit talks collapse. The Chancellor warned on Tuesday that the value of the pound could fall significantly if Theresa May fails to reach agreement on a Brexit delay with Brussels. He suggested that the impact of uncertainty on the markets could encourage MPs to vote to reverse Brexit by revoking Article 50. David Lidington, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, is said to have warned that the Government would no longer be in control and that Parliament and the Speaker would determine how to proceed
10th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Theresa May facing prospect of being offered longer Brexit delay at EU summit

Theresa May is facing the prospect of being offered a Brexit delay of up to a year at an emergency EU summit in Brussels. The prime minister has been pushing for a delay to the end of June, with the possibility of Britain leaving at an earlier date if her Brexit deal is approved. But her hopes look set to be dashed, having already been granted one short extension to the process. In a letter to the remaining 27 EU member states, European Council President Donald Tusk said there was "little reason to believe" Mrs May's deal, which has already been defeated three times, could be ratified by the end of June.
10th Apr 2019 - Sky News

May considers plan to let MPs thrash out Brexit deal if talks fail

It is understood May and her team have gone cool on the idea of MPs having more indicative votes, which she had suggested would be binding if talks with Labour do not progress. However, Labour is keener on bringing forward the withdrawal agreement bill to test support for amendments on various options. A Labour source said this had been discussed in the Cabinet Office on Tuesday, but ruled out frontbench support for the plan at this stage.
9th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Boris Johnson's remainer father Stanley has applied to stand in EU elections

Boris Johnson's remained father Stanley has applied to stand in the EU elections. Mr Johnson Senior, who appeared on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here, said he was worried the Tories would not "make the most" of the opportunity. He told LBC Radio: "I think the idea that we should be talking down these Euro elections is absurd. "If we're staying in we may as well do what is required and fight the elections. And if we're going to fight the elections we might as well fight to win, I'm speaking as a Conservative. "And as Conservatives I think we should have a really constructive role to play out there."
9th Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

A long Brexit pause makes sense for the EU and the UK

The repeated failure of the British political classes to settle the Brexit question is consuming ever larger amounts of EU time, effort and attention just when European leaders need to focus on other pressing internal and external challenges. There were welcome signs late on Tuesday that EU leaders might be moving towards agreeing a long extension. To let the UK crash out on Friday, or to arrange a very short extension, would be no more in EU interests than in London’s. Though frustrated at British behaviour, EU leaders should agree to extend the withdrawal process until at least the end of this year, with appropriate conditions attached.
9th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Emmanuel Macron Doesn’t Want Brexit Delayed Beyond December 2019 At The Latest

French president Emmanuel Macron is adamant that Brexit cannot be delayed beyond December 2019, and will ask the other 26 European Union leaders to impose compliance checks on the UK every three months during any extension, according to diplomatic sources who have been privately briefed on his thinking ahead of this week’s emergency European Council summit of EU leaders. As Macron prepares to meet Theresa May in Paris on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s meeting, the sources told BuzzFeed News it was extremely unlikely that Macron would block an extension outright
9th Apr 2019 - BuzzFeed News

A new Brexit extension is the moment for Labour to finally champion Remain

The party can no longer be bound by the referendum of 2016 — it must fight for a transformed Europe from within.
9th Apr 2019 - New Statesman

MPs vote in favor of Theresa May's plan to delay Brexit until June 30

Members of Parliament back Theresa May's plan to delay Brexit until June 30. The prime minister will now travel to Brussels on Wednesday where she will seek the support of EU leaders for a delay. The European Council will decide on the length and conditions of any extension on Wednesday evening. EU leaders are reportedly in favour of a much longer delay to Brexit of up to one year.
9th Apr 2019 - Business Insider

Anti-Brexit Group Launches Spoof 'Boris For Britain' Leadership Campaign

At first glance, Boris Johnson’s campaign website didn’t come as that much of a surprise… until you looked closer. Launched by anti-Brexit campaign group Our Future, Our Choice, the fake ‘Boris for Britain’ site imagines the former foreign secretary’s bid for the country’s top job.
9th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Is Brexit still worth it? Only the public can answer that question

There are worse things that could happen to a democracy than its citizens being given an opportunity to vote. The same goes for a referendum. And the alternative is a duff deal, soaked in panic, nobody’s first choice, bundled through parliament by a coalition of demoralised remainers and disingenuous leavers, the former with heads bowed, the latter with fingers crossed. That wouldn’t be a durable compromise, or even a truce. It would be MPs bailing themselves out, borrowing a moment of respite for which the country would then pay in years of disappointment and bitterness. Even if a majority could be found for a Brexit settlement, this parliament lacks the authority to validate it as a good deal in the public eye.
9th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Weary EU set to give yet more time for Brexit

Brexit will not be on Friday, EU leaders will confirm when they meet Prime Minister Theresa May at another crisis summit on Wednesday, but diplomats said they are still wrestling on how long it might be delayed and under what conditions. EU diplomats said there was no appetite around the table to drop the axe on Britain just yet. They said that talks, which were to continue among national envoys in Brussels later on Tuesday, were now focused on a proposal from summit chair Donald Tusk to give Britain up to a year longer to organise its withdrawal. “People are tired and fed up - but what to do?” one said. “We won’t be the ones pushing the UK off the cliff edge.”
9th Apr 2019 - Reuters UK

UK PM May outlines steps to secure 'successful' Brexit with Germany's Merkel

British Prime Minister Theresa May outlined to German Chancellor Angela Merkel the steps she was taking to bring “the Brexit process to a successful conclusion” and on discussions with the opposition Labour Party, a spokeswoman said on Tuesday. May, in Germany as part of her charm offensive to secure a Brexit delay at an EU summit on Wednesday, “updated Chancellor Merkel on the ongoing discussions with the opposition”, the spokeswoman said in a statement. “Ahead of EU Council tomorrow, the leaders discussed the UK’s request for an extension of Article 50 to June 30 with the option to bring this forward if a deal is ratified earlier.”
9th Apr 2019 - Reuters

EU needs to know why Britain wants Brexit extension, what role it will play: France

The European Union must understand what Britain wants to achieve during its requested extension of the Brexit deadline and what role it wants to play in the EU during that time before the EU can grant the delay, French EU minister Amélie de Montchalin said. Montchalin said however, that such an extension would not be automatic. “We want to understand what the UK needs this extension for,” she told reporters on entering a meeting of EU ministers in Luxembourg that is to prepare the Brexit summit on Wednesday. “Then come the questions of the conditions: what role the UK wants to play during this extension time, in what kind of decisions it wants to take part,” she said.
9th Apr 2019 - Reuters

Brexit latest: Minister says it’s ‘too early to say’ if Theresa May has a compromise to offer EU tomorrow

Government Minister David Gauke claimed Theresa May will tell European Union leaders that it is “too early to say” whether she has an agreement with the Labour Party to get a Brexit deal ratified by MPs, despite a looming summit being just one day’s time. “There are some areas of common ground, but there are also well-known areas of disagreement. But there’s a lot of work that’s going on at the moment in terms of identifying perhaps where we can move forward.”
9th Apr 2019 - iNews

Nigel Farage says his new Brexit Party will unleash political revolution and terrify Tories at the European Elections

Nigel Farage last night claimed his new Brexit Party will spark a political “revolution” at the European Elections – and terrify the Tories. The ex-UKIP chief revealed will formally launch the party in Coventry this Friday and contest every region on May 23 to give voters the chance to “fight back against the betrayal of democracy” by Theresa May.
9th Apr 2019 - The Sun

Brexit delay: EU leaders to consider offering UK extension until after Christmas at crunch Brussels summit

EU leaders will consider giving Theresa May a Brexit extension until the end of the year at a crunch summit in Brussels on Wednesday that could delay Britain’s departure from the bloc until after Christmas. Ahead of the crucial meeting the prime minister was warned that she needed “a clear plan with credible political backing” if she wanted the delay to avert no deal on Friday, as she met with Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron to try and win their support. But there is still debate among the 27 EU countries about what sort of conditions any extension should come with – with talks between ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday running over by an hour amid debate among countries.
9th Apr 2019 - The Independent

@Alison1MackITV More from the barnstorming speech at the #PeoplesVote rally by former West Bromwich MP Baroness Betty Boothroyd

More from the barnstorming speech at the #PeoplesVote rally by former West Bromwich MP Baroness Betty Boothroyd. If the politicians can't break the brexit deadlock - leave it to the @peoplesvote_uk @ITVCentral
9th Apr 2019 - @Alison1MackITV

Emmanuel Macron warned he could severely damage French-UK relations with Brexit stance

Emmanuel Macron was today warned he risks blighting Anglo-French relations for years if he is seen to force Britain out of the EU against the wish of Parliament. Senior MPs stressed the danger of seeking “short-term victories” and “playing to a domestic audience … to unwise lengths” with stances which threaten to be severely damaging to ties between London and Paris. They spoke out after Mr Macron took a hard line against delaying Britain’s departure from the EU, sparking suggestions he wants a “De Gaulle moment” similar to the then French president’s decision in the Sixties to veto the UK joining the European Economic Community.
9th Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

Better no deal or a long Article 50 extension than a customs union cooked up with Labour

Mrs May’s new slogan is effectivly “no Brexit is better than no deal”. Her difficulty is that this gives her no room to manoeuvre. In order to avoid no deal she must agree to whatever she is offered. She has no leverage at all to negotiate the length of extension she would prefer because she has nothing to threaten the EU with. Equally, she has already committed to accept any Brexit arrangements passed by Parliament in a desperate rush to get this done. No deal or a longer extension are better than agreeing to a customs union.
9th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

@EUCOPresident There are times when you need to give time time. My letter to EU leaders ahead of tomorrow’s #EUCO: https://europa.eu/!Wb76Jq #Brexit

There are times when you need to give time time. My letter to EU leaders ahead of tomorrow’s #EUCO: https://europa.eu/!Wb76Jq #Brexit
9th Apr 2019 - @EUCOPresident

@tamcohen Liam Fox letter to Tory MPs pulverises Labour’s customs union: “we would be stuck in the worst of all worlds”

Liam Fox letter to Tory MPs pulverises Labour’s customs union: “we would be stuck in the worst of all worlds”
9th Apr 2019 - @TamCohen

France signals UK could stay in EU for almost another year

France has signalled the UK could remain in the EU for almost another year but will have to meet strict conditions, as the bloc’s leaders prepare to decide on whether and by how long to delay Brexit. Speaking as Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council of EU member states, called for a long, “flexible extension” of the Brexit deadline, a senior French official said the UK would have to limit its decision-making abilities about issues such as the EU budget and the appointment of the European Commission’s next president. “The longer the period is, the stronger the guarantee needs to be,” the official said, adding that in terms of the extension “a year seems to us too long”. But he indicated that a delay up to March next year could be acceptable — if it was accompanied by conditions.
9th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

EU to offer short 'final final' Brexit delay

I was told by those involved in preparations for the emergency Brexit summit on Wednesday that the most likely outcome of the special summit is another kicking of the Brexit can down the road, but only till a bit after the elections for the European Parliament at the end of May. The big problem with a long delay, for France and its President in particular, was that it would give the UK too much power - in their view - to vandalise the EU till EU leaders felt cowed into tearing up the Northern Ireland backstop (hated by Tory Brexiters and DUP). EU leaders trust Theresa May to abide by the convention that all EU members, including Brexiting ones, should engage with each other in a spirit of “sincere cooperation” - but do not trust she will be PM much longer.
9th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Is cancelling Brexit the Prime Minister's new default?

Is the de facto Brexit default now revoking Article 50 this week rather than a no-deal Brexit on 12 April? I ask because the PM is now explicitly saying the choice is a binary one between some version of her negotiated deal and not leaving at all (that is what she said in her sofa chat on Sunday). The point is that she has no power to prevent a no-deal Brexit on 12 April by delaying Brexit; for a delay, she needs the unanimous agreement of the EU's 27 leaders. But she does have the unilateral power to prevent a no-deal by cancelling Brexit altogether, by revoking the Article 50 application to leave the EU. So, have she and Whitehall, who are persuaded (rightly or wrongly) that no-deal on April 12 would be a catastrophe (especially for the integrity of UK), made a huge emotional leap to prepare for the political (if not economic) explosion of cancelling Brexit this week - in that there remains a serious risk that the EU will not grant the UK an extension or an extension on acceptable terms.
8th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 9th Apr 2019

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@YvetteCooperMP Our cross party Bill now has Royal Assent.

Our cross party Bill now has Royal Assent. Parliament has voted tonight against the damage & chaos that No Deal would cause for jobs, manufacturing, medicine supplies, policing & security.
9th Apr 2019 - @YvetteCooperMP

Yvette Cooper Bill: What happens to the attempt to block no-deal Brexit this week?

The European Union Withdrawal (No 5) Bill legally rules out leaving the bloc without a deal and forces the Prime Minister to seek further Article 50 extension. If passed, it would requires the Prime Minister to table a motion seeking MPs’ approval for an extension to Article 50 to a date of her choosing. Mrs May has already written to the EU seeking a further Brexit delay, but the bill would make it UK law that the negotiation period would be extended in order to rule out a no deal. Although Mrs May indicated she would request the postponement, Ms Cooper said her legislation would allow “more clarity” over any delay.
8th Apr 2019 - iNews

Brexit: Cross-party talks to continue amid impasse

Ministers and their shadow counterparts will continue cross-party talks on Tuesday, Downing Street has said, as they try to break the Brexit deadlock. "Technical" discussions among officials took place on Monday evening. Sources indicated the PM had not accepted Labour's customs union demand, but there was a move towards changing the non-binding political declaration. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said there had been no change in the government's "red lines". A Downing Street spokesman said the government was "committed to finding a way through" which requires both sides "to work at a pace".
8th Apr 2019 - BBC

Six in 10 Britons think no-deal Brexit unlikely this week - Sky Data poll

Most Britons think a no-deal Brexit is unlikely - but many remain worried by the prospect of leaving the EU without a deal this Friday, according to a Sky Data poll. Six in 10 (62%) think the UK is unlikely to leave the EU without a deal this week, while 27% think it is likely to happen - 11% admit they don't know. Parliament has repeatedly rejected the idea of leaving the EU without a deal, and the prime minister has ruled it out - but unless a deal is struck to further delay Brexit in the coming days, a no-deal Brexit will happen automatically on 12 April.
8th Apr 2019 - Sky News

Labour ‘would back revoking Article 50 by the end of this week if the only alternative is a No-Deal Brexit’

Shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey said that her party would “consider very, very strongly” backing the nuclear option of reversing the 2016 decision should a No Deal be likely
8th Apr 2019 - The Sun

‘Flextension’ and just tension in Brussels as UK requests another Brexit delay

It's official: Brexit doesn't mean Brexit. At least not on April 12. U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May formally appealed to the EU Friday for yet another extension of the U.K.'s departure date, perhaps until June 30. Or maybe until May 22. Or maybe sooner.
8th Apr 2019 - Politico

UK's new Brexit date could be fixed by small group of EU leaders

Britain’s new exit date from the EU, and the conditions attached to a Brexit delay, will likely be fixed in the gilded rooms of the Belgian prime minister’s 16th century Egmont Palace hours before Theresa May addresses the leaders. Under emerging plans, a small group of EU leaders whose countries will be most affected by the UK’s departure will be hosted by the Belgian PM, Charles Michel, on Wednesday afternoon. The guest list is likely to include the leaders of France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark and Ireland. The purpose of the proposed coordinating meeting, three hours before May was set to address the full complement of 27 heads of state and government, would be to try to shepherd the debate that would be held later on, and avoid potentially catastrophic errors, the Guardian has learned.
8th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

House of Lords prepares to approve Brexit delay bill

The House of Lords and MPs in the Commons on Monday passed the final stages of a bill requiring prime minister Theresa May to consult parliament on the length of any new Brexit delay, and seeking to prevent the UK leaving the EU without a deal on Friday. The bill, now an Act of Parliament, proposed by Labour MP Yvette Cooper and approved by the House of Commons last week, is a key initiative by backbenchers to try to take control of the Brexit process amid the deadlock at Westminster over Mrs May’s withdrawal agreement. The draft legislation had encountered hours of filibustering on Thursday by Eurosceptic peers who want the UK to leave the EU without a deal. But it passed the Lords on Monday, with peers amending the draft legislation to reduce the possibility of an “accidental no-deal Brexit” because Mrs May lacked the authority to negotiate with other EU heads of government.
8th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Data reveals 32,800 new voters in West Yorkshire since Brexit vote

Despite three quarters of youngsters casting ballots in favour of remain in 2016, this would be unlikely to swing the area’s vote in a second referendum. The People’s Vote campaign says there should be a fresh poll on EU membership so these youngsters’ futures are not decided for them. New Office for National Statistics data shows the number of attainers (people who turn 18 and become eligible to vote) by December 1 this year. In West Yorkshire, by the end of the year, there will be 32,848 new voters since the EU referendum in June 2016
8th Apr 2019 - Yorkshire Evening Post

In call with PM May, Ireland's Varadkar says open to Brexit delay

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar spoke to Britain’s Theresa May on Monday about her plan to seek a further extension to the Article 50 Brexit negotiating period, the Irish government said in a statement. EU leaders will meet on Wednesday to discuss Britain’s request. The Irish government said that in the call with May, Varadkar had “repeated his openness to an extension of the deadline”.
8th Apr 2019 - Reuters

Jeremy Corbyn says ‘there’s no new Brexit deal yet because Theresa May won’t compromise’

Cross-party talks between Labour and the Government resumed on Monday night after days of little to no progress on Brexit. Earlier, Jeremy Corbyn blamed Theresa May for the two sides failing to come up with a new Brexit deal yet because she won’t give up her ‘red lines’. Meanwhile Tories have confirmed they are already preparing for European Parliament elections at the end of May – admitting Brexit is likely to be delayed until after then
8th Apr 2019 - Metro

Brexit: Theresa May heads to Paris to plead for extension amid Tory fury in London

Theresa May is heading to Europe to appeal to France and Germany for an extension to Brexit talks that could see Britain locked into what furious Tory rebels have branded “second class EU membership”. The prime minister will plead with President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Angela Merkel for a delay to the UK’s departure to avoid crashing out without a deal. She will likely be forced to accept strict conditions. Mr Macron has indicated he could not stand the UK using its continued presence to disrupt EU business as suggested by some Brexiteers, with particular concern about the bloc’s budget being obstructed
8th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Government sets out plan to comply with Brexit delay law, if it passes

The government’s leader in parliament set out plans to hold a 90-minute debate on Tuesday on Prime Minister Theresa May’s request for a delay to Brexit in order to comply with legislation expected to pass into law later on Monday. The legislation is currently under discussion in parliament’s upper chamber. House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom said that if it is approved, the government would later on Monday set out the statement which will be debated.
8th Apr 2019 - Reuters

Brexit news latest: Conservatives officially start preparing for European elections

Applications for European election candidates were being accepted by the Conservative Party this evening amid ongoing talks between the Tories and Labour in an effort to break the impasse over Brexit. The Tories sent an email to potential candidates today stating they would be contesting the elections on May 23, with April 24 the closing date for nominations. It said: “Due to the current situation we will be contesting the European Elections on 23 May 2019 and the closing date for nominations is 24 April.”
8th Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

Brexit: Furious Tory MPs tell Theresa May her ‘desperate’ decision to seek talks with Corbyn will ‘damage the Conservatives’ for years

Leading Tory Eurosceptics have attacked Theresa May for her decision to seek Jeremy Corbyn’s help in delivering Brexit, warning that her approach will be “disastrous for the nation” and “threatens to damage the Conservatives for years”. The prime minister reached out to the Labour leader last week after MPs rejected her proposed Brexit deal three times. Talks between the two main parties are continuing as they attempt to find a compromise solution to the deadlock gripping parliament. But the decision to turn to Labour for help in getting a Brexit deal through parliament infuriated Conservative Eurosceptics who fear the outcome will be a much softer Brexit or a fresh referendum.
8th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Mark Carney still stands taller than Brexit’s lost leaders

Carney has come to his own support, quite rightly. In an interview with Sky News, while diplomatically not mentioning King by name, he lambasted his predecessor’s claim that the government could easily prepare for a no-deal Brexit by spending six months arranging interim trade agreements in accordance with WTO rules. “Just like that,” as the late comedian-conjuror Tommy Cooper used to say.
8th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: Will Britain be leaving the EU on Friday?

Thursday April 11 - If the Cooper Bill has been passed by the Lords, it would place new requirements on the PM. If the European Council proposes a different extension date, Mrs May would need to return to the Commons to obtain MPs’ approval. It is also the final date for the UK to take steps to enable European Parliament elections to take place on May 23. Friday April 12 -This is when the UK is scheduled to leave the EU after MPs repeatedly rejected the Prime Minister’s deal. Mrs May has written to European Council president Donald Tusk asking for a further extension to June 30, but the EU 27 will have to agree to it when they meet on Wednesday. If they do not agree to an extension, Britain will leave without a deal at 11pm on Friday.
8th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Barnier pledges EU support for backstop in event of no-deal Brexit

The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, has pledged support for the Irish border backstop regardless of what happens in the Brexit negotiations. “The EU will stand fully behind Ireland,” Barnier said on Monday at a joint press conference with the taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, in Dublin. Speaking in English to underline his point, Barnier said that if the UK were to leave without a deal the EU would still expect it to honour the backstop, an insurance policy to avert a hard border on the island of Ireland. “You have our full support,” he said, looking at Varadkar. “The backstop is currently the only solution we have found to maintain the status quo on the island of Ireland ... Let me be very clear. We would not discuss anything with the UK until there is an agreement for Ireland and Northern Ireland as well as for citizens’ rights and financial settlement.”
8th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

May to ask Merkel and Macron for short article 50 extension

Theresa May will travel to meet Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel and plead with them for a short extension to Brexit, claiming talks with Labour have a serious chance of reaching a deal. Before an emergency European summit on Wednesday, the prime minister will travel to Paris and Berlin on Tuesday to make the case for extending article 50 for only a few months. She will make the argument that talks with Labour are on the brink of a breakthrough, although those negotiations stalled at the end of last week and no formal meetings are scheduled to start again.
8th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Britain must SCRAP Brexit: Austrian economist calls for SIMULTANEOUS exit and trade talks

Britain must scrap Brexit altogether and restart negotiations - in a scenario where the UK’s exit from the EU and future trading relations are agreed at the same time - a top economist has urged. Gabriel Felbermayr, president of the Kiel Institute for World Economy, pleaded for Brexit to be scrapped and exit negotiations to restarted from scratch. He also argued that the EU exit and future relations should be negotiated at the same time, despite Brussels bosses insisting future relations, like trade, be negotiated after the UK exits the bloc.
8th Apr 2019 - Express.co.uk

PM to meet Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel before emergency Brexit summit

Mrs May's planned travel to Berlin and Paris could yet be interrupted if a bill from Labour's Yvette Cooper and Tory ex-minister Sir Oliver Letwin is passed into law on Monday night. This would force the prime minister to consult the House of Commons, likely to happen on Tuesday, on the length of the further delay to Brexit she is requesting from the EU. A subsequent motion tabled by Mrs May could then be amended by MPs to either shorten or lengthen - or add further conditions - to any Brexit delay. Revealing the scale of anger among Conservative eurosceptics at the prime minister's handling of Brexit, former Brexit minister Steve Baker claimed this week "might be the week when the government and parliament are seen to have betrayed" the 2016 EU referendum result.
8th Apr 2019 - Sky News

Is cancelling Brexit the Prime Minister's new default?

Is the de facto Brexit default now revoking Article 50 this week rather than a no-deal Brexit on 12 April? I ask because the PM is now explicitly saying the choice is a binary one between some version of her negotiated deal and not leaving at all (that is what she said in her sofa chat on Sunday). The point is that she has no power to prevent a no-deal Brexit on 12 April by delaying Brexit; for a delay, she needs the unanimous agreement of the EU's 27 leaders. But she does have the unilateral power to prevent a no-deal by cancelling Brexit altogether, by revoking the Article 50 application to leave the EU. So, have she and Whitehall, who are persuaded (rightly or wrongly) that no-deal on April 12 would be a catastrophe (especially for the integrity of UK), made a huge emotional leap to prepare for the political (if not economic) explosion of cancelling Brexit this week - in that there remains a serious risk that the EU will not grant the UK an extension or an extension on acceptable terms.
8th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Sinn Féin to meet Corbyn for Brexit talks

Sinn Féin leaders are due to hold Brexit talks with Jeremy Corbyn in London. Party president Mary Lou McDonald says she’ll tell the Labour leader that Irish interests must be protected, whatever the outcome of his negotiations with the Prime Minister. Sinn Féin will also hold meetings with Secretary of State Karen Bradley. Meanwhile the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, will be in Dublin to meet with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. They will discuss the latest Brexit developments.
8th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Why UK MEPs voted against visa-free travel to Europe in a no-deal Brexit

British MEPs have explained why they voted against UK citizens getting visa-free access to the EU in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Thirty of them voted against a motion tabled by a Bulgarian MEP to grant British travellers the same concession as dozens of “third country” nationalities, including Australia, Japan and the US. They have told The Independent that they were angered by a footnote to the proposal, added by the European Council after pressure from Spain. It read: “There is a controversy between Spain and the United Kingdom concerning the sovereignty over Gibraltar, a territory for which a solution has to be reached.” Labour MEP Claude Moraes, initially in charge of the proposal, was removed from this duty by fellow MEPs after opposing the addition. He subsequently voted against the motion.
8th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Lords approve Brexit law forcing May to consult parliament on delay

Britain’s parliament approved legislation on Monday that gives lawmakers the power to scrutinise and even change Prime Minister Theresa May’s request that the European Union agree to delay Brexit until June 30.
8th Apr 2019 - Reuters

Yes, you can be a Remainer and a patriot

The armies are massing, the war drums are thrumming, Nigel Farage and Tony Blair stand mouthing Gladiator-style pep talks in the mirror before the battle to come. Increasingly it feels as though another referendum is on the horizon. The hoped-for delay to Brexit points to a second vote. Changing demographics point to a second vote. Parliament’s most popular option has been a second vote. If that second vote comes, Remain must be ready to remedy the mistake made last time around: leaving all the patriotic tunes to Leave.
8th Apr 2019 - The Times

European elections are happening and they will be the most important in British history

Theresa May’s hope is that the prospect of holding European elections will finally scare up a parliamentary majority for her withdrawal agreement. That prospect is, however, slim: that she has already opened up talks with the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, increases the political cost to Labour MPs of breaking ranks to back her accord in its current state. May is at or near the maximum level of support her deal can attract from Conservatives and she may even lose ground among Tory MPs next time the withdrawal agreement is voted on.
8th Apr 2019 - New Statesman

Brexit latest news: Michel Barnier urges Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn to strike deal on a customs union

Michel Barnier has urged Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn to strike a pact keeping Britain in a customs union with the EU after Brexit. The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said that the political declaration, which sets out the terms for negotiations over the future relationship, could be reworked very quickly if cross-party talks between Tories and Labour were successful.
8th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Should Labour support a second Brexit referendum?

The facts of course have changed. We now know much more about what is on offer. The political class has been forced to remember that Northern Ireland exists, and has come face to face with the reality of leaving an institution we have become completely integrated with.
8th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

The radicalisation of Remainers - Remainers of the day

Since the referendum in 2016 a Remainer rearguard has emerged. Mr Ricks belongs to Bristol For Europe, one of 200 groups which spend weekends and evenings campaigning against Britain’s departure from the eu. They are found all over the country, from Remainer-choked cities like Bristol to Leave-heavy cities like Hull. As Brexit comes to a crunch, their presence is being felt more than ever. On March 23rd about 400,000 of them arrived in London demanding a do-over on Brexit. A petition supporting the revocation of Article 50, which would stop Brexit in its tracks, has so far attracted 6m signatures. Britain has long had a Eurosceptic fringe. Now it has a well organised and increasingly vocal Europhilic one to match it.
8th Apr 2019 - The Economist

A Brexit compromise is in view. A customs union is the only solution

Within the next two days, Theresa May must manoeuvre herself a Commons majority behind a deal that will win another Brexit extension from the EU on Wednesday. That majority deal is now in full view – it would mean the UK leaving the EU with a customs union in place, as agreed with Labour. This would honour the – frankly vague – wish of the 2016 referendum, and it would provide continuity in trade with Europe. It is a palpable compromise, but for either extreme to present it as a national humiliation or catastrophe is absurd. We have been in that customs union without obvious harm for 40 years.
8th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

May in diplomatic dash to Berlin and Paris to get support for Brexit delay

The prime minister will today attempt to persuade France and Germany to support her request for another Brexit delay, ahead of an emergency summit of EU leaders tomorrow. Theresa May will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin this morning, before later travelling to Paris to hold talks with President Emmanuel Macron. She is expected to urge them to accept her request for a delay until 30 June, despite indications from EU Council President Donald Tusk that a longer extension - potentially through to March 2020 - would be preferred by Brussels.
8th Apr 2019 - Sky News

A confirmatory public vote is our bottom line

The labour movement now must speak with one voice: a confirmatory public vote is our bottom line. Love Socialism Hate Brexit is a group of radical and socialist Labour MPs fighting to stop Brexit. We will be writing a column for LabourList every week until ...
8th Apr 2019 - Labour List

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 8th Apr 2019

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‘Flextension’ and just tension in Brussels as UK requests another Brexit delay

It's official: Brexit doesn't mean Brexit. At least not on April 12. U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May formally appealed to the EU Friday for yet another extension of the U.K.'s departure date, perhaps until June 30. Or maybe until May 22. Or maybe sooner. The two-and-a-half page letter to Council President Donald Tusk sparked alarm in Brussels. Significant concerns remain that the continued uncertainty poses a threat to the integrity of the European Parliament election and that a half-in-half-out U.K. could adopt a policy of future non-cooperation that the EU would be unable to control. EU leaders still have not had an answer to the questions they asked when they delayed Brexit day last time: What exactly would such an extension be for, and how would it achieve a different outcome?
8th Apr 2019 - Politico.eu

Labour’s Thornberry calls for Brexit inquiry

Britain should hold an inquiry into how Brexit has been handled, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry said. “When all this finishes, we will need to look at how it happened,” Thornberry told a live taping of Politico EU Confidential podcast in London on Sunday. “We will need to look at why it is that we spent billions of pounds on no deal. You know, why David Cameron had a referendum without telling the civil servants to prepare in case he lost the referendum,” she said. “And also, frankly, we will need to look at a lot of Cabinet minutes where they are discussing what’s good for the Tory Party and not what’s good for the country,” Thornberry said.
7th Apr 2019 - Politico.eu

Theresa May Invokes The 'Fireside Chat' With Straight-To-Camera Brexit Plea

Theresa May has adopted a new ‘natural’ approach in an attempt to get her Brexit message across and shed her ‘Maybot’ reputation after weeks of tumult. In what appeared to be a loosely-scripted video message, the Prime Minister made a plea for “compromise on both sides” as talks with Labour continued. May even forced a chuckle as she admitted that the public might be confused over why leaving the European Union has yet to happen almost three years after the referendum. She began by admitting people have been asking her “what on earth is happening with Brexit” as she was filmed on a shaky camera and with a large tumbler of water placed in the foreground. Filmed at her Chequers country retreat, May was in ‘fireside chat’ mode: an oft-used political device made famous by radio addresses from US President Franklin Roosevelt in the 1930s. She addressed the ongoing talks with Jeremy Corbyn, which she now appears to think are the only way out of the Brexit deadlock.
7th Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Labour’s Thornberry demands referendum on any Brexit compromise

Emily Thornberry, the U.K. shadow foreign secretary, demanded any Brexit deal between her party and the government be put to a second referendum as she suggested Labour MPs from Leave-supporting constituencies were “misunderstanding” their own voters. Speaking at a live taping of POLITICO’s EU Confidential podcast in London on Sunday, Thornberry said any deal agreed between Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn would prove controversial. “The question will be — is this what anybody wants? Or do we end up with a compromise that just makes everybody unhappy?” Thornberry said. “I think whatever it is, it will be controversial. And I think that in those circumstances, it’s right for us to be saying to the British people: 'During that referendum, did you vote for this? Do you want this? When you said you wanted to leave, did you want to leave like this?'”
7th Apr 2019 - Politico.eu

Brexit news latest: Eighty MPs write to Jeremy Corbyn calling for People's Vote guarantee

Eighty Labour MPs have called on Jeremy Corbyn to secure a guarantee of a second referendum in any Brexit deal he reaches with Theresa May. The group, which includes shadow ministers, wrote to the Labour leader on Saturday and stated that a public vote should be the "bottom line" in the negotiations. The letter warns any concessions secured in the cross-party talks - which have so far failed to produce a breakthrough - cannot be guaranteed, meaning a referendum is a necessary safeguard.
7th Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

Is there any way back from a Brexit cliff edge?

Every option, from a no-deal Brexit to a referendum, or even revocation of the decision to leave, leads to some combination of UK nations (England versus Northern Ireland and Scotland) or social groups (to simplify, nationalist low-income Brexiters versus internationalist wealthier Remainers) shouting treachery and betrayal. There is no Brexit peace to be had. For many years. Or at least none I can see. And that sure knowledge will condition how EU leaders decide on Wednesday whether and what postponement of the date we leave the EU to grant us. A no-deal Brexit on 12 April, the current official Brexit date, is not a de minimis probability. And nor is either parliament voting for a referendum or straightforwardly to revoke Brexit, if MPs see the sole alternative to those desperate acts of evasive action as leaving the EU with no deal. But any of those outcomes would lead to different combinations of acute strife in politics, economy, society. We’ve muddled though to a precipitate cliff edge - and we don’t know which cliff it is and how steep the drop may be. Heaven help us.
7th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Labour would ‘consider very, very strongly’ revoking Article 50 and forcing the UK to remain in EU

Labour would 'consider very very strongly' voting to revoke Article 50 and forcing the UK to remain a member of the EU, if the alternative were the UK leaving the EU without a deal, a shadow cabinet minister said today. Rebecca Long-Bailey, shadow business secretary and part of Labour's Brexit negotiating team, said the move would be considered if an 'extremely damaging' break from the bloc without an agreement was the other option. Pressed by Andrew Marr this morning, on whether Labour would be prepared to revoke Article 50, cancelling Brexit, if the UK was heading towards a no-deal Brexit on Friday, she said: 'We have promised our party members and our constituents that we will do all we can to avoid a no-deal situation and it's something that we would consider very, very strongly.'
7th Apr 2019 - Daily Mail

Theresa May rules out fourth meaningful vote and no-deal Brexit as she prepares for customs union climbdown

Theresa May has signalled she will not seek a fourth vote on her Brexit deal as she appeared to rule out the UK leaving the European Union without an agreement. The Prime Minister said MPs had already rejected her divorce deal three times and “as things stand, I can’t see them accepting it”. She warned the choice was now between leaving the EU with a deal “or not leaving at all” as she seemed to finally ditch her long standing mantra of no-deal being better than a bad one. Mrs May said cross-party talks with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn would continue in the hope of finding a compromise Brexit deal capable of winning the support of a majority of MPs.
7th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Jeremy Corbyn is 'unfit to be PM', says Jewish Labour Movement as it passes no confidence motion in him

The Jewish Labour Movement have passed a motion of no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn and concluded he is “unfit to be prime minister” as the party’s anti-Semitism crisis worsened. The JLM accused Mr Corbyn and the Labour leadership of having “fundamentally failed” to address the problem and said a government led by him “would not be in the interest of British Jews”. The motion was passed “almost unanimously” at the group’s annual general meeting despite a plea from a leading ally of the Labour leader not to “personalise” the issue.
7th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit: furious Tories will try to oust May if UK fights Euro elections

Theresa May’s mutinous MPs are warning her that they will move to oust her within weeks if the UK is forced to take part in European elections next month and extend its EU membership beyond the end of June. Tory MPs are increasingly angry at the prospect of voters being asked to go to the polls to elect MEPs three years after the Brexit referendum, in an election they fear will be boycotted by many Conservatives and be a gift to the far right and Nigel Farage’s new Brexit party. Senior Tories said one silver lining of a long extension would be that it would allow them to move quickly to force May out, and hold a leadership election starting as soon as this month.
7th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Amber Rudd poised to back Boris Johnson for Conservative leader

Amber Rudd is preparing to back Boris Johnson to be the next Tory leader after MPs approached her allies urging the work and pensions secretary to join a “dream team” alliance that they have dubbed “BAmber”. Rudd thinks Michael Gove is the most “attractive” candidate and Jeremy Hunt is best placed to succeed Theresa May. But she believes that Johnson is the one who can win a general election. Allies say Rudd will not make a public declaration about who she is supporting until the contest is under way, after she moved early to back Johnson in 2016, only to see his campaign implode.
7th Apr 2019 - The Times

Andrea Leadsom: no-deal Brexit next week would not be so grim

A no-deal Brexit at the end of next week would be “not nearly as grim” as many believe, one of Theresa May’s senior ministers has said, as both the government and Labour indicated that cross-party talks to resolve the situation remained deadlocked. Andrea Leadsom, the Commons leader, said preparations would mitigate many adverse effects of no deal. She also said the idea of a departure extension long enough to require the UK to hold European elections was “utterly unacceptable”. Her comments came as May used a video statement to talk up the hopes for ongoing cross-party Brexit negotiations with Labour, saying “compromise on both sides” could still deliver a solution.
7th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Corbyn climbs aboard as May tries to save her sinking ship

It was, a minister present remarked, “the saddest moment of cabinet”. Theresa May, her administration and reputation on the line, laid out why she needed to change the government’s Brexit policy, despite making the ultimate sacrifice. “I offered my resignation and still the deal didn’t go through,” she said, reflecting on the three crushing defeats her deal with Brussels had suffered at the hands of MPs.
7th Apr 2019 - The Times

Asking the impossible: can Theresa May keep her Brexit deal alive?

It is another week where Theresa May must make seemingly impossible demands of her cabinet, her party, Labour MPs and EU negotiators. By Wednesday the prime minister must present the European council with a credible reason for extending the UK’s Brexit negotiating period once more – and every reason she could give is also one that could split her party at home. Labour sources are insistent they have not walked out of the negotiations, but those close to the talks were amazed at how little appeared to actually be on offer from the government. If Yvette Cooper’s bill on extending article 50 passes its final hurdles in the House of Lords on Monday and gains royal assent, parliament will be given time to decide what length of extension May should request.
7th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Sinn Féin will contest North's EU elections - McDonald

The Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald has said her party will contest European Parliament elections in Northern Ireland, if they are held as a result of a long Brexit extension. Speaking in Dublin she said: "If an election happens, we will fight the election. We are ready." She said irrespective of whatever outcome there is to Brexit, Sinn Féin wanted to ensure that "... promises made to Ireland over our peace process, economy and people will be protected." Deputy McDonald said she was going to meet the British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in London tomorrow to discuss Brexit.
7th Apr 2019 - RTE.ie

Brexit: Germany's CDU leader hopes for second referendum

"I no longer care so much how Brexit ends," you often hear. "As long as it ends." "Brexit has been a strain on all of us. In some ways it has paralysed us," Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer told me in Berlin in a UK exclusive interview. She's the leader of Germany's CDU party, very close to Angela Merkel and widely tipped to be the next German chancellor. Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer - also known as AKK - is far from detached when it comes to Brexit. She and a number of other German politicians penned a letter to the Times newspaper back in January, appealing to the UK to change its mind. Now, the EU's determined attempt to show unity at all times over Brexit means it has been frustratingly difficult to get EU leaders to agree to in-depth, on-the-record Brexit interviews .
7th Apr 2019 - BBC

Prime Minister poised to bind Britain into the customs union

Theresa May was last night poised to mount a humiliating climbdown over a customs union as the price of winning Labour support for her Brexit deal. According to senior sources, Tory negotiators have told Labour that the Government would accept UK membership of a customs union – a 'red line' for Brexiteers – but on condition that they 'call it something else' to avoid inflaming anger among Eurosceptic Conservatives. It is understood that Jeremy Corbyn has also been offered a 'lock' mechanism, which would prevent any future pro-Brexit Prime Minister such as Boris Johnson from unravelling the deal by having it written directly into legislation.
7th Apr 2019 - Daily Mail

Oh do look at the tin-pot Brexiters, having their moment in the spotlight

Sick of Brexit? Yeah, me too. Partly because it becomes clearer with each chaotic day that for some of the second-tier “Brexit ultras” no one much cares about (Mark Francois, Steve Baker, Andrew Bridgen, Bernard Jenkin et al), this is the most attention they’ve ever had and are ever likely to get in their sad, blustering, self-important lives. While it’s Remainers who are supposed to be the soppy drama queens, just look at this bunch – flapping about the media, mouth-breathing through their camera-time, sparkly eyed with their own significance. Brexit as a debilitating national crisis? Hardly. They’ve never felt so
7th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Theresa May bids to save deal with a Boris-proof Brexit

Theresa May is preparing to offer Jeremy Corbyn a legally binding soft Brexit deal with a “Boris lock” that would make it difficult for a future Eurosceptic prime minister to tear up after she leaves No 10. In a last-ditch attempt to leave the EU this year, May’s team is drawing up plans to enshrine in law a guarantee that MPs would have the ultimate say on a final deal with Brussels. Senior figures in Downing Street will tell Tory MPs that they face a “stark choice” — accept a rebranded customs union with Brussels or “lose Brexit”. Cross-party talks stalled on Friday after Labour complained that May was not prepared to rewrite the political declaration with Brussels, which maps out what Britain wants from the second phase of negotiations. But in a sign that May is prepared to soften her approach, Philip Hammond, the chancellor, said the government had “no red lines” left.
7th Apr 2019 - The Times

Attempt to secure delayed departure from EU could leave UK on course for no-deal Brexit, senior lawyer warns

An attempt by Parliament to direct Theresa May's attempts to secure a delayed departure from the EU could in fact leave the UK on course for a no-deal exit, a senior lawyer has suggested. Lord Pannick, a leading QC, said provisions in a bill drawn up by Sir Oliver Letwin and Yvette Cooper could “damage” attempts to reduce the chances of the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement. The barrister, together with Lord Judge, the former Lord Chief Justice, are planning to table an amendment to the legislation on Monday, which would restore powers for Mrs May to negotiate a new exit date with EU leaders on Wednesday if they reject the June 30 cut-off that she has proposed.
7th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit: Majority of public now back Final Say referendum amid chaos in Westminster, poll shows

Most of the British public now back having a Final Say referendum on Brexit whatever the outcome eventually is, an exclusive poll for The Independent has found. Amid the chaos in parliament, backing for a new public vote, which has simmered just below 50 per cent for months, finally broke through into a majority in April, according to the BMG Research survey. Major players in both main parties have signalled that a referendum could be the way forward, including chancellor Philip Hammond and shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry.
6th Apr 2019 - The Independent

May says choice between leaving EU with deal or no Brexit - The Observer

Prime Minister Theresa May said there was now a clear choice between Britain exiting the European Union with a deal or not leaving at all as she tries to find a compromise with the opposition Labour Party, The Observer newspaper reported. “Because parliament has made clear it will stop the UK leaving without a deal, we now have a stark choice: leave the European Union with a deal or do not leave at all,” May was quoted as saying by the newspaper. “The longer this takes, the greater the risk of the UK never leaving at all.”
6th Apr 2019 - Reuters

Corbyn - I'm waiting for May to move Brexit 'red lines'

Prime Minister Theresa May has yet to move the “red lines” that have blocked a deal for Britain to leave the EU, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Saturday, after May launched talks with him in a last-ditch bid to save Brexit. “I’m waiting to see the red lines move,” he told the BBC. “I hope we can reach a decision in parliament this week which will prevent a crashing out.” No talks have been arranged yet between the two sides for this weekend, a Labour source told Reuters. May’s decision to seek an agreement with Corbyn was an astounding reversal after months of saying her plan for Brexit was the only possible course. It reflects weeks of high drama in parliament that saw May’s deal rejected by a historic majority but no agreement emerge on an alternative plan.
6th Apr 2019 - Reuters

UK PM May has plan to offer Labour Brexit customs arrangement

British Prime Minister Theresa May’s government has a plan to enshrine in law a customs arrangement with the European Union in a bid to win over the opposition Labour Party to back a Brexit deal, The Sunday Times newspaper reported. “Under the new plan, the prime minister would offer to rewrite the government’s withdrawal bill to enshrine a customs arrangement in law,” the newspaper said. May is trying to win over the main opposition party after her negotiated Brexit deal was voted down by parliament on three occasions.
6th Apr 2019 - Reuters

Pro-Europeans must unite around the opportunity of the EU elections

One is that Brexit has fomented in Britain the biggest pro-European movement on the entire continent of Europe: 6m people signed a petition to revoke Article 50; hundreds of thousands, perhaps more, marched. A second is that no matter what form of Brexit is chosen — if one is ever agreed — the UK is likely to continue following EU law. The two-year transition period which Mrs May has negotiated in the withdrawal agreement requires it. For both reasons, elections to choose British MEPs seem like a good idea: we must ensure democratic accountability over an organisation we are still tied to, at least for the time being.
6th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Theresa May rules out no-deal Brexit in last-ditch push for Tory votes

Theresa May has explicitly ruled out a no-deal Brexit for the first time, in what Conservative MPs are interpreting as a last-ditch attempt to win support ahead of a fourth vote on her Brexit deal. The Prime Minister warns this evening: “Because Parliament has made clear it will stop the UK leaving without a deal, we now have a stark choice: leave the European Union with a deal or do not leave at all. “My answer to that is clear: we must deliver Brexit and to do so we must agree a deal.”
6th Apr 2019 - New Statesman

Brexit extension veto by EU unlikely, says Leo Varadkar

It is unlikely an EU 27 country will veto a UK request for a delay to Brexit, the Irish prime minister has said. Leo Varadkar said a country "wouldn't be forgiven" if it vetoed an extension as that decision would cause hardship to Ireland and other EU countries. The UK is set to leave the EU on 12 April but a deal has not been approved by Westminster.
6th Apr 2019 - BBC

Brexit: I had no choice but to approach Labour - May

Prime Minister Theresa May has insisted she had to reach out to Labour in a bid to deliver Brexit or risk letting it "slip through our fingers". The PM said there was a "stark choice" of either leaving the European Union with a deal or not leaving at all. And shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey says if no-deal became an option Labour would consider "very, very strongly" voting to cancel Brexit. Some Tories have criticised the PM for seeking Labour's help on her deal. Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom said the Tories were working with Labour "through gritted teeth", adding that no deal would be better than cancelling Brexit.
6th Apr 2019 - BBC

Merkel throws May a lifeline over UK’s Brexit departure date

Angela Merkel is open to backing Theresa May’s request for a short Brexit extension as the German chancellor seeks to maintain the pressure on British MPs to support the withdrawal agreement, according to senior EU sources. In the face of moves from elsewhere in the EU to insist on a longer delay to Britain’s departure, Merkel is keeping all options on the table ahead of this week’s EU summit and is said to be willing to back 30 June as an exit date. She is thought to be concerned that Donald Tusk’s proposal of a year-long extension, with an option to exit earlier on ratification of the withdrawal agreement, could be self-defeating.
6th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Now the British public is fully aware of the consequences of Brexit, it’s clear they want a Final Say

But even if there was some grand Lab-Con coalition on Brexit, it would still need the approval and consent of the British people. There are forces pushing to give the UK little if any room for manoeuvre, led by President Emmanuel Macron who has apparently picked up support in Belgium and Spain. This threatens a rapid no-deal Brexit even if the British government and parliament have outlawed it. That French tactic will probably not be enough to stop Chancellor Merkel exercising good sense and backing Mr Tusk, but it is a risk. Therefore the choice may very soon – next week – be between the UK crashing out of the EU with no deal and no transition period, or revoking Article 50 unilaterally and staying in the EU.
6th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Second Brexit vote would be 'ultimate betrayal': leader of lower UK parliament

A second public vote on Britain’s membership of the European Union would be the “ultimate betrayal”, Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the House of Commons or lower house of parliament, wrote in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper.
6th Apr 2019 - Reuters

Brexit blamed for 'poisonous' atmosphere in the Senedd

Brexit has been blamed for creating a "poisonous" atmosphere in the Senedd by a number of AMs. Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood said there has been a noticeable deterioration in the Welsh Assembly, with exchanges there less civilised. Labour's Llanelli AM Mr Waters believes this a reflection of the division in broader society caused by Brexit. It follows almost three years of heated debate in the House of Commons around the UK's exit from the EU.
6th Apr 2019 - BBC

UK's May says greater risk of no Brexit the longer it takes to find compromise

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Saturday that the longer it takes to find a compromise with the opposition Labour Party to secure a parliamentary majority for a Brexit deal, the less likely it is that Britain will leave the European Union.
6th Apr 2019 - Reuters

Welsh Lib Dem leader presses case for new Brexit poll

There must be a new referendum on any Brexit deal, the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats has insisted. Jane Dodds told party supporters: "We demand a People's Vote and we will not waver in our stand." Ms Dodds, who took on the role in 2017, also said Wales has the expertise to be a world leader in green energy technology. She was speaking at the party's spring conference that took place in Cardiff on Saturday. In her speech, Ms Dodds said the Liberal Democrats were "at the heart of a movement of millions to give the people the final say on the deal".
6th Apr 2019 - BBC

Opinion: Amid the chaos of Brexit, Scotland is a beacon of sense in a sea of madness

As the parliament in Westminster continues its descent into anarchy you could be forgiven for thinking that British politics has reached a state of such utter dysfunction that it may never recover. Thank God then for Scotland which - in an increasingly lunatic world - looks like it will emerge from the morass of Brexit with its dignity intact. There is no denying that those most aggressively seeking Scottish independence have seized on Brexit as a powerful propaganda weapon to advance their cause. While that is certainly true, it does a disservice to Nicola Sturgeon and her administration to suggest that advancing Scottish independence is the only reason that they have so vigorously fought to stop Brexit.
6th Apr 2019 - Irish Independent

UK Labour leader waiting for government Brexit red lines to move

Britain’s Labour Party is waiting for the government’s Brexit “red lines” to move after talks with the governing Conservatives aimed at ending the deadlock, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Saturday, according to the BBC. Corbyn said he is “waiting to see the red lines move” in talks with the government and “next week something will have to happen in parliament”, according to a BBC reporter on Twitter. Earlier finance minister Philip Hammond said the government had no red lines in the talks.
6th Apr 2019 - Reuters

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn’s plot to thwart Boris Johnson from delivering clean Brexit by setting their unity deal in stone

Theresa May is plotting to thwart Boris Johnson from delivering a clean Brexit if he becomes the next PM. She has bowed to Jeremy Corbyn’s demands to make any “unity” deal they strike legally binding. And in a message to voters last night she insisted that doing business with her Marxist foe was the only way to stop Brexit “slipping through our fingers”. But writing the compromise into law would tie the hands of her successor – and make it impossible for them to rip up the agreement and start again. The move has infuriated Tory MPs who want her to quit No10 as soon as she has led Britain out of the EU. They fear she will crumble to Labour demands to keep Britain in a customs union – a move which is fiercely opposed by leadership hopeful Mr Johnson.
6th Apr 2019 - The Sun

UK minister sees Brexit deal with Labour, opposition wants flexibility

The British government is optimistic about reaching some form of deal with the opposition Labour Party to end a deadlock on Brexit as work on a compromise continues, Britain’s finance minister Philip Hammond said on Saturday. But Labour said the governing Conservatives needed to be more flexible and had not shown any movement on a political declaration of intent on the future relationship between London and Brussels once Britain has left the European Union.
6th Apr 2019 - Reuters

Brexit crisis: Labour 'disappointed' by talks as EU offers 'flextension'

Labour has accused the government of failing to offer real change or compromise during talks to end the Brexit stalemate - as new exit dates are considered. In a statement following more talks between the opposition and a team appointed by Theresa May to agree a way forward, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said: "So far, the government isn't proposing any changes to the deal. In particular, it's not countenancing any changes to the actual wording of the political declaration.
6th Apr 2019 - Sky News

European governments dismiss Theresa May's 30 June Brexit delay request

European governments have criticised Theresa May’s request for a Brexit extension until 30 June, warning that the UK could end up leaving the EU without a deal. Amelie de Montchalin, the French Europe minister, said that the UK could not continue to ask for extensions without “clear and credible political backing”. “In the absence of such a plan, we would have to acknowledge that the UK chose to leave the EU in a disorderly manner,” she continued. Spain and Belgium are also thought to back France's hardline stance, paving the way for a no-deal Brexit on 12 April. However, at a meeting of diplomats from the other 27 member states, the German insisted: “There are positive elements to the letter”.
6th Apr 2019 - Politics Home

France, Spain and Belgium 'ready for no-deal Brexit next week'

Chance of May getting 30 June extension appear slim after notes of EU meeting emerge. France has won the support of Spain and Belgium after signalling its readiness for a no-deal Brexit on 12 April if there are no significant new British proposals, according to a note of an EU27 meeting seen by the Guardian. The diplomatic cable reveals that the French ambassador secured the support of Spanish and Belgian colleagues in arguing that there should only be, at most, a short article 50 extension to avoid an instant financial crisis, saying: “We could probably extend for a couple of weeks to prepare ourselves in the markets.”
6th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

The People’s Vote campaign is about Brexit, not patching up broken parties

People’s Vote sprang from Open Britain – an amalgam of people passionate about the benefits of being in the EU, horrified at the referendum result, and determined to mitigate the various harms Brexit will cause our country. This diverse coalition brought Caroline Lucas of the Green party and Dominic Grieve of the Conservatives to the same table, it united grass roots campaigns such as More United and Scientists for EU, and campaigners of every political hue. In time we agreed the only way out of the growing Brexit crisis was a People’s Vote.
6th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Dominic Grieve hosts French minister for Brexit discussions on Article 50 and second referendum

Remain Tory MPs will meet on Thursday with senior members of Emmanuel Macron's government to discuss extending Article 50 as a path to a second referendum, The Telegraph can reveal. Dominic Grieve, the former Attorney General, will hold a meeting with Nathalie Loiseau, the French Europe minister, and other senior French politicians in his office. It came as Nick Boles and Oliver Letwin, two Tory MPs pushing for a softer Brexit, held a meeting with Jeremy Corbyn to discuss their plans.
6th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

France maintains hardline stance on no-deal Brexit

France has reiterated its opposition to Britain being granted any further Brexit extension if it does not have a concrete plan with clear support in the House of Commons, saying that without that Britain must be deemed to have chosen to leave the EU without a deal.
5th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

The EU should offer a long Brexit extension so the UK can rethink

The EU should say “no” to Theresa May’s request to delay Brexit until the end of June. It is too short an extension to be useful. Instead, the 27 other countries should say she can have a delay of a year — with the option to end it earlier if she gets a deal through parliament. The UK prime minister probably knows that such a year-long “flextension” is in the national interest. She just couldn’t bring herself to ask for it because she is worried about causing yet more uproar in her Conservative party. Every delay to Brexit drives the hardline MPs mad. But that is no reason for the leaders of the EU27 to go along with a proposal that is bad for them, too. They should make a counter-offer, just as they did last month when Mrs May asked for her first extension to the Article 50 process. Then they gave her less time than she wanted. Now they should give her more.
5th Apr 2019 - Financial Times

May asks for Brexit extension to June 30; EU could offer a year

Britain’s opposition Labour Party said on Friday that talks with the government on a last-ditch Brexit deal had made no progress, as EU leaders said Prime Minister Theresa May had not convinced them that they should let Britain delay its departure next week. May wrote to Brussels asking European Union leaders to postpone Britain’s exit from next Friday until June 30. But they have insisted that she must first show a viable plan to secure agreement on her divorce deal in the deadlocked parliament. Labour, which she turned to reluctantly after failing three times to get her deal passed, said the government “has not offered real change or compromise” in three days of talks. “We urge the prime minister to come forward with genuine changes to her deal,” a statement said.
5th Apr 2019 - Reuters UK

Brexit: Theresa May asks for June 30 extension but EU wants year long 'flextension'

Mr Tusk is preparing to put the option to EU leaders at a crunch summit next Wednesday in a bid to prevent the UK crashing out of the bloc on April 12, according to the BBC. Mrs May's request was sent this morning to spell out the UK's plans in a letter to Mr Tusk in sufficient time for the other 27 leaders to consider them before they gather in Brussels on Wednesday evening. A source close to the French President has already slammed talks of granting a further delay as premature. The French diplomatic source slammed as "clumsy" comments by an EU official mentioning a "flexible extension" of the date of the country's exit from the European Union of up to one year. Under the EU's plan the UK’s nominal last day would likely be 10 April 2020 - but would be expected to leave well before then when a deal is agreed.
5th Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

Donald Tusk will tell EU to back Brexit 'flextension' for UK

Theresa May has written to Donald Tusk to ask for Brexit to be delayed until 30 June while she battles to win cross-party agreement on a way forward. Rather than the year-long flexible extension to article 50 recommended by the European council president, the prime minister suggested 30 June as the new departure date, but with an option to leave earlier if the necessary legislation has been passed. That is the same date requested by the government last month but rejected by EU leaders in Brussels. Unless a new date is signed off at an emergency EU summit on Wednesday, Britain is due to leave without a deal on 12 April.
5th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

The Best Brexit Is Still No Brexit

With or without May’s withdrawal agreement, Brexit will be a prolonged process, involving years of further negotiation, debate, lawyering, rule-writing, bean-counting, politicking, infighting and generalized tedium. It will be costly, complicated and socially corrosive. Avoiding Brexit altogether is still the best way forward, even if it means further delay and the costs that go with it. The right result is possible even now, if Britain’s politicians finally start putting the country’s interests first.
5th Apr 2019 - Bloomberg

Donald Tusk floats 1-year Brexit ‘flextension’

Britain can have another year to think on Brexit — provided it joins the European Parliament election next month, a senior EU official said. European Council President Donald Tusk raised the idea after hours of meetings and consultations Thursday to plan for next week's summit of EU leaders. “The only reasonable way out would be a long but flexible extension," the senior official quoted Tusk as saying. "I would call it a 'flextension.' How would it work in practice? We could give the U.K. a yearlong extension, automatically terminated once the Withdrawal Agreement has been accepted and ratified by the House of Commons.
5th Apr 2019 - Politico

Theresa May begs Brussels to delay Brexit to June 30 – but EU want it to be a year

Theresa May today wrote to Brussels begging for another delay to Brexit, keeping us in the EU for three more months. The PM asked EU leaders to sign off on a new agreement which would see Britain leave on June 30 - but they're likely to push for a year-long extension instead. The delay is likely to include a "break clause" meaning it would end early if Parliament approves a Brexit deal. But furious Brexiteers warned that if the EU forces us to stay another year, Britain should sabotage it from the inside by blocking plans for expansion.
5th Apr 2019 - The Sun

Brexit: UK asks EU for further extension until 30 June

Theresa May has written to the European Union to request a further delay to Brexit until 30 June. The UK is currently due to leave the EU on 12 April and, as yet, no withdrawal deal has been approved by MPs. The government has been in talks with the Labour Party to try and find a compromise to put to the Commons. But shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the Tory negotiating team had offered no changes to Mrs May's original deal.
5th Apr 2019 - BBC

Why Labour's Brexit talks with Government are on verge of collapse

I am not sure whether it’s me or ministers who are the more naive. Because last night I was persuaded by Cabinet sources a breakthrough was nigh in talks to resolve the Brexit deadlock between the Government and Labour. But the talks are already on the verge of collapse - with each side making charges it is the other side which is negotiating in poor faith. Labour sources say the memorandum sent by the PM to Jeremy Corbyn this afternoon shows Theresa May has not shown the flexibility her colleagues expected.
5th Apr 2019 - ITV News

Travel after Brexit: EU parliament votes to give UK citizens visa-free access after no-deal – if it’s reciprocated

The European Parliament voted in support of plans that will allow UK nationals to carry on enjoying visa-free travel across the European Union after Brexit, as long as the same is reciprocated by London to all member states. MEPs backed the proposals by 502 to 81 with 29 abstentions in a vote in Brussels on Thursday. The legislation means UK nationals will not require visas to stay in the EU for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The legislation should be incorporated into EU law by 12 April, the extended final date for the end of the Article 50 process, when the UK finally leaves the EU. It will continue to apply even in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
4th Apr 2019 - iNews

May's deal has sacrificed services as price of ending free movement

It would be far better for the government to use any extension to rethink its strategy in favour of an approach based on honesty and evidence rather than subterfuge. After all, the Irish backstop may have exposed one giant hole in Mrs May’s plan relating to treatment of goods. But there are other important holes in the government’s Brexit plans that continue to go almost entirely unexamined. Perhaps the biggest relates to the treatment of services.
4th Apr 2019 - The Times

Scottish Conservatives urged to split from UK party

A call is being made to the Scottish Conservative conference next month urging it to split from the UK party and set up as a separate organisation. It follows tensions between the UK and Scottish party over Brexit and the prospect a hardline Eurosceptic such as Boris Johnson could succeed Theresa May as Prime Minister.
4th Apr 2019 - The National

Brexit: Leo Varadkar and Angela Merkel to hear views of people from Northern Ireland

Irish premier Leo Varadkar will hold Brexit talks with German leader Angela Merkel in Dublin today. The Taoiseach will host Ms Merkel at Farmleigh House where their discussions are set to focus on the latest developments ahead of the special European Council meeting next week.
4th Apr 2019 - The News Letter

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 5th Apr 2019

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Britain needs a Brexit compromise. Forging one could be the making of Corbyn’s Labour

There is also a case for Corbyn to be bold, a case for him not to miss this opportunity by failing to grasp the national importance of the moment, the political weakness of the prime minister and the opportunities for Labour that her offer opens up. The process seems likely to fail. Yet the situation cries out for compromise. Compromise is an ineradicable element of politics. Knowing how, when and why to offer or accept a compromise is a vital art of government. It would be even more vital under a fairer voting system. Yet the key protagonists at this hour are almost uniquely unsuited to the task. Can they work together? Stranger things have happened in politics. But not many.
3rd Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Theresa May's Brexit ministers have discussed the possibility of second referendum with Labour

Theresa May's ministers have discussed the possibility of giving MPs a vote on a second referendum during talks aimed at agreeing a Brexit deal with Jeremy Corbyn, it has emerged. A team of four ministers led by David Lidington, the Cabinet Office minister, held four and a half hours of talks with their Labour counterparts on Thursday during which the idea of offering a second referendum was discussed as an option. Labour's Keir Starmer is believed to have said that a second referendum had to be one of the options put to MPs in a series of so-called indicative votes which will take place if a deal cannot be agreed
4th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Angela Merkel hails MPs who voted to force the PM into asking for another Brexit delay as she meets with Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublin

Angela Merkel yesterday hailed MPs who voted to force the PM into asking for another Brexit delay, saying they have reduced the risk of no deal. The German Chancellor met Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublin - and praised Remainers who backed the Cooper-Letwin amendment as they vowed to fight until the “last hour” to stop a crash out. She said: “We’re following this with great interest and we hope this will open up possibilities of an orderly Brexit. “It’s an important message there’s a vast majority in the Commons that wants to avoid a disorderly Brexit without a deal, and this is my starting point.”
4th Apr 2019 - The Sun

'Plan with a chance' could come out of cross-party Brexit talks

Will it at this last moment provide a stable platform not only for a one-off vote on the principle of this Brexit model but also the complex, controversial, attendant and necessary legislation? Well maybe - if Theresa May can ignore the weeks ahead of outrage from her own Brexiter MPs, who may quit her Government and even her party in disgust. Oh and Labour and Jeremy Corbyn could face a similar risk of binary fission, if the offer of a confirmatory referendum looks conditional and therefore to all intents and purposes fictional.
4th Apr 2019 - ITV News

A people’s vote is not a Brexit option, it is a solution

Ms Nandy’s argument positions Leavers as the authentic political voice — particularly of the left — forgetting that the result in 2016 was extremely close and that Brexit has arguably seen the collapse of party political ideology. Her analysis, in fact, makes the perfect case for a people’s vote: Brexit continues to divide the country and both the government and, now, parliament has failed to deliver compromise or consensus. Putting the decision to the people is the only way to break this gridlock, reach a genuine evidence-based consensus, and move on with the business of healing the country.
4th Apr 2019 - The Times

Parliament is having a ‘collective breakdown’ as Brexit stress hits exhausted MPs

Parliament is undergoing “a collective breakdown” as the stress of the Brexit crisis tips dozens of exhausted MPs over the edge, a senior MP has warned. Education Committee chair and former Tory minister Rob Halfon issued the alarm over the intense personal pressure that the deadlock and repeated high stakes voting is having on all MPs.
4th Apr 2019 - The Sun

Newport West by-election won by Labour's Ruth Jones with 37% turnout

Labour held on to Newport West in a by-election battle which saw turnout slump. The party's Ruth Jones took 9,308 votes, giving her a majority of 1,951 over the Tories, with Ukip in third place. The contest was triggered by the death of veteran MP Paul Flynn and came against the backdrop of Brexit battles at Westminster. The city has long been a Labour stronghold and voted Leave by a margin of 56% to 44% in the 2016 in-out referendum.
4th Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

Labour retains Newport West as Brexit chaos 'leads to slump in turnout'

4th Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Newport West byelection: Labour retains seat amid Brexit chaos

4th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Jeremy Corbyn’s Brexit problem

May’s Brexit offer forces the Labour leader to choose whether his party will really help deliver Brexit. Make no mistake: underneath the gloved hand of friendship extended to its leader Jeremy Corbyn by British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday was a clenched fist primed to punch the opposition party right where it hurts. The calculation is simple. Labour supporters are overwhelming opposed to Brexit, but the constituencies it needs to take power are overwhelmingly in favor. The leadership does not believe it can afford to be either purely anti-Brexit or purely pro. May’s offer to the Labour leader to help shape Brexit is designed to finally push Corbyn from his high-wire tightrope walk
4th Apr 2019 - Politico

Theresa May And Jeremy Corbyn Could Give Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland A Veto On Future Changes To A Brexit Deal

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn are looking at the idea of forcing a future prime minister to secure the consent of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland before they can alter the UK’s future relationship with the EU. BuzzFeed News has learned that one option under consideration ahead of Thursday’s talks between the government and the Labour Party is to require any repeal of a permanent customs union to be agreed by the devolved assemblies in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, according to two Whitehall sources.
4th Apr 2019 - BuzzFeed News

Committee seeks reassurances from Home Secretary about EU Settlement Scheme

Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws, Chair of the Sub-Committee, said "We are reassured on some aspects of the EU Settlement Scheme, but more needs to be done to ensure that it is fit for purpose and does not lead to problems in future. We are pressing the Home Secretary for further information about our key concerns, and seeking to make constructive proposals for improvements. In particular, we remain very concerned about the Government’s resistance to providing physical proof of status, and we are asking why the centralised system cannot work in tandem with physical proof." The EU Justice Sub-Committee has asked for a response within ten days.
4th Apr 2019 - UK Parliament

No-deal Brexit pressure group paid DUP's Lee Reynolds for consultancy work

The DUP's director of policy carried out paid consultancy work for a pressure group campaigning for a no-deal Brexit. Belfast councillor Lee Reynolds received almost £1,000 for just over a week of work between November and January on behalf of Brexit Express. The group, founded by multi-millionaire financier Jeremy Hosking, is actively pushing for the UK to leave the European Union without a deal. It launched a Brexit-backing billboard advertising campaign in February with slogans saying "no deal is ideal" and it is "the only way to end the humiliation". Brexit Express, which offered funding to Leave-supporting Tories in 2017's election, is now seeking to register as a new political party in Britain.
4th Apr 2019 - Irish News

Theresa May to make written Brexit offer to Jeremy Corbyn

Theresa May is expected to write to Jeremy Corbyn to set out the government's offer on Brexit, with negotiations due to resume in Downing Street on Friday. Letter to include proposal to offer MPs vote on second referendum, source suggests
4th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: senior MPs discuss tactics to avert No 10 'stitch-up'

Senior MPs who oppose Theresa May’s Brexit deal have met to discuss how to stop No 10 “stitching up” crucial votes that will decide how the UK leaves the European Union. The cross-party group includes Sir Oliver Letwin, Nick Boles, Yvette Cooper and Hilary Benn, who have already successfully forced legislation to prevent a no-deal Brexit through the House of Commons. They are now concerned that No 10 could present a series of Brexit alternatives for parliament to vote on – such as May’s deal, Labour’s proposals, or a customs union – without consulting MPs properly about what options should be on the table. There is growing suspicion that the government is still set on trying to get the prime minister’s deal through parliament if talks with the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, fail.
4th Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Lords prepare to sit 'until 6am' as Tory Peers try to block Article 50 extension

The House of Lords braced to sit through the night Brexiteer Peers tried to block a Bill which would delay Article 50 and prevent the UK leaving with no deal. Yesterday MPs voted for the Bill which forces Theresa May to seek an extension to negotiations with EU by just one vote, 313 votes to 312.
4th Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

Barclay: no guarantee UK won't vote in EU elections

Responding to a question from Labour's Emma Lewell-Buck, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay says "there is no guarantee the UK would not participate in European parliamentary elections". He said it should be clear to MPs that "asking the public to hold elections for an organisation we are meant to have left would damage trust in politics".
4th Apr 2019 - BBC

Brexit: EU's Donald Tusk 'suggests 12-month flexible delay'

European Council President Donald Tusk is proposing to offer the UK a 12-month "flexible" extension to its Brexit date, according to a senior EU source. His plan would allow the UK to leave sooner if Parliament ratifies a deal, but it would need to be agreed by EU leaders at a summit next week. The UK's Conservatives and Labour Party are set to continue Brexit talks later. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox has told the BBC that if they fail, the delay is "likely to be a long one". The UK is due to leave the EU on 12 April and, as yet, no withdrawal deal has been approved by MPs. Downing Street said "technical" talks between Labour and the Conservatives on Thursday had been "productive" and would continue on Friday.
5th Apr 2019 - BBC

Brexit Is Georgia's Chance to Push for EU Membership, President Says

Georgia must seize the opportunity presented by the U.K.’s departure from the European Union to push its case for integration leading to membership of the bloc, according to the country’s new president. “We are looking at this situation with the determination to get the most out of it,’’ Salome Zourabichvili said in an interview in the capital, Tbilisi. “There is a logic that the country that has been steadily moving toward and wanting Europe can’t be treated less than the country that’s steadily moving away from Europe.’’
5th Apr 2019 - Bloomberg

British trade unions are finally backing a new Brexit referendum – now it's up to Jeremy Corbyn to deliver it

So my fight for a people’s vote is motivated very simply, by the untold damage that Brexit will do to my already devastated community. I can only describe my feelings, on hearing the announcement from Unison – my trade union – that we backed a public vote on Brexit, as absolute joy.
5th Apr 2019 - The Independent

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 4th Apr 2019

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Labour's Corbyn says Theresa May has not moved enough on Brexit

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Theresa May had not moved far enough in a first round of crisis talks aimed at breaking the domestic deadlock over Britain’s exit from the European Union. The United Kingdom was supposed to leave the EU last Friday but, nearly three years after it voted by 52 percent to 48 for Brexit in a referendum, it is still unclear how, when or even whether it will quit the bloc it joined in 1973. After her EU withdrawal deal was rejected three times by lawmakers, the Conservative prime minister invited Corbyn, a veteran socialist, to talks in parliament to try to plot a way out of the crisis.
4th Apr 2019 - Reuters

UK legislates to avert chaotic Brexit as May seeks new plan

Britain's Brexit drama went into overtime Wednesday as Prime Minister Theresa May and the country's main opposition sought a compromise deal to prevent an abrupt British departure from the European Union at the end of next week. In an about-face that left pro-Brexit members of May's Conservative Party howling with outrage, the prime minister sought to forge an agreement with left-wing Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn after failing three times to win Parliament's backing for her Brexit deal. May also said she would ask the EU for a further delay to Britain's departure date - postponed once already - to avert a chaotic and economically damaging no-deal Brexit on April 12. Skeptical lawmakers, reluctant to take her word for it, approved a hastily crafted law that compels May to ask for an extension to the Brexit deadline if a no-deal departure is looming.
4th Apr 2019 - Daily Mail

Sir Lynton Crosby staff ‘covertly run hard Brexit Facebook ads’

A lobbying company run by the Conservatives’ election guru Sir Lynton Crosby has been linked to a covert “grassroots” Facebook advertising campaign pushing for a hard Brexit. Two supposedly independent groups, Britain’s Future and the Mainstream Network, have spent nearly £1 million on a targeted campaign encouraging people to write to their MPs with a call to reject Theresa May’s agreement and support a no-deal Brexit. Documents seen by The Guardian have linked the groups with employees of CTF Partners, Sir Lynton’s lobbying outfit which also ran Boris Johnson’s campaign to become mayor of London.
4th Apr 2019 - The Times

Juncker rejects May appeal for a further short Brexit delay

Theresa May’s appeal for a short Brexit extension has been rejected by Jean-Claude Juncker, who said that unless the withdrawal deal was passed within nine days the UK would crash out of the EU or have to sign up to a long delay. Less than 24 hours after May had spelled out her new strategy from Downing Street, the European commission president dismissed her request for an extension of article 50 to 22 May. Speaking to the European parliament, Juncker instead set an “ultimate deadline” of 12 April for the Commons to approve the withdrawal agreement. “If it has not done so by then, no further short extension will be possible,” he said. “After 12 April, we risk jeopardising the European parliament elections, and so threaten the functioning of the European Union.”
3rd Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit vote TIED in House of Commons for first time in 26 years

A crunch vote on Brexit was tied in extraordinary scenes, the like of which have not been seen in the House of Commons in 26 years. And the last vote to be tied in the Chamber was, ironically, in a vote on the Maastricht Treaty with the European Union. The vote was on Labour MP Hilary Benn's bid to bring forward a third set of indicative votes to find a way forward on Brexit , which would have taken place on Monday. After MPs voted on the plan, exactly 310 of them voted for and against it. In the case of a tie, the Speaker has the casting vote. Speaker John Bercow voted no, complying with the convention that when there is no majority in the House, the chair should not create one. As such, the amendment was defeated by 311 votes to 310.
3rd Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

Brexit: Corbyn should walk out of talks with Theresa May if she refuses to discuss fresh referendum, says senior Labour MP

Jeremy Corbyn should walk out of cross-party talks with Theresa May if she refuses to discuss a second referendum, the senior Labour MP Margaret Beckett has said. The remarks from the party's former foreign secretary come as talks between the prime minister and the Labour leader are set to commence in an effort to break to Brexit logjam at Westminster. Appearing at a press conference organised by the People's Vote campaign for a fresh referendum, Dame Margaret said Mr Corbyn is now in "a very powerful position". She said that if any new proposal is to command Labour's support and a stable majority in parliament, "it cannot, must not, and will not preclude the idea of any Brexit deal is put to the people".
3rd Apr 2019 - The Independent

EU says it would not open talks with UK after no-deal Brexit until it agrees to divorce bill and Irish backstop

The EU would refuse to open trade talks with Britain after a no-deal Brexit until the UK decided to sign up to the main elements of the withdrawal agreement anyway, the European Commission has said. Speaking in the European parliament on Wednesday, Jean-Claude Juncker said the Irish border, citizens’ rights and the divorce bill would need to be agreed before any other negotiations could begin. He also warned that no further short Article 50 extension would be possible, and that the UK would have to commit to European parliament elections and a longer delay if it wanted to put back its deadline again.
3rd Apr 2019 - The Independent

Brexit: Emily Thornberry says Corbyn's deal with Theresa May must include referendum

The Shadow Foreign Secretary wrote to all Labour MPs after the Leader of the Opposition met with the Prime Minister. Emily Thornberry has insisted that any deal with Theresa May to save her Brexit plan signed off by Jeremy Corbyn MUST include a referendum. Ms Thornberry today warned that any agreement that did not include a public vote would be "in breach of the decision made unanimously by Conference in Liverpool and overwhelmingly supported by our members". The Labour MP, who had to miss a vote today on holding indicative Brexit votes because her daughter was ill in hospital, said in the letter: "Any deal agreed by Parliament must be subject to a confirmatory public vote, and yes, the other option on the ballot must be Remain".
3rd Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox: 'We must leave the EU'

It is an "article of faith" that the UK must leave the EU to honour the referendum result, Geoffrey Cox says. The attorney general told the BBC a customs union was "not desirable" but if that was the only way of leaving the EU, he would take it. He suggested the government's only option was to "seek with Labour some common ground" for a "swift exit". And he suggested that the UK could not be bound into a customs arrangement permanently. It comes as the Brexit secretary says rejection of the PM's deal would mean a "soft Brexit or no Brexit at all". Meanwhile, the PM has responded to criticism from her own party over talks with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn by saying all MPs had a responsibility to deliver Brexit.
3rd Apr 2019 - BBC

DUP lawmaker hints at supporting a customs union post-Brexit: BBC correspondent

A lawmaker from the Northern Irish party which props up Prime Minister Theresa May’s government appeared to hold out the prospect of the party supporting Britain’s membership of a post-Brexit customs union, a BBC correspondent said. “We would have preferred a form of Brexit that enables the UK to negotiate new trade agreements with other countries,” Jeffrey Donaldson, a Democratic Unionist Party lawmaker, was quoted as saying by BBC Northern Ireland Political Correspondent Enda McClafferty. “That is part of the reason for Brexit and maybe a customs union might be a temporary staging post toward that objective,” Donaldson was quoted as saying.
3rd Apr 2019 - Reuters

Brexit news latest: MPs back bill that rules out no-deal and delays withdrawal in knife-edge vote

MPs have narrowly backed a bill by a majority of just one to force Theresa May to ask for an extension to the Brexit process to avoid a no-deal outcome. The cross-party Cooper-Boles Bill, which was fast-tracked through Parliament in one day, was approved by MPs by 315 to 310 votes after its second reading. It was later passed in the Commons by just one vote, with 313 votes for and 312 votes against. The third-reading vote just before midnight on Wednesday means the Prime Minister has a mandate to ask for an Article 50 extension.
3rd Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

Brexit: Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn hold 'constructive' talks

Talks between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn to break the Brexit deadlock have been called "constructive". The two leaders met on Wednesday afternoon and agreed a "programme of work" to try to find a way forward to put to MPs for a vote. It is understood that each party has appointed a negotiating team, which are meeting tonight before a full day of discussions on Thursday. A spokesman for No 10 said both sides were "showing flexibility". And he added that the two parties gave "a commitment to bring the current Brexit uncertainty to a close". Speaking after the meeting, Mr Corbyn said there had not been "as much change as [he] had expected" in the PM's position. He said the meeting was "useful, but inconclusive", and talks would continue. Meanwhile, Chancellor Philip Hammond has said a confirmatory referendum on a Brexit deal was a "perfectly credible" idea. He told ITV's Peston programme he was not sure if the majority of MPs would back it, but "it deserves to be tested in Parliament".
3rd Apr 2019 - BBC

MPs back delay bill by just one vote to rule out 12 April no-deal Brexit

The House of Commons have narrowly approved a bill in the commons this evening, that will compel Theresa May to seek a further extension on Article 50, to prevent a no-deal exit on 12 April. The bill, laid by Labour's Yvette Cooper, requires the government to bring a legally binding vote to the Commons, seeking an extension to Article 50, where MPs will be able to determine the length of the extension. 313 MPs voted for the bill, and 312 voted against - a majority of one. However, this does not bind the European Union to the decision, who could reject the outcome of the vote and not offer an extension. The bill raced through parliament in under six hours, as backbench MPs took control of the parliamentary agenda from the government.
3rd Apr 2019 - Sky News

Theresa May extends a squeamish hand to Jeremy Corbyn with fate of the nation at stake

Strictly speaking, this is not the first time that Theresa May has tried to break free of the malign grip of the Eurosceptic Right. Her decision to hold a snap general election in June 2017 was generally interpreted as a bid to secure a personal mandate and the right to negotiate with Brussels on her own terms. “Crush the saboteurs” boomed the Daily Mail after she announced her plan. This was indeed the Prime Minister’s intention. But, according to those who worked with her at the time, the prospective “saboteurs” were not Tory Remainers but the much larger number of Brexiteer hardliners: the PM knew that they would never be happy with the deal that she was likely to deliver, and sought a thumping Commons majority to liberate her from their veto.
3rd Apr 2019 - Evening Standard

Corbyn and May agree to more talks after 'constructive' first day

Jeremy Corbyn will resume Brexit talks with the prime minister on Thursday, after Labour tensions over a second referendum burst into the open, with the shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, writing to colleagues to insist any pact must be put to a public vote. Both Labour and Downing Street described the discussions as “constructive” and said they would hold technical talks, facilitated by civil servants, on Thursday. “We have had constructive exploratory discussions about how to break the Brexit deadlock,” a Labour spokesperson said. “We have agreed a programme of work between our teams to explore the scope for agreement.” An emergency shadow cabinet meeting was convened in the aftermath of the discussions to consider how Labour should proceed.
3rd Apr 2019 - The Guardian

A Brexit Expert on Just How Badly Things Are Going in the U.K.

Benjamin Hart interviews Ian Dunt on the Brexit chaos in the UK
3rd Apr 2019 - New York Intelligencer

MPs opt by majority of 1 to seek long delay to Brexit

MPs have voted in favour of a parliamentary manoeuvre to try to avert a no-deal Brexit on April 12 with a majority of one vote. The bill, tabled by Labour’s Yvette Cooper and the Conservative Oliver Letwin, requires Theresa May to negotiate a long delay to Brexit with all 27 EU leaders. The legislation, which passed by 313 votes to 312, was rushed though the House of Commons on Wednesday. The bill will now move to the House of Lords for approval before it can become law. The bill was tabled before the prime minister said she intended to seek an extension of Article 50 at next Wednesday’s emergency meeting of EU heads of government. The UK is set to leave the EU on April 12 without a deal unless an extension to the Article 50 divorce process is approved by EU member states.
3rd Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit: MPs vote to force Theresa May to seek Article 50 extension by ONE vote

3rd Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

Brexit: British MPs reject no-deal Brexit Bill

Proposed legislation to further delay the date of Brexit has cleared the House of Commons by one vote. MPs passed the Bill instructing British prime minister Theresa May to seek an extension to article 50 and avoid a no-deal Brexit on a third reading by 313 votes to 312. The Bill now has to pass the upper chamber, the House of Lords. The plan, spearheaded by Labour’s Yvette Cooper and the Conservative Oliver Letwin, was almost scuppered during a frenzied day in parliament after MPs voted by a majority of just one to let the snap Bill proceed. After MPs voted 312 to 311 to allow the Bill to proceed, Ms Cooper and Mr Letwin then had four hours to pass the Bill’s second reading, committee stage and third reading through the Commons.
3rd Apr 2019 - The Irish Times

Brexit vote tied in Commons

A vote in the House of Commons has been defeated by one vote after the Speaker John Bercow cast the deciding ballot. MPs were voting on a motion to hold more indicative votes on alternative plans for Brexit but the result was tied with 310 votes for and 310 against. Mr Bercow then voted "no" in accordance with precedent.
3rd Apr 2019 - BBC

Spanish PM: Brexit and Catalan independence bid both based on lies

Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has compared Brexit to the failed push for Catalan independence, warning that “engaging in campaigns or political projects based on lies eventually leads societies down a blind alley”. Renewing his appeal for the UK to accept the EU’s withdrawal deal, Sánchez said he saw clear parallels between the rhetoric that drove the Brexit debate and the arguments used in the regional independence campaign that plunged Spain into its worst crisis in four decades. “The techniques of the Catalan independence movement are very similar to those of [Nigel] Farage and other ultra-conservative leaders who have defended Brexit,” he said.
3rd Apr 2019 - The Guardian

@ChhCalling After much contemplation, I have decided to leave Theresa May's Government. I'm grateful to the PM for giving me the opportunity to serve the UK and I will continue to represent my constituents as the MP for Daventry.

After much contemplation, I have decided to leave Theresa May's Government. I'm grateful to the PM for giving me the opportunity to serve the UK and I will continue to represent my constituents as the MP for Daventry.
3rd Apr 2019 - @ChhCalling

Brexit talks must start 'without red lines'

Former Conservative MP Nick Boles, who resigned the party whip on Monday, has asked the prime minister for reassurance that she will enter cross-party talks "without the red lines that have bedevilled the Brexit process so far".
3rd Apr 2019 - BBC

The Guardian view on Brexit radicalisation: take time, lower the temperature

Brexiters may well be frustrated but their rhetoric of betrayal, sabotage and treason is fuelling a dangerously febrile atmosphere
3rd Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Juncker draws hard line on April 12 deadline for Brexit

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Wednesday there would be no short extension for Brexit once the April 12 deadline hits and reaffirmed that the Withdrawal Agreement is the best way forward. "If the House of Commons does not adopt a stance by that date, no extension, no short-term extension will be possible," Juncker told the European Parliament. "After April 12, we run the risk to jeopardize the correct running of the European elections and function of the European Union." Juncker added a no-deal scenario on April 12 is "more and more likely."
3rd Apr 2019 - Politico

Brexit deal between May and Corbyn would 'satisfy nobody' and 'make country poorer', Nicola Sturgeon says

Scottish first minister warns against 'cobbled together least bad option' and calls for long delay to Brexit instead. Any Brexit deal agreed between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn would "make the country poorer", Nicola Sturgeon has said. The Scottish first minister said a cross-party compromise plan would be a "cobbled together least bad option" that "satisfies nobody" and could be "unpicked" by a future Eurosceptic prime minister such as Boris Johnson.
3rd Apr 2019 - The Independent

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay says ‘remorseless logic’ could drive UK to softer Brexit or none at all

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said the “remorseless logic” of the House of Commons was pushing the UK towards either a softer Brexit or no Brexit at all. Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he also claimed it meant the Tories now had to seek support from the opposition. “The Prime Minister’s deal won’t go through and no deal in law is taken off the table, then the consequence of that is either a soft Brexit or no Brexit at all”, he said, “It’s regrettable that what we have been saying for several months now is coming to pass but that is the remorseless logic of not backing the Prime Minister’s deal.
3rd Apr 2019 - iNews

Any Brexit deal should be put to the country

Commenting on the meeting today (Wednesday) between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “Theresa May should have been reaching out across Westminster to find a Brexit solution a long time ago, not just at the tail end of her premiership when she’s little else to lose. “With just nine days to go every effort must be made to avoid a catastrophic no-deal Brexit and protect public services, jobs, wages, the economy and peace in Northern Ireland. “A general election is our preferred option, but until that time, the so-called Norway+ plan, allowing the UK to remain in the customs union and the single market is the next best bet. “Whatever deal emerges in the coming days should be put to the country. We cannot allow the UK’s future to be dashed on the rocks of a no-deal Brexit.”
3rd Apr 2019 - Unison

@BBCPolitics Vote by MPs on whether to hold fresh round of votes on #Brexit options ends in a tie - with Speaker John Bercow using casting vote to reject the plan

Vote by MPs on whether to hold fresh round of votes on #Brexit options ends in a tie - with Speaker John Bercow using casting vote to reject the plan
3rd Apr 2019 - @BBCPolitics

As the Tories self-destruct over Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn’s new stance has been vindicated

By backing a confirmatory referendum and opposing Theresa May’s deal, the Labour leader has pulled his party back from the brink.
3rd Apr 2019 - New Statesman

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 3rd Apr 2019

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May prepared to blow up her Tory family and put Brexit in Labour's hands

The fall-out from this gambit is eye-wateringly high risk: by reaching across the chamber to Mr Corbyn she is tacitly preparing to water down her own red lines and place the success of Brexit in her opponents' hands. If that fails, she will proceed to indicative votes to find a way through. Both options point to the same thing - a far softer Brexit than (most in) her party and cabinet would want. It goes without saying that her MPs are incandescent.
3rd Apr 2019 - Sky News

Theresa May deals triple blow to Tory hardliners

The second, bigger blow for the Eurosceptics came when the prime minister opened the door to a softer Brexit, announcing cross-party talks with Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, to try to find a mutually acceptable exit deal. And in a third setback for the Brexiters, Mrs May said that, if cross-party talks failed, she would hold a run-off in the Commons between her thrice-rejected Brexit deal and a so-far undefined alternative — almost certain to be a softer option including a customs union with the EU.
3rd Apr 2019 - Financial Times

No.10 statement: Look out for Theresa May's no-deal trap

The European elections are a crucial moment in the Brexit process. The EU has been clear that if the UK does not take part in those elections, it cannot remain inside, because it would mean that the European parliament would potentially be illegally constituted. The danger was always that May would use this fact to pivot parliament into a place where it had to choose between her deal or no-deal. The elections are on May 23rd. But the last date Britain can pass the domestic legislation to take part is April 12th. This creates a kind of danger zone, a time window in which May could put her deal to parliament in the knowledge that no further extensions of Article 50 were possible.
3rd Apr 2019 - Politics.co.uk

May’s Brexit gambit hands initiative to Corbyn

Nevertheless it would be a mistake to dismiss Mrs May’s gambit. She has ruled out no-deal; she has, after three attempts, abandoned her entire political strategy of trying to get her deal through with Tory votes alone. In advance of the decision, the cabinet was briefed on Tory prospects in a snap election. Given the decisiveness of Mrs May’s move, the outlook must have been grim indeed. The inevitable consequence, if she sticks to this plan, is that Brexit is about to get a lot softer, if it happens at all.
3rd Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit: May chooses a deal over party unity

She was for budging. Today, the prime minister made her priority leaving the EU with a deal, rather than the happy contentment of the Brexiteers in the Tory party. For so long, Theresa May has been derided by her rivals, inside and outside, for cleaving to the idea that she can get the country and her party through this process intact. But after her deal was defeated at the hands of Eurosceptics, in the words of one cabinet minister in the room during that marathon session today, she tried delivering Brexit with Tory votes - Tory Brexiteers said "No". Now she's going to try to deliver Brexit with Labour votes. In a way, it is as simple as that.
3rd Apr 2019 - BBC

What do Labour and Jeremy Corbyn want from the Brexit plan?

Theresa May is to hold talks with Jeremy Corbyn in an attempt to break the Commons deadlock on Brexit negotiations. The Labour leader said he would be “very happy” to meet the prime minister and would not “set any limits” ahead of their discussions, but he vowed to ensure his party’s Brexit priorities remained “on the table”. Labour wants a softer Brexit than Ms May’s withdrawal agreement proposes. Its priorities include a customs union with the European Union (EU), access to the single market, and protections for consumer, environmental and workers’ rights.
3rd Apr 2019 - The Independent

EU draws up strict conditions for long Brexit extension offer

The EU is preparing to offer Theresa May a long Brexit delay with strict conditions attached, including the need to hold European Parliament elections and a possible “gentleman’s agreement” over Britain’s future conduct as a member state. Measures under consideration in Brussels include the EU postponing Brexit to January or April 2020. In one extreme scenario, such an offer could be made even if Mrs May makes no request for an extension before next week’s summit
2nd Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Gove still hopes Northern Irish DUP will back May's Brexit approach

The British government still wants the support of Northern Irish unionists to pass its Brexit deal despite pivoting in its strategy to consult the opposition Labour party on the way forward, environment minister Michael Gove said on Tuesday. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) have said they will never support May’s deal so long as the so-called Irish border backstop is in place, contributing to three defeats in parliament for the withdrawal agreement with the EU and forcing a change of approach. “We want the DUP to support our approach as well,” Gove told Sky News after May said she would ask for another Brexit delay to sit down with the opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. “Conversations are ongoing with the DUP,” he added.
2nd Apr 2019 - Reuters

How seven hours of rows and recrimination at Cabinet produced a surprising shift towards a soft Brexit

It was billed as the ultimate Brexit showdown and in the end the seven-hour marathon cabinet meeting ended in rows and recriminations after a cabinet majority for no deal was ignored in favour of a customs union consensus with Jeremy Corbyn. The fact that the epic political pow wow started with a brief delay should have acted as an omen. Ministers had initially been summoned to Downing Street for 8.30am only for it to be announced six minutes later that the meeting had been postponed to 9.30am and that the afternoon session might be cancelled.
2nd Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit: Theresa May to ask EU for further extension

Theresa May will ask the EU for an extension to the Brexit deadline to "break the logjam" in Parliament. The PM says she wants to meet Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to agree a plan on the future relationship with the EU. But she insisted her withdrawal agreement - which was voted down last week - would remain part of the deal. Mr Corbyn said he was "very happy" to meet Mrs May, and would ensure plans for a customs union and protection of workers' rights were on the table. The cross-party talks offer has angered Tory Brexiteers, with Boris Johnson accusing ministers of "entrusting the final handling of Brexit to Labour". The former foreign secretary said Brexit was "becoming soft to the point of disintegration" and he could never agree with staying in a customs union.
2nd Apr 2019 - BBC

Brexit: Michel Barnier accuses Farage and Brexiteers of trying to destroy the EU

Brussels chief Michel Barnier has accused Brexiteers of trying to "destroy" the EU. The bloc's chief Brexit negotiator claimed Nigel Farage had another motive for campaigning for Britain to leave than simply regaining sovereignty for the UK. Mr Barnier said Mr Farage and other Brexiteers wanted to tear the Union apart from the inside and from the outside. And he warned remaining member states to "take good care" of the Union. Mr Barnier recounted talks he held with Mr Farage during the negotiations during a meeting of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Council.
2nd Apr 2019 - Daily Mirror

May gambles on talks with Labour to unlock Brexit, enraging her own party

Prime Minister Theresa May said on Tuesday she would seek another Brexit delay to agree an EU divorce deal with the opposition Labour leader, a last-ditch gambit to break an impasse over Britain’s departure that enraged many in her party. In a hastily arranged statement from her Downing Street office after spending seven hours chairing cabinet meetings on how to plot a way out of the Brexit maze, May said she was seeking another short extension to Brexit beyond April 12.
2nd Apr 2019 - Reuters

Does Theresa May really think Jeremy Corbyn is stupid enough to walk hand-in-hand with her to a Tory Brexit?

Another anti-climax, then, from the queen of the let down, Theresa May. She really is debasing the currency of the set-piece Downing Street statement. It used to be reserved for declarations of war or general elections or tearful prime ministerial resignations. Next time she'll probably make a solemn promise to get the next round in. In truth it appears to be an exercise in the blame game – tying to pin the failure of Brexit on Jeremy Corbyn this time. The rhetoric about national unity is incredible from someone who has so studiously ignored and disdained parliament for the past few years. And it is a flimsy, transparent effort to get Jeremy Corbyn to back what he has always called a “Tory Brexit”.
2nd Apr 2019 - The Independent

Brexit: Theresa May tears up strategy as she opens door to softer exit with Jeremy Corbyn's backing

Theresa May has dramatically torn up her Brexit strategy, paving the way for a softer withdrawal in a bid to secure Jeremy Corbyn’s backing to pull Britain out of the EU. The prime minister confirmed the UK would seek a further short delay to Brexit beyond 12 April in a Downing Street statement that infuriated Eurosceptic Tories. Government insiders believe the two big parties’ positions on future customs arrangements are not so far apart and could form the basis of a new deal.
2nd Apr 2019 - The Independent

The Newport West byelection could vindicate Labour’s Brexit policy

Paul Flynn was the MP for longer than I’ve been alive, and was immensely popular in the area: while I was at school, he championed the satirical group Goldie Lookin’ Chain and was mentioned on their album sleeves and at gigs. The band commemorated his death in February by penning a song that included the line: “Paul, you were the best, forever representing Newport West.” It was significant, as a teenager demonstrating against the Iraq war, to have the vocal support in your city of one of the minority of Labour MPs who opposed the conflict.
2nd Apr 2019 - The Guardian

FM Mark Drakeford would stop Brexit to avoid no deal

Wales' first minister has said he would back stopping Brexit if it was the only way to stop leaving the European Union without a deal. But Mark Drakeford said the move would have profound political consequences. He spoke after MPs failed for a second time to back alternative Brexit proposals on Monday night. Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said the position of Carolyn Harris as deputy Welsh Labour leader was untenable after she abstained on a further public vote. Labour whipped its UK MPs to support the measure. 24 of them voted against. In Wales two abstained - Ms Harris and Islwyn's Chris Evans. Ms Harris said that her voting reflected "the majority view of my constituents".
2nd Apr 2019 - BBC

Where do cabinet ministers stand on soft Brexit v no deal?

It seems that a majority of cabinet ministers could now back a no-deal Brexit over a long delay and a customs union, with former remainers such as the Treasury chief secretary, Liz Truss, and the home secretary, Sajid Javid, now among the voices calling on Theresa May to seek this option. Ten cabinet ministers have signed a letter coordinated by Chris Heaton-Harris, the Brexit minister in charge of no-deal planning, urging the prime minister to leave without a deal. Here’s how the cabinet splits in favour of no deal versus a softer Brexit compromise – and those who could go either way.
2nd Apr 2019 - The Guardian

MPs attack Brexit in debate on 6m-strong petition

MPs have urged Theresa May to listen to the 6m people who signed the biggest petition in British history, calling on the UK prime minister to revoke the Article 50 EU exit process and stop Brexit. In a debate in Westminster Hall, Catherine McKinnell, Labour MP for Newcastle-upon-Tyne North, called Brexit an “all-consuming exercise in futility”, arguing that most of the public “want this national nightmare to be finally over”. Chuka Umunna, a member of the pro-EU Independent Group of MPs who have defected from the Labour and Conservative parties added that, “whether people voted Leave or Remain there is no majority for the mess that has unfolded”.
2nd Apr 2019 - Financial Times

All eyes on the 'Furious Fourteen': May faces cabinet resignations as she shuns 'clear majority' of ministers who backed No Deal and sets up Soft Brexit surrender talks with Jeremy Corbyn instead

Theresa May risked a Cabinet walkout last night by defying the wishes of 14 of her ministers, throwing an olive branch to Jeremy Corbyn and pivoting towards a soft Brexit. More than a dozen senior Tories including Sajid Javid, Jeremy Hunt and Liam Fox spoke out against a long delay to Brexit in a seven-hour ministerial marathon at Downing Street. But the Prime Minister went with the minority - a group of 10 ministers including Amber Rudd and Michael Gove who backed a further delay - in a move which enraged Brexiteers and could trigger a Cabinet walkout. Mrs May vowed to 'break the logjam' in Westminster by offering talks with Mr Corbyn - who favours a customs union - in a last-ditch bid to find a compromise, saying she would ask Brussels for more time to reach a deal.
2nd Apr 2019 - Daily Mail

Brexit: Theresa May to ask EU for further extension

Theresa May will ask the EU for an extension to the Brexit deadline to "break the logjam" in Parliament. The PM says she wants to meet Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to agree a plan on the future relationship with the EU. But she insisted her withdrawal agreement - which was voted down last week - would remain part of the deal. Mr Corbyn said he was "very happy" to meet Mrs May, and would ensure plans for a customs union and protection of workers' rights were on the table. The cross-party talks offer has angered Tory Brexiteers, with Boris Johnson accusing ministers of "entrusting the final handling of Brexit to Labour".
2nd Apr 2019 - BBC

Macron: EU 'will not be hostage to Brexit crisis'

The European Union will not be hostage to a "political crisis" in the UK, France's president has said.
2nd Apr 2019 - BBC

Sturgeon: Prime minister 'kicking the can' over Brexit

Nicola Sturgeon has accused Theresa May of "kicking the can" after the prime minister said she would ask the EU for a further Brexit deadline extension. Mrs May called for talks with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to "break the logjam" in the Commons over Brexit. Ms Sturgeon said the prime minister was "kicking the can and delaying making any decision" on how to compromise.
2nd Apr 2019 - BBC

The macho drama queens of Brexit are about to be knocked out by reality

From ‘hardman’ Steve Baker to Mark Francois of the TA, posturing ‘no dealers’ are dragging us towards Armageddon
2nd Apr 2019 - The Guardian

There is a glimmer of hope on this dark Brexit day. Your move, Tories

Everyone is exhausted, and everyone is furious. Nick Boles’s choked, emotional resignation from the Conservative party on the floor of the Commons, in despair at its refusal to compromise, will sum up a black mood for many today. Once again parliament has spoken and the only comprehensible word was “no”, with some remainers now digging in for a second referendum as obstinately as leavers are for no deal. It sounds mildly unhinged to suggest this mess gives any grounds for optimism and yet strangely enough, that must be what this unfamiliar feeling is.
2nd Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Second Brexit referendum plan can be agreed by MPs in coming days, Anna Soubry says

MPs have begun a fresh push to agree an alternative Brexit plan that would be put to a referendum in the autumn, despite throwing out all options last night. Talks will begin to settle on a “composite motion”, combining soft Brexit proposals with a commitment to putting them to the people to confirm – with the alternative of staying in the EU. Anna Soubry, who defected to The Independent Group from the Conservatives, insisted a compromise was still achievable and that supporters of a Final Say referendum were making “huge progress”.
2nd Apr 2019 - The Independent

What Would a No-Deal Brexit Look Like?

Michel Barnier, the European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator, warned on Tuesday that Britain’s seeming inability to decide on an orderly departure agreement has made a so-called no-deal Brexit more likely with less than two weeks until April 12, the latest deadline. While a further extension of the deadline was possible, nothing was certain.
2nd Apr 2019 - The New York Times

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 2nd Apr 2019

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Brexit: Theresa May calls crunch cabinet talks as UK heads towards election that ministers admit 'nobody actually wants'

It means that on Tuesday the usual 90-minute cabinet meeting will be ditched, with ministers told to clear their diaries for two meetings lasting five hours in total. The first, between 9am and noon, will be a “political cabinet”, where top ministers discuss political strategy and party matters without government officials listening in. This will then be followed by the more usual cabinet meeting to discuss government matters, such as no-deal Brexit preparations, with civil servants taking notes. Downing Street insisted on Monday that the prime minister still believed a general election was not in the national interest, despite deputy-Conservative chairman James Cleverly admitting his party was engaged in “sensible and pragmatic” planning for a snap poll.
1st Apr 2019 - The Independent

'Desperate mood' in No 10 as insiders considered snap election

Inside the No 10 bunker, there has been heated discussion about whether a snap general election fronted by Theresa May remains a possibility. But with the Conservatives plunging below Labour in the polls this weekend and the party’s split over Europe looking increasingly irreconcilable, there are growing warnings from Tory grandees that even entertaining such a course of action is deeply unwise. “It was certainly being tested,” said one Downing Street adviser. “Some people weren’t exactly arguing in favour, but were saying it could be the least worst option.”
1st Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Tory MPs in revolt as 170 sign letter demanding that Theresa May rejects long Brexit delay

Theresa May is today facing a Tory revolt after 170 of her MPs signed a letter begging her not to agree a long Brexit delay. A letter was sent to No10 which was signed by 170 MPs - more than half their whole number - demanding the UK leaves the EU within the next few months. The letter insists the PM must uphold the Tories' manifesto commitments on Brexit, meaning there must be no long exit delay and no EU elections fought. In a serious challenge to her authority, it was also signed by 10 Cabinet ministers and 20 other members of her Government.
1st Apr 2019 - The Sun

Brexit: DUP 'will oppose PM's deal 1,000 times'

A Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP has said the party will not vote for Theresa May's Brexit deal even if she presents it to the House of Commons "a thousand times". The party's Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson said its position was fixed. He accused former prime minister Sir John Major and Justice Secretary David Gauke of "scare tactics". They said on Sunday that a no-deal Brexit could jeopardise Northern Ireland's place in the UK.
1st Apr 2019 - BBC

Soft Brexit will shatter Tory party, Theresa May warned

Theresa May was warned last night that she faced resignations and a split in the Conservative Party if she agrees to pursue a “soft” Brexit this week. Ministers including Chris Grayling and Penny Mordaunt have made it clear they would consider resigning if the prime minister bows to the will of the Commons, should it vote for a customs union with the EU tonight.
1st Apr 2019 - The Times

Brexit customs union bad for foreign policy and trade, says Truss

The idea of Brexit based on a customs union is “incredibly problematic”, Liz Truss has said, as Theresa May faces increasingly open cabinet splits before a new round of indicative votes which could point the way towards a softer departure. With MPs expected to vote on Monday evening on some of the eight tabled proposals, the chief secretary to the Treasury said she vehemently opposed the idea of the government backing a customs union if MPs voted for the option. The justice secretary, David Gauke, said on Sunday he did not think it would be “sustainable to ignore parliament’s position” if MPs ruled out a no-deal Brexit and opted for a customs union.
1st Apr 2019 - The Guardian

No deal Brexit 'still on table' - Truss

1st Apr 2019 - BBC

Labour Must Spread The Truth That Any Brexit Will Screw The Working Class More Than No Brexit At All

Today in the Commons our politicians will try again to cobble together a Brexit of some sort. They hope this in extremis approach will get through Parliament when, so far, our political class has repeatedly failed to agree a plan. May’s deal is as dead as a dodo, and political consensus among our rulers about where to go next is yet to emerge.
2nd Apr 2019 - Huffington Post UK

MPs prepare to vote on Brexit options for second time

MPs are getting ready for the second round of so-called "indicative" votes on EU withdrawal options, with cross-party support for softer versions of Brexit.
1st Apr 2019 - STV News

Dutch MPs call for ring-fencing of citizens' rights post Brexit

Dutch MPs will on Tuesday vote on a motion to make guaranteeing the rights of British nationals in Europe and Dutch nationals in the UK a separate issue in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The motion was drawn up by CDA MP Pieter Omtzigt and D66 parliamentarian Kees Verhoeven and calls on the Dutch government to lobby Brussels to take the section on citiziens’ rights out of the withdrawal agreement and make it a separate matter. The recommendation was included in the duo’s last report on the Brexit preparations but generated a ‘negative reaction’ from the Dutch government, Omtzigt told DutchNews.nl.
1st Apr 2019 - Dutch News.nl

Theresa May STEPS IN to protect Dominic Grieve after losing no confidence vote over Brexit

The Prime Minister is backing the Tory grandee after party association members in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, voted to see their constituency’s MP deselected, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said. When asked whether Mrs May would step in and help Mr Grieve retaining his seat, Mrs Atkins told Pienaar’s Politics on BBC 5 Live: “The Prime Minister’s been very clear about this. Dominic has given years and years of service to the parliamentary party, to the country, and the fact is that his Ukip opponent used a meeting on Friday to bring about this debate.”
1st Apr 2019 - Express.co.uk

Brexit: Parliament again fails to agree on how to leave the E.U., as deadline looms

Britain's Parliament still can't agree on how to move forward on Brexit. Four nonbinding measures that would have outlined a potential way forward on exiting the European Union all failed to gain a majority Monday. The vote came after lawmakers last week rejected a withdrawal agreement proposed by Prime Minister Theresa May for a third time. Two of these votes were the largest and fourth largest losses in parliamentary history. Despite these defeats, May is reportedly considering putting her deal up for yet another vote in Parliament this week.
1st Apr 2019 - NBC News

No-deal Brexit a 'real possibility', says Coveney

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said Ireland needs to prepare for the "worst possible outcome" on Brexit. Mr Coveney said the British political system is "unpredictable and semi-chaotic at the moment". He said with a "deeply divided" parliament Ireland cannot be sure what the outcome of the votes there will be this week. Mr Coveney said a no-deal Brexit has shifted from a "remote possibility" to a "real possibility", but said while he personally does not think it will happen, we cannot be sure.
1st Apr 2019 - RTE.ie

EU to seek €10bn from UK even if no-deal Brexit

The European Union is expected to seek more than €10bn in UK contributions for this year even in the event of a no-deal scenario on 12 April, RTÉ News understands. In exchange, UK beneficiaries of EU funding would continue to receive grants for the rest of the year. A senior EU source told RTÉ News: "We hope to have it wrapped up this week." The official said there had been "informal" signals from the UK Treasury that Britain would be willing to consider paying the remainder of its budget obligations until the end of the year. This is in order that universities, local communities and any other beneficiaries would not be frozen out of EU structural, regional development and research funding immediately.
1st Apr 2019 - RTE.ie

UK Brexit plan has failed — but a customs union can unite MPs

The U.K. Office for National Statistics on Friday confirmed investment is in its worst slump since the last recession, and we already know 80 percent of businesses say Brexit has damaged investment decisions. Worse, the damage this is doing to the country's hard-won reputation as a serious and stable place to do business is now all too real. The world is watching, and where the U.K. used to be beacon for stability, we are now becoming a laughing stock. I personally can no longer defend the action of our parliament when reporting to my managing board, making it hard to win support for finely balanced investment decisions that in the end have an impact on U.K. jobs, innovation and the competitiveness of our activities here.
1st Apr 2019 - Politico.eu

The Guardian view on Brexit votes: put nation before party

MPs’ failure to come together increases the chance that hard Brexiters will frame the crisis as an opportunity to get people to vote against their economic interests
1st Apr 2019 - The Guardian

It’s time for common sense on Brexit – a customs union must prevail

The votes should be free and unwhipped. The Speaker should plead for it. The whips should grant it. The chief government whip, Julian Smith, has admitted an “unprecedented” collapse in discipline, but we are where we are. The nation is screaming for unity and resolution – employers, unions, industries big and small, opinion polls, every non-maverick lobby in the land. The Westminster bubble must burst.
1st Apr 2019 - The Guardian

Ed Vaizey on second referendum: 'I may end up supporting it'

Wantage MP Ed Vaizey has hinted that he is moving towards supporting a second referendum on Brexit. Asked if he would back another vote, the former minister replied: "Still unconvinced but may end up supporting." Mr Vaizey suggested he was unaware of reports this morning claiming he is one of a number of Tories set to back the 'Kyle-Wilson amendment', which would see an approved Brexit deal put to voters.
1st Apr 2019 - Oxford Mail

Brexit votes: MPs fail to back proposals again

MPs have again failed to agree on proposals for the next steps of Brexit. The Commons voted on four motions for leaving the EU, including a customs union and a Norway-style arrangement - keeping the UK in the single market - but none gained a majority. The votes were not legally binding, so the government would not have been forced to adopt the proposals. Theresa May's plan that she negotiated with the EU has been rejected twice by historic margins in Parliament. The withdrawal agreement section of her deal was voted down again by MPs on Friday. Mrs May now has until 12 April to either seek a longer extension from the EU to take a different course or decide to leave the EU without a deal.
1st Apr 2019 - BBC

Cabinet Office spends £5.5m in a month on Brexit consultants

One government department alone spent £5.5m in a single month on management consultants to help with Brexit policy, it has emerged. Labour analysed government data on all spending of £25,000 or more by the Cabinet Office in January, the last month for which figures have been released, and calculated that the amount spent on external consultants for Brexit-related work was £6m. The Cabinet Office said just over £400,000 of this was spent not on consultants but by a media buying company to purchase advertising space for the government’s Brexit-related public information campaign. It said the £5.5m, which primarily went to multinational companies including EY, PwC and Bain, covered necessary extra skills for Brexit-related tasks such as operational and project management tasks. The monthly cost was expected to increase as the Brexit process accelerated, the department said.
1st Apr 2019 - The Guardian

@Telegraph Indicative vote results in the House

Indicative vote results in the House Customs Union: 273 Ayes - 276 Noes Common Market 2.0: 261 Ayes - 282 Noes Second Referendum: 280 Ayes -292 Noes Parliamentary Supremacy: 191 Ayes - 292 Noes
1st Apr 2019 - @Telegraph

For the right price, Macron will change his position on extending Article 50

To the delight of ardent Brexiteers, French President Emmanuel Macron has recently indicated that extending the UK’s European Union membership past 12 April is by no means certain and that no-deal next week is a real possibility. Is this just theatre, or could he really mean it? There are four key reasons for Macron to make such noises. First, many EU leaders and members of the European Parliament are fed up of Brexit and fed up of Britain. If push comes to shove they will probably agree to Britain staying in the EU until December 2020, the end of the current budgetary framework period.
1st Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Brussels to send bill for billions of pounds if UK crashes out with no deal

Brussels is demanding Britain pay up billions of pounds even if the UK crashes out of the bloc in a no-deal Brexit on April 12. The EU wants about £5.3 billion from Britain, UK officials said. The figure takes into accounts deductions from the British rebate and funding already paid back to Britain. The money would guarantee that the EU continues to pay out committed funding to British recipients, such as farmers and university researchers, until the end of 2019. “We hope to have it wrapped up this week,” the Irish broadcaster RTE News quoted a senior EU source as saying on Monday.
1st Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Britain staying in customs union is 'best thing' that could happen to EU, says Guy Verhofstadt

Britain staying in a customs union after Brexit would be the “best thing that could happen” to the European Union, Guy Verhofstadt said, as EU sources warned Brussels would dictate trade policy under such an agreement. The UK could leave the EU by May 22, and avoid a Brexit extension of up to two years and the need to hold European elections, if MPs built a cross-party majority behind a customs union, Mr Verhofstadt said. A customs union would help solve the vexed issue of the Irish border but it will prevent Britain from pursuing an independent trade policy, the European Parliament's Brexit coordinator said
1st Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Only one option remains with Brexit – prorogue Parliament and allow us out of the EU with no-deal

The legal and democratic principles of our constitution now point to one resolution of the EU withdrawal crisis: prorogation of Parliament for two or three weeks, so that ministers can settle down to exercising their abundant statutory and prerogative powers to prepare for the immediate consequences of a no-deal withdrawal on April 12. On that date the European Treaties will cease to apply to this country – the UK will withdraw from the EU – by the automatic effect of Article 50.3 as modified by decision of the European Council, with the United Kingdom’s agreement, on March 22.
1st Apr 2019 - The Telegraph

Labour Breaches Own Manifesto By Backing Plan For Continued Free Movement After Brexit

Corbyn's party will support Common Market 2.0, alongside proposals for a customs union and a second referendum.
1st Apr 2019 - Huffington Post

What happens in the Brexit process now that MPs have again rejected the alternatives on offer?

MPs have again rejected a series of alternatives to Theresa May’s Brexit deal. A call for a customs union after Brexit was defeated by just three votes, a referendum on any deal was rejected by 12 votes, the Common Market 2.0 plan lost by 21 votes and cancelling Brexit to prevent a no-deal scenario was defeated by 101.
1st Apr 2019 - ITV News

MPs fail to agree on alternative Brexit option to Theresa May's plan to leave the EU

MPs have rejected all four Brexit alternatives tabled for the second round of the indicative vote process. Moments after the results were announced Conservative former minister Nick Boles quit after he told the Commons he can "no longer sit for this party" .
1st Apr 2019 - ITV News

Brexit: EU leaders plan for no deal as other options dissolve

EU leaders used to use the threat of a no-deal Brexit as a negotiating tactic (as did the UK). They now believe it to be a very real prospect. That has led to a number of countries - notably France - questioning the logic of delaying Brexit for much longer. They wonder if the UK will ever unite around a Brexit Way Forward - be it a softer Brexit, no deal or no Brexit. Would a Brexit extension, allowing for a general election or a second referendum, really settle the issue, they ask? Or will the EU and UK end up in a no deal scenario anyway, after countless extra months of agonising (and costly) uncertainty?
31st Mar 2019 - BBC

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 1st Apr 2019

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EU expresses doubts on alternatives to May’s Brexit plans

If Britain wanted to pursue Brexit — rather than revoke the Article 50 exit process altogether — there were only two options: “Either the UK asks for an extension beyond May 22, in which case it must participate in the European Parliament elections, or it must adopt the withdrawal agreement.” While Emily Thornberry, the foreign affairs spokesman of the UK opposition Labour party, suggested on Sunday that a “side protocol” could allow the UK to sidestep the European elections if it was still in the bloc, Jean-Claude Piris, a former senior EU lawyer, emphasised on Twitter that the EU had taken a final decision on the matter “which has been formally accepted by the UK government”.
1st Apr 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit: Jean-Claude Juncker warns EU's 'patience coming to an end' as he urges MPs to find solution to impasse

The EU is running out of patience with Britain over Brexit, the president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has warned. In an interview with Italian state TV, Mr Juncker said he would like MPs in the UK to be able to reach an agreement over the way forward in the coming days. “We have had a lot of patience with our British friends but patience is coming to an end,” he told RAI. The commission president added: “So far we know what the British parliament says no to, but we don’t know what it might say yes to.” Asked if a second referendum might be possible, Mr Juncker said that was an issue exclusively for the British people.
1st Apr 2019 - The Independent

Margaret Beckett: why Brexit has to go back to the people

“I have become increasingly worried that the house could decide something which is so far away from what people thought they were getting when they voted to leave that it could cause serious ructions. Some very strong Leavers say they don’t think people should have a second opportunity to be consulted because they might have changed their minds. That seems to me to be incredibly dangerous as well as completely indefensible.”
31st Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Theresa May 'could ask the Queen to stop soft Brexit', lawyers claim

Two lawyers drew up the eyebrow-raising paper as MPs prepare to go over Theresa May's head to approve a soft Brexit. In the paper, lawyers Stephen Laws QC and Prof Richard Ekins argue Theresa May could stop any Parliamentary Bill promoting a softer version of Brexit at its final stage - being signed off by Her Majesty. "But if legislation would otherwise be passed by an abuse of constitutional process and principle facilitated by a rogue Speaker, the Government might plausibly decide to advise Her Majesty not to assent to the Bill in question. "It would be MPs, not the Government, that had by unprincipled action involved the monarch." It would set up a constitutional crisis with the Queen, who is famously completely neutral on political matters in public.
31st Mar 2019 - Mirror Online

Hard Brexit, Dark Money: Links Between These Secretive Campaigns Raise New Questions For Facebook About Political Ads

BuzzFeed News reported that Facebook’s transparency measures were under fresh scrutiny because of Britain’s Future’s sudden and mystifying emergence as a major force in political campaigning. In just a few months, the site has spent more than £410,000 lobbying MPs to oppose Theresa May’s Brexit deal — overtaking the UK government, the three major political parties, and Remain-supporting campaigns backed by corporate heavyweights — while giving no information about its origins or sources of funding other than to say it is funded by donations.
31st Mar 2019 - BuzzFeed News

One Nation group to fend off hardliners

A new socially liberal group championing “compassionate Conservatism” has been launched to seize back the initiative from the party’s Eurosceptic wing. Led by Amber Rudd, Damian Green, Nicky Morgan and Sir Nicholas Soames, the “One Nation” group will promote progressive Conservative values and seek to become a powerful counterweight to Jacob Rees-Mogg’s European Research Group. The group, which is already 50-strong, will seek to influence domestic policy and is united in its opposition to a no-deal Brexit. Other high-profile members include Greg Clark, the business secretary, David Gauke, the justice secretary, and David Mundell, the Scottish secretary. In recent weeks the group has been meeting daily amid fears the party is being hijacked by hardline Brexiteers. The group, whose board is co-chaired by Rudd and Morgan, is seeking to influence any leadership contest by hosting hustings.
31st Mar 2019 - The Times

Brexit fine: Ex-Vote Leave chairwoman does not apologise over spend

The ex-chairwoman of the official pro-Brexit campaign has sidestepped calls to apologise after the group dropped its appeal over a spending fine. The Electoral Commission fined Vote Leave £61,000 after ruling it exceeded spending limits during the referendum. Asked by the BBC if she would say sorry, Gisela Stuart instead defended the organisation's record. The watchdog had said: "Serious offences such as these undermine public confidence in our system." Vote Leave - which was fronted by Boris Johnson and Michael Gove - was fined in July for spending more than the £7m spending limit. The campaign said at the time the watchdog's findings were "wholly inaccurate" and politically motivated.
31st Mar 2019 - BBC

PM may have to accept soft Brexit if Commons backs it, says minister

Theresa May will have to consider the possibility of accepting a softer Brexit if the measure is supported by parliament this week, the justice secretary, David Gauke, has said. With 12 days before the UK is due to leave the EU, and parliament plunged into a political stalemate, Gauke, a soft-Brexit supporter, said the prime minister would have to “look very closely” if MPs back a customs union in a fresh round of indicative votes that begin on Monday. “I think she would need to look very closely at that,” he told BBC1’s The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday.
31st Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Archaic, authoritarian, unequal to the challenge – parliament is broken

The Brexit shambles exposes the weaknesses of Westminster, which have grown starker since the 1998 devolution settlement. The House of Commons includes repulsive opportunists, bone-headed pedants and a few real scoundrels. But most MPs are well-meaning men and – especially – women. Yvette Cooper, wise Joanna Cherry, Anna Soubry the maenad with blazing eyes: they and their sisters have been the stars of these awful weeks. Best of all, none of them did that “womanly” number of trying to mediate between gnashing, stomping males. They gnashed too, and with a furious clarity. And it was Nicola Sturgeon who gave Theresa May the smartest epitaph: “The only leader in modern times who tried to fall on her own sword and managed to miss.”
31st Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: Tories at war on customs union as MPs warn of worst split in 173 YEARS

The Conservative Party has erupted into open warfare over whether to bow to mounting pressure and back soft Brexit this week. Furious Tories warned of the worst split for 173 years as MPs hold a bombshell new round of votes tomorrow on the way out of the deadlock.The "indicative" votes are widely expected to single out a customs union - keeping close EU ties and favoured by Labour - as the most popular option. But following that policy would break the Tories' 2017 manifesto and stop the UK signing its own trade deals around the world. Tory Cabinet minister David Gauke today warned Theresa May it would be "unsustainable" to ignore the will of MPs if they choose a customs union. But 170 Tory MPs wrote to the Prime Minister urging her to take the UK out of the EU quickly as possible - WITHOUT a customs union. The letter is said to be backed by 10 Cabinet ministers including Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Michael Gove and Penny Mordaunt.
31st Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

May can still pass her Brexit deal on the fourth try – here’s how

First Ken Clarke's Customs Union plan wins the support of the Commons. That drives a wedge straight down the middle of the One Nation Tories and the ERG. This will prise lose 15 more votes for May's deal. Then add the Nandy/Snell amendment (MPs shape future negotiations) - hey presto! May has another votes
31st Mar 2019 - The Spectator

Thornberry sparks Twitter storm after appearing to claim 70% wanted out

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry bemused viewers after she appeared to claim that 70% of the United Kingdom supports leaving the EU. Thornberry then appeared to claim that 70% supported leaving the EU, before saying “some honesty needs to be injected into this”. She said: “I personally don’t really understand why 70% of the population at this moment don’t want to remain in the EU. But they don’t. I personally think the reason for that is because we’ve not had the sort of debate we need to have.”
31st Mar 2019 - The New European

Cabinet Brexiteers heap pressure on Theresa May over customs union 'betrayal'

According to The Sunday Times, the top ministers used an emergency conference call this weekend to plan a mass walkout if Mrs May backs a customs union or tries to get the UK to take part in European elections in May. One Cabinet minister told the paper: "We have got to stick by our manifesto commitment not to join a customs union. It would be deeply damaging to hold EU elections. If they are going to happen, Labour MPs will have to vote for them." Another accused those pushing for a customs union of an "absolute betrayal of the referendum result and of this country". They warned: "I cannot understand how any of them can describe a customs union as any kind of Brexit. You may as well revoke Article 50."
31st Mar 2019 - Politics Home

Positioning herself for a tilt at the Tory leadership, the chief secretary to the Treasury

Positioning herself for a tilt at the Tory leadership, the chief secretary to the Treasury has taken to wearing primary colours. Her politics are similarly bold. That means using the “vast majority” of the £27bn Brexit war chest saved by the chancellor to fund big tax cuts for business and young people. Truss says: “We need to reshape the state and not just think the answer to our problems is spending more money. The most likely age group to agree with that are younger people. We have lowered business rates. Currently we spend £18bn on business support. I’d like to cut the taxes on business — not give them back their own money.”
31st Mar 2019 - The Times

Conservative leadership: Ex-cabinet minister Esther McVey signals she will run to succeed Theresa May

Former cabinet minister Esther McVey has signalled she will run for the Tory leadership as senior Conservatives gather support for their bids to succeed Theresa May. The ex-work and pensions secretary, who presided over part of the botched rollout of universal credit, said she would put herself forward to be the next prime minister if she thought she had “a fair shot”.
31st Mar 2019 - The Independent

Tom Watson hints at government of national unity to break Brexit deadlock

Tom Watson has hinted that he would be willing to serve in a government of national unity in an attempt to break the Brexit deadlock. The Labour deputy leader said "if needs must, we have to then do what’s right", as Parliament struggles to agree a way for the UK to leave the European Union. Mr Watson's comments are likely to spark an angry backlash from many Labour members, who would be bitterly opposed to their party going into government with the Tories as well as MPs from other parties.
30th Mar 2019 - Politics Home

History will favour those who do right by the will of the people on Brexit — and condemn those who try to usurp it

The Prime Minister’s Withdrawal Agreement has been voted down three times. It’s had more comebacks than Frank Sinatra. Even now we are told that it is not dead yet. There is speculation there may well be a showdown next week between the PM’s deal and an insistence that the UK remains in the customs union. If unreconciled Remainers in Parliament are allowed to hijack negotiations, we will get Brexit in name only, or no Brexit at all. It’s a terrible state of affairs and I wish the Government had had the courage to maintain the possibility of a No Deal exit. It would have given leverage to our negotiating position and delivered a better deal.
30th Mar 2019 - The Sun

Furious Tory MPs tell May: we’ll block snap Brexit election

Conservative MPs from across the party are threatening to vote down any attempt by Theresa May to lead them into a snap election, warning it would split the Tories and exacerbate the Brexit crisis. In a sign of the collapse in authority suffered by the prime minister, cabinet ministers are among those warning that there will be a serious campaign by Conservative MPs to vote against an election headed by May, a move she hinted at last week to break the Brexit deadlock.
30th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Conservatives and Labour could both split over Brexit divisions, Vince Cable says

Asked about the prospect of a possible split in the main parties, he said: “I think for the first time in my lifetime this is possible. “In the last few days I’ve been having conversations with deep-dyed Tories – the kind of people you would never regard as wet or one-nation Tories. “They say ‘we’ve just had it up to here – we just cannot take any more of it. Our party’s been infiltrated by the right-wing equivalent of Momentum, we’ve been threatened in our seats, we’ve had to get legal advice. They’re in a terrible state these moderate Tories. “And then on the Labour side you have one desperate effort being made by [deputy leader] Tom Watson, who is a very formidable and impressive guy, to try and save the Labour Party, but even those who like him and hope for the best are pretty pessimistic because the hardliners have complete control.
30th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Brexit: Cabinet faces COLLAPSE as 'six ministers threaten to quit over no deal'

Senior government ministers have reportedly threatened to quit the cabinet if Theresa May heads for a no-deal Brexit . Mrs May faces the risk of resignations from senior ministers on both sides of the Brexit divide, depending on what decisions she makes next week.
30th Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

Labour’s plan for a people’s vote on the final Brexit deal can heal the country

I think Labour should embrace European elections just as we should welcome a general election that might get rid of this broken government. If we go into either contest with a positive policy on Brexit and say any final deal must be put back to the people, I am confident Labour can win. We already have a fund raised by local parties to pay for the campaign and I’ve asked our NEC to develop a plan to get grassroots members involved in selecting candidates.
30th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Led by Donkeys: How four dads made asses out of Westminster

“We stumbled on a formula that really works,” says Richard. Chris adds: “We have a news cycle where everything flies past at a million miles an hour. There’s something powerful about slapping a tweet on an old-school method of communication, a billboard, that makes people stop and consider in a way they don’t with Twitter.” Newspapers have been calling the featured politicians to ask them to respond. Most say “no comment”, although Jacob Rees-Mogg took objection because his quote was said in Parliament not on Twitter.
30th Mar 2019 - Evening Standard

@SkyNewsPolitics "There is clear evidence that there was an orchestrated campaign by my UKIP opponent."

"There is clear evidence that there was an orchestrated campaign by my UKIP opponent." Tory Remainer Dominic Grieve has spoken out after suffering a vote of no confidence by his local party.
30th Mar 2019 - @SkyNewsPolitics

Mueller’s report is a warning – and Britain won’t listen

In Britain, we don’t have the bandwidth or the resolve or the understanding of the bigger picture to want to even try to understand this web of interconnected relationships. We stand by as Arron Banks and Nigel Farage ape Donald Trump. We remain incurious about the ties that connect them and the money behind them. We watch as they attack the press and seek to undermine our institutions. The Mueller report is a warning that we won’t heed. He’s exposed Russia’s attack on America’s presidential election for what it was – a system exploit. The same system that underpins our democracy – with the same weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
30th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

The remainer MPs now under pressure after Dominic Grieve's no confidence vote

Pro-Remain MPs are facing increasing pressure after Dominic Grieve suffered a vote of no confidence by his local Conservative Party. Tories in the long-time MP's constituency, Beaconsfield, took a stand against the former Attorney General after a "robust discussion." Grieve among a number of pro-EU Conservatives to come under pressure in their constituencies.
30th Mar 2019 - ITV News

Theresa May Is Planning To Bring Her Brexit Deal Back Again And Threatening An Election If It Fails

Theresa May is planning to bring her Brexit deal back for another vote in Parliament next week and ... A veteran Conservative backbencher told BuzzFeed News: “I do not see how she can call an election. There is not a chance in hell we will vote for it
29th Mar 2019 - BuzzFeed News

Brexit’s fate to be decided by an X Factor-style run-off of Commons votes between PM’s deal, soft Brexit and a second referendums deal, soft Brexit and a second referendum

Speaker John Bercow is expected to narrow down Parliament's options to just three choices when Indicative Votes are held on Monday. But this time, Speaker John Bercow is expected to rule out the options with that attracted the lowest number of votes, such as a No Deal Brexit - most likely leaving the choice between a customs union with the EU, Norway-style EEA membership and a second referendum. Mrs May is expected to wait until the options are narrowed down to just one, when she will then pit her divorce deal against it.
29th Mar 2019 - The Sun

Nigel Dodds: Better to cancel Brexit than risk the break-up of the United Kingdom

Speaking to Newsnight political editor Nicholas Watt, Mr Dodds warned his party would be prepared to ditch their support for Brexit if it meant protecting Northern Ireland's position within the UK. “I would stay in the European Union and remain rather than risk Northern Ireland’s position,” he said. "That’s how strongly I feel about the Union. "So yes, the answer must be something that works for the whole of the United Kingdom - that’s our first and main priority.”
29th Mar 2019 - Politics Home

SECRET BREXIT PLOT Tory junior ministers devised secret plan to frustrate the alternative Brexit vote

The group persuaded dozens of fellow Tories to vote down all eight alternatives, from customs union to second referendum, in order to boost the chances of Theresa May's deal passing
29th Mar 2019 - The Sun

@BBCNewsnight "I would stay in the European Union and remain, rather than risk Northern Ireland's position,"

"I would stay in the European Union and remain, rather than risk Northern Ireland's position," DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds tells BBC's Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt | #newsnight | @NigelDoddsDUP
29th Mar 2019 - @BBCNewsnight

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 29th Mar 2019

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MPs to vote on 'substantially different' Withdrawal Agreement on Friday

Speaker John Bercow on Thursday cleared the Government's Brexit motion on the EU Withdrawal Agreement for debate, ruling that it complies with parliamentary conventions which bar ministers from asking MPs to vote repeatedly on the same proposals. He said the motion "complies with the test" because it is "new and substantially different". The motion will not count as a third attempt to pass a "meaningful vote" on Mrs May's deal because it will not cover the future relationship with Europe. MPs will be voting on the Withdrawal Agreement only, which argues the terms of actually leaving the EU, including terms on future trade and the Irish backstop, and not the Political Declaration which sets out plans for a future trade and security relationship with the EU.
28th Mar 2019 - ITV News

Theresa May warned promise to fall on sword may not be enough to pass Brexit deal

Theresa May has been warned her promise to stand down if her Brexit deal goes through will not be enough to win over hardline Tory Eurosceptics. The Prime Minister sounded the death knell on her premiership by telling Tory MPs she would stand down for the next phase of negotiations with Brussels. She is is currently battling to win round DUP allies in a desperate attempt to save her Brexit deal.
28th Mar 2019 - ITV News

The European Union Thinks The UK Is Left With Two Choices After The Last 24 Hours Of Brexit Chaos

BuzzFeed News has seen a diplomatic note of an EU27 ambassadors meeting on Thursday that states that the UK’s remaining options are no-deal or a long delay to Brexit.
28th Mar 2019 - BuzzFeed News

EU moves into crisis mode as it plans for no-deal Brexit

The EU has moved into full crisis mode, with officials now setting the terms the UK will have to meet for Brussels to open talks on avoiding an economic meltdown in the weeks after a no-deal Brexit. The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, told the diplomats during the meeting that a no deal was now “the most plausible outcome”, and that there was an urgent need to war-game the bloc’s response to it. The EU is to step up its “full-on crisis” preparations, according to a diplomatic note. It was agreed among the member states that for there to be any talks after the UK has crashed out, the bloc’s 27 capitals will expect Downing Street to agree to signal by 18 April that it will pay the £39bn Brexit bill despite the failure of the Commons to ratify the withdrawal agreement.
28th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

The DUP faced down the IRA – they aren't going to crumble before Theresa May

EU officials involved in negotiating the Northern Ireland backstop admitted afterwards that they couldn’t believe the British had signed up to it. “We knew it would not be acceptable to the unionists,” one said. Months on, that message still seems to be struggling to get through in Westminster. Is it really so hard to understand why those whose entire existence is founded on preserving the Union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland would stand firm against a proposal which, in their eyes, fatally threatens it?
28th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

In this leadership race, the future of Conservatism is up for grabs

If Boris Johnson was even half as egotistical and calculating as his enemies say, things might not be in such a mess now. Had he not collapsed in a heap immediately after the referendum and slunk off to play cricket at Althorp, without anything resembling a leadership campaign, he might have won. Instead Theresa May, fresh from having sat out the referendum campaign, saw her chance and pounced. Mr Johnson failed to become leader because of a lack of basic organisation. This is not a mistake that anyone now eyeing No 10 intends to repeat. Now that Mrs May has offered to resign if her deal is voted through (and it might be tomorrow) the battle to succeed her has begun.
28th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Securing a Brexit deal will not end the UK's political crisis

Wednesday night's indicative votes showed that there is, so far, a majority for none of the alternatives on offer. But the most popular option, involving a softer Brexit customs union, could find its way into the post-May round of trade negotiations with the EU. In fact, May's original withdrawal agreement does not rule out a softer Brexit -- because it is concerned with the process of leaving rather than the nature of a future relationship. Intriguingly, the DUP abstained on the customs union motion, rather than voted against. They are rumored to be inclined towards a softer Brexit than May has argued for -- the bigger issue for them is the integrity of the UK and the Northern Irish backstop. What could change the metrics is, of course, a general election.
28th Mar 2019 - CNN

SNP accused of 'faux outrage' over Brexit

Nicola Sturgeon is more interested in pushing for independence than she is in finding a solution to Brexit, the Scottish Conservatives have claimed. All 35 SNP MPs abstained in a Commons vote on whether there should be customs union with the EU after Brexit. Tory interim leader Jackson Carlaw said the SNP had "refused to back the very option they have been demanding" and accused Ms Sturgeon of "faux outrage". Ms Sturgeon said remaining in the EU must now be the top priority. And she said her party would continue to "stand up for Scotland's interests" by pushing for another referendum on EU membership.
28th Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit consensus still possible after Commons deadlock, says Letwin

The Conservative MP behind a series of indicative votes in the Commons has insisted the process could still find a consensus despite Wednesday night’s first attempt ending in deadlock, saying a final collapse of Theresa May’s deal would focus minds. Eight votes on alternative Brexit options, put before the Commons after MPs seized control of the parliamentary process from the government, resulted in no majority for any of them, although the vote was close on one softer Brexit option. Oliver Letwin, the Tory former minister whose amendment created the process, said this was to be expected, and that if May’s deal is defeated for a third time if put to MPs on Friday, this could forge unity if the only other option was no deal on 12 April.
28th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: Labour vows to oppose any 'desperate' bid by Theresa May to split vote on EU deal

Labour will oppose any "desperate" attempt by Theresa May to split a crucial vote on her Brexit deal in two, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The shadow Brexit secretary's remarks came amid speculation MPs could be asked to approve the Brexit withdrawal agreement, but not the political declaration setting out plans for a future trade and security relationship with the EU. Sir Keir said such a move would amount to asking MPs to vote for a "blindfold" approach to the next phase of talks - which could be led by a different prime minister.
28th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Brexit: Limbo remains despite Theresa May's grand gesture

The prime minister offered to pay the ultimate political price, and leave office - the grandest of gestures any leader ever really has. For a moment it seemed it might work and line up the support she so desperately needs. But within a couple of hours her allies in Northern Ireland were refusing to unblock the progress of Theresa May's main mission. That might not be terminal - one cabinet minister told me the PM may yet have another go at pushing her deal through Parliament against the odds on Friday. But if Plan A fails, Parliament is not ready with a clear Plan B that could yet succeed.
28th Mar 2019 - BBC

May to Put Divorce Deal Only to Vote on Friday: Brexit Update

Theresa May will put her Brexit divorce deal to a vote in Parliament on Friday, but she’s holding back the part of the package that focuses on the future trade and security relationship. The question is whether the British prime minister will win the vote this time, after her deal was rejected overwhelmingly on two previous occasions. She’s been trying to woo the Democratic Unionist Party in talks all day.
28th Mar 2019 - Bloomberg

Softer Brexit now possible, not DUP's priority - deputy leader

The deputy leader of the Northern Irish party propping up Prime Minister Theresa May’s government said a Brexit outcome that keeps the United Kingdom more closely aligned to the European Union is now a possibility. “From our point of view, the concern and priority for us and Northern Ireland isn’t necessarily the form of Brexit,” Nigel Dodds, whose party will not back May in Friday’s third attempt to pass her divorce deal in parliament, told BBC Northern Ireland. “It’s making sure that whatever form of Brexit we have, that those trade barriers between ourselves and our main market in the rest of the United Kingdom, the constitutional issues, that those are protected and we will be seeking a stronger role in the second stage (of talks) to avoid some of the problems we have faced in the first stage.”
28th Mar 2019 - Reuters

@Peston The motion for MPs tomorrow "approves Withdrawal Agreement" if passed - but weirdly does not represent a meaningful vote on Brexit. It would lock in 22 May as Brexit day, rather than 12 April.

The motion for MPs tomorrow "approves Withdrawal Agreement" if passed - but weirdly does not represent a meaningful vote on Brexit. It would lock in 22 May as Brexit day, rather than 12 April. But is hugely confusing - because unless and until the EU Withdrawal Act is reformed...
28th Mar 2019 - @Peston

Brexit vote: Another defeat ahead for May?

On what was meant to be Brexit Day, is a request to MPs to allow her to keep going, to carry on pursuing her route, with its well-documented flaws. There's a challenge there too, not just to her own Brexiteers but to Labour and the other opposition parties, to say "no" to a long delay to our departure from the EU, the last moment when Number 10 believes anything even approaching a timely exit can be guaranteed. There are signs now of course that many Eurosceptic MPs are ready to say "yes" - not because they suddenly have realised her deal is perfect but because more of them officially realise that it is the clearest break from the EU they can realistically hope for. Yet her Northern Irish allies are not persuaded. Labour, even though they have sometimes accepted that what's on the table tomorrow, the divorce deal, will never be unpicked by the EU, will still, in the main, resist.
28th Mar 2019 - BBC

How the UK lost Brexit battle

In the short five-paragraph document written by Council President Donald Tusk’s chief of staff, Piotr Serafin, and circulated among EU ambassadors, the bloc’s remaining 27 national governments were urged to speak with one voice and to insist that the U.K. leave through the Article 50 process set down in EU law. This meant settling the divorce first and the future relationship second, once the U.K. had left. “In the future we hope to have the U.K. as a close partner of the EU,” the document read. “First we need to agree the arrangements for the withdrawal.”
27th Mar 2019 - Politico

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 28th Mar 2019

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Parliament Has Rejected Every Single Brexit Plan

The alternative plan which secured the most votes in favour was a motion calling for a second referendum, which lost by 295 to 268 — ironically, the same 52% to 48% margin as in the 2016 referendum. In second place was a motion calling for a permanent customs union to be added to the withdrawal agreement, tabled by former Conservative cabinet minister Ken Clarke, which was beaten by 272 to 264. Other motions were even less successful. Two proposals put forward by Brexiteers calling for a no-deal Brexit and the so-called ‘Malthouse plan’ garnered only 160 and 139 votes respectively. A cross-party proposal for a Norway-style softer Brexit, dubbed Common Market 2.0, also performed poorly, losing by 283-188. Nonetheless, several of the options fared between that May's deal at the second meaningful vote earlier in March, which was crushed by 391 votes to 242.
27th Mar 2019 - BuzzFeed News

Brexit: No majority for any options after MPs' votes

None of MPs' eight proposed Brexit options have secured clear backing in a series of votes in the Commons. The options - which included a customs union with the EU and a referendum on any deal - were supposed to help find a consensus over how to leave the EU. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said the results strengthened ministers' view their deal was "the best option". The results capped a day of drama in which Theresa May promised to stand down as PM if her deal was passed. The prime minister told a meeting of Tory MPs she would leave office earlier than planned if it guaranteed Parliament's backing for her withdrawal agreement with the EU.
28th Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit indicative votes results: All eight options rejected by MPs after Theresa May announces resignation

27th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit indicative votes results: All eight options rejected by MPs after Theresa May announces resignation

27th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit: No majority for any options after MPs' votes

27th Mar 2019 - BBC

No majority in House of Commons for any Brexit option

27th Mar 2019 - Politico

MPs reject EVERY Brexit alternative as they vote down all eight different proposals

27th Mar 2019 - Daily Mail

Oliver Letwin: The ‘jobbing prime minister’ whose amendment seized control of the Brexit process

The architect of these events is Sir Oliver Letwin, a Tory MP and former minister. His intervention has led some to refer to him as a “jobbing Prime Minister”. On Monday night, MPs voted to hold a series of votes to establish the most popular way forward on Brexit. The decision showed MPs were unhappy with Theresa May‘s negotiations and confirmed they were resoundingly against her Withdrawal Agreement.
26th Mar 2019 - iNews

Oliver Letwin: the unlikely Brexit rebel

27th Mar 2019 - MSN.co.uk

Brexit: Theresa May's withdrawal deal in disarray as DUP vows to vote against it after she offers to resign

Theresa May’s plan to secure Tory MPs’ backing for her Brexit deal by promising to resign has been blown apart after her DUP partners in government vowed to block it in a new vote. Ms May announced she will resign within weeks if Tory rebels desperate to see the back of her, allow the Brexit deal she struck with Brussels to pass through the House of Commons. The move did see Boris Johnson and other rebels finally fall into line, but within hours the boost was wiped out when DUP leader Arlene Foster branded the prime minister’s Brexit plan an “unacceptable threat” to the UK’s integrity.
28th Mar 2019 - The Independent

People's Vote wins over most number of MPs in House of Commons

A series of indicative votes in the House of Commons has found that no alternative to Theresa May’s Brexit plan has been found, but a second vote won over the most MPs. A total of 268 MPs voted for a confirmatory second referendum, with 295 voting against, giving it the most support in the House of Commons out of all of the options. It narrowly beat the option of a Customs Union which received 264 votes with 272 MPs voting against. Both options were more popular than Theresa May’s Brexit deal which won over just 242 MPs in the second meaningful vote. Labour’s alternative Brexit plan was the third most popular option with 237 votes (with 307 votes against), Common Market 2.0 had 188 votes (with 283 votes against), and revocation of Article 50 had 184 votes (with 293 votes against). A no-deal Brexit had just 160 votes (with 400 votes against) and the Malthouse Plan B gained just 139 votes (with 422 votes against).
27th Mar 2019 - The New European

Indicative votes: A People's Vote just became much more likely

The instant reaction, in the Commons Chamber and online, was exasperation. None of the eight ideas about Brexit put to MPs this afternoon commanded a majority. It was easy to paint it as a typically shambolic bit of parliamentary chaos. But the truth was completely different. The fact there was no clear winner was as expected. Once the dust settled and you could take a hard look at the numbers, something was clear: This was a very good night for the People's Vote campaign. We always knew it would go like this. It had been plain for a long time that there was no majority for any one option in the Commons. When Oliver Letwin was arguing for his system on Monday, before MPs voted to support it, he made it clear that it would be a multi-stage process.
27th Mar 2019 - Politics.co.uk

Brexit: Theresa May vows to stand down if deal is passed

Theresa May has promised Tory MPs she will quit if they back her Brexit deal. She told backbench Tories: "I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party." The PM said she knew that Tory MPs did not want her to lead the next phase of Brexit negotiations "and I won't stand in the way of that". But the DUP said it had not changed its position and would still vote against the deal. The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg said the DUP's refusal to back the deal at this stage was a "huge blow" for Number 10.
27th Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit: Theresa May plays her final card

If the deal doesn't go through then it's not quite clear that Mrs May's offer to go still applies, although it is almost impossible, whether it stands or falls, that she would be able to stay. The prime minister hopes that by offering to leave Number 10, she'll take the country out of the EU with her, smoothly, without more political turmoil. And that order, of a sort, will be restored and the uncertainty for all of us will end. If that happens, we'll see a new leader in Downing Street by mid-July. But that is still a gamble.
27th Mar 2019 - BBC

Revoke Article 50 option rejected by MPs in Brexit vote

MPs have this evening voted against revoking Article 50 in a series of votes in the House of Commons. The amendment was voted down with 184 aye votes and 293 no votes. The motion, tabled by the SNP’s Joanna Cherry, was signed by 33 MPs including Conservative former attorney general Dominic Grieve, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable, Labour’s Ben Bradshaw and all 11 members of The Independent Group. The votes MPs took part in were indicative, meaning the Prime Minister is not bound by the result, but will give her guidance over what MPs are thinking.
27th Mar 2019 - Metro

UK Conservative MP Letwin says will back PM May's deal

British Conservative Party lawmaker Oliver Letwin, the architect of a series of votes on alternatives to Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit plan, said on Wednesday he would continue to vote for her deal. “I still hope even at this last moment ... that those of my colleagues who have not been backing the prime minister .. may change their minds and the prime minister might get a deal over the line on Thursday or Friday. If she does, no one would be happier than I am,” Letwin told BBC radio. Ahead of lawmakers holding so-called indicative votes on a variety of possible Brexit outcomes later on Wednesday, Letwin said he did not expect the process to deliver an immediate majority view on the way forward. “If we do go forward to Monday, and if on Monday one or more propositions get a majority backing in the House of Commons, then we will have to work with the government to get the government to implement them. There is nobody else other than the government to implement them,” he said.
27th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Scottish independence campaigners face perils of People's Vote hypocrisy

The sight of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon sharing a platform with Alastair Campbell and Michael Heseltine at the People’s Vote Rally in London did not upset me as much as it did others but it was symbolic of the times. The Letwin amendment, which has temporarily given Parliament a greater degree of control over Brexit proceedings, was drafted by the chief architect of Thatcher’s poll tax, yet in the “national interest” the SNP supported the legislative tweak. That would be fine if not for the fact that the SNP tore into Labour for years for sharing a platform with the Conservatives at the 2014 referendum. But now, apparently, it’s OK.
27th Mar 2019 - Daily Record

@TNewtondunn Still 36 hours to go to MV3 on Friday - time to screw more billions from HMT, and too early for them to give in politically.

Will the DUP really not vote for the deal? Cabinet ministers still think they will at last minute. Still 36 hours to go to MV3 on Friday - time to screw more billions from HMT, and too early for them to give in politically.
27th Mar 2019 - @TNewtondunn

Brexit: DUP confirms it will not back withdrawal deal

The DUP has confirmed it will not back Theresa May's Brexit deal despite the prime minister's promise to step down if MPs backed it. The party said that it the changes it wants to see to the backstop have not been achieved. Theresa May told Tory MPs that she would stand down if they voted for her withdrawal deal. DUP leader Arlene Foster said that the party "cannot sign up to something that would damage the union".
27th Mar 2019 - BBC

Result of UK parliament votes on Brexit options shows PM May's deal is best: minister

The fact that none of the alternative Brexit options voted on by British lawmakers on Wednesday won the support of a majority shows that Prime Minister Theresa May’s deal is the best option, Brexit minister Stephen Barclay said. Lawmakers grabbed control of the Brexit process on Wednesday to try to break the impasse over May’s Brexit deal, which has been rejected twice by parliament. “The results of the process this House (of Commons) has gone through today strengthens our view that the deal the government has negotiated is the best option,” Barclay told parliament.
27th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Scottish Parliament votes to revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit

Holyrood has called for Brexit to be scrapped if another referendum cannot take place. MSPs backed a motion lodged by Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie, insisting the UK should revoke Article 50 in the absence of an extension allowing for a People’s Vote. In a largely symbolic move, the motion passed by 89 votes to 28, with the Scottish Tories voting against. It came ahead of MPs voting on a series of alternative Brexit options at Westminster.
27th Mar 2019 - Herald Scotland

Bercow issues fresh warning over third vote on May's Brexit deal

Theresa May’s hopes of putting her Brexit deal to a third meaningful vote have hit another obstacle after John Bercow said parliamentary procedures could not be used to present it unchanged, even as more senior Eurosceptics seem to be getting behind the agreement. Amid speculation the prime minister is making a private pact to set a date to stand down when the deal goes through, more than 20 Conservative Eurosceptics have publicly suggested they will change their minds because they do not want a softer Brexit.
27th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit extension could be until 31 March 2020, EU documents reveal

The EU has pencilled in April Fools’ Day 2020 as a leading option for Britain’s first day outside the bloc, should the UK government ask Brussels for a lengthy extension of article 50 in three weeks’ time, it can be revealed. The date was to be offered at the leaders’ summit last week if Theresa May had followed through on her promise to request a short extension in the event of passing her Brexit deal, and a longer one should it be rejected again by the House of Commons. Such was the disapproval of her cabinet, the prime minister only sought a short delay until 30 June in her formal letter. She was subsequently given an unconditional extension until 12 April, or a longer one to 22 May in the unlikely event of the withdrawal agreement being ratified this week.
27th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

To defeat an insurgent far-right, Labour must resist Brexit with all its force

The left must fight for the softest possible form of exit and then unleash a counter-attack in the form of a second referendum.
27th Mar 2019 - New Statesman

Tusk urges EU not to ignore Britons who no longer want Brexit

Mr Tusk called April 12th the “new cliff-edge date” and that Britain still had a choice between a deal, no deal, a long extension or the revoking of Article 50, Britain’s notification that it plans to leave the European Union. “You cannot betray the six million people who signed the petition to revoke Article 50, the one million people who marched for a People’s Vote, or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union,” said Donald Tusk, who chairs summits of EU leaders, told the parliament.
27th Mar 2019 - The Irish Times

Palace ‘bricking it over Brexit as Queen could get dragged into political chaos’

Brexit is apparently getting the Queen as stressed as the rest of us. The Queen’s main concern is thought to be the 2011 Fixed Term Parliament Act’s no confidence procedure. This would be triggered following a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister. As a result MPs would be given two weeks to form a new Government dragging her in to controversy potentially
27th Mar 2019 - Metro

Brexit voting: MPs reject Customs Union by just 8 votes – how every MP voted

MPs voted against every single one of the indicative votes intended to find where a majority in Parliament was to be found. The closest a motion came to passing was tabled by Ken Clarke, the veteran Conservative, and Father of the House. However, it was still defeated by 8 votes. 33 Conservatives voted for the motion, as well as a few Independent MPs. Almost all of Labour also voted for it, with just 12 electing to vote against it.
27th Mar 2019 - iNews

Tory Eurosceptics signal shift toward Theresa May’s Brexit deal

Several Tory arch-Euroskeptic MPs have signaled a shift toward U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May's Withdrawal Agreement ahead of Wednesday's House of Commons votes on a series of alternative Brexit plans. European Research Group leader Jacob Rees-Mogg issued a front-page apology for his U-turn in the Daily Mail, confirming he will vote for May's deal if the Democratic Unionist Party also comes on board.
27th Mar 2019 - Politico

Jacob Rees-Mogg says he is ready to back Theresa May's Brexit deal, if it wins DUP support

27th Mar 2019 - The Independent

MPs fail to reach agreement on a Brexit plan B

MPs voted for a soft Brexit and a second referendum in significant numbers on Wednesday, but no single option for leaving the EU secured majority support in the House of Commons. A cross-party group of backbench MPs succeeded in taking control of the Commons agenda and organising a series of so-called indicative votes on alternative plans to Theresa May’s Brexit deal after it was emphatically rejected twice. Most of the plans were put forward by backbenchers, in an effort to forge a consensus on a different option to the prime minister’s deal.
27th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Letter from Westminster: What does Oliver Letwin's constitutional revolution mean?

The constitutional revolution devised by Oliver Letwin, Yvette Cooper, Dominic Grieve, Nick Boles and Hilary Benn has finally broken through the last defences and an ingenious group of backbench MPs have devised a way to take over the functions of the government temporarily
27th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Prime minister would 'break the law if she ignores Letwin result'

I am told that the cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill and the attorney general Geoffrey Cox informed Cabinet that if at the end of the Letwin process MPs pass a motion mandating the PM to pursue a new route through the Brexit mess - perhaps a referendum, or membership of the customs union, or some other softer future relationship with the EU - the PM and government would be in breach of the ministerial code and the law if they fail to follow MP's instructions.
26th Mar 2019 - ITV News

To avert this Brexit disaster, MPs must smash the party system

Brexit has changed the political map and the old structures can no longer contain the crisis, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr.
26th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 27th Mar 2019

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Prime minister would 'break the law if she ignores Letwin result'

I am told that the cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill and the attorney general Geoffrey Cox informed Cabinet that if at the end of the Letwin process MPs pass a motion mandating the PM to pursue a new route through the Brexit mess - perhaps a referendum, or membership of the customs union, or some other softer future relationship with the EU - the PM and government would be in breach of the ministerial code and the law if they fail to follow MP's instructions.
26th Mar 2019 - ITV News

Conservative Party loyalists call on Theresa May suspend all Tory MPs who refuse to vote for her Brexit deal

Loyalist ministers have urged Theresa May to suspend all Tory MPs who refuse to vote for her Brexit deal in a pre-emptive strike for an upcoming party civil war. Under the nuclear move, the PM would threaten to withdraw the Conservative whip from any Brexiteers who defy her again.
26th Mar 2019 - The Sun

Tories urge Theresa May to say today she will quit within weeks over Brexit mess at 1922 Committee

26th Mar 2019 - The Sun

Tory rebels asked by No 10 if they would back Brexit deal if May quit

26th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Tory Brexiters want May resignation date in order to back deal

26th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Theresa May set for make-or-break showdown with Tory MPs ahead of key Brexit votes

26th Mar 2019 - Politics Home

Brexit: Theresa May 'lacks basic human skills to be a political leader', leading EU figure says

26th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Tories urge Theresa May to say today she will quit within weeks over Brexit mess at 1922 Committee

26th Mar 2019 - The Sun

DUP prefers one-year delay over May's 'toxic Brexit deal', says Wilson as Rees-Mogg signals shift

DUP Brexit spokesperson Sammy Wilson has said that his party would rather see a one-year delay to Brexit than support Prime Minister Theresa May's withdrawal deal.
26th Mar 2019 - Belfast Telegraph

DUP 'won’t back toxic deal unless backstop threat is neutered'

26th Mar 2019 - Evening Standard

Jacob Rees-Mogg Suggests He Is Ready To Vote For Theresa May's Brexit Deal

Jacob Rees-Mogg has indicated he is ready to back Theresa May’s Brexit deal after admitting eurosceptic MPs do not have the numbers to secure their perfect exit. In a boost for the prime minister, the head of the European Research Group (ERG) of pro-Brexit Tory MPs said it appeared he would have no choice but to vote for the agreement. “The prime minister will not deliver a no-deal Brexit,” he told ConHome’s Moggcast podcast on Tuesday. “I have always thought that no-deal is better than Mrs May’s deal, but Mrs May’s deal is better than not leaving at all.”
26th Mar 2019 - HuffPost UK

Key Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg says he will back Theresa May's deal

26th Mar 2019 - Daily Mail

Brexit news: Labour's Nick Brown says it would be better to cancel Brexit than to leave with no deal

Labour chief whip Nick Brown has said it would be better to cancel Brexit than to leave the EU without a withdrawal agreement. It follows warnings that a "no-deal" Brexit would be catastrophic for employers in the North East , particularly manufacturers and exporters.
25th Mar 2019 - ChronicleLive

Revoke Article 50: Labour's chief whip backs cancelling Brexit to avoid no deal

26th Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

Boris Johnson admits that he COULD back May's deal 'if there's a path to a Canada-style trade deal'

Boris Johnson has signalled he could be willing to back Theresa May's Brexit deal, but only if there is a path to then negotiate his preferred 'Super Canada' future trading relationship with the EU. Speaking at an event hosted by the Telegraph, the former Foreign Secretary said he 'was not there yet' on backing May's deal but admitted that there was a risk Britain 'won't leave the EU at all' if MPs voted it down for a third time
26th Mar 2019 - Daily Mail

Brexit latest: How Remain MPs could force through SOFT Brexit in indicative votes

After months' of threats, MPs finally seized control of the Commons agenda last night enabling them to stage their own debates and votes on Brexit. The constitutionally unprecedented move means MPs have fundamentally taken control over Brexit from Theresa May. Exact rules and parameters for the Commons debates and votes are likely to be outlined today, with the established options to be debated tomorrow with a final decision made on Monday
26th Mar 2019 - Daily Express

Brexit indicative votes to be held by MPs on alternatives to Theresa May's deal

Ps will take part in a series of paper ballots on Wednesday in a bid to work out what kind of Brexit has a chance of winning the support of the House of Commons , it has been confirmed. Members must put forward their preferred options by the end of Tuesday, with Commons Speaker John Bercow selecting those to be put to a series of indicative Yes-or-No votes over the course of half an hour the following evening. Further debate and votes on the most popular alternatives will be staged on Monday to try to whittle the list down.
26th Mar 2019 - Daily Record

Brexit in turmoil as MPs plan to take control of process for a second day

British lawmakers are preparing to take control of the House of Commons agenda for two days in an unprecedented move that will test support for alternatives to Prime Minister Theresa May's deadlocked Brexit plan. A landmark vote placed Wednesday's parliamentary timetable in the hands of lawmakers, after May's repeated failure to pass her deal raised the chances of Britain crashing out of the EU in chaos. MPs now plan to add a second day of debate on Monday. A motion published by the Labour MP Hilary Benn, one of the MPs leading the charge to seize control of the Brexit process, disclosed that lawmakers will vote simultaneously on a menu of options on Wednesday evening local time. These so-called indicative votes will reveal which of the various alternatives command the most support.
27th Mar 2019 - CNN

UK's weakened PM May still hoping to push her Brexit deal through

British Prime Minister Theresa May will address her Conservative lawmakers on Wednesday, possibly to set out a timetable for her departure in a last throw of the dice to win support for her twice-rejected Brexit deal in parliament.
26th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Remainer ringleader MP Nick Boles gloats ‘I’m going to wake up with a broad grin on my face’ after Brexit-wreckers seize control of Commons

Squabbling politicians have rushed to carve up Brexit as 16 alternatives to Theresa May's deal were tabled for a historic Commons showdown on our EU divorce. Remainer ringleader MP Nick Boles has gloated “I'm going to wake up with a broad grin on my face” after Brexit-wreckers seized control of Commons. The Tory told The Sun: "It's a great feeling to be finally off to the races and see whether this horse will run."
26th Mar 2019 - The Sun

No-deal Brexit 'would require direct rule in Northern Ireland'

The head of the senior civil servants’ union has said direct rule will be necessary in Northern Ireland in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Dave Penman, the general secretary of the FDA, said public sector employees in the province could not be expected to make increasingly political decisions with major security and economic implications if the UK crashed out of Europe. His words follow Theresa May’s comments on Monday, when she told the House of Commons that “some direct application of powers” might have to be imposed on Northern Ireland in a no-deal scenario.
26th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

The UK government has lost control of Parliament's agenda for the first time in over 100 years. What comes next?

There were audible gasps in the UK Parliament on Monday night as lawmakers voted to seize control of the Brexit process from embattled Prime Minister Theresa May -- the first time in over a century that MPs have taken over the parliamentary timetable from the government. It was a pivotal moment in what has already been a rollercoaster few weeks in the Brexit process, dealing what could well be the final blow to May's premiership and paving the way for a Brexit lawmakers can at last agree on.
26th Mar 2019 - CNN

Scottish Parliament to vote for Brexit to be cancelled

The Scottish Parliament is expected to formally back calls for Brexit to be cancelled in a vote later on Wednesday. MSPs will be asked to support a motion calling for Article 50 to be revoked if it is not possible for another EU referendum to be held.
26th Mar 2019 - BBC

A general election can’t solve Brexit – the only way to solve the issue is another referendum

If we want the public to sort out our political deadlock on Europe, then we need to ask them a question about Europe. We know from the latest polling and analysis by Sir John Curtice that there has been a shift in sentiment. We’re on balance pro-Remain now, given the disastrous talks. There is a small switch in opinions, but proportionally more potential Remain voters say they would vote now than was the case back in 2016.
26th Mar 2019 - The Independent

No EU joy as UK parliament gears up for Brexit votes

EU governments know well enough by now that Wednesday's votes may not end up providing a clear picture of Brexit. Even if they did, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker will point out that the EU's only "interlocutor" – or opposite number – remains Her Majesty's government, led by Theresa May, and not UK MPs. Would she be willing to shuttle as a go-between on behalf of Parliament, which has chosen to ignore her negotiated Brexit deal? Not likely.
26th Mar 2019 - BBC

@fabianpicardo Alternatively, carve a legit route to remain via the 3Rs: REVOKE, REFERENDUM, REMAIN.

I agree @Peston. Whichever side of the debate you are on, revoking Art50 is the best way to TAKE BACK CONTROL of #BREXIT. If MPs won’t support the WA, revoke then plan to leave in a managed way. Alternatively, carve a legit route to remain via the 3Rs: REVOKE, REFERENDUM, REMAIN.
26th Mar 2019 - @fabianpicardo

Brexit options 'narrowing', says health secretary

The options for Brexit "are narrowing", Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said, after MPs voted to seize control of the parliamentary timetable. The PM was dealt a fresh blow as the government was defeated by 27 votes on Monday, on a plan designed to find out the kind of deal MPs would support. Thirty Conservative MPs rebelled, including three ministers. Mr Hancock said the government would listen to MPs but "can't pre-commit to following whatever they vote for".
26th Mar 2019 - BBC

Britons backing away from Brexit, but no safe bets - pollster

British voters appear to be changing their minds about leaving the European Union, Britain’s leading polling expert said on Tuesday, but not to a degree that would make a different result in another referendum a safe bet.
26th Mar 2019 - Reuters UK

Labour considers backing 'common market 2.0' soft Brexit

Shadow minister suggests party will whip along Labour Party policylines ahead of upcoming indicative votes
26th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit paralysis pulls Tories towards an early election

The May administration is disintegrating before us. It looks less like a government than a gruesome reality TV show. Cabinet rows are leaked before the meeting is even over; collective responsibility has collapsed; leadership contenders take public positions to boost their ratings with the party selectorate. Welcome to Hate Island: press 1 for Boris Johnson; press 2 for Dominic Raab; press 3 for Jeremy Hunt.
25th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 26th Mar 2019

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Parliament to vote on three proposed changes to PM May's next steps on Brexit

Those include a proposal to change the rules of parliament on Wednesday in order to provide time for lawmakers to debate and vote on alternative ways forward on Brexit, a process often referred to as ‘indicative votes’. The speaker also selected the opposition Labour Party’s amendment which calls on the government to give lawmakers time to find a majority for a different approach on Brexit. The third amendment he selected says that if Britain comes within a week of leaving the EU without a deal, the government should ask parliament whether it would approve a no-deal exit or if it should seek a further delay to Brexit.
26th Mar 2019 - Reuters UK

MPs voting on plan to take Brexit control

25th Mar 2019 - BBC

Theresa May loses control of Parliament as MPs insist they'll decide what type of Brexit deal we want

25th Mar 2019 - Birmingham Mail

MPs Will Vote On Alternative Brexit Plans On Wednesday — But Theresa May Says She Won’t Be Bound By The Result

25th Mar 2019 - BuzzFeed News

MPs back indicative vote plan as Oliver Letwin amendment trounces PM

MPs have backed Sir Oliver Letwin's cross-party Brexit indicative votes plan by 329 votes to 302, inflicting a defeat on the government. The success of the Letwin amendment paves the way for a series of "indicative votes" in the Commons on Wednesday, effectively taking control of the Brexit process out of the hands of the Government. The rebellion against the government was helped by the resignations of Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt and pro-EU business minister Richard Harrington. The vote against Theresa May came after she ruled out a third vote on her Brexit deal on Tuesday.
25th Mar 2019 - ITV News

Brexit: MPs vote to take control of Brexit process for indicative votes

26th Mar 2019 - BBC

Blow for Theresa May as Remainer MPs seize control of Brexit process and get to have THEIR say on what happens next

25th Mar 2019 - The Sun

Theresa May loses three ministers as MPs take control of Brexit process

Theresa May has lost three ministers and control of the Brexit process to the House of Commons in further blows to her authority. Richard Harrington quit his position as business minister just moments before he voted against the government, siding with an amendment which will allow MPs to debate alternative Brexit plans on Wednesday. He was joined by Steve Brine and Alistair Burt - who was by Mrs May's side at Chequers just a day before.
25th Mar 2019 - Sky News

Theresa May loses three ministers as MPs take control of Brexit process

25th Mar 2019 - Yorkshire Coast Radio

@Richard4Watford This evening I wrote to the PM to offer her my resignation

This evening I wrote to the PM to offer her my resignation
25th Mar 2019 - @Richard4Watford

Brexit: May loses more ministers and more control

25th Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit options: the runners and riders | News

MPs are likely to get the chance this week to vote on a range of Brexit alternatives to see where a consensus lies. Revoke Article 50; Second Referendum; May deal; Canada-style free trade agreement; customs union; EEA and No Deal Brexit
25th Mar 2019 - The Times

Brexit is part of a wider European struggle

The sad truth is that the country’s version of the wider European crisis is uniquely self-destructive. That is because Brexit is simultaneously a rupture in the country’s legal order, a resignation from the country’s most important international alliance and, in all probability, a severe shock to the economy. That is an extraordinary triple blow to the stability of the UK. And while new extremist parties are not on the rise, that is partly because the far left has taken over the leadership of the Labour party, while the nationalist right have formed their own bloc within the governing Conservatives.
25th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit: What is Common Market 2.0?

The MPs promoting it say it would go back to the sort of economic relationship the UK had with the European Economic Community in the 1970s and 80s, without having to be involved with closer political union or the direct involvement of the European Court of Justice. They also say it could be agreed with the EU quickly and that there could be a majority for it in the House of Commons, although that has not been tested. Critics point out that it would still involve freedom of movement, making significant contributions to the EU Budget and following EU regulations without membership of the bodies that create them. It crosses several of Theresa May's red lines.
25th Mar 2019 - BBC

Esther McVey: “Voting for the Brexit deal is the insurance policy to at least get out”

The calculation is still the same for Esther McVey. Voting for Theresa May’s Brexit deal is the only way she can be sure that the UK will leave the European Union. “What we should be doing is voting for her deal because it is your insurance policy to at least get out,” she explains. The former cabinet minister, who voted against the Withdrawal Agreement twice, doesn’t think another rejection would lead to a no deal Brexit. Does she think the EU is bluffing? “Yes,” she replies. She warns Brexiteers banking on securing no deal that they would probably end up with a “worse” Brexit or Remain. “Look at the votes of the House; the Cabinet’s Remain, the PM’s Remain, the House is Remain 75-25, and the Speaker’s Remain.”
25th Mar 2019 - Politics Home

Theresa May Wields Threat of ‘Slow Brexit’ in Final Bid for Support

Theresa May has long threatened members of Parliament with the risk of no-deal, or no Brexit. On Monday she added a new one -- the danger of a “slow Brexit.” May has zigzagged between tactics as she tries to get various factions in the House of Commons to back her deal. With just days to go, she’s now got her eye on pro-Brexit hardliners, and she’s coined a new term to describe a long extension to EU membership slow Brexit
25th Mar 2019 - Bloomberg

UK unlikely to leave the EU without a deal, Credit Suisse says

There’s no appetite among the U.K. lawmakers to leave the European Union without a Brexit deal in place, so, that possibility can be ruled out, according to Andrew Garthwaite, global head of equity strategy at Credit Suisse. EU leaders have warned that the U.K. has one final opportunity to leave the bloc in an orderly fashion, after agreeing to delay the departure date beyond March 29.
25th Mar 2019 - CNBC

Brexit hypocrisy highlighted by nationwide billboard campaign

Political billboards have popped up across the UK, from Glasgow to Dover, thanks to anti-Brexit group Led By Donkeys. Each board is emblazoned with a quote from a politician or public figure, taken from past speeches, interviews and social media. The four friends behind the popular campaign ”wanted to highlight the hypocrisy” of politicians engaging in the Brexit debate, according to the group’s crowdfunding page. “This Brexit chaos is founded on the forgotten lies of our leaders,” the page says. “Let’s remind the country of them with giant billboards.”
25th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Brexit debate: Do petitions ever work?

"Petitions by themselves don't do anything, but they can be a very valuable tool for change," says Cristina Leston-Bandeira, a professor of politics at the University of Leeds, who specialises in petitions and public engagement. It all comes down to "how campaigners use the petition to put pressure on their representatives".
25th Mar 2019 - BBC

Dominic Grieve: The PM must heed the million marchers and put a brake on Brexit

The rapidity of events over recent days reflects a deepening political crisis. The Prime Minister has been unwilling to put the Brexit deal she has negotiated to the House of Commons as she believes it will be rejected yet again. She has gone to Brussels and secured only a very limited extension to Article 50, displacing the cliff edge to no-deal chaos by only a fortnight. There are clear signs that the EU no longer believes that her deal is deliverable but does not want to be seen to be pushing the UK into no deal against its wishes. The Commons for its part has indicated by a strong majority that a no-deal Brexit must be avoided.
25th Mar 2019 - Evening Standard

Brexit: Cabinet 'war game' to prepare for general election

Cabinet ministers today “war-gamed” how they might call a general election to break the Brexit deadlock. In an emergency meeting this morning ministers debated whether they would have any choice other than to call an election if Britain is forced into a long Brexit delay. The move came as Theresa May admitted to MPs that she still did not have “sufficient support” to bring her vote back before MPs for a third time and pledged not to endorse no-deal without parliament’s approval.
25th Mar 2019 - The Times

What do voters make of Brexit now?

Does a negative reaction to the Brexit deal mean voters have changed their minds about leaving the EU in the first place? In truth, the polls have for some time been indicating that slightly more people now say they would vote Remain than Leave in another ballot.
25th Mar 2019 - BBC

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 25th Mar 2019

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Tory bastards are back, and Theresa May is so scared of them, she might give us no-deal Brexit

Until the statutory instrument adopting the EU’s new deadlines is put into UK law, this Friday, March 29, will still be legally Brexit day. The prime minister and other ministers have intimated that this will be the first order of business tomorrow, but the Brexit process has repeatedly demonstrated that the government’s word is not always its bond. The vicar’s daughter has proved particularly unreliable.
24th Mar 2019 - The Times

PM fights to retain power as MPs look to seize control of Brexit

Theresa May tries to stay in power as MPs seek to seize control of parliamentary business in a bid to secure a softer Brexit. Meanwhile, Sunday newspapers had reported that a cabinet coup was under way, with a growing number of MPs putting pressure on the prime minister to set a date for her departure. A proposal led by former Tory ministers Sir OIiver Letwin and Dominic Grieve, together with Labour's Hilary Benn, will attempt to seize control of parliamentary business away from the government.
25th Mar 2019 - Sky News

Plan for MPs to get votes on seven Brexit options if Theresa May's deal defeated again

Number 10 is understood to be considering allowing parliament to vote on seven alternative options next week amid growing fears that Theresa May will not get her Brexit plan through the House of Commons. A senior minister in the government told Sky News that plans are being drawn up to give MPs a choice between revoking Article 50, a second referendum, the prime minister's deal, her deal plus a customs union, the deal plus a customs union and single market access, a standard free-trade agreement, or a no-deal Brexit. Another source confirmed to Sky News that senior figures within government had been speaking openly about getting behind the idea.
23rd Mar 2019 - Sky News

Avoiding Irish hard border in no-deal Brexit scenario ‘very difficult’

Avoiding a hard border in Ireland in a no-deal Brexit scenario will be very difficult, the country’s European Affairs Minister has said. Helen McEntee said the risk of the UK leaving the EU without an agreement remained “very strong”, but insisted Ireland was still not planning for border checks. Ms McEntee said the Dublin government would only enter into negotiations with the UK and EU Commission on how a future border would work when, or if, it became clear that a no-deal is the only option. “If a no-deal scenario is the only option left and looking like that is going to happen, then we need to sit down with the Commission and with the UK and we need to understand and work with each other, and essentially this is negotiation as to how we can avoid borders on the island of Ireland and, be under no illusion, it’s very difficult without a deal,” she told RTE Radio One.
23rd Mar 2019 - Yahoo!

Brexit: Vote on Theresa May's deal may not happen next week

Theresa May has told MPs there might not be a third vote on her Brexit deal next week if there is insufficient support for it to pass. If it does not pass, the EU has set a deadline of 12 April for the UK to propose a new plan. Supporters of another EU referendum are due to march through central London later. Labour's Tom Watson will speak at the event, pledging to back May's deal if she agrees to hold a referendum on it. Meanwhile, an online petition calling for the UK to remain in the EU has attracted a record number of signatures.
23rd Mar 2019 - BBC

MPs have one shot this week to avert a no-deal Brexit, say senior government members

The prime minister and the EU will be looking at the indicative votes that are due to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday - on Tuesday sponsored by the PM, on Wednesday under the backbench initiative of Sir Oliver Letwin - to see if a majority of MPs can demonstrate their support for a deliverable alternative to a no-deal Brexit. If they don't, Theresa May's conclusion may well be full steam ahead to a no-deal Brexit, I am told - which will be music to the ears of perhaps a third of the Cabinet and Tory Party.
23rd Mar 2019 - ITV News

Secret Cabinet Office document reveals chaotic planning for no-deal Brexit

The extent and range of the impact of a no-deal Brexit is revealed in a confidential Cabinet Office document that warns of a “critical three-month phase” after leaving the EU during which the whole planning operation could be overwhelmed. The classified document, seen by the Guardian, sets out the command and control structures in Whitehall for coping with a no-deal departure and says government departments will have to firefight most problems for themselves – or risk a collapse of “Operation Yellowhammer”.
22nd Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Tory whips ‘threaten to walk out of the Government’ after Theresa May’s Brexit blunders

Theresa May’s control over the Conservatives was close to collapse last night amid fears that government whips were on the verge of quitting after a week of serious missteps by the Prime Minister. Party unity appeared to have all but evaporated as Cabinet ministers openly defied Mrs May by plotting to seize control of the Government’s Brexit plans next week. The Prime Minister is expected to table her Brexit deal for a third meaningful vote on Tuesday, but few MPs expect her to secure enough support to get the agreement over the line, and many predict that a defeat could cost Mrs May her job.
22nd Mar 2019 - iNews

The Brexit farce is about to turn to tragedy

There are two big lessons. First we are paying the price of our failure for years to explain the EU. What is it for? Security. It delivers good political relations among neighbours — the best guarantee of security you can get. We have benefited very directly from this. Being in the EU together meant that for the first time we worked with Dublin as equals. That, and the open border, enabled peace in Ireland. In Britain, no one noticed. The EU is a political project: the customs union and the single market are means to an end. Why did no one tell us? The second lesson is that we are governed by the parties for the parties. The system would never get past a decent competition regulator. Most people know that it makes no difference how they vote. We are the oldest parliamentary democracy, and it shows.
22nd Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Brexiteer fury as Government confirms MPs to get vote on alternatives if they reject Theresa May's deal

Eurosceptic Tories have erupted in anger as Cabinet minister Greg Clark confirmed MPs will be given a vote on a string of Brexit alternatives if they reject Theresa May's deal for a third time.
22nd Mar 2019 - Politics Home

Brexit deal: Norway-style EEA membership may not be right for UK, says Iceland prime minister

Membership of the European Economic Area (EEA) may not be the “right solution” for the UK after Brexit, the prime minister of one of its key members has said. Icelandic prime minister Katrín Jakobsdottir expressed hesitancy at the idea that Britain could join the EEA, suggesting that the debate in the UK was far from the realities of the agreement. She was in Brussels to meet her EU counterparts for a celebration of 25 years of the EEA’s existence – joking that “maybe some of the EU leaders have other things on their mind” after a late night Brexit negotiation that spilled over into the early hours of the morning.
22nd Mar 2019 - The Independent

Brexit: May urged to quit to help deal pass

Two ministers touted as a potential caretaker PM in reports of a cabinet coup say they fully back Theresa May. Environment Secretary Michael Gove told reporters it was "not the time to change the captain of the ship". And the PM's de facto deputy David Lidington insisted he was "100% behind" Mrs May. Meanwhile, the Brexit secretary said an election will become more likely if MPs vote this week for a Brexit option the government does not want.
24th Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit BOMBSHELL: Nicky Morgan could be the next Prime Minister claim senior Brexiteers

The former Education Secretary is a Remainer, bur pro-Brexit MPs have privately suggested she could be a “unity” candidate to take over as leader, according to the Telegraph. This suggestion follows her involvement in the so-called Malthouse Compromise for Brexit, along with fellow Remainers and Brexiteers alike. Mrs Morgan campaigned to remain in the EU, but has since said: “The abiding mood in the country is ‘get on with it’ and patience on all sides is running out.”
24th Mar 2019 - Express

Sky Views: UK has a duty to investigate potential Russian interference

Nigel Farage claimed "Russian collusion" when it appeared that a number of signatories to a parliamentary petition calling for the government to stop Brexit came from outside the UK. It is unclear whether the former UKIP leader genuinely believes this or was simply conveniently drawing on an issue - Kremlin interference in Western democracies - many observers suspect played a part in the Brexit referendum that he and fellow Brexiteers such as Arron Banks won. Either way, Mr Farage's remark on his Twitter account is a reminder of the threat to democracy posed by hostile states that use websites and social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook as a weapon, by exploiting existing divisions in democratic societies.
24th Mar 2019 - Sky News

Corbyn’s no2 Tom Watson leads massive anti-Brexit march in clearest sign Labour now backs staying in EU

Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson will tomorrow lead a huge march to overturn Brexit, he announced tonight. Jeremy Corbyn's no 2 is attending the "Put it to the People" protest in the clearest sign yet Labour will try and force through a second referendum. Mr Watson will tell Theresa May he is prepared to back her Brexit deal - as long as she holds a public vote on it. It was previously thought none of Mr Corbyn's top team would be at the march which is set to be attended by hundreds of thousands of diehard Remainers.
23rd Mar 2019 - The Sun

Avoiding Irish hard border in no-deal Brexit scenario ‘very difficult’

Avoiding a hard border in Ireland in a no-deal Brexit scenario will be very difficult, the country’s European Affairs Minister has said. Helen McEntee said the risk of the UK leaving the EU without an agreement remained “very strong”, but insisted Ireland was still not planning for border checks. Ms McEntee said the Dublin government would only enter into negotiations with the UK and EU Commission on how a future border would work when, or if, it became clear that a no-deal is the only option. “If a no-deal scenario is the only option left and looking like that is going to happen, then we need to sit down with the Commission and with the UK and we need to understand and work with each other, and essentially this is negotiation as to how we can avoid borders on the island of Ireland and, be under no illusion, it’s very difficult without a deal,” she told RTE Radio One.
23rd Mar 2019 - Yahoo!

Brexit: What are indicative votes?

Before any indicative votes can take place, MPs must secure the parliamentary time for debate. Usually the government has control over what happens day-to-day. MPs have tried - and narrowly failed - to take control away from the government in recent weeks, but a fresh attempt by a cross-party group of MPs, including Labour's Hilary Benn and Conservative Sir Oliver Letwin, may prove successful on Monday evening. However, to avoid being forced, the government could voluntarily set aside time for MPs to debate - something ministers have previously suggested. Though the precise format is unknown, one possible process would see a series of motions being presented setting out each Brexit option. MPs would then vote on each option in turn with the results announced after each vote.
23rd Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit: Vote on Theresa May's deal may not happen next week

Theresa May has told MPs there might not be a third vote on her Brexit deal next week if there is insufficient support for it to pass. If it does not pass, the EU has set a deadline of 12 April for the UK to propose a new plan. Supporters of another EU referendum are due to march through central London later. Labour's Tom Watson will speak at the event, pledging to back May's deal if she agrees to hold a referendum on it. Meanwhile, an online petition calling for the UK to remain in the EU has attracted a record number of signatures.
23rd Mar 2019 - BBC

Scots to join London march for second Brexit referendum

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has joined hundreds of thousands of people on a march in London to demand a second Brexit referendum. She spoke to crowds gathered at the end of a rally organisers of the "Put It To The People" campaign say more than a million people attended. Bus-loads of protesters travelled through the night from across Scotland to support the People's Vote event. It came after the EU agreed to delay the UK's departure from the EU. She told the crowd that Theresa May had pitched parliament against the people.
23rd Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit is about to 'destroy' the Tory Party and Theresa May, says Michael Portillo

The latest Brexit developments will “destroy” the Conservative Party, Michael Portillo has warned. Speaking on the BBC1 politics show This Week, the former deputy leader of the Conservatives said there was no chance Mrs May’s deal would get past MPs. He also insisted that no-deal was off the table – but the prospect of revoking Article 50 and stopping Brexit was equally unlikely. Instead, he painted a particularly gloomy picture for the Tory Party in his predictions for the coming weeks. He said: “I think Parliament will try to take over the process – Parliament may well succeed. What emerges from that will be unacceptable to Mrs May. “Mrs May will resign before April 12 and, before April 12, an interim leader of the Conservative Party – I suppose it would be David Lidington, the deputy prime minister will say he will want to explore with the EU an alternative.”
23rd Mar 2019 - Yahoo News

Pro-remain MPs draw up plans to vote on revoking article 50

Pro-Remain MPs are drawing up plans for a vote on revoking article 50 as an emergency measure to stop Britain crashing out of the EU, after an online petition to cancel Brexit became the most popular ever. By Saturday night more than 4.6 million people had signed the petition on the parliament website, which states: “A People’s Vote may not happen – so vote now”. Public discussion about halting Brexit was considered politically toxic until just days ago. But that shifted last week as the prospect of crashing out drew closer and the number of petition signatures rose dramatically. A cross-party group of parliamentarians is now examining the possibility of cancelling the Brexit process, following concerns that Theresa May could end up backing Tory MPs who favour a no-deal departure if her own withdrawal agreement is rejected again. They are planning to table an amendment to Brexit legislation closer to the day of Britain’s scheduled departure from the EU.
23rd Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Corbyn’s team split over soft Brexit

Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet is set to clash again over Brexit this week, with supporters of a second referendum concerned that the Labour leadership will opt to facilitate a soft Brexit. With senior Labour figures openly calling for another public vote at the anti-Brexit march in London on Saturday, other influential MPs believe Corbyn’s inner circle is actually warming to a Norway-style Brexit that would see Britain leave the EU, but remain closely aligned to it. Tensions between Labour and its pro-Remain activists are already high after the party released a tweet on Friday evening asking if supporters had any “big weekend plans” and called on them to go out leafleting for May’s local elections.
23rd Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Calls grow for public inquiry into Brexit | Politics

Calls for a public inquiry into Brexit are mounting among diplomats, business figures, peers and MPs, amid claims that the civil service is already planning for a future investigation into how it has been handled. The decision to call the referendum, the red lines drawn up by Theresa May and Britain’s negotiating strategy are all issues that senior figures would like to be examined.
23rd Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Varadkar: 'Brexit will define UK for next generation'

Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Leo Varadkar has said that Brexit will define the UK for the next generation. Mr Varadkar added that "it doesn't have to define" the Republic of Ireland. The taoiseach told delegates at the Fine Gael conference in Wexford that "we live in extraordinary times". "The last two and a half years, the last two and half months, even the last two and a half days have seen many twists and turns in the Brexit saga," he said. "Throughout all of it, we have stayed firm. We have held our nerve and we have stayed the course."
23rd Mar 2019 - BBC

Leo Varadkar: Brexit 'could be delayed for a year'

23rd Mar 2019 - BBC

Theresa May admits third Brexit deal vote may not take place next week

Theresa May has admitted she may not garner enough support to get her twice-defeated Brexit deal through the Commons next week, amid mounting speculation about the future of her premiership. The Prime Minister wrote to MPs warning that if there is insufficient support for her Withdrawal Agreement in the coming days that she could seek an extension to Britain’s EU membership beyond the European Parliament elections.
23rd Mar 2019 - The Scotsman

EU forces choice of their political lives on MPs

MPs have a weekend to decide whether to initiate civil war against Theresa May and the government and instigate a once-in-a-century reconfiguration of the structure of political parties.
22nd Mar 2019 - ITV News

For Young People, a March for a Second Brexit Vote Is Just the Start

An online petition on Parliament's website is unlikely to change the course of Brexit, but Britons keep signing anyway. Young people see a future threatened by restriction on freedom of movement and opportunity so many will be marching on Saturday
22nd Mar 2019 - The New York Times

Brexiteer fury as Government confirms MPs to get vote on alternatives if they reject Theresa May's deal

Eurosceptic Tories have erupted in anger as Cabinet minister Greg Clark confirmed MPs will be given a vote on a string of Brexit alternatives if they reject Theresa May's deal for a third time.
22nd Mar 2019 - Politics Home

It’s not too late to stop Brexit. Saturday’s march will force politicians to hear us

Public outrage at the crippling incompetence and indecision in Westminster reached new levels this week when the petition to revoke article 50 and remain in the EU hit 2m signatures, crashing the parliamentary petition website several times. But this crisis must be ended with the public’s consent – and Saturday’s march is another important opportunity to give a voice to this country on the defining issue of our age.
22nd Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Cross-party negotiations may be the only way to achieve Brexit with unity, pride and purpose

If Labour’s alternative plan for a close economic relationship can’t get a parliamentary majority, then Common Market 2.0 is a Brexit compromise which might just get us out of this difficult period and out the other side with unity, pride and purpose. We would leave the political institutions of the EU, taking control of our laws, our farming and our fisheries but keep close economic ties to our neighbours. It would avoid a catastrophic No Deal — which would be a disaster for businesses in places like Ashfield.
22nd Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

Richard Branson: UK dangerously close to full-scale Brexit disaster

I fear the UK is still dangerously close to the full-scale disaster that a no-deal exit from the European Union would be. Employers and unions agree. In a rare joint statement, the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress have warned of a “national emergency”. The time for the UK Government to rethink its approach is now. At this juncture, it seems implausible that another motion to vote on the Withdrawal Agreement would actually win majority parliamentary support. And even with an extended Brexit deadline, that’s a major risk to the UK, and to the Union itself. This is a moment of profound national crisis for the UK. Yet there is no sign of the inclusive leadership such a crisis requires. Prioritising party over country, the Prime Minister is no longer acting in the national interest. Instead, she has decided to pitch herself as the defender of the “people” against the machinations of Parliament.
22nd Mar 2019 - The Scotsman

Scottish politicians to join anti-Brexit march

Nicola Sturgeon has called for a lengthy extension to allow a second Brexit referendum ahead of the Put It To The People march in London. The Scottish First Minister urged opponents of Brexit to seize the “moment of maximum opportunity” presented by the delay agreed by the EU. Before she joined the rally backing a second EU referendum, Ms Sturgeon said: “This is now the moment of maximum opportunity – we need to avoid both the catastrophe of no deal and the damage which would be caused by the Prime Minister’s bad deal.
22nd Mar 2019 - Herald Scotland

May tells Johnson: I will not step aside to solve Brexit crisis

Theresa May told Boris Johnson she had no intention of stepping aside to help resolve the Brexit impasse at a high-stakes meeting earlier this week with the man seen as the favourite to replace her. In the meeting, the former foreign secretary, who remains opposed to May’s Brexit deal, demanded to know how the prime minister would change approach, which was interpreted as a coded message that he believed she should quit. May responded by saying she was drawing up plans in case her Brexit deal was carried through by the House of Commons, including a “restructuring” of the Department for Exiting the European Union, signalling she anticipated staying put.
22nd Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 22nd Mar 2019

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Brexit: EU leaders open door to long delay as May fails to set out plan B

EU leaders have rejected Theresa May’s assurances that she can get her Brexit deal passed this week and opened the door to a long delay to the UK’s departure, offering pro-EU MPs a two-week window to mobilise for an alternative. In marathon talks in Brussels, EU leaders agreed a ‘flexible’ extension to Article 50 that will keep the UK in the EU until 22 May if the deal is passed, but giving until 12 April for the UK to ask for more time if MPs reject it again. After telling MPs, the country and 27 European heads of government that she wouldn’t tolerate the UK staying in the EU beyond the end of June, fellow leaders ignored her and kept open the possibility of putting Brexit off until the end of the year.
21st Mar 2019 - The Scotsman

Brexit: EU draft plans propose Brexit delay until 22 May

The UK could be offered a Brexit delay to 22 May on the condition MPs approve the PM's deal next week, the latest draft European Council document says. But if MPs vote the withdrawal deal down for a third time, EU leaders would back a shorter delay until mid April
21st Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit: MoD prepares for no-deal in Whitehall bunker

The Ministry of Defence has set up an operations room in a bunker at its main Whitehall building to deal with a potential no-deal Brexit. The preparations are being run under the banner of Operation Redfold - although officials stress they are part of wider cross-government planning. An MoD spokesman said it was "always willing to support wider government planning for any scenario". Defence chiefs had previously said 3,500 troops were being readied.
21st Mar 2019 - BBC

What the EU should do next about Brexit

The European Council will probably not take a final decision on whether to extend the Brexit deadline today. But it can do something useful to help bring this process to a good conclusion, and remind the UK parliament that Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty, and a recent ruling of the European Court of Justice, allow only three Brexit outcomes: deal, no-deal or unilateral revocation.
21st Mar 2019 - Financial Times

EU looks at two-stage approach to Brexit delay - diplomats

European Union leaders were considering an offer of a two-stage Brexit delay on Thursday, depending on whether Prime Minister Theresa May gets her divorce deal approved by the British parliament next week, diplomatic sources said. If she does, the bloc would offer a Brexit delay from the current leave date of March 29 to May 22, according to several diplomats briefed on talks between the other 27 national EU leaders meeting in Brussels. If she does not get approval for her deal, Britain would be given until April 12 to inform the EU whether it would hold European Parliament elections on May 23-26. If Britain agreed to hold the elections, the EU could then consider a longer extension and if it did not, a no-deal Brexit would happen on May 22, the diplomats said.
21st Mar 2019 - Reuters

Brexit: EU draft plans propose Brexit delay until May

EU leaders have agreed on a plan to delay the Article 50 process, postponing Brexit beyond 29 March. The UK will be offered a delay until 22 May, if MPs approve the withdrawal deal negotiated with the EU next week. If they do not, the EU will back a shorter delay until 12 April, allowing the UK time to get the deal through or to "indicate a way forward". Mrs May said there was now a "clear choice" facing UK MPs, who could vote for a third time on her deal next week.
21st Mar 2019 - BBC

Cabinet minister: No Deal Brexit possibility “real and rising”

One Cabinet Minister tells me his central expectation now is that the vote fails and the EU, in the interests of giving itself a breather before “no deal” and not in expectation of any progress towards a deal in Westminster, grants a temporary extension to April (when the European Parliament elections arrangements need to be locked in stone). The logic runs that they’d be doing that in the hope that some management of the difficulties of “no deal” can be advanced in the interim. A new cliff edge is born but the look on this Cabinet minister’s face suggested he thought it was the final one. The chances of no deal are now “real and rising,” the Cabinet minister said.
21st Mar 2019 - Channel 4 News

Cabinet ministers believe risk of no-deal Brexit now 'very real'

21st Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Jeremy Corbyn to meet Theresa May on Monday in bid to stave off No Deal Brexit

The Labour leader was hopeful that a cross-party group of MPs would agree a Norway Plus-style alternative this week if Mrs May’s plan is defeated again, to prevent a No Deal. “I think Parliament will come to an agreement next week to stop that happening and we will do everything we can to help them,” he said. “The dangers of a chaotic exit are huge, on supplies, investment, jobs and everything else.” Labour will support MPs getting a say over the way forward on Brexit on Monday. The party will then back a cross-party amendment focused on the UK’s future trading relationship with the EU, as well as workers’ rights. But it remains unclear whether there is a consensus in Parliament around a softer Brexit. The smaller opposition parties, including the SNP and the Lib Dems, are opposed to leaving the EU in any form and want a second referendum instead.
21st Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

Brexit: Hundreds of gagging orders taken out by government

Sky News can reveal that the government has taken out hundreds of gagging orders as part of its preparations for a no-deal Brexit. The orders, formerly known as non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), are legally binding contracts to stop confidential conversations being talked about in public. They are typically used to maintain secrecy around corporate deals or to protect intellectual property. However, we have discovered that the use of these NDAs has become prevalent across great swathes of the UK government.
21st Mar 2019 - Sky News

How May summoned up her inner Trump for her Brexit address

And if Donald Trump had wandered last night out from the Oval Office to the adjoining West Wing dining room where he has installed a 60 inch flat screen TV along one wall, and watched the Theresa May speech he might have found himself giving a knowing nod of the head. Maybe she had listened after all.
21st Mar 2019 - BBC

How Theresa May decided she was willing to accept a no-deal Brexit

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Theresa May made a momentous choice. After a day of acrimonious debate in her cabinet and inner circle, the prime minister decided that she was willing to take Britain out of the EU without a deal. At Thursday’s European Council meeting in Brussels, EU diplomats wondered whether Mrs May was bluffing, but those close to the prime minister said if she cannot secure her Brexit deal she is determined the UK should embark on a no-deal exit. Since announcing on Wednesday that she would ask EU leaders for a short extension to the bloc’s Article 50 process — to delay Brexit from March 29 to June 30 — people who have spoken to the prime minister said she is reconciled to the implications of what happens if the UK parliament continues to reject her withdrawal agreement. “The mood has hardened on no deal,” said one person close to the prime minister. One Eurosceptic Conservative MP who met Mrs May on Wednesday night said: “She didn’t seem concerned about leaving with no deal.”
21st Mar 2019 - Financial Times

JCB backs Johnson's leadership bid with a further £15,000 gift

Boris Johnson has received another £15,000 from the pro-Brexit digger maker JCB, figures show, part of a mass of donations to potential Conservative leadership contenders with the expectation that Theresa May’s time in office is coming to an end. The former foreign secretary, a likely standard bearer for pro-Brexit Tories, received £31,000 in donations in the past month, the register of MPs’ interests shows, and has been given almost £140,000 in money or other support since late last year. Others to receive new donations in recent weeks include Dominic Raab, the former Brexit secretary who has made no secret of his leadership ambitions. He has been given more than £50,000 in cash and other donations this month alone.
21st Mar 2019 - The Guardian

May's appeal falls flat as EU seizes control of Brexit date

The EU has handed Theresa May two weeks’ grace to devise an alternative Brexit plan if her deal falls next week after the prime minister failed to convince the bloc that she was capable of avoiding a no-deal Brexit. After a marathon late-night session of talks, the EU’s leaders ripped up May’s proposals and a new Brexit timeline was pushed on the prime minister to avoid the cliff-edge deadline of 29 March – next Friday. Under the deal agreed by May, Britain will now stay a member state until 12 April if the withdrawal agreement is rejected by MPs at the third time of asking. The government will be able to seek a longer extension during that period if it can both “indicate a way forward” and agree to hold European elections. In the unlikely event that May does win the support of the Commons when the Brexit deal goes to MPs again on Tuesday, the UK will stay a member state until 22 May to allow necessary withdrawal legislation to be passed. “The 12 April is the new 29 March,” an EU official said.
22nd Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 21st Mar 2019

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Theresa May's address to the nation sees her tell voters 'I am on your side' over Brexit

Theresa May has blamed MPs for failing to implement the result of the 2016 EU referendum, and told voters who want Brexit to be over: "I am on your side." In a televised address from Downing Street, May said that it was "a matter of great personal regret" for her to have to ask for a three-month delay to Britain's withdrawal from the EU , which was due to take place on March 29. She will go to Brussels on Thursday to make a formal request to the other 27 EU leaders for an extension to the two-year Article 50 negotiation process.
20th Mar 2019 - Daily Record

Brexit LIVE: Theresa May FURIOUS at MPs for Brexit delay - 'Time to MAKE A DECISION!'

20th Mar 2019 - Express.co.uk

Theresa May blames MPs for Brexit delay

Theresa May blamed MPs for her request to delay Brexit for three months, warning the public is fast losing patience with the "political games” in Westminster. In a rare address to the nation Wednesday night from inside No. 10 Downing Street, the U.K. prime minister said her application for an extension to the Article 50 negotiating period was "a matter of great personal regret" but is necessary to deliver Brexit. The short five-minute address came after another day of high drama in Westminster in which she hinted she would quit rather than delay Brexit any further.
20th Mar 2019 - Politico

Brexit: 'Tired' public needs a decision, says Theresa May

Theresa May has told the public she is "on their side", laying the blame for the delay to Brexit squarely with MPs. Speaking from Downing Street, the prime minister said people were "tired of infighting and political games" and it was "high time" politicians made a decision on the next steps. Earlier, Mrs May wrote to EU Council President Donald Tusk requesting to delay Brexit until 30 June. She said the postponement was a "matter of great personal regret".
20th Mar 2019 - BBC

Theresa May’s very big gamble risks a no-deal Brexit

Her own leadership is now over. Unable to control the House, unable to control her cabinet, she lingers in office until her party gets round to removing her. It is hard to imagine her being prime minister long after this stage of Brexit is settled. If she is forced into the humiliation of going to Brussels on the eve of Brexit to beg for the long extension she has expressly ruled out, she is likely to resign soon after. As with all negotiations with the EU, nothing is final until it is irreversible. It may be that her deal will be defeated and a long delay then offered by the EU, but its leaders are conspiring with Mrs May to present next week as a defining moment. It is a very big gamble.
20th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit: EU says short delay is possible if MPs back deal

The EU will only agree to a short delay to Brexit if MPs approve the current withdrawal agreement next week, Theresa May has been told. EU Council President Donald Tusk said an extension, requested by the prime minister on Wednesday, was possible. Mrs May has written to Mr Tusk requesting a Brexit delay to 30 June, saying she needed more time to get her deal agreed by MPs and passed into law.
20th Mar 2019 - BBC

EU demands conditions if Brexit delay to be granted

The EU has warned Theresa May the UK will not be granted a Brexit delay unless it has a “purpose” as Downing Street admitted that withdrawal from the EU had descended into “crisis”. Mr Barnier’s comments put the Prime Minister on notice that she has to shape a route ahead or no approval will be forthcoming
20th Mar 2019 - The Scotsman

Donald Tusk: Extension possible but conditional on positive Brexit deal vote

The president of the European Council has said a short delay to Brexit will be possible, but it will be conditional on the House of Commons backing the withdrawal agreement. He says that although "Brexit fatigue is increasingly visible and justified", the parties "should not give up seeking a positive solution until the last minute".
20th Mar 2019 - BBC

EU Commission resists May's June 30 Brexit date - document

In a note on the Brexit process reviewed by the Commission at its weekly meeting on Wednesday, officials wrote that leaders meeting May at a summit on Thursday faced a “binary” choice of a short delay of Brexit from March 29 to before May 23 or a long delay to at least the end of this year, with Britain obliged to hold an election on May 23 for European Parliament lawmakers. “Any extension offered to the United Kingdom should either last until 23 May 2019 or should be significantly longer and require European elections,” the document said. “This is the only way of protecting the functioning of the EU institutions and their ability to take decisions.” EU states which were due to receive additional legislative seats after Brexit would need to know by mid- to late April if they would be denied those seats because Britain was staying. The note also said that in any extended membership, Britain should, “in a spirit of loyal cooperation”, commit to “constructive abstention” on key issues, such as the EU’s long-term budget and filling top EU posts after the May election.
20th Mar 2019 - Reuters UK

France ready to veto any meaningless Brexit delay: Elysee official

France is ready to veto any British request for a Brexit delay that either kicks the can down the road without offering a way out of its deadlock or imperils European Union institutions, an official in President Emmanuel Macron’s office said on Tuesday
19th Mar 2019 - Reuters UK

Brexit SO24: What is SO24? And why is Labour backing it?

Labour has thrown its weight behind an emergency debate being held on Brexit in order to prevent Prime Minister Theresa May seeking a short extension of Brexit. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell is supporting the application put forward earlier by Labour Wirral South MP Alison McGovern. Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer has also showed his support, tweeting: "What the Government should be doing is showing real leadership, making good on their commitment to break the deadlock and secure an extension with a genuine purpose."
21st Mar 2019 - Express.co.uk

UK Labour lawmaker requests emergency debate on Brexit

An opposition Labour lawmaker requested on Wednesday an emergency debate in parliament on Brexit, seeking to challenge Prime Minister Theresa May’s pursuit of a short delay to Britain’s departure from the European Union, her office said. The office of Alison McGovern, the Labour lawmaker, said the so-called SO24 emergency debate motion would be a very short statement on Brexit and would be aimed at securing a debate in parliament. It is not clear if that would trigger a vote. It is up to parliament’s speaker to decide whether to press ahead with the move, after which McGovern would make a three minute speech on the case for such a debate and then parliament would have to agree that the debate should take place. The speaker, who blindsided the government earlier this week by saying May could not ask parliament to vote on her deal for a third time unless it was substantially different, could allow lawmakers to propose changes to what will be neutral statement. That might open the way for parliament to debate and vote on different options for the way forward on Brexit. So far, it is not clear whether this will happen.
20th Mar 2019 - Reuters UK

MPs prepare fresh bid to take control of Brexit process

MPs will on Monday make a fresh effort to seize control of the Brexit process from Theresa May by seeking to ensure the House of Commons votes on alternatives to the prime minister’s exit package. Yvette Cooper, a former Labour minister leading efforts in parliament to try to prevent a no-deal Brexit, made a passionate appeal on Wednesday to Mrs May in the Commons to commit to so-called indicative votes by MPs on different Brexit options. Mrs May appeared to resist the idea, saying MPs had already had multiple chances to vote on Brexit alternatives.
20th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

‘Absolutely jaw-dropping’: third ‘meaningful vote’ on Brexit deal could be held as late as next week

A Tory MP has described the possibility that a third “meaningful vote” on Theresa May’s Brexit deal could be held in the same week the UK is due to leave the EU as “absolutely jaw-dropping”. Former minister Nicky Morgan was responding to suggestions the Government could hold a vote on the 28 March, the eve of Brexit, despite Mrs May suffering two heavy defeats on the deal in recent months. According to Channel 4 News, the Government could kick off next week with a statement from the Prime Minister, before putting a “paving motion” to a vote that would overrule the Speaker John Bercow after he ruled out MPs voting a third time on the same deal unless it was “substantially” different.
20th Mar 2019 - iNews

New Brexit vote would be divisive, says FM Drakeford prompting row

Labour's divisions on Brexit erupted in the Senedd on Tuesday after the first minister said a new referendum would inevitably be divisive and may not be decisive. Mark Drakeford said a new poll would not be straightforward. The comments prompted a robust response from Alun Davies, Blaenau Gwent Labour AM and a People's Vote campaigner, who said he regretted Mr Drakeford's tone. Mr Drakeford told him it is not a "difficulty free" option.
20th Mar 2019 - BBC

No deal Brexit BOMBSHELL: No deal plan WILL be implemented if no delay agreed by Monday

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay told Cabinet ministers in a letter the plan will be implemented on March 25 unless a new exit date is agreed. Operation Yellowhammer is the UK Treasury’s contingency plan for no deal exit from the bloc. The plan drafts what would happen for factors such as money, citizens, trade and customs.
20th Mar 2019 - Express.co.uk

Derek Mackay claims Scotland "sold out" by Brexit process

The UK government has been accused of "shortchanging and ripping off Scotland" as the country prepares to leave the European Union. Scotland’s finance secretary, Derek Mackay, said that the country had been "sold out" during the Brexit process while other parts of the UK were "bought off" with "bungs"
20th Mar 2019 - The Scotsman

Brexit: Welsh Government split as minister calls for poll

A senior member of the Welsh Government has told BBC Wales that another referendum should be held on Brexit. The stance of the Health Minister, Vaughan Gething, puts him at odds with the First Minister, Mark Drakeford. On Tuesday, Mr Drakeford said a new referendum would inevitably be divisive and may not be decisive. But Mr Gething said he wanted "the people to have that choice between the reality of leaving....and the potential to think again".
20th Mar 2019 - BBC

The Guardian view on the Brexit crisis: take back control by giving it up | Editorial

A meaningful pause would also allow time to reflect on whether this form of Brexit is what the country wants. This is about Mrs May giving back control – both to parliament and to the people. The Guardian has already made it clear that, if required, this country should have a debate on Europe. Taking part in European parliamentary elections would be a good place to start. The advocate general at the European court of justice has also pointed out that such elections would not represent an “insuperable obstacle” to extending article 50.
20th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Remain would win second Brexit referendum but no-deal would get more votes than Theresa May’s deal, poll indicates

Nearly two-thirds of people would vote to remain in the EU rather than for Theresa May’s deal if a referendum offering those options were called, a snap poll by YouGov has found. Sixty-one per cent of the population would vote to remain while 39 per cent would opt for the existing deal. However, if people were asked in a public vote whether they would prefer to remain in the EU or leave with no deal in place, Remain would still win, though by the smaller margin of 57-43 per cent.
20th Mar 2019 - The Independent

UK's emergency plans for no-deal Brexit begin to be put into action

Kent county council has activated no-deal plans to keep its roads, hospitals and schools open, as the government considers pulling the trigger on national contingency measures involving 30 central departments and 5,000 staff. With the country placed on a knife-edge by the Theresa May’s latest Brexit crisis, the government is preparing for “any outcome” with a decision on Monday on whether to roll out the national Operation Yellowhammer contingencies for food, medicine and banking. Some measures have already swung into place, including Operation Fennel’s traffic management in Kent. The Europe minister, Alan Duncan, has also said the Foreign Office staff deployed to its Brexit “nerve centre” were working to help UK citizens in the EU in the event they get caught up in a Brexit mess.
20th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: Jeremy Corbyn walks out of crunch talks because Chuka Umunna was invited

Jeremy Corbyn walked out on a crucial meeting with party leaders because former Labour MP Chuka Umunna was invited. The Labour leader was reported to have said he was leaving because Mr Umunna, now an Independent Group MP, is "not a real party leader". A Labour spokesperson said: "It was not the meeting that had been agreed and the terms were broken. Downing Street is in such chaos that they were unable to manage their own proposed meeting. "We are in discussions with Number 10 about holding the bilateral meeting with the PM that Jeremy proposed at PMQs ."
20th Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 20th Mar 2019

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Theresa May to ask for Brexit delay, 1,000 days since referendum

Theresa May is preparing to formally ask the EU to delay Brexit, 1,000 days since Britons voted to leave the EU. The prime minister will on Wednesday send a letter to Brussels revealing her preference for either a short or long extension of Article 50 - the legal mechanism to take the UK out of the bloc. But she could face a potential cabinet split, and the threat that such a request will be rejected.
20th Mar 2019 - Sky News

Brexit news: Theresa May to write to Tusk as exasperated EU leaders demand 'clarity' over delay plan

Theresa May is set to write to European Commission president Donald Tusk to lay out the government's plan for delaying Brexit. The cabinet spent 90 minutes discussing the issue this morning but reportedly did not reach a conclusion on the possible length of the extension. It comes as European leaders signalled that they may not agree to the UK’s request for a delay to Britain's departure from the bloc, which was originally expected on March 29.
19th Mar 2019 - The Independent

May seeking Brexit delay to June 30 with option of two-year extension - BBC

19th Mar 2019 - Yahoo!

Brexit: Theresa May to formally ask for delay

19th Mar 2019 - BBC

Dodds: DUP 'haven't softened' on Brexit deal

The DUP's conditions "haven't softened" when it comes to the government's Brexit deal, Nigel Dodds has said. The party's deputy leader said there had been "good" discussions, but they are not ready to offer support yet. The government needs the backing of the 10 DUP MPs in order to get the agreement through the House of Commons. It comes amid reports that Theresa May is writing to the EU to ask for Brexit to be postponed until 30 June with the option of a longer delay.
19th Mar 2019 - BBC

'Big gaps' remain between DUP and Government on Brexit says Dodds

19th Mar 2019 - Belfast Telegraph

DUP's Dodds says Brexit talks good but deal not close - BBC reporter

19th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Brexit: DUP influence 'incredibly unhealthy'

19th Mar 2019 - BBC

Labour's Corbyn calls on UK opposition parties to work on Brexit plan

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain’s main opposition Labour Party, called on other opposition leaders on Tuesday to work towards finding a majority in parliament for “a close economic relationship” with the European Union after Brexit. Corbyn met leaders from the Scottish National Party, Liberal Democrats, Wales’ Plaid Cymru and the Green Party to discuss how to break the Brexit impasse in parliament, which has twice rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s deal to leave the EU. “Should there not be a majority in parliament for May’s deal or a public vote, Corbyn called on the other parties to engage constructively to find a parliamentary majority for a close economic relationship with the EU that can work for the whole country,” a Labour spokesman said. “The party leaders discussed efforts to ensure May’s deal would be put to a public vote if she is able to force it through parliament with threats and phony bribes.”
20th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Four party leaders urge Corbyn to back second Brexit referendum

Labour remains publicly committed to a policy of seeking a second referendum if the party’s own customs union-based Brexit plan is not adopted, and is pushing for a confirmation vote if May’s deal passes parliament. The Labour spokesman said: “The party leaders discussed efforts to ensure May’s deal would be put to a public vote if she is able to force it through parliament with threats and phoney bribes.”
20th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

As Brexit crisis deepens, Boris Johnson and lover take stroll on beach in Italy

Carefree Boris Johnson strolls on a paradise Italian beach while Britain is gripped by the Brexit crisis he helped to unleash. The former Foreign Secretary was pictured with blonde lover Carrie Symonds, 30, on Fornillo beach, at Positano on the stunning Amalfi Coast. Mr Johnson, 54, wore a suit and shirt without a tie for a stroll. One tourist website describes Fornillo as “a little hidden secret” and says: “Many visitors rush around... and have no idea that this slice of paradise exists.”
20th Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

Saturday's huge London protest demanding a Brexit vote could be the biggest in British history

Thousands of people across London are set to march to Westminster on Saturday (March 23) to take part in what will be one of the largest political demonstrations in British history. The 'Put it to the People' march will call on Parliament to give London and Britain's voters the right to have a crucial vote to say 'yes' or 'no' to whatever deal MPs finally come up with on Brexit. The huge march is likely to be even bigger than the previous demonstration organised by the grassroots People's Vote campaign back in October 2018, which was attended by around 700,000 people - including thousands from across London. Activists have been distributing thousands of leaflets in high streets in virtually every part of London in a bid to gather support for the march.
19th Mar 2019 - MyLondon

Cabinet fractures over Brexit delay as May warned she could cause 'the end of the Conservative Party'

Theresa May’s Cabinet is fracturing over her plans for a Brexit delay after ministers told her she was risking “the end of the Conservative Party”. Angry ministers turned on the Prime Minister after she refused to tell them how long an extension she intends to request from the EU, leaving some suspecting she could ask for a delay of up to two years. Amid accusations that Mrs May has failed to get a grip on what she admits is a “crisis”, Eurosceptic ministers warned that a long delay would lead to a Jeremy Corbyn government and turn Britain into a “barren land” with “gulags”. Andrea Leadsom, Liam Fox and Chris Grayling left Mrs May in no doubt that they would have to consider quitting the Cabinet
19th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Eurosceptic Tories use covert talks to call on EU countries to veto Brexit extension

Backbench Eurosceptic Tory MPs have made a behind-the-scenes bid to persuade European Union leaders to veto any delay to Brexit at this week's Brussels summit. The undercover diplomatic initiative has been led by Tory MPs Daniel Kawczynski, Craig Mackinlay and former Cabinet minister Owen Paterson. The talks have been discussed at meetings of the European Research Group of around 60 hardline Conservative MPs. The MPs were hoping that one of the EU's 27 remaining member states could veto Britain's expected request to an extension to Article 50 to make it more likely that the UK leaves the EU at the end of next week.
19th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Meaningful Vote 3' could be held the day before Brexit Day

Two government sources suggest the Meaningful Vote “take 3” might happen on Thursday of next week. Of course, like everything else right now, that could change. But if it did pan out that way it would mean that we were voting on the eve of the 11pm 29th March departure time that is still in UK law. The week would start with a Monday statement from Theresa May following the EU summit which happens this Thursday/Friday. There has been talk in government of then having a “paving motion” ahead of the Meaningful Vote to over-rule the objections of The Speaker by proving there is parliamentary will for a third attempt at getting the deal through.
19th Mar 2019 - Channel 4 News

May seeking Brexit delay to June 30 with option of two-year extension

British Prime Minister Theresa May will write to the European Union on Tuesday to ask for a Brexit extension until the end of June and with a possible two-year delay, the BBC’s political editor said. With Britain due to leave the bloc in just 10 days, May’s spokesman earlier said she would be writing to European Council President Donald Tusk to request a delay to Brexit either on Tuesday or Wednesday. But the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg said on Twitter after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting: “Cabinet sources say PM is writing letter to EU today asking for extension - frustration that she is going to ask for end date of June 30th, with proviso of delay of up to 2 years.
19th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Getting rid of Theresa May solves nothing

Whoever is Conservative leader after Theresa May — Henry Kissinger, Nelson Mandela, Donald Trump — Britain will still be in the same position, with a relatively weak negotiating hand facing a fairly united negotiating partner. Getting, as a result of the current mess, a year or two longer to prepare for leaving might mildly strengthen our hand (which is one reason we shouldn’t assume the EU will automatically agree to it). But no deal with our main allies and trading partners will remain significantly unattractive and hard to sustain. So we will need a deal and the sort of deal we will end up with won’t change much.
19th Mar 2019 - The Times

Price of Brexit delay could be referendum or election, says Barnier

Michel Barnier has suggested that the price of a long Brexit delay in the event of Theresa May’s deal being defeated again would be a soft Brexit or a “new event” such as a second referendum or general election. Speaking two days before Thursday’s crunch leaders’ summit, the EU’s chief negotiator said the bloc’s heads of state and government would want to be convinced of the usefulness of extra time, given the costs involved. The EU is seeking a detailed road map from the prime minister on how parliament will decide on one of those options should her deal be rejected again next week, and is pushing for a commitment by May that a decision would be made by MPs by mid-April.
19th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: With ten days to go, what is going to happen?

a) Further votes on May’s deal (in spite of Bercow’s ruling) b) A major renegotiation (but the EU have ruled this out) c) Another referendum (but May has ruled this out) d) A general election (May doesn’t have the power, but it could happen with the support of more than two-thirds of MPs) e) Labour could table another no confidence vote f) Another option is no Brexit. g) The European Court of Justice ruled that the UK could unilaterally revoke Article 50 and abandon Brexit without the need to consult all 27 member states. Would this mean no Brexit ever or another referendum – it’s unclear.
19th Mar 2019 - City A.M.

@Peston Huge Tory revolt under way to stop @theresa_may asking EU for Brexit delay of nine months or more

Huge Tory revolt under way to stop @theresa_may asking EU for Brexit delay of nine months or more. She has been requested to address the 1922 committee of Conservative MPs at 5pm tomorrow, where she will be told in no uncertain terms that delay must not be longer than...
19th Mar 2019 - @Peston

The EU should be ready to grant Britain a long Brexit delay

Blame for the current political chaos lies not with Mr Bercow but with Mrs May, and her dogged insistence on treating Brexit as Conservative party property. The Speaker’s ruling rightly prevented the prime minister from putting a motion again before parliament that still has insufficient votes to pass. If Mrs May succeeds in mustering a majority in favour of her deal, that same majority can vote to set aside his judgment. Mr Bercow himself might allow another vote as early as next week if the prime minister secures a change to the planned exit date at an EU summit on Thursday and Friday.
19th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

'An extension will have consequences' says EU as Downing Street admits 'crisis' over Brexit

There will be "consequences" if Article 50 is prolonged, the EU has said as Theresa May prepares to ask for an extension. The comments from the European Union come just hours after Downing Street admitted the UK is "in crisis" over Brexit. The EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier also said that any extension to Britain's membership had to be "useful" and warned it would bring "uncertainty". Commenting on the length of any potential extension, Mr Barnier said a longer delay would only be granted if it is "linked to something new, a new event, a new political process". ITV News Political Editor Robert Peston assessed that Mr Barnier's comments imply a general election or referendum would be required in the UK before the EU commits to a longer extension.
19th Mar 2019 - ITV News

@ITVNews Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn comments on the most recent Brexit developments and says if the government doesn't 'get a majority for its way on Monday' then it is 'surely time for a general election'

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn comments on the most recent Brexit developments and says if the government doesn't 'get a majority for its way on Monday' then it is 'surely time for a general election'
19th Mar 2019 - @ITVNews

Brexit: Angela Merkel vows to fight for orderly process

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will fight for an "orderly Brexit" until "the very last hour". Mrs Merkel said that current events were in a "state of flux", adding that European Union leaders would try to react to whatever the UK proposed. The UK is due to leave the EU in 10 days' time, with or without a deal. Prime Minister Theresa May is writing to European Council President Donald Tusk to ask for an extension. She will meet EU leaders later this week. Mrs May's proposed Brexit deal has already been rejected twice by MPs at Westminster.
19th Mar 2019 - BBC

'Only majority in Parliament is for soft Brexit'

Under the current law, the UK will leave the European Union with or without a deal on 29 March. The New Statesman's Grace Blakeley tells Politics Live "the only thing in Parliament that has a majority is a soft Brexit". Responding, Conservative Brexiteer Owen Paterson says if there is a lengthy extension to Article 50, he and other MPs will "continue to represent the interests of the 17.4 million" people who voted to leave the EU.
19th Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit: Council adopts a series of contingency measures for a "no-deal" scenario

The Council today adopted a series of legislative acts as part of its contingency preparations for a "no-deal" Brexit scenario. The aim of these acts is to limit the most severe damage caused by a disorderly Brexit in specific sectors where it would create a major disruption for citizens and businesses. They come on top of other measures, such as on citizens' rights, adopted by member states as part of their preparations for a "no-deal" scenario. These measures are temporary in nature, limited in scope and adopted unilaterally by the EU. They are in no way intended to replicate the full benefits of EU membership or the terms of any transition period, as provided for in the withdrawal agreement. In some areas, they are conditional upon the UK's reciprocal action.
19th Mar 2019 - EU News

France ready to veto any meaningless Brexit delay: Elysee official

France is ready to veto any British request for a Brexit delay that either kicks the can down the road without offering a way out of its deadlock or imperils European Union institutions, an official in President Emmanuel Macron’s office said on Tuesday
19th Mar 2019 - Reuters UK

Brexiteers threaten to go on strike over Article 50 delay

Some 20 hardliners have vowed to stop participating in key government votes if Theresa May extends the Brexit process by a year, according to the Sun. The prime minister had hoped to win over enough support in the coming days to get her deal passed before March 29th. But rather than winning over extra Tory support the Brexiteers have instead insisted they will withdraw support for the prime minister altogether. A “vote strike” from 20 members of Theresa May’s government would put it on the blink of collapse.
19th Mar 2019 - The New European

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 19th Mar 2019

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John Bercow’s ruling has changed everything – Europe now decides the fate of Brexit

The one novel option that is now emerging from the fog of Brexit war is the grand compromise of a second referendum coupled with conditional approval of the May deal. This is the so-called Kyle-Wilson amendment which has won the, albeit confused, support of Jeremy Corbyn (who wants to vote Leave in the subsequent referendum, but on Labour terms which do not of course exist). It is "substantially different" from previous meaningful votes because it has a national referendum attached to it – a big move by anyone’s standards.
18th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Speaker's unchanged Brexit deal vote ban could be good news for Theresa May

Sky News' senior political correspondent Jon Craig says the PM has more time to win over enough waverers and serial malcontents as she was not looking likely to get her deal through this week, before the EU Summit
18th Mar 2019 - Sky News

EU could hand May lifeline with formal offer of new Brexit date

The EU is set to offer Theresa May a helping hand after her plan for a new meaningful vote was derailed, by formally agreeing on a new delayed Brexit date at upcoming summit. This will focus her campaigning on seeking support for a deal and help sell the deal as different from the earlier two
18th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

@Channel4News Commons Speaker John Bercow says Theresa May cannot hold a third vote on her Brexit deal if her motion is the same, or very similar to, the one that was heavily defeated last week, citing 'convention' dating back to 1604.

Commons Speaker John Bercow says Theresa May cannot hold a third vote on her Brexit deal if her motion is the same, or very similar to, the one that was heavily defeated last week, citing 'convention' dating back to 1604.
18th Mar 2019 - @Channel4News

@Brexit Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow just said Theresa May will not be allowed to bring forward a third similar vote on her deal this week

BLOCKED. Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow just said Theresa May will not be allowed to bring forward a third similar vote on her deal this week
18th Mar 2019 - @Brexit

Theresa May to ask for one year Brexit delay after smug Speaker John Bercow torpedoes third vote on EU deal

Speaker John Bercow said “b*ll*cks” to the British people by torpedoing Theresa May’s deal and forcing her to ask the EU to delay Brexit for up to a year. The shock ruling – a year after a row over a “Bollocks to Brexit” car sticker was spotted in his wife’s motor – sparked jubilation from Labour ‘Remainers’ pushing for a referendum. Amid scenes of chaos in Parliament, he said a third vote on her Brexit deal could only take place if the offer before MPs was “substantially” different. He signalled updated legal advice would not be enough. senior Government figures revealed that the Ulster unionists took fright at Mr Bercow’s ruling. And they said there is now “almost no chance” at getting an agreement with the DUP over the line before a crunch EU summit on Thursday. Instead, No10 sources said the PM was drawing up a letter to EU Council president Donald Tusk to make a formal request for the long delay, instructed by Parliament last week if her deal still hadn’t been passed by the Commons. But the PM will also ask Brussels for an escape clause to the delay - expected to be between nine and 12 months.
18th Mar 2019 - The Sun

The Chaotic Triumph of Arron Banks, the “Bad Boy of Brexit”

The U.K. is in a panic over voters’ decision to withdraw from the E.U. But the pugnacious millionaire whose donations—and Trumpian scare tactics—helped sway Britons has no regrets.
25th Mar 2019 - New Yorker

Two thirds of Tory Brexit rebels vow to stay firm in major blow for Theresa May

A survey by The Sun has found that among the 75 rebels who voted against the PM's deal, 32 said they would not back it if it was brought back to the Commons unchanged
18th Mar 2019 - The Sun

Brexit latest: West Dunbartonshire MP thinks second referendum is best option

A second referendum remains the best option to break the Brexit deadlock, according to West Dunbartonshire’s MP. Martin Docherty-Hughes has called on the UK government to take immediate action to extend Article 50. The local SNP MP, who voted against Theresa May’s proposed Brexit deal for a second time last week, said he will not support a Tory hard Brexit that he claim hurts the jobs and living standards of his constituents in West Dunbartonshire.
18th Mar 2019 - Daily Record

Brexit: Jacob Rees-Mogg hints at backing deal

Leading Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned Britain may never leave the European Union if Theresa May’s deal is voted down by MPs for a third time. Mr Rees-Mogg, chairman of the influential Conservative European Research Group (ERG), said he still regarded the Prime Minister’s Withdrawal Agreement as a “very bad deal”. However, he expressed concern that if there was now a long delay to the UK’s departure from the EU - due to take place on March 29 - Brexit could be thwarted altogether. “No deal is better than a bad deal but a bad deal is better than remaining in the European Union,” he said during an LBC radio phone-in.
18th Mar 2019 - The Scotsman

DUP’s influence over Brexit is ‘unacceptable’, Nicola Sturgeon tells Theresa May

Theresa May is unfairly favouring Northern Ireland over Scotland and the UK’s other devolved nations in the hope of forcing her Brexit deal through, Nicola Sturgeon has said. In a letter to the Prime Minister, she claimed the Government’s actions on Brexit had done “sustained and consistent” damage to the idea that the UK was a partnership of equal nations. “It seems clear that maintaining your majority in the UK Parliament comes before respect for the properly constituted governments” Nicola Sturgeon The Scottish First Minister also accused Mrs May of putting her slim working majority at Westminster ahead of respecting the devolved governments by trying to win the DUP‘s support. Ms Sturgeon was responding to reports that the Government is preparing to offer Northern Ireland extra funding in a final desperate attempt to get its Brexit deal through the House of Commons.
18th Mar 2019 - iNews

Brain of Brexit fears DUP could be bought into backstop U-turn

One of the key brains of the Brexit campaign has expressed concern that the DUP might do a U-turn on the backstop in return for money. In comments which are implicitly withering, Dan Hannan said it was possible that the DUP would back down because “unionism has a materialistic side”. Two weeks ago Mr Hannan said that “government strategists believe that the DUP is looking for an excuse to climb down and that, if it does so, the ERG will follow”. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Mr Hannan, a Tory intellectual who is respected on the right of the Conservative Party, noted the reports of Mrs May hoping “to induce the DUP to vote for a deal that has been expressly designed to weaken the Union”. He said that under the backstop “Northern Ireland would remain under the regulatory control of the EU, but have no representation there.
18th Mar 2019 - The News Letter

Brexit: Jeremy Hunt says a 'lot more work' needed to get deal through

A "lot more work" is required to get MPs to back Theresa May's Brexit deal, Jeremy Hunt has said, amid uncertainty over whether it will be put to a vote for a third time this week. The foreign secretary said there were "encouraging signs" that opponents of the deal were slowly coming round. But he said another vote would only be held before Thursday's EU summit if ministers were "confident" of victory. A number of Brexiteers have signalled they will continue to oppose the deal. Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson called for further changes to the terms of withdrawal, which the EU has rejected, while 22 Tory MPs have written to the Daily Telegraph saying that leaving without any agreement - known as a no-deal exit - on 29 March would actually be a "good deal" for the UK.
18th Mar 2019 - BBC

Britain’s Brexit crisis is rooted in the power of our public schools

Among the myriad absurdities of Brexit, one has repeatedly taken the whole thing into the realms of the surreal: the gifting of the whip hand to the Tory faction known as the European Research Group. At the start of yet another watershed week, it is still this 90-strong band of ideologues that holds the keys to both Theresa May’s political future and the fate of her deal.
18th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Theresa May turns to Vienna for Brexit help

London is looking for creative — some say dubious — ways to bring opponents on board. That's where Article 62 of the Vienna Convention — a treaty that lays down the rules about international treaties, or legal agreements between countries — comes in. Under one option set out by the Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay, the U.K. could make a statement saying that if there are "unforeseen circumstances" arising from the implementation of the backstop, the U.K. would have the right to walk away.
18th Mar 2019 - Politico.eu

Priti Patel's brazen anti-aid agenda is ultimately all about Brexit

Patel, you might think, given the nature of her departure, might not be best thought of as a star turn on the future of British aid, unless you are, of course – like her hosts the TaxPayers’ Alliance – essentially ill-informed and hostile to the idea of international development as most understand it. In endorsing the pressure group’s new report, which calls for a shift in priorities in British aid, what Patel actually exposed was their profound shared misunderstanding of how aid works.
18th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: ‘No vote’ on deal this week without DUP and ERG support

DUP says talks with UK government are focusing on legal assurances and not cash.
18th Mar 2019 - The Irish Times

Jacob Rees-Mogg says THIS person should take over Brexit negotiations from Olly Robbins

Jacob Rees-Mogg disclosed who he thinks should take over trade negotiations between the UK and EU, urging Theresa May to announce the change at the next European Council meeting. Mr Rees-Mogg believes Crawford Falconer, who is currently the UK’s Chief Trade Negotiation Adviser, should step in for the next stage of Brexit negotiations. LBC host Nick Ferrari remarked: “Boris Johnson suggests that Theresa May needs to go back to Brussels to seek and I quote, ‘real change’. Is he right?” Mr Rees-Mogg replied: “Well there is a council this week on March 21, on Thursday, I think that will be an opportunity to say to them look you do not want the backstop, we do not want the backstop, let’s put an end date in.
18th Mar 2019 - Express.co.uk

Chief Brexit negotiator Olly Robbins will quit if deal goes through, Tory MPs told

Theresa May is under growing pressure to postpone a third Brexit vote after a suggestion that she would replace her chief EU negotiator to get her deal through left her still facing defeat. A meaningful vote that was widely expected tomorrow night could now be held on Wednesday or moved to next week unless there is a major breakthrough this evening. In a desperate last ploy to save her deal, Downing Street has told Tory MPs that Mrs May’s chief Brexit negotiator Olly Robbins will quit if it goes through.
18th Mar 2019 - Evening Standard

DUP backing will not secure May's Brexit deal, says Jim Wells

Theresa May could lose a third vote on her Brexit plan even if the Democratic Unionists back it in the Commons, due to the number of Conservative rebels, a former DUP minister has predicted. Amid a final scramble by the prime minister to bring her informal coalition partners onboard before a probable vote this week, Jim Wells, who was the DUP’s minister for health in the Northern Ireland assembly, said he believed up to 30 Tories would still vote against the plan. “So even with the DUP support, I think it’s inevitable that Theresa May, if she pushes a third vote, will go to yet another defeat,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
18th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

For all our sakes: Theresa May’s Brexit deal must be voted down

It is utterly inexcusable that a softer Brexit in the form of a customs union has not been subject to debate in the House of Commons. It is a condemnation of parliament’s absurd polarisation and archaic submission to the government of the day. For Britain to proceed towards departing the EU without even voting on what was promised – a “frictionless” leave – would beggar belief. Now, at least, that option will be up for discussion.
18th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Chief Brexit negotiator Olly Robbins will quit if deal goes through, Tory MPs told

Theresa May is under growing pressure to postpone a third Brexit vote after a suggestion that she would replace her chief EU negotiator to get her deal through left her still facing defeat. A meaningful vote that was widely expected tomorrow night could now be held on Wednesday or moved to next week unless there is a major breakthrough this evening. In a desperate last ploy to save her deal, Downing Street has told Tory MPs that Mrs May’s chief Brexit negotiator Olly Robbins will quit if it goes through.
18th Mar 2019 - Evening Standard

Steve Bannon talks Russia, Brexit, 2020 and his controversial following

Mr Bannon, who since leaving the White House has become a sort of intellectual guru for nationalist uprisings in Europe, also says Nigel Farage has more influence on Mr Trump than the British prime minister. He went on to heap praise on former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, but for an unexpected reason. He said: "I think Boris Johnson would make a good prime minister. I think Boris Johnson is a guy with big ideas. I think he's the new recreated Boris Johnson who's lost 30 pounds - he's got a new haircut, he's a role model - the way he's lost so much weight... very inspiring."
18th Mar 2019 - Sky News

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 18th Mar 2019

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Theresa May asks MPs for 'honourable compromise' on Brexit

Theresa May has asked MPs to make an "honourable compromise" as she seeks to persuade them to back her Brexit deal at the third time of asking. Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, the prime minister said failure to support the deal would mean "we will not leave the EU for many months, if ever". Mrs May is expected to bring her withdrawal agreement back to the Commons next week for a third vote. It comes after MPs this week rejected her deal and voted to delay Brexit.
17th Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit: Ministers admit government might pull third vote on Theresa May's deal

Admitting MPs would “not definitely” get a vote this week, Mr Hammond said: “We will only bring the deal back if we are confident that enough of our colleagues and the DUP are prepared to support it so that we can get it through Parliament. “We’re not just going to keep presenting it if we haven’t moved the dial.” International Trade Secretary Liam Fox agreed saying whether a vote was staged “would be determined by whether we can succeed in getting that vote through the House of Commons” It would be “difficult to justify having a vote if you knew we were going to lose it”, he added.
17th Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

To back the PM's deal, we need proof that the next stage of Brexit talks will be radically different

Sometimes in politics you can face a dilemma so painful that the best thing can be to lay it out before your own constituency association, and ask for their advice. Last Friday I had the chance to do just that. By way of background, the Uxbridge and South Ruislip Conservative Association could not be remotely described as hardline. We are a diverse, thoughtful, metropolitan bunch of One Nation Tories. There are probably as many Remainers as Leavers. In consulting my association, I tried to frame the choice as neutrally as I could. There was a chance, I said, that the Government would ask parliament to vote for a third time on the Prime Minister’s EU Withdrawal Agreement. If such a vote took place, how should I proceed, said Boris Johnson to his members
17th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Don't bet there'll be a third vote on Theresa May's deal

If May gets her deal approved next week, the ERG Brexiters could still secure their cherished no-deal Brexit at the end of May by talking out the Withdrawal Agreement and Implementation Bill that would turn the meaningful vote into Brexit reality. Second, if her deal is squelched, the process of turning indicative votes into a deliverable Brexit deal would only be effective if Labour cooperated in an institutional sense, and that could not be guaranteed. Third, everything I’ve written is redundant if the Speaker were to rule that the PM’s desire to hold the meaningful vote for a third time is a blatant and unacceptable breach of parliamentary convention – and therefore prohibits it.
16th Mar 2019 - ITV News

Only our compromise can break the Brexit impasse

Our plan would mean MPs voting for some form of Brexit deal conditional on it being confirmed by the people of the United Kingdom in a new referendum. On the ballot paper would be a straight choice: a real form of Brexit – rather than some fantasy idea that cannot be delivered – which could be debated, warts and all, against the proposition of staying in the EU. We would not be asking MPs to vote for Brexit but to withhold support for any deal until the public has had their say in a confirmatory ballot. We would be taking the prospect of no deal off the table forever. And we would be giving pro-Brexit MPs who talk so much about the “will of the people” the chance to check back in with those same people.
17th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

The battle to be Theresa May's successor heats up in Westminster

The race to succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader is hotting up with more than six high profile Tories canvassing the support of MPs. It is understood that senior Tories believe Theresa May will have to step aside in order to get her Brexit deal through Parliament. Even aides in the PM’s team believe she will be gone by the summer and prospective candidates are already busy building alliances and promises in the tea rooms of Westminster.
17th Mar 2019 - Metro

Brexit: Labour set to endorse a plan to put May's deal to a public vote

Labour is preparing to offer its most strident support yet for a second referendum by voting for a plan to put Theresa May’s Brexit deal to a public vote. The Observer understands that the proposal, drawn up by two backbenchers, will be put to parliament when May launches her third attempt to pass her Brexit deal. She is expected to do so this week, before heading to a summit with EU leaders on Thursday.
17th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

What the PM offered the DUP

The prime minister’s frantic last attempt to persuade Northern Ireland’s DUP to back her third meaningful vote on Tuesday involves a promise that if the controversial backstop is ever triggered, Great Britain would adopt any new food and business rules that could be forced by the EU on Northern Ireland. As a minister told me, for the DUP to accept the offer it would have to trust that a future prime minister and government would honour the pledge - which cannot be guaranteed even if May legislates for such alignment (because any law can always be repealed). So logically the regulatory alignment offer should not pacify and win over the DUP. But sources close to the DUP tell me that - to their surprise - it may have done. If so they would announce this entente as soon as tomorrow.
17th Mar 2019 - ITV News

Support for a People's Vote surges as public reject Brexit alternatives

Support for a new public vote on Brexit has surged in the days since Theresa May’s Brexit deal was decisively rejected by MPs for a second time, according to a new YouGov poll. The poll shows that the public, which was more or less evenly divided on this question six weeks ago, would now back the people being given the final say on Britain’s future relationship with the EU by a margin of 57% to 43% when excluding the “don’t know” responses.
17th Mar 2019 - The New European

Theresa May's Withdrawal Agreement is now our only guaranteed route out of the EU

I'd urge Brexit-backing MPs to vote for the PM’s Withdrawal Agreement on its third go. I hate the deal. It threatens to trap us in the backstop; it grants too many concessions. Up to this point, were I an MP, I’d have voted against it. But circumstances have changed dramatically and, as a consequence, it has become our only guaranteed route out of the EU.
17th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

John Bercow should block a third vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal

Not for the first time the Speaker of the House of Commons appears to hold the Brexit process in his hands. There has been speculation this week that John Bercow has the power to prevent a third vote on Theresa May’s deal by resorting to a parliamentary convention which prevents a motion being debated in the Commons if it is substantially unchanged from a motion already brought before the House during the same session of parliament. Given that a third vote on May’s deal – likely to be called on Tuesday – would be essentially the same motion as was defeated by 149 votes last Tuesday (and not all that much different from the one defeated by 230 votes in January) there would appear to be a good case for Bercow to act.
17th Mar 2019 - The Spectator

Brexit: Conservative leadership hopefuls ‘step up a gear’ as demands grow for Theresa May to resign

Tory leadership hopefuls have “stepped up a gear” in making their pitches to replace Theresa May as pressure mounts on the prime minister to set a date for leaving Downing Street. Rivals have undertaken a flurry of activity both behind the scenes and in the media as speculation grows that Ms May will announce her departure in the coming weeks. The expectation has been fuelled by signals that Conservative MPs whose votes the prime minister desperately needs to pass her Brexit deal would back her plan if she sets out her departure schedule.
17th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Nigel Dodds speaks out. But is the DUP's uncompromising stance any more than cover for living with the backstop?

After the chaos of last week, leading media reflect sharply differing views on the prospects for a third meaningful vote on Tuesday. The Leave – supporting Telegraph newspapers have emerged as the unlikely cheerleaders for Mrs May’s battered deal. If the deal passes, No 10 officials say the necessary legislation will have cleared the Commons by April 25, paving the way for a new Brexit Day in the final week of May or first week of June, according to the Sunday Times.
17th Mar 2019 - Slugger O'Toole

Dominic Raab and Esther McVey tipped to be Brexit candidate in future Tory leadership election as Boris Johnson's chances wane

Former Cabinet ministers Dominic Raab and Esther McVey are being tipped by MPs to be the 'Brexiteer' candidate in a future Tory leadership election amid fears Boris Johnson's chances may be waning. Speculation is rife in Westminster that Theresa May will be asked to stand down by a group of senior Conservative MPs led by 1922 chairman Sir Graham Brady in April or May if Britain leaves the European Union in the next few months. This would allow time for a leadership election over the summer and the next leader to be crowned at the party's conference in Manchester in October. The new Prime Minister would then negotiate the future trade deal with the EU.
16th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

DUP demands seat at the table in future EU trade talks as price for backing May's deal

Theresa May has appealed to MPs' "patriotism" and urged them to cast aside their differences by voting for her Brexit deal to save her premiership. In a bid to stave off a third heavy defeat, the Prime Minister writes in the Sunday Telegraph that MPs must "stand together as democrats and patriots" and support her Withdrawal deal. MPs are likely to vote on the deal for the third time on Tuesday or Wednesday. However, remainers are also plotting to scupper her Brexit plan with Labour planning to back a backbench amendment calling for a referendum on Mrs May's deal.
16th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit: UK needs to reset approach to justify extension – Coveney

Mr Coveney said that if the British government is “asking for longer extension, there will need to be a plan to go with that … Presumably that will mean seeking time to build a new consensus.” The Tánaiste was clearly hinting that Mrs May must indicate that she intends reach out to the opposition if she wants to get approval for a long extension from EU heads of state. “More of the same” will not suffice, observers in Brussels have warned.
16th Mar 2019 - The Irish Times

Brexit: DUP says issues remain over deal

The Democratic Unionist Party has said there are "still issues to be discussed" with the government as Theresa May continues to try to win support for her Brexit deal. Mrs May is expected to bring her withdrawal agreement back to the Commons next week for a third vote. It comes after MPs this week rejected her deal and voted to delay Brexit. The DUP, which has twice voted against the agreement, said it remained in discussions with the government. It has been reported by the Spectator magazine that there is a "better than 50:50 chance" the party will support the deal next week.
16th Mar 2019 - BBC

McDonnell: MPs will 'move heaven and earth' to prevent no-deal Brexit

Politicians will move heaven and earth to prevent the country leaving the EU with no deal, John McDonnell has said, adding that such an outcome would be catastrophic for the economy. Speaking before an event in Gravesend, Kent, the shadow chancellor also indicated that Labour might support a compromise proposed by two of the party’s MPs which would see Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement put to a public vote after being passed in the House of Commons.
16th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

No-deal Brexit ‘now very unlikely’, says Coveney

He said if the British parliament ratified the withdrawal agreement negotiated by prime minister Theresa May next week he expected the EU would extend the Brexit deadline until the end of June, to enable the UK to wrap up technicalities. But if parliament rejected the accord a third time, Mr Coveney thought the EU might refuse to grant a longer extension. He based his prediction on the strength of this week’s vote in the House of Commons to avoid a no-deal Brexit. “But having said that, just because you vote against something doesn’t make it happen the way you want it to,” he continued. “The British parliament has to take a course of action to avoid the current default position in law, which is that they leave on the 29th of March.
16th Mar 2019 - The Irish Times

Parliament could end up ‘cancelling Brexit’ if deal rejected again

Parliament may end up “cancelling Brexit” if an exit deal is not finalised in the next two weeks, according to Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable. Sir Vince, speaking to the Press and Journal, said that if Theresa May’s Brexit deal is rejected for a third time next week, MPs could start taking steps to revoke Article 50 and effectively cancel the referendum result. The Lib Dem leader said he believed the only route from the current impasse was to hold a second referendum and dismissed the notion that it would cause a backlash from the public and diminish trust in politics.
16th Mar 2019 - Press and Journal

Theresa May ready to ditch her Brexit deal and trigger two-year exit delay if defeated for a third time

Theresa May is ready to ditch her Brexit deal rather than face a third humiliating defeat. The PM will not force a vote this week unless she is convinced she has the support to get it through. In a stark message to dithering Tory MPs, she vowed there will be no fourth attempt if she fails this time. She warned it will almost certainly lead to a two-year delay and declared bluntly: “It hardly bears thinking about.” With just 12 days until departure day, it would mean going back to square one – handing over billions to the EU and fighting the European elections.
16th Mar 2019 - The Sun

Boris Johnson to boost his hopes of becoming PM by backing Theresa May’s Brexit deal

One minister told The Sun on Sunday: “There’s a tremendous opportunity for Boris here – bigger than when he decided to support the Leave campaign three years ago. “In the next few days he can become the man who saves Brexit and be in a great position to mount a leadership challenge.” Another admirer added: “If he backs the deal and it gets through Parliament at the third attempt, he can claim to be the man who saved Brexit. “He’s already stolen a march on his two biggest rivals so it would put him in pole position. Win or lose, Theresa can’t cling on to the job much longer so it would be his for the taking.”
16th Mar 2019 - The Sun

EU Creates New Cliff-Edge as Wrangling Over Brexit Delay Begins

The European Union will tell the U.K. that if it wants the option of delaying Brexit for more than three months it must hold European Parliament elections, or risk a perilous new cliff-edge in July. A draft document discussed by ambassadors Friday opens the door to a long extension of membership beyond the March 29 exit day. But if Britain wants to extend beyond June, it has to take part in the election, which could be politically toxic. Otherwise, it will be ejected from the club.
16th Mar 2019 - Yahoo!

Brexit: DUP denies ‘cash for votes’ suggestions after meeting chancellor over backing for deal

The Democratic Unionist Party has denied “cash for votes” suggestions after the chancellor was sent into talks designed to win its support for the Brexit deal. “We are not discussing cash in these discussions,” Nigel Dodds, the DUP’s Westminster leader, insisted – amid government pressure on the party to switch sides in next week’s repeat “meaningful vote”. Instead, Mr Dodds said Theresa May must do more to convince the party that the deal would not breach its “red line” that Northern Ireland must not be treated differently from the rest of the UK.
16th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Robert Armstrong: Worse than Suez –Margaret Thatcher’s Cabinet secretary on how he would reform Brexit relations with the EU

It is nearly 70 years since I joined the Civil Service. In all that time, I do not think that I have ever felt, even at the time of Suez, a stronger sense of shame at the spectacle which we are presenting to an astonished world. As one journal put it, Brexit is breaking British politics. A country once envied for its political stability, steadiness and maturity has descended into a chaos of division and indecision.
16th Mar 2019 - The Yorkshire Post

Corbyn launches effort to find a cross-party Brexit compromise

Jeremy Corbyn has written to MPs backing soft Brexit plans as well as supporters of a second referendum, inviting them for talks to find a cross-party compromise.
16th Mar 2019 - Evening Express

BREXIT BETRAYAL? Jeremy Corbyn plans talks with SNP with a second referendum on agenda

Jeremy Corbyn will hold a summit with the SNP and other opposition parties to discuss backing a second EU referendum to break the Brexit deadlock, it has emerged. It comes after Labour’s divisions were exposed during the Commons vote on Wednesday. The Labour leader wrote to the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford to offer talks “at the earliest opportunity” with aims to break the Brexit stalemate, according to The Telegraph. Mr Corbyn said he would first examine Labour’s proposals for a softer Brexit which include a permanent customs union and a second EU referendum. He said: “We would obviously use that position as a starting point for any discussions but we would like to hear about the plans you are advocating and we are keen to see if there is scope to find common ground between our respective proposals and to work together to break the impasse.”
16th Mar 2019 - Express.co.uk

Britain split over prospect of second Brexit vote, poll finds

Exactly the same proportion of voters believe there should be a second referendum on Brexit as think the UK should leave the EU without a deal, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer. The survey shows the country split down the middle, with 43% supporting a delay to Brexit in order to hold a second public vote and 43% believing the UK should simply quit without any agreement with Brussels.
16th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Nigel Dodds: “We will not waver on our Brexit red line"

As the leader of the DUP at Westminster, Nigel Dodds could hold the key to unlocking the Brexit impasse. If Theresa May can secure the support of his party for her deal, it could be enough to pass this week. With the public at large growing tired of the fractious debate, is he feeling the pressure to act? He talks to Sebastian Whale
15th Mar 2019 - Politics Home

Scots Tory MP may not vote for PM's deal even if DUP do

A Scottish Conservative MP has said if Theresa May's Brexit deal comes back to parliament that he will not necessarily support it - even if the DUP do. Ross Thomson, MP for Aberdeen South, told Sunday Politics Scotland that he will make up his own mind on the deal. He said he had a lot of the same concerns as the Democratic Unionists. He said the PM's withdrawal agreement is "not the greatest" but he could "suck up" some issues if concerns on the backstop could be addressed.
17th Mar 2019 - BBC

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 15th Mar 2019

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Theresa May is truly on the ropes. But there may yet be life in her deal

Hammond’s very public advocacy of a wholly different Brexit route, delivered with May glowering stony-faced and silent on the benches behind him, showed the shift that was taking place in the government, in the Tory party and in parliament. It announced, in effect, that the national interest matters more than the party interest, because an agreed Brexit deal that passes is a higher priority than May’s deal, which has now been twice defeated. It therefore has to imply that Hammond thinks that May may have to go.
15th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: Does the UK need to hold European elections?

It is becoming a key question in this complex Brexit process. If the UK was to request, or be offered, a lengthy extension of its membership of the European Union (EU), would there be an obligation to take part in May's European elections? Both the UK government and the European Commission (EC) say that there would; but legal opinion is divided, and many lawyers argue that a satisfactory fix could be found. The elections are taking place between 23 and 26 May, although the new parliament will not sit, and new members will not be sworn in, until 2 July. That is why it has been argued that an extension of Article 50 until the end of June would not prove to be a problem.
15th Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit Recap: MPs to vote delay Brexit and reject second referendum

Brexit will no longer happen on March 29th after MPs voted to delay it. After a series of votes in the House of Commons, MPs backed an extension to the Article 50 process, which is expected to last at least another three months.
14th Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

MPs have voted to delay Brexit - so what might happen now?

The government might need to offer updated legal advice in order to convince both to drop their hostility to the Irish border backstop, while the looming prospect of a long delay to Brexit could also make them reverse their opposition. However, it has been suggested Mrs May might not be able to bring back her deal - if it's not significantly different - for a third vote under parliamentary convention.
14th Mar 2019 - Sky News

British lawmakers overwhelmingly back Brexit delay

British lawmakers voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to seek a delay in Britain’s exit from the European Union, setting the stage for Prime Minister Theresa May to renew efforts to get her divorce deal approved by parliament next week.
14th Mar 2019 - Reuters

EU's Tusk floats long Brexit delay before summit

European Union leaders will consider pressing Britain to delay Brexit by at least a year to find a way through its domestic deadlock, the chair of next week’s EU summit said on Thursday.
14th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Brexit: Cabinet unity crumbles as eight top ministers refuse to back Theresa May's Article 50 extension

The unity of Theresa May’s cabinet has publicly crumbled after eight of her most senior ministers refused to back her plan to delay Brexit by three months. Those who failed to support it included the prime minister’s Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay, who was joined by 187 other Conservative MPs and frontbenchers in voting against her approach. None of the ministers opposing Ms May’s ultimately successful move to delay Brexit will be sacked, because she allowed a “free vote” on the issue in the face of a mass rebellion.
14th Mar 2019 - The Independent

MPs vote to delay Brexit beyond March 29 as Tory splits exposed

14th Mar 2019 - Warrington Guardian

Theresa May to hold third 'meaningful vote' on her deal after MPs vote to extend Article 50

Theresa May will hold a third “meaningful vote” on Brexit after MPs authorised her to ask for a lengthy delay if no deal has been agreed by next Wednesday. Huge pressure is now being put on the DUP and Brexiteers to fall in behind the Prime Minister’s deal to avoid the risk of Article 50 having to be extended by up to two years. But it emerged on Thursday night that the “star chamber” of legally-trained Brexiteer MPs has already rejected fresh legal advice from Geoffrey Cox, the Attorney General, over the Northern Irish backstop.
14th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit extension of 21 months 'a possibility' - Coveney

The Taoiseach has welcomed a vote in the House of Commons, which enables the British government to ask the European Union for a delay to Brexit. MPs want to delay the UK leaving the EU until at least the end of June. The motion by the British government was approved by 412 votes to 202. In a statement, Leo Varadkar said that the result of the vote reduces the likelihood of a no-deal Brexit. However, he said that London needs to give details on what purpose an extension would serve, and how long it would last for.
14th Mar 2019 - RTE.ie

Brexit: Will the EU accept a delay to Article 50?

Brussels reporter Adam Fleming explains what a potential delay to the triggering of Article 50 would mean. MPs are expected to be given a vote on Thursday on whether they want to seek an extension to the Article 50 negotiation period. The EU have said any extension would need a purpose.
14th Mar 2019 - BBC

Tusk pushes EU27 leaders to be open to long Brexit delay

Donald Tusk is pushing the European Union’s leaders to consider a long Brexit delay to allow the UK to rethink its goals in the negotiations as the Commons voted in favour of seeking an extension of article 50. In an apparent shift in the EU’s red lines, the European council president suggested even before MPs had voted that a lengthy extension beyond 29 March could be granted simply to give Westminster time to recalibrate.
14th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit crisis presents opportunity for Theresa May

This is now a crisis - the rules that traditionally have preserved governments are out of the window. The prime minister has been defeated again. Her authority - if not all gone - is in shreds. But for Number 10 there's an opportunity too, because MPs will soon be presented with a new choice - back the PM's deal, which has already been defeated twice, or accept the chance of a delay to Brexit. This isn't the choice of a government that's in control. But the tactic is to make the best of chaos. To use nerves among Brexiteers to shove them towards accepting Theresa May's deal in the absence of another solution with no other agreed alternative - yet.
14th Mar 2019 - BBC

Donald Trump 'surprised at how badly' Brexit negotiations have gone

Donald Trump has said he is "surprised at how badly" the Brexit negotiations have gone for Britain and claimed that leaving the EU is "tearing the country apart". In an explosive intervention, the US president claimed that Theresa May did not listen to his suggestions on how to handle the negotiations. He also poured scorn on the idea of a second referendum.
14th Mar 2019 - Sky News

Hammond warns Brexiter Tories to back May deal or face softer cross-party plan

Conservative MPs should finally get behind Theresa May’s Brexit plan in yet another Commons vote, Philip Hammond has argued, saying the alternatives were either a softer, cross-party Brexit or a long delay to departure. After MPs voted to indefinitely rule out a no-deal Brexit, and ahead of another likely dramatic set of votes on Thursday about extending article 50 and the idea of a second referendum, the chancellor strongly indicated that May would try for a third time to get her deal through parliament. Amid signs the Democratic Unionist party and Tory Brexiters might finally be starting to back the deal, Hammond used a round of media interviews to warn them of the consequences of it failing yet again.
14th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Sir Vince Cable to quit as Lib Dem leader in May

Sir Vince Cable has announced he will step down as Liberal Democrat leader after May's English local elections. Sir Vince said he wanted to pave the way for a "new generation". He became party leader without a contest after Tim Farron's resignation in 2017 - but the party has struggled to make an impact in the polls since. The former business secretary said in September he would stand down as party leader "once Brexit is resolved or stopped". But in an interview with the Daily Mail, he said: "It now looks as if it will be a protracted process, and may never happen."
14th Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexiteers launch Commons bid to kill off 'divisive' second EU referendum

More than 100 MPs have backed an amendment to today's motion on delaying Brexit seeking to stop a so-called "people's vote" from ever taking place. Tabled by Tory eurosceptic Lee Rowley and backed by DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds and Labour MPs Gareth Snell and Caroline Flint, it asks the Commons to endorse the view that "the result of the 2016 EU referendum should be respected and that a second EU referendum would be divisive and expensive, and therefore should not take place".
14th Mar 2019 - Politics Home

Theresa May Will Ask The EU To Delay Brexit After MPs Voted To Support An Extension

The UK will ask the European Union to delay Brexit after parliament voted by a majority of 210 to seek an extension to the withdrawal process. On a third consecutive night of drama in Westminster, MPs voted 412 to 202 to ask for more time to resolve the crisis that has bitterly divided the country’s political class and gravely undermined Theresa May’s government. Only 112 Tory MPs voted to delay Brexit, with 188 voting against. The delay only got through the Commons on Labour votes. Eight cabinet ministers voted against the government's motion, including Steve Barclay, the Brexit secretary who had spoken in favour of it at the despatch box as he closed the debate for the government. He was joined in the Noe lobby by fellow cabinet ministers Penny Mordaunt, Gavin Williamson, Liz Truss, Liam Fox, Alun Cairns, Chris Grayling, and Andrea Leadsom. Julian Smith, the government chief whip, abstained on the government's motion, while Michael Gove, the former chair of Vote Leave, and David Davis, the former Brexit secretary, voted to delay Brexit.
14th Mar 2019 - BuzzFeed News

A Group Of Hardline Brexiteer MPs Is Threatening To Side With Jeremy Corbyn And Bring Down Theresa May's Government

A core group of around 20 hardline Brexiteers is threatening to vote down Theresa May’s deal for a third time next week and bring down her government at a confidence vote called by Jeremy Corbyn. But as Eurosceptic Conservative MPs divide on how to approach the third meaningful vote due next week, a wider group of Brexiteer rebels are now keen to back the deal on the condition that May commits to stepping down as prime minister in the summer. Downing Street remains pessimistic that the PM’s deal will pass at the third attempt. A senior government source told BuzzFeed News that they expected a significant number of Brexiteer switchers, but not enough to secure a majority next time round. The source said the government could lose the third meaningful vote by between 20 and 40 votes, and then hope to win with support from Labour backbenchers at a fourth attempt.
14th Mar 2019 - BuzzFeed News

Even though they voted against it, MPs know a second referendum is the only way out of this Brexit mess

And I wonder if she ever reflects on the fact that her entire strategy is to keep asking MPs the same question, when nothing has changed, in the hope they change their minds; but it is an affront to democracy that the British people, almost three years on, when so much has changed, and so much more is known about what Brexit actually means, should not be allowed to express a view. As we fight for a people’s vote, there are bound to be differences of opinion on tactics about how best to prosecute the case in parliament. Today was not, in my view, the right time to seek parliamentary support, though I share the passion for a people’s vote of those who tabled the amendment. But today was about securing the extension to Article 50 and allowing the world to let the chaos in government sink in.
14th Mar 2019 - The Independent

AMENDMENTS EXPLAINED: Everything MPs will vote on in tonight's crunch Article 50 decision

MPs are due to debate whether the Government should try to push back the UK's exit date beyond 29 March after giving the PM another shot to get her deal through next week. Members are once again hoping to throw a spanner or two in the works. Here are the bids that John Bercow has chosen to be put to a vote.
14th Mar 2019 - Politics Home

Brexit: Britain faces TWO YEARS of limbo unless Theresa May wins vote

Donald Tusk today revealed he will urge EU leaders to agree a 'long extension' to Article 50 - delaying Brexit by up to two years to give the UK time to 'rethink' - if Theresa May's deal is voted down a third time next week. The President of the European Council's intervention on Twitter this morning will bolster claims that the UK would not leave the EU until 2021 unless Mrs May can persuade the DUP and Brexiteers to back her divorce deal - because some in the EU want to play 'hardball' and push for a delay of two years. Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Coveney also said today the EU is likely to offer Britain a 21-month delay to Brexit while Taoiseach Leo Varadkar added that if the UK changes its mind it would be welcomed back 'like the prodigal son'.
14th Mar 2019 - Daily Mail

Brexit: Direct rule for Northern Ireland 'real possibility'

Michael Gove has warned re-imposing direct rule for Northern Ireland from Westminster is a "real possibility" if there is a no-deal Brexit. Devolved government in Northern Ireland collapsed in January 2017 after a row between the power-sharing parties. MPs have voted to reject the UK leaving the EU with no deal - but it is not legally binding. The environment secretary said direct rule would be a "grave step" the government would have to consider.
13th Mar 2019 - BBC

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 14th Mar 2019

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Meaningful vote 3 in the next seven days

Theresa May’s extension motion makes clear that she intends to bring her deal back for another vote in the next seven days. The motion states that if a meaningful vote has been passed by the 20th of March, then the government will request a short technical extension to pass the necessary Brexit legislation. (This request would be made at the European Council meeting next Thursday). But if no deal has been passed by the 20th, the UK would request a much longer extension — which would require the UK to participate in the EU Parliament elections.
13th Mar 2019 - The Spectator

A no-deal Brexit could still happen, even if MPs vote against it – and this is why

There will be more MPs voting for a no-deal Brexit because they think the government needs to use the threat of the economic disruption it would cause as negotiating leverage in the final days of talks with the EU, but the outcome is nevertheless about as certain as it can be. But even if parliament votes against it tonight, as we expect, the UK could still leave the EU without an agreement. The votes tonight are merely expressions of opinion. As the prime minister pointed out last night, the only way to be sure of avoiding a no-deal Brexit is for the Commons to vote for something else. It has to vote either for a deal or to delay Brexit. The only way to take no-deal off the table permanently, other than approving a deal, would be to revoke the Article 50 notice – that is, to cancel Brexit altogether. And there isn’t a majority in the Commons for that either, yet.
13th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Yvette Cooper: amendment was a 'vote against chaos of no deal'

Yvette Cooper said that she decided to press an amendment that ruled out no deal because Theresa May “has refused to consult or build consensus” and “refused to allow votes on other Brexit options”. It fell upon the Labour backbencher to push the “no to no deal” amendment to a vote after its initial sponsor, Conservative MP Caroline Spelman, had said she wanted to let it drop in favour of the government’s weaker proposal that only ruled out exiting without a deal on 29 March. As a result, Cooper said, “the House of Commons has voted decisively tonight against the chaos of no deal”, a defeat that she said will force the prime minister to resolve the Brexit crisis, or leave backbenchers to try to take control of the process.
13th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Jeremy Corbyn says a Brexit delay is now 'inevitable'

Jeremy Corbyn has said a Brexit delay is now 'inevitable' after MPs rejected both Theresa May's withdrawal agreement and a no-deal exit. The Labour leader said Article 50 would be extended but said a delay with no clear objective was 'not a solution'. Speaking in the Commons he called on Parliament to 'take control', saying Labour would take part in cross-party talks to find a 'compromise solution' with 16 days to go until Brexit day. He did not renew his calls for a general election but raised the prospect of a possible second referendum on Brexit.
13th Mar 2019 - Daily Mail

Give us Brexit options or parliament will take over Brexit - Labour MP

The government must come up with plans to allow parliament to vote on a series of options to break the impasse over Brexit or lawmakers will take over Britain’s departure from the European Union, a Labour MP said on Wednesday. “The government should come forward with plans to hold indicative votes on different options, including a customs union, so we can get on with this,” said Yvette Cooper, a lawmaker who has led efforts to wrest control of Brexit from the government. “If the prime minister won’t sort this out and build some consensus on the way forward then Parliament will need to instead,” she said in a statement.
13th Mar 2019 - Reuters

@Peston @SteveBakerHW reminds @Peston that the law currently states we're leaving the EU on the 29th March and the ERG may have something up their sleeves to keep it that way #Peston

@SteveBakerHW reminds @Peston that the law currently states we're leaving the EU on the 29th March and the ERG may have something up their sleeves to keep it that way #Peston
13th Mar 2019 - @Peston

Group of MPs plan to force indicative votes on Brexit options

A group of MPs is planning to force indicative votes in parliament on a series of Brexit options, including a second referendum and a softer departure, as several cabinet ministers suggested it could be the only way to resolve the political impasse. If MPs vote down the possibility of a no-deal Brexit on Wednesday night, they will vote on Thursday on whether to seek an extension to article 50. Efforts are under way to persuade Theresa May to announce plans then to hold debates on Brexit options the following week in order to determine a new path for parliament during a short extension. If May does not propose indicative votes herself, a coalition of MPs, including the Conservative Sir Oliver Letwin and Labour’s Stephen Kinnock, plan to force the votes by laying down an amendment on Thursday that would pave the way for legislation to ensure the votes took place.
13th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Article 50: Why delaying Brexit is not as straightforward as you think

Speaker of the House, John Bercow, revealed that the Government's motion proposes extending the deadline for Brexit to 30 June. The European parliament's new term is due to begin on 2 July. The government does have the power to revoke Article 50 but it has to be done before exit date and the EU won't agree to an extension unless a specific pathway for the UK to follow is made clear to them
13th Mar 2019 - Sky News

ERG signals it could back May's Brexit deal if legal advice is clearer

Senior Tory Eurosceptics believe they and the Democratic Unionist party could be persuaded to back Theresa May’s Brexit deal if Geoffrey Cox, the attorney general, gave clearer legal advice about how the UK could withdraw from an international treaty. It is understood the DUP is back in talks with senior government figures about what it would take for them to back May’s deal at a third Commons vote. A party source said: “Channels are open.” However, discussions are taking place around a point that Jacob Rees-Mogg, the ERG chair, raised in the House of Commons before Tuesday’s vote, relating to “how article 62 of the Vienna convention could be used”.
13th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Tonight’s Brexit vote makes it clear – the PM must end the parliamentary dance and put it to the people

There is a fundamental choice at this point. Leave on the terms the government has reached with the EU, or see sense and remain in the EU. A Final Say would settle that question
13th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Brexiters lobby for European veto of article 50 extension

Veto by a country such as Italy or Poland could lead to a no-deal Brexit this month...Leave.EU touted its connections with Eurosceptic forces in Europe on Wednesday, tweeting: “The British establishment would do well to remember the Eurosceptic scene is a close-knit group across the continent and on the rise – some are now in power! If our politicians betray Brexit and vote for delay, Matteo Salvini can defend the 17.4 million and veto!” Salvini is Italy’s deputy prime minister and a Eurosceptic.
13th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Tory MP calls for abstaining no-deal ministers Greg Clark, Amber Rudd and David Gauke to resign

Ministers who defied the government by abstaining in the no-deal Brexit vote should resign, according to a Tory MP. Andrea Jenkyns called on the likes of Amber Rudd, David Gauke and Greg Clark to step down after they failed to back the government - despite being whipped. MPs voted to take no-deal off the table entirely under all circumstances. Despite being whipped, Downing Street has decided not to sack ministers who abstained, something which has caused outcry in the Conservative Party.
13th Mar 2019 - ITV News

MPs have taken control of the Brexit process, but they don't know what to do with it

The only way to avoid a hard collision is to open your parachute: in the case of Brexit, that means either revoking Article 50 and cancelling Brexit, or ratifying some form of exit agreement. MPs don’t like May’s deal but they are yet to assert themselves in favour of another. May has blundered her way into crisis, but the smell of failure isn’t only coming from the government, but from the legislature as well.
13th Mar 2019 - New Statesman

MPs could vote again on May’s EU agreement after ruling out no-deal Brexit

Theresa May has held out the prospect of a third “meaningful vote” on her EU Withdrawal Agreement within the next week after MPs dramatically voted to rule out a no-deal Brexit. A Government motion for debate in the House of Commons on Thursday offers to seek a one-off extension delaying Brexit to June 30 if MPs approve the deal negotiated with the EU by next Wednesday. But the Prime Minister warned if the deal – which has already been twice rejected by massive majorities – is not approved, a longer extension will be needed, requiring Britain to take part in the European Parliament elections in May.
13th Mar 2019 - Yahoo!

What will happen now MPs have rejected a ‘no-deal’ Brexit?

The next 24 hours will be crucial in deciding when – and if – the UK leaves the EU. Tomorrow MPs will vote on whether Parliament wants to seek an extension to Article 50 – delaying the UK’s departure beyond the current March 29 deadline. In order to get an extension the Prime Minister will have to convince the other 27 EU states to support it. They will probably agree to it if the extension means there’s a prospect of a deal being reached or alternatively a second Brexit referendum or general election being called.
13th Mar 2019 - Metro

Brexit to be delayed by at least three months as Theresa May gives MPs one week to pass deal

The Prime Minister said MPs have just seven days to back her deal or face the risk of the UK remaining in the EU for years. Mrs May's desperate gambit came after the Commons defied her to vote to permanently rule out a no-deal Brexit. Up to 20 ministers - including four Cabinet ministers - defied a three-line whip to abstain on the key vote. But in a clear sign that Tory Party discipline has completely broken down, they were assured that they would not be sacked for doing so.
13th Mar 2019 - Politics Home

MPs to vote on three-month Brexit delay as PM warns of 'lengthy' extension to Article 50

MPs have voted to rule out a no-deal Brexit in all circumstances, with Theresa May warning of a lengthy delay to the UK's departure from the EU. The prime minister suffered fresh humiliation in the House of Commons on Wednesday night - accompanied by a ministerial resignation - as MPs voted rejected leaving without a withdrawal agreement in a 321-278 vote. Although non-binding, the result comes as a fresh blow for Mrs May, who had only supported the rejection of a no-deal Brexit on 29 March. MPs spurned her proposition by instead backing the ruling out of no deal completely.
13th Mar 2019 - Sky News

Six reasons why Brexit Britain can’t trust Donald Trump – Henry McLeish

The idea that the US is anxiously poring over every twist and turn of Brexit so that negotiations can be started on an exclusive trade deal is fiction. The US administration is more interested in weakening the EU, as it drives towards the Trump ideals of economic nationalism, bilateral trade deals and MAGA – Make America Great Again – a euphemism for protectionism, ­dismantling regulations and lowering standards. The US wants two of the biggest industry groups, pharmaceuticals and agriculture, who are powerful lobbyists on Capitol Hill, to be let loose in the UK.
13th Mar 2019 - The Scotsman

An old rule means Bercow could take drastic action on Brexit

According to the Commons' rule book "Erskine May", there is a clear precedent that a matter, once decided upon by MPs, cannot be considered again in the same session of parliament (which usually lasts a year - this current session has gone on for longer and will expire in the summer). Buried deep within on page 397, there lies: "A motion or an amendment which is the same, in substance, as a question which has been decided during a session may not be brought forward again during that same session." It continues: "Whether the second motion is substantively the same as the first is a matter for the chair." In principle then, it would be in John Bercow's gift to say that parliament has voted on a matter already and whether a second, third or fourth iteration is sufficiently different to merit further consideration.
13th Mar 2019 - Sky News

MPs defy May to reject no-deal Brexit, to vote on three-month delay

The British parliament on Wednesday rejected leaving the European Union without a deal, further weakening Prime Minister Theresa May and paving the way for a vote that could delay Brexit until at least the end of June. After a day of high drama, MPs defied the government by voting 321 to 278 in favour of a motion that ruled out a potentially disorderly “no-deal” Brexit under any circumstances. While the approved motion has no legal force and ultimately may not prevent a no-deal exit, it carries considerable political force, especially as it passed thanks to a rebellion by members of May’s own Conservative Party and her cabinet.
13th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Brexit set for long delay as MPs vote to reject ‘no-deal’ completely

MPs are expected to delay Brexit for months after dramatically ruling out a ‘no deal’ under any circumstances. In a surprise move, the Commons voted 312 to 308 – a majority of four – in favour of stopping Britain crashing out of the European Union without a deal. And the vote was later confirmed by a more emphatic 321 votes to 278, overriding a Government motion which would have left ‘no deal’ on the table after 29 March – Britain’s scheduled departure date.
13th Mar 2019 - Metro

No deal Brexit ruled out by MPs in all circumstances as chaos deepens

MPs have rejected the United Kingdom leaving the European Union without a Brexit deal in any circumstances as Parliament took control of Britain’s divorce from the bloc. A cross-party amendment to do so, narrowly passed, despite the Conservative government whipping its MPs to block. Several ministers abstained and other Tory MPs supported it
13th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Theresa May launches bid for third ‘meaningful’ vote that would delay EU departure until June

Britain’s departure from the EU looks set to be delayed until June after Theresa May launched a desperate last-ditch bid to make MPs vote on her Brexit deal a third time. On a farcical night in Westminster, Ms May was forced to concede she would go to Brussels and ask for the short extension – but only if the Commons approves her deal next week. If MPs reject her deal at the third time of asking, she warned that a longer extension would leave Britain at the mercy of EU demands for new concessions and mean the UK must take part in European elections in May.
13th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Brexit: Chancellor Philip Hammond calls for cross-party compromise

The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith said the chancellor's comments are likely to be seen as support for moves by senior cross-party MPs to forge an alternative Brexit agreement. This could include holding a series of indicative votes on different options, which would show what next steps MPs would be prepared to back.
14th Mar 2019 - BBC

MPs to vote on Article 50 extension as May warns they might be kissing Brexit goodbye

Theresa May is urging MPs to back a three-month Brexit postponement or face the threat of a much longer delay, in a desperate bid to persuade her pro-Leave rebels to back her withdrawal agreement next week. After a cabinet "gang of four" and several more ministers abstained and 17 backbenchers voted against the government in a Commons vote ruling out no deal, the Prime Minister has issued an ultimatum to Tory Brexiteers. In what many MPs see as a last roll of the dice for the beleaguered PM and her Brexit deal, she is effectively challenging her rebel MPs who have now defeated her deal twice: Back me or risk losing Brexit altogether.
14th Mar 2019 - Sky News

Czech PM says new Brexit referendum option cannot be ruled out

British Prime Minister Theresa May rejected a second referendum on leaving the European Union in a telephone call on Saturday, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Wednesday. “I told her the best solution would be for Great Britain to stay in the European Union. Therefore I am convinced it is worth calling a new referendum,” Babis said on Twitter, saying he had discussed Brexit with May at the weekend. “She rejected this, but according to me it is still not ruled out.” British lawmakers handed May a second humiliating defeat for her Brexit plan on Tuesday, plunging the country deeper into political crisis with almost no clues as to how it will emerge from the Brexit chaos.
14th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Brexit: UK ‘must make up its mind’ before we’ll says yes to delay

The European Union has called for a “clear answer” from the UK about its next step in the Brexit process after MPs rejected Theresa May’s deal. The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier again insisted there will be no further offer from Brussels apart from the deal already on the table, and it is now “the responsibility of the UK” to suggest a way forward.
14th Mar 2019 - The Scotsman

Brexit: Chaos in the Commons as MPs vote to block No Deal FOREVER

Theresa May has signalled she could hold a third vote on her Brexit plans as the only way to avoid a lengthy delay, after MPs voted to reject No Deal on a dramatic night at Westminster. The PM's deal could be put to another vote as soon as next week - despite being defeated twice already - following Wednesday's fresh humiliation in the Commons, where Remain MPs hijacked her plan to end the immediate risk of No Deal on March 29. Amid chaotic scenes, MPs voted twice against No Deal as a raft of pro-EU ministers abandoned the PM in a crucial vote and abstained. In the main division, MPs voted 321 to 278 to rule out No Deal. The new defeats prompted Mrs May to tell MPs they have a week to agree her Brexit deal or face delaying the country's exit from the EU - potentially for years.
14th Mar 2019 - Daily Mail

Brexit news: Labour abandons support for referendum on Theresa May's deal

The Labour Party had originally believed in putting the agreed Parliamentary withdrawal agreement to the country in a referendum, as part of its move towards backing a Second Referendum. Now that the deal has been comprehensively rejected twice by parliament it no longer does, so its position has become less clear
14th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 13th Mar 2019

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Brexit crisis: Another day and more humiliation looms for Theresa May

MPs will vote on ruling out a no-deal Brexit, after the Prime Minister was forced to concede a free vote for Conservative MPs to avoid ministerial resignations. If MPs vote against no deal, 24 hours later they will vote on extending Article 50, which if carried would mean the UK would not leave the EU on the proposed date of March 29
13th Mar 2019 - Sky News

Breakingviews - Britain positions for longer Brexit limbo

Even then, a postponement is not guaranteed: the EU’s 27 members must all approve it. Keeping Britain in the bloc for more than a few extra months could complicate elections for a new European Parliament, which will be held at the end of May. Eurosceptics will seize on any delay beyond March 29 as a betrayal of the result of the 2016 referendum. More importantly, buying time will not change the fundamental choice that British politicians have yet to make: to leave the European Union – with a deal or without one – or reverse the decision to quit, probably following another referendum. That moment of truth is no more predictable after Tuesday’s defeat, but it’s probably a little bit further away.
13th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Nicola Sturgeon says case for independence has 'never been stronger' after May's Brexit deal suffers crushing defeat

Nicola Sturgeon has said the case for Scotland's independence has 'never been stronger' after the Prime Minister's EU exit plan was heavily defeated for a second time in the House of Commons. Speaking after the vote - which saw MPs reject the UK Government's proposals by 391 to 242 - the Scottish First Minister said the Brexit plan had ignored "the needs and voice" of Scotland and left the entire UK "poised on a cliff edge". The First Minister insisted Theresa May "definitively" rule out the "catastrophe" of a no-deal Brexit and warned that the UK had been left with a Government which has "effectively ceased to function".
12th Mar 2019 - Daily Record

Robert Halfon: If you don’t like the backstop and you want a Brexit deal done quickly, there’s only one answer: Common Market 2.0

All we need to do turn the Prime Minister’s deal into Common Market 2.0 is to renegotiate the Political Declaration. We know that the EU won’t make problems, because they have already told us that they would be happy to agree to a future relationship that would keep us in the Single Market. Going for Common Market 2.0 would minimise the delay in delivering Brexit. It is the only Brexit compromise that really can be agreed and ratified in under 3 months.
12th Mar 2019 - Conservative Home

What is a free vote and why did Theresa May call one for the No Deal Brexit vote?

Conservative MPs have a free vote on a motion stating that "this House declines to approve leaving the European Union without a Withdrawal Agreement and a framework on the future relationship on March 29 2019 and notes that leaving without a deal remains the default in UK and EU law unless this House and the EU ratify an agreement". In short, they can vote with their conscience – instead of having to toe the party line, as dictated by Conservative managers in a "whipped vote".
12th Mar 2019 - The Sun

Business groups react to Brexit vote

Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI director-general, said: “Enough is enough. This must be the last day of failed politics. A new approach is needed by all parties. Jobs and livelihoods depend on it.” She added: “Extending Article 50 to close the door on a March no-deal is now urgent. It should be as short as realistically possible and backed by a clear plan. “Conservatives must consign their red lines to history, while Labour must come to the table with a genuine commitment to solutions. It’s time for Parliament to stop this circus.”
12th Mar 2019 - Financial Director

Theresa May warns of no-deal damage following heavy Brexit defeat

Prime Minister Theresa May has warned of the potential damage leaving the EU without a Brexit deal could do, after MPs rejected her Withdrawal Agreement for the second time. Mrs May said she "profoundly regrets" the decision of 391 MPs to vote against her withdrawal agreement, which she still believes is "the best and only deal available". She also said she will allow a free vote among her party, which will allow Conservative MPs to vote according to their personal beliefs rather than party policy. She said: "Brexit is an issue of grave importance for the future of our country, just like the referendum there are strongly held and legitimate views on both sides. For that reason I can confirm that this will be a free vote on this side of the house.
12th Mar 2019 - Belfast Telegraph

EU Tells May To Provide 'Credible Justification' For Delaying Brexit

The EU has demanded a “credible justification” before it can grant any request to delay Brexit, suggesting Theresa May may have to pivot to a softer deal or call an election or referendum. The prime minister is now highly likely to be forced by MPs to by MPs to seek an extension of the Article 50 withdrawal process beyond March 29 after her Brexit deal was defeated in the Commons by a 149 vote majority. MPs now look likely to reject a no-deal Brexit in a vote on Wednesday before ordering May to seek an extension Article 50 in another vote on Thursday.
12th Mar 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Climate activists to blockade major routes at Dover day after Brexit due

Climate protesters are planning to blockade the main routes in and out of Dover on the day after Brexit to deepen any disruption to Britain’s food imports. Activists say their demonstrations on major roads from the port will “cause major delays but nothing critical”, and will “highlight the need for emergency action” on the climate and ecological crisis. But news of the plans by Extinction Rebellion organisers on Saturday 30 March was met with an immediate backlash from supporters, who warned that delaying food supplies was unfair and risked turning the public against them.
12th Mar 2019 - The Independent

How a second referendum on Brexit could work: the question, when it could happen and who would win

Whilst the original Brexit referendum was based on a simple, binary choice of Remain or Leave, it is now implausible that a second poll could rerun the same question. For starters, there are no longer two options on the table....
12th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Juncker: There will be no third chance to pass Brexit deal – as it happened

Juncker warned there would be no further chance to pass a withdrawal deal. He said: “In politics, sometimes you get a second chance ... There will be no third chance.” And he added a warning that “it is this deal or Brexit might not happen at all”. Moreover, he said, the UK would be legally obliged to hold European Parliament elections in May, should Brexit not be sorted by then.
12th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

After May's crushing defeat, Gibraltar prepares for all options but hopes for Remain

Theresa May’s defeat in the House of Commons has increased the chances of the UK and Gibraltar remaining in the European Union, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said on Tuesday, even as he insisted that Gibraltar was nevertheless prepared for all possible outcomes, including a hard Brexit. Mr Picardo was speaking after Mrs May’s Brexit strategy was dealt a devastating blow by MPs, who rejected her EU Withdrawal Agreement by an overwhelming majority for the second time.
12th Mar 2019 - Gibraltar Chronicle

Michelle O'Neill: DUP 'hell-bent' on 'driving us all towards a no-deal catastrophe'

Sinn Féin’s deputy leader Michelle O’Neill has claimed the Democratic Unionist Party is “hell-bent” on pursuing a reckless and blinkered Brexit strategy that is “driving us all towards a no-deal catastrophe”. “The EU has shown considerable patience and a willingness to facilitate a Brexit agreement that enables Britain to leave the EU without creating a hard border in Ireland, or undermining the Good Friday Agreement,” she said.
12th Mar 2019 - Irish Examiner

Is Theresa May intent on a no-deal Brexit?

As Brexit day on March 29 approaches, Mrs May’s publicly stated willingness to lead Britain out of the EU without a deal — if none can be agreed by parliament — is causing a collective loss of nerve at Westminster and beyond. Hilary Benn, Labour chair of the Commons Brexit select committee, said business leaders were “tearing out their hair” at the prospect of the UK crashing out of the EU without an agreement at the end of next month.
12th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Now even the ERG wants to DELAY Brexit: Hardcore Leavers reveal their plan for Britain to leave the EU without a deal… but admit the UK 'won't be ready' to crash out until MAY

Hardcore Brexiteers have thrown their weight behind a plan for a no-deal Brexit - but want it delayed until May. Senior Tory eurosceptics, the DUP leader in Westminster Nigel Dodds and moderate Leaver leader Simon Hart have signed up to an amendment to be tabled by former Brexit minister Steve Baker. It would alter the terms of the no-deal Brexit plan to be voted on tomorrow to extend Article 50 until 10.59pm on May 22 before we leave without a deal. This would give businesses time to prepare for a new customs tariff system that would come into play if the UK crashed out without a deal.
12th Mar 2019 - Daily Mail

EU leaders warn Britain it will need 'good reason' for delay and to prepare for no deal as they've done 'everything possible' to agree a plan

Britain will need a good reason for a Brexit delay if the House of Commons asks for an extension to Article 50 this week, Donald Tusk has warned. The European Council president said Brussels would consider a 'reasoned request' for a longer Brexit process but demanded that the UK supply a 'credible justification'. Mr Tusk said the chances of a no-deal Brexit were 'significantly higher' after MPs rejected Theresa May's agreement for a second time. He said it was 'difficult to see what more we can do' to help Mrs May win support for her deal in Parliament.
12th Mar 2019 - Daily Mail

No-deal Brexit still possible even if MPs vote against it – ERG

Steve Baker, the former Brexit minister who is the ERG’s chief organiser, announced late on Tuesday that he and others would attempt to force a so-called “managed no deal” in the Commons on Wednesday, when MPs will have a free vote on whether the UK should leave with no agreement. In a late-night amendment signed by the former remainers Nicky Morgan and Damian Green, Baker proposed a 21-month transition to no deal, an idea that the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has explicitly rejected.
12th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

New poll finds majority of Scots want another independence referendum

A new poll has found that 60% of Scots want another independence referendum. Survation research asked Scots for their view on the timing of a second referendum on independence. Only around one-third of those polled (32%) said "there should never be another Scottish independence referendum". By contrast, 60% of Scots backed a fresh vote on the country's future. With "don't knows" excluded, that figure rises to 65% in support of an indyref2.
12th Mar 2019 - The National

@BBCPolitics Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg blames #Brexit impasse on a "historic disconnection" between voters and MPs

Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg blames #Brexit impasse on a "historic disconnection" between voters and MPs - "52% of voters voted to leave, but probably 500 out of 650 MPs voted to remain" #BrexitVote
12th Mar 2019 - @BBCPolitics

@MikeySmith I’m told Tory HQ is actively preparing to take part in European Elections. CCHQ Director General Alan Mabbutt is briefing Tory campaign managers at 4pm.

I’m told Tory HQ is actively preparing to take part in European Elections. CCHQ Director General Alan Mabbutt is briefing Tory campaign managers at 4pm.
12th Mar 2019 - @MikeySmith

@BBCPolitics "The proper thing to do is to put it back to the public in a people's vote, in a second referendum"

"The proper thing to do is to put it back to the public in a people's vote, in a second referendum" Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve says he'll vote against the PM's latest #Brexit deal
12th Mar 2019 - @BBCPolitics

Brexit: Foreign far-right Twitter users 'manipulated debate'

Foreign Twitter accounts have recently tried to influence the debate around Brexit, with pro-Leave tweets receiving the most support, researchers say. Cyber-security firm F-Secure analysed 24 million tweets published between 4 December 2018 and 13 February 2019. Much "inorganic" activity was discovered - including excessive retweeting carried out by bots or fake accounts. Both sides received amplification, but pro-Leave much more so than pro-Remain. Twitter declined to comment on the findings.
12th Mar 2019 - BBC

@SteveBakerHW Heading to table a #MalthouseCompromise Plan B amendment with @DamianGreen, @NickyMorgan01 and @Simonhartmp, supported by @Jacob_Rees_Mogg, @NigelDoddsDUP and Iain Duncan Smith

Heading to table a #MalthouseCompromise Plan B amendment with @DamianGreen, @NickyMorgan01 and @Simonhartmp, supported by @Jacob_Rees_Mogg, @NigelDoddsDUP and Iain Duncan Smith
12th Mar 2019 - @SteveBakerHW

@AlexWickham At 6:42pm, 18 minutes before the meaningful vote, the MoD sends out a dear colleagues letter confirming they expect Bloody Sunday charging decisions on Thursday and that the govt will fund veterans’ defences

At 6:42pm, 18 minutes before the meaningful vote, the MoD sends out a dear colleagues letter confirming they expect Bloody Sunday charging decisions on Thursday and that the govt will fund veterans’ defences
12th Mar 2019 - @alexwickham

@MichelBarnier Let me be clear: the only legal basis for a transition is the WA. No withdrawal agreement means no transition.

Listening to debate in @HouseofCommons : there seems to be a dangerous illusion that the UK can benefit from a transition in the absence of the WA. Let me be clear: the only legal basis for a transition is the WA. No withdrawal agreement means no transition.
12th Mar 2019 - @MichelBarnier

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 12th Mar 2019

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Brexit: Claims that 'Legally binding' changes to EU deal have been agreed

The prime minister has secured "legally binding" changes to her Brexit deal a day ahead of MPs voting on it, says the Cabinet Office minister. David Lidington said the changes will mean the EU "cannot try to trap the UK in the [Irish] backstop indefinitely". But he said further negotiations are taking place as the PM is still meeting EU officials in Strasbourg. Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer questioned whether any changes had been made to the withdrawal agreement. Replying to Mr Lidington's statement in the Commons, he said: "People will be disappointed when they look at the detail."
11th Mar 2019 - BBC

Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker agree to 'legally binding' assurances on Irish backstop

11th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Theresa May secures 'legally-binding changes' to Brexit withdrawal agreement

11th Mar 2019 - Belfast Telegraph

‘Legally binding’ changes to Brexit deal after Theresa May’s dash to Strasbourg

11th Mar 2019 - ITV News

May claims revised Brexit deal with Juncker

11th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit 'breakthrough' as Tories claim legally binding changes on NI backstop achieved

11th Mar 2019 - Daily Record

UK government announces ‘legal’ Brexit assurances

11th Mar 2019 - Politico

Theresa May Gets “Legally-Binding” Changes To Brexit Deal

11th Mar 2019 - LBC

Theresa May claims she’s won legally binding changes to Brexit deal in last-ditch bid to avoid crushing defeat

At a joint press conference with Mr Juncker she said: "a joint instrument with comparable legal weight to the Withdrawal Agreement will guarantee that the EU cannot act with the intent of applying the backstop indefinitely". And "if they do, it can be challenged through arbitration and if they are found to be in breach the UK can suspend the backstop."
12th Mar 2019 - The Sun

EU's Juncker says agrees last chance Brexit package update with UK

European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker said on Monday he agreed an updated Brexit deal with British Prime Minister Theresa May to make the agreement more palatable to MPs but warned they would not get a third chance to endorse it. “There will be no third chance. There will be no further interpretations of the interpretations, no further assurances of the re-assurances – if the meaningful vote tomorrow fails,” Juncker said.
12th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Theresa May dashes to Strasbourg in bid for Brexit compromise

Theresa May has made an 11th-hour dash to meet EU leaders in Strasbourg as the government insisted the meaningful vote on her Brexit deal would go ahead on Tuesday as planned. May was greeted in Strasbourg by Jean-Claude Juncker and Michel Barnier as she arrived in pursuit of a Brexit compromise late on Monday, after a phone call with the European commission president earlier in the day.
12th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit news: May to fly to Strasbourg in desperate last-ditch bid for breakthrough to avert looming Commons humiliation

Theresa May will fly to Strasbourg this evening to try to salvage her Brexit deal ahead of a vote in the Commons tomorrow, the Irish government says. But Simon Coveney, the deputy prime minister, played down any talk of a breakthrough – saying Ms May would “try to finalise an agreement if that’s possible”.
11th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Poll reveals Scots ready to back independence over any type of Brexit

Scottish voters would rather have independence than any kind of Brexit, a new poll has revealed. The Panelbase survey, carried out for the Wings Over Scotland blog, also indicated that support for staying in the EU has skyrocketed to 66%, up from the 62% who backed remaining in 2016’s vote. When given a straight choice between Scottish independence and a no-deal Brexit, voters chose independence 52% to 48%.
11th Mar 2019 - The National

There may be a Brexit breakthrough on the backstop

There are mutterings that the Donald Tusk/Jean-Claude Juncker letters to the UK delegation of early January could be turned into some kind of legal basis for a declaration on the Irish backstop that may win the support of Theresa May's eurosceptic MPs
11th Mar 2019 - The Spectator

Joe FitzPatrick: Brexit medical supply fears are 'unacceptable'

The health and social care system will face “damaging and lasting consequences” if the UK Government does not rule out a no-deal Brexit, it has been claimed. Scotland’s Public Health Minister, Joe FitzPatrick, also described the lack of guarantees over medical supplies in the event of a no-deal as “completely unacceptable”.
11th Mar 2019 - The National

Labour MPs warned that Theresa May's worker rights vow 'not enforceable' ahead of crunch Brexit vote

Theresa May's "half-hearted" promise to protect workers' rights after Brexit cannot be enforced, Labour MPs have been warned. The scathing verdict comes in a legal opinion sent to all Labour MPs by two trade unions ahead of Tuesday's crunch Commons vote on the Prime Minister's Brexit deal. In a bid to win Labour backing for her embattled agreement, Mrs May last week unveiled a string of pledges designed to protect workers' rights after Britain leaves the EU.
11th Mar 2019 - Politics Home

Unions attack May's Brexit pledge on workers’ rights

11th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

We've suffered 47 years of penal servitude, says Jacob Rees-Mogg

If this cannot be achieved then the default position is that the UK leaves without a deal. Some MPs say that they could never agree to this but many of them voted for the Article 50 Act that sets out the timetable and then stood on a Conservative manifesto which stated clearly that "no deal is better than a bad deal". If such people were to use Parliamentary prestidigitation to delay, in the hope of preventing Brexit, the honour and trustworthiness of politicians would fall to a new low.
11th Mar 2019 - Express.co.uk

Big Brexit moment: Will MPs back or bin the PM's deal?

The prime minister will try again this week to get her plans for Brexit through parliament. The clock is ticking to 29 March when the UK is due to officially leave the EU, but if MPs vote against the deal, there could still be a last minute twist, as political correspondent Jonathan Blake explains.
11th Mar 2019 - BBC

Why the PM's Brexit would not be saved by her martyrdom

One of their number told me that even if a “proper” Brexiter became PM in short order - and they are by no means confident of that - they simply don’t see how they would ever get out of the backstop, short of reneging on the Withdrawal Agreement after it has been ratified. "We are not in the business of ripping up international treaties," he said. "We’ve thought about it but it is not a good look for this country." So burying the backstop is all that matters to them.
11th Mar 2019 - ITV News

Scottish Labour steers clear of Brexit split with UK party

Scottish Labour has formally backed calls for a second referendum on Brexit but, echoing the UK leadership, done little to reassure Remainers that the party is ready to mount a serious push for such a vote. Ahead of a crucial week of Westminster votes on Brexit, Scottish Labour leaders used their spring conference to focus attention more on long-term socialist policy proposals such as a new wealth tax and free bus travel.
11th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit motion to be voted on by parliament on Tuesday

Reuters detailed the exact wording of the Parliamentary motion that lawmakers will vote upon in deciding whether to support or oppose Theresa May's Brexit deal
11th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Labour MPs urged to disregard PM’s ‘half-hearted’ Brexit pledge on workers’ rights ahead of crunch vote

Ahead of a Commons showdown on Ms May’s Brexit deal, top QC Aidan O’Neill has drafted a damning assessment of the prime minister’s proposals to protect workers’ rights, which were unveiled last week in an attempt to win over Labour MPs. The EU law expert, who was commissioned by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) and the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA), argued that Ms May’s offer provides no guarantee that future EU standards will be matched when the UK leaves the bloc. In a 47-page dossier sent to all Labour MPs, Mr O’Neill warned that future parliaments could rip up Ms May’s pledges, and even if parliament did implement all new EU standards, workers could still lose out on key protections under EU laws.
11th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 11th Mar 2019

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Tories under attack after tax haven donations

Theresa May is facing growing pressure over more than £1 million raised by her party from Britons based in tax havens and their UK companies before the 2017 general election. Senior MPs said that the prime minister had “serious questions to answer” about the money, which was accepted even though a law was passed in 2009 that was meant to clamp down on donations from offshore. The bill banned large personal donations from anyone not resident or domiciled in the UK for tax purposes but successive governments have failed to enact it with a commencement order.
11th Mar 2019 - The Times

Theresa May desperately attempts to salvage Brexit deal with 48 hours before critical Commons vote

Theresa May has been warned she could be forced out of Downing Street if her Brexit strategy is dismantled by MPs this week in a series of critical votes. As negotiations entered the eleventh hour, the prime minister was desperately attempting to salvage her withdrawal deal, with a plane reported to be on standby at RAF Northolt to fly her to Brussels at the first sign of EU officials shifting their position. However, it remained unclear whether the prime minister would be making a dash to the Belgian capital, as hopes of achieving any significant concessions appeared to fade.
11th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Tony Blair secretly advising Emmanuel Macron on Brexit as former PM accused of 'unacceptable' behaviour

Tony Blair has been accused of “unacceptable” behaviour after it emerged he has been briefing Emmanuel Macron on how to force Britain to stay in the EU. The former Labour prime minister believes that if the EU stands its ground over the Brexit deal, Parliament will cave in and accept a customs union - which would keep Britain yoked to Brussels - or a second referendum that could cancel Brexit altogether. Sources in Paris confirmed to The Telegraph that Mr Blair had been speaking to the French President about Brexit. He is reported to have told Mr Macron to “hold firm” and wait for events to play out in London that end in Britain staying in the EU.
10th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Keir Starmer: Why we'll vote down Theresa May's Brexit deal for a second time

If Theresa May’s deal is rejected by Parliament again on Tuesday, it will be another humiliation for her, her Government and for our country too. I know how frustrated people are with this situation. These past two years we’ve been badly let down by an incapable Prime Minister and an incompetent Government too busy fighting with itself to focus on what is in the best interests of the country. After two years of failure, we need a change of approach.
10th Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

Brexit: Could the UK drop tariffs to zero?

MPs are set to hold key votes next week on the terms of Brexit, the outcome of which could determine whether the UK has greater flexibility to set its own trade tariffs.
10th Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit: Britain does not want long delay, reveals poll on eve of votes

A long delay to Brexit would be unacceptable to a majority of the British public, according to an exclusive poll days before critical votes in the House of Commons. Some 52 per cent of people do not want a delay to last more than six months, the survey by BMG Research for The Independent indicated. The data flies in the face of extensions advocated in Brussels, by Remainers and even some Brexiteers. They have talked about pushing back the date of the UK’s departure for a year or more – something supported by fewer than one in five, according to the survey.
10th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Torrid Brexit backstop talks descend into Twitter duel

Michel Barnier's unveiling of his proposals on a social media platform was highly unusual. Sources said it was because of fear of a cynical blame game over the faltering talks. “That’s why he published the proposals on Twitter to show he was exploring avenues and not just saying no to everything,” a source said.
10th Mar 2019 - The Times

Brexit secretary met Labour MPs championing second referendum

The cabinet minister in charge of Brexit has held detailed talks with Labour MPs who are championing plans for a second referendum – amid signs of mounting desperation inside Theresa May’s government about what to do if the prime minister’s deal suffers another crushing defeat on Tuesday. At least 40 Labour MPs – and all but about nine Tories – are said to be opposed to a second referendum, although party sources believe this would change if Jeremy Corbyn came out strongly in favour.
10th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit could be lost if deal rejected, Jeremy Hunt says

Conservative MPs should back Theresa May's deal this week or risk losing Brexit altogether, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned. There was "wind in the sails" of those opposing Brexit and the consequences for the party will be "devastating", if it is not delivered, he said. MPs will vote again on the deal on Tuesday, after rejecting it in January.
10th Mar 2019 - BBC

Don’t vote for May’s deal, it will only usher in more austerity

After weeks of non-announcements and paltry incentives to persuade MPs in towns ravaged by government neglect, nothing has changed. This is the same bad Brexit deal that went down to the worst parliamentary defeat in history. It’s why Labour MPs should reject it again. The government’s own forecasts show that acceptance of these terms would be set to lower GDP by £100bn – the equivalent of losing the annual output of Wales. Whatever is gained from reduced EU contributions would be wiped out by the economic damage.
10th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Pressure mounts on Theresa May to quit to save Brexit deal

Theresa May faced mounting pressure to quit on Sunday as Conservative Eurosceptic rebels claimed she might have to sacrifice her premiership to win them over ahead of a crucial Brexit vote this week. Several cabinet ministers have said Mrs May should announce her plans to resign to win the support of Tory Brexiters, who believe that a change in Number 10 would signal a more robust approach to talks on a future UK/EU trade deal.
10th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Jess Phillips: ‘I think I’d be a good prime minister’

She’s famous for her witty takedowns of the political class but Jess Phillips is also dealing with so many death threats she has nine locks on her front door. The MP, who had her first child when she was 22 and grew up with a brother who was a heroin addict, tells Rachel Sylvester where she thinks her party is going wrong
10th Mar 2019 - The Times

While Theresa May’s Brexit deal is far from perfect, the alternatives would be a shameful betrayal of voters

The Sun on Sunday said MPs must this week rally around Theresa May’s Brexit deal – it is the only way the UK can achieve a dignified departure from the EU and honour the will of the people.
10th Mar 2019 - The Sun

By the end of the week we could have no deal, no Brexit or no PM

Most agree that the prime minister is close to losing control of events. “By the end of the week we could have no deal, no Brexit or no prime minister,” one cabinet source said. Stuck between the rock of an EU reluctant to budge and the hard place of a parliament tiring of her kicking the can down the road, May faces a new plot this weekend by MPs to grab control of events and force her towards a soft Brexit.
10th Mar 2019 - The Times

The Guardian view on MPs and Brexit: time to set a new course

Northern Ireland is again at the very heart of the Conservative government’s Brexit crisis. This is not an accident. It is there essentially because Theresa May’s government is committed to three things that cannot be reconciled. One is the peace process promise that Brexit would do nothing to restore a hard border between the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The second is the promise that Mrs May made in 2017 to the DUP that there would be no regulatory divergence in the Irish Sea. The third is the Tory’s right’s doctrinaire passion for leaving the EU single market and customs union, which Mrs May very foolishly made into Brexit red lines.
10th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

A Mysterious Hard Brexit Group Run By A Young Tory Writer Is Now Britain’s Biggest Spending Political Campaign On Facebook

Tim Dawson is the only person publicly associated with Britain's Future. The group has spent almost £350,000 on Facebook since November, raising questions over the influence of "dark money" at a crucial point in the Brexit process.
9th Mar 2019 - BuzzFeed News

Brexit: The Cox Gambit, the Barnier Response, and the Blame Game begins

The price the UK would have to pay for walking away, would be reverting to the original Northern Ireland-specific backstop Theresa May rejected one year ago, something quickly recognised by the DUP’s Nigel Dodds. Officials in Brussels describe Barnier’s offer as "defensive", brought about by sense of shock over what Geoffrey Cox was proposing, and the exaggerated expectations in Westminster over what the EU would be prepared to offer.
9th Mar 2019 - RTE.ie

The Government cannot fool the voters over Brexit

May’s speech in Grimsby yesterday was a waste of time. The PM rehearsed the case for her Withdrawal Agreement and urged MPs to vote for it on Tuesday, but the EU hasn’t given her the changes necessary to appease Brexiteers and it is still likely to be defeated. In fact, the political situation hasn’t altered since the Chequers agreement of July last year. Since then the Government has been going round and round in circles, trying to sell the same Brexit-in-name-only. Leavers say “no”; the Government seeks alterations; the EU says “non”, too. The public, meanwhile, watches the dance in disbelief.
9th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Thornberry: We want short delay to avoid EU election

Labour will oppose any delay to Brexit that will require Britain to take part in the European parliament elections, Emily Thornberry has said. Theresa May has promised to give MPs the chance to ask Brussels to extend Article 50 if they vote down her agreement on Tuesday. Remaining in the EU beyond July, however, will require the UK to take part in the elections due to be held in May, which the prime minister has said she is determined to avoid.
9th Mar 2019 - The Times

Brexit: EU says Britain can leave backstop but Northern Ireland must stay

The offer by Mr Barnier for a unilateral exit for Great Britain, but not Northern Ireland effectively lets the UK revert to the original EU plan for the backstop – which would have put customs checks on the Irish sea between Northern Ireland and the mainland. “[The new offer is] basically going back to the old backstop,” one EU official said of the plan, which does not require the reopening of the withdrawal agreement.
9th Mar 2019 - The Independent

UK minister warns of violence in case of no-deal Brexit

David Gauke, the U.K.'s secretary of state for justice, said a no-deal Brexit would be a disaster for the country, including the immediate ending of U.K.-EU cooperation on vital law enforcement issues. "In the worst-case scenario if we had significant difficulties with food supplies no one is going to be left starving but if there are empty shelves, can that result in violence and more criminal cases?" he said in an interview with the Times published Saturday. "Of course it can.”
9th Mar 2019 - Politico.eu

UK minister rejects Barnier’s Irish backstop reassurances

Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the U.K.'s House of Commons, on Saturday dismissed efforts by the European Union's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier to offer a solution to the Brexit impasse and avoid a hard border in Ireland, calling his statement "disappointing."
9th Mar 2019 - Politico.eu

We’re back to the DUP as the touchstone for a Brexit deal

As often happens in difficult negotiations, the parties become fixated on a technical details they fancy – often wrongly – will clear a roadblock. This is called synecdoche, substituting a part for whole which is too big to contemplate . It has its psychological attractions as it diverts from the greater intractability.
9th Mar 2019 - Slugger O'Toole

Leaked memo reveals ministers warned of Brexit plot to keep UK in permanent customs union with EU

Ministers have been warned that MPs supporting an amendment to delay Brexit could “politicise the monarchy” and lead to a “full blown constitutional crisis” causing the Government to “lose its ability to govern” according to leaked documents seen by the Telegraph. The explosive memo advising the cabinet as Theresa May battles to win Tuesday’s second meaningful vote - warns that supporting any amendment re-tabled by Labour’s Yvette Cooper and Tories Oliver Letwin and Nick Boles could pave the way for a bill to change the day of our EU exit and bind the Government into a permanent customs union.
8th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

UK realising EU is dominant power in Europe and Brexit will be on its terms

The EU has accomodated the UK's demands but never prioritised them above the rights of the remaining 27 member states. So it has pursued 3 goals: demonstrate the centrality of the EU in governing transnational relations in Europe; membership matters and brings benefits; safeguard the union as a rules-based system
8th Mar 2019 - The Irish Times

Brexit: One more push needed to get deal through, says May

Theresa May has asked the EU for "one more push" to get her Brexit deal through Parliament and warned that, if it fails, "we may never leave at all". The prime minister said the UK had tabled "serious" proposals to resolve the deadlock over the Irish backstop. Warning of a "moment of crisis" if the deal was rejected again, the PM told EU leaders: "Let's get it done." The EU said it would give "legal force" to assurances already made that the UK could not be stuck in a customs union.
8th Mar 2019 - BBC

Billions on offer by backing May’s Brexit deal, says Hammond

Philip Hammond has urged Eurosceptic Conservatives to stop agonising about the so-called Irish backstop and swing behind Theresa May’s Brexit deal, saying its approval would allow him to release billions of pounds for stretched public services. The chancellor said in an interview that the backstop plans in the agreement, which could force the UK into an EU customs union as a last resort to avoid a hard Irish border, were not “real world problems”. Eurosceptics fear the measure could lock Britain into close ties with Brussels in perpetuity.
8th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Theresa May ON BRINK: Iain Dale explains why PM’s downfall is close on BBC Newsnight

Theresa May might not be Prime Minister by the end of April, political commentator and broadcaster Iain Dale argued on BBC Newsnight on Friday. Mr Dale used a lengthy intervention on the current affairs programme to explain the precise course of action he believes will spell Mrs May’s demise. He started by examining the most likely course of action when the Prime Minister brings her much-beleaguered deal before the House of Commons again next week. MPs are due to vote on the plan on Tuesday, March 12. If Mrs May’s deal does not go through Parliament France and Lithuania have indicated they would veto an extension to Article 50. The only option France has hinted at is a two-year delay period, which would be completely unpalatable to Brexiteers in the Commons. Mr Dale added, “in any of these scenarios” he does not believe Theresa May could be Prime Minister by the end of April.
8th Mar 2019 - Express.co.uk

Brexit: EU chief Michel Barnier sparks anger by revealing his 'offer' to UK

Tonight Mr Barnier said the EU would commit to letting the UK exit the backstop - but only one part of it, a shared customs union with the EU. That means the other provisions would have to stay - a move critics say will divide Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. Furious Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay hit back on Twitter within minutes, tweeting: "With a very real deadline looming, now is not the time to rerun old arguments.
8th Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

CEREAL PLOTTER Jeremy Hunt holding secret breakfast meetings with ministers as he bids to become PM

Jeremy Hunt is now seen as the frontrunner to replace Theresa May, having significantly stepped up his leadership bid with secret breakfasts for Cabinet ministers. The Sun has learned that the Foreign Secretary is billing himself as the unity candidate as he tries to woo MPs, making different pitches to Leavers and Remainers. As speculation spirals among Tory MPs that the Brexit crisis could force the PM to resign within weeks, Mr Hunt is even said to have started to ask senior ministers what jobs they want in his Cabinet in exchange for their backing.
8th Mar 2019 - The Sun

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 8th Mar 2019

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'Common market 2.0' – Jeremy Corbyn talks to former Tory ministers

Jeremy Corbyn has met Conservative former ministers promoting a Norway-style Brexit, raising the possibility that Labour could join a cross-party majority to force Theresa May’s hand. Former ministers Nick Boles and Oliver Letwin, as well as Labour MPs Lucy Powell and Stephen Kinnock, met Corbyn after prime minister’s questions to discuss their “common market 2.0” plan. Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer was not present. A Labour spokesman said they had met to “discuss how to achieve a deal that would be good for jobs and could bring leave and remain voters together”.
6th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Panic in government ranks as Corbyn opens talks with soft Brexit Tories about taking control away from May facing defeat next week

7th Mar 2019 - Slugger O'Toole

Brexit: UK urged to submit 'acceptable' backstop remedies

The PM is seeking legally-enforceable changes to the backstop - an insurance policy designed to prevent physical checks on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, but there have been few visible signs of progress. MPs are due to vote for a second time on the Brexit deal next week. If they reject the deal again, they will get to choose between leaving without a deal or deferring the UK's exit from the EU beyond the scheduled date of 29 March.
8th Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit: Deadline looms as ministers push for changes to deal

7th Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit: UK should offer new proposal, France's Europe minister says

7th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: Deadline looms as ministers push for changes to deal

7th Mar 2019 - BBC

Here Are The Two New Ideas Geoffrey Cox Presented To The EU

Tuesday’s meeting is described in the note as “negative.” It states that Cox, who is leading the talks for the UK side, presented the idea of an “arbitration panel” that would determine if the two sides were acting in good faith and were being reasonable in their efforts to identify alternative arrangements to the backstop — the insurance policy that guarantees that there can be no hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in all circumstances. Cox also proposed the concept of a new “mini backstop” that would limit the mechanism to only cover elements that relate to border infrastructure. Both ideas were rejected by Barnier. “[Barnier] requested fresh drafting,” the note read.
8th Mar 2019 - BuzzFeed News

May should 'of course' deny another Scottish independence vote - Hunt

Britain’s government should “of course” deny a request for a new referendum on Scottish independence if one is made, foreign minister Jeremy Hunt said on Thursday, wading into a row about secession fuelled by Brexit. Speaking at the University of Glasgow, Hunt said British Prime Minister Theresa May would reject any request by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for a fresh vote on secession - something nationalist activists are pushing for because of unhappiness about Brexit.
7th Mar 2019 - Reuters UK

Germany is prepared for all Brexit scenarios - Finance Minister Scholz

Germany and its customs authority are prepared for all Brexit scenarios, including Britain crashing out of the European Union without a divorce deal setting out future relations, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said on Thursday. “All necessary precautions have been taken,” Scholz said during a visit to a logistics hub at an airport in the eastern city of Leipzig, adding that the government had already agreed to hire 900 additional customs officers.
7th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Fears post-Brexit prosperity fund could go to LEPs

Senior councillors have voiced concerns that the post-Brexit shared prosperity fund will be allocated to local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) rather than councils. During meetings today of both the Local Government Association’s councillors’ forum and executive, some councillors said they had been led to believe by Ministry of Housing, Community & Local Government officials or their local LEP that the fund would not be distributed through councils.
7th Mar 2019 - Local Government Chronicle

This is Brexit's week of Waterloo

A maximum extension period, with it possible for the UK to leave at any point short of its termination, is a wholly different proposition. It doesn’t matter if May says she ‘definitely’ doesn’t want more than two or three months. The EU response would be: ‘Fine if you can agree the present deal by the end of June, but since we are not convinced on past form that you can do so, we are giving you a longer period too, without the need for any further crisis negotiation this year.’
7th Mar 2019 - The New European

BREXIT FURY: ‘Unless miracle happens’ May deal will FAIL – Remainers blamed for deadlock

Cabinet ministers Geoffrey Cox and Stephen Barclay returned from Brussels yesterday without any sign of a breakthrough in the wrangle after EU chief negotiator as Michel Barnier rebuffed their demands for changes to the so-called “backstop” measures. Their failure to make progress left Theresa May facing a fresh crushing Commons defeat over her Withdrawal Agreement at Westminster next Tuesday. While EU and UK officials were continued the talks, angry Brexiteer MPs blamed the hard-line Tory Remainers pressing the Prime Minister to rule out a no-deal departure for the impasse.
7th Mar 2019 - Express.co.uk

Government hits back at EU claims it has no fresh plan, saying proposals for Irish border 'clear as day'

7th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Brexit: EU rejects latest British proposals and says come back tomorrow

UK continues to push for changes to Border backstop.
7th Mar 2019 - The Irish Times

Theresa May faces these TWO key problems blocking her deal from passing in Parliament

Two problems will arise when Attorney General Geoffrey Cox brings a Brexit deal back to the House of Commons, predicts Mark Francois. The Brexiteer MP pointed out the Attorney General will not be able to give a legal opinion on the agreement as he is involved in the negotiations and, secondly, Theresa May has not secured a “clear mandate” on replacing the Brexit backstop.
7th Mar 2019 - Express.co.uk

Here's how Britain and Poland's relationship will continue to thrive after Brexit

Poland's UK ambassador, Arkady Rzegocki, writes for readers of the Daily Telegraph. He argues that Brexit is not going to impact on the UK-Polish relationship an desire to work together which has remained strong over time
7th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

What happens if May's Brexit deal is voted down? And if it passes?

May will breathe a sigh of relief if her deal manages to squeak over the line on Tuesday, but not for long. She will probably still have to obtain a short technical extension of article 50 from Brussels to pass the legislation that needs to be in place for Brexit Day. At that point, having achieved a departure from the EU that pleases neither Brexiters nor remainers, she would have to decide whether to try to limp on as prime minister or announce a timetable for standing down to avoid being pushed out by her party.
7th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

May’s authority on the line as defeat on Brexit vote looms

Theresa May is making contingency plans for a crushing defeat of her Brexit deal next week, amid fears in Downing Street that her authority will be swept away in a series of humiliating Commons reverses. Mrs May is expected to make a dash to Brussels on Sunday — or even at dawn on Monday — as she tries to extract last-minute concessions from the EU that might turn parliamentary opinion in favour of her Brexit deal.
7th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit row hits Scottish Labour on eve of conference

In a sharp illustration of tensions within the Scottish party, Mr Leonard’s predecessor as Scottish party leader this week accused him of censoring anti-Brexit opponents. In a leaked letter, Kezia Dugdale formally complained to Mr Leonard about “wholly inappropriate” changes to a statement by departing Scottish Labour members of the European Parliament that was published in the official conference guide.
7th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 7th Mar 2019

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Brexit meaningful vote will go ahead, says No 10, despite talks stalling

Downing Street has insisted the meaningful vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal will go ahead as promised on Tuesday, despite negotiations in Brussels stumbling. The prime minister’s spokesman repeated the line on Wednesday that the government is determined to secure “legally binding changes” to the Irish backstop, despite the attorney general, Geoffrey Cox, returning empty-handed from the talks. Shortly before leaving Brussels, he conceded “strong views” had been expressed during three hours of “robust” discussions.
6th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Government defeated in Lords over meaningful vote on future trade deals

The government was defeated on Labour’s amendment 13 in the House of Lords. The amendment makes it an “objective” of the government during negotiations to pursue a free trade deal allowing the UK to stay “in a customs union” with the EU after Brexit.
6th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit negotiations descend into disarray as EU warns 'no solution' sight

Efforts by British negotiators to win changes to Theresa May’s Brexit deal are going badly, after talks in Brussels broke up without any progress to report and the EU Commission warned that “no solution” is in sight. Exasperated Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar has said he had “no legal texts or draft legal texts to consider” following several rounds of meetings between the UK and EU. A spokesperson for the EU Commission said on Wednesday morning that “while the talks take place in a constructive atmosphere, discussions have been difficult” and that “no solution has been identified at this point that is consistent with the withdrawal agreement”.
6th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Brexit: Theresa May prepares for Brussels trip in last ditch bid to secure deal changes

Theresa May is set to visit Brussels this weekend in an attempt to clinch changes to her Brexit deal ahead of a crunch Commons vote next week. The prime minister is expected to meet senior EU figures following negotiations over the last fortnight, as she desperately seeks tweaks in a bid to win the support of backbench Tory Brexiteers. Ms May also announced measures to shore up post-Brexit workers’ rights, designed to maximise support for her deal among Labour MPs.
6th Mar 2019 - The Independent

DUP won’t back Brexit without guarantees on backstop, says MP

A senior Democratic Unionist party MP has insisted the party can only support Theresa May’s revised Brexit deal if the withdrawal agreement itself is amended to make the Northern Ireland backstop time-limited, or allow the UK to withdraw unilaterally. Sammy Wilson, the DUP’s Brexit spokesman, also dismissed worries about the impact on the region of a no-deal Brexit, saying warnings about this on Tuesday from the head of Northern Ireland’s civil service were “politically motivated”.
6th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Stalemate for Brexit backstop talks in Brussels

Talks to save Theresa May’s Brexit deal stalled last night after European Union negotiators refused to give Geoffrey Cox, the attorney general, “reasonable” assurances on the Irish backstop. Three and half hours of talks in Brussels between Michel Barnier, the EU’s lead negotiator, Mr Cox and Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, ended in a bad-tempered stalemate. Negotiations will now go to the wire this Friday, running into the weekend, to try to find guarantees that will enable Mr Cox to change his legal advice on the Irish backstop before the crucial Brexit vote in the House of Commons next Tuesday. “There are very sensitive discussions. We are into the meat of the matter now.
7th Mar 2019 - The Times

Can May finally get her Brexit deal through parliament?

By now, if Theresa May’s Brexit strategy had gone to plan, the UK prime minister would be on the cusp of a famous victory. In her quest to secure House of Commons backing for her Brexit deal before Britain’s March 29 scheduled departure date — and to reverse a previous, shattering defeat — Mrs May has been seeking the support of three vital groups of MPs. Here the FT looks at Mrs May’s prospects of winning over each of the three groups.
7th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit in 23 days: EU says still 'no solution' in negotiations

"Michel Barnier has informed...that while the talks take place in a constructive atmosphere, discussions have been difficult," said Margaritis Schinas, spokesman for the European Commission, the bloc's executive. "No solution has been identified at this point that is consistent with the withdrawal agreement, including the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, which will not be reopened," Schinas said.
6th Mar 2019 - Deutsche Welle

Brexit: UK urged to table 'acceptable' backstop remedies

The UK has been urged to table fresh proposals within the next 48 hours to break the Brexit impasse. EU officials said they would work non-stop over the weekend if "acceptable" ideas were received by Friday to break the deadlock over the Irish backstop. The UK has said "reasonable" proposals to satisfy MPs' concerns about being tied to EU rules had already been made. There have been few visible signs of progress ahead of Parliament's second vote on the Brexit deal next Tuesday.
6th Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexiteers are playing a long game, and will never vote for Theresa May's miserable deal

So, as we begin the Meaningful Vote Part 2 vortex, hurtling toward climax in the House of Commons next week, the Prime Minister has rolled the pitch with tasty sweeteners to Labour MPs in Leave-supporting seat, to save her miserable deal from yet another shellacking. It displays again a typically tone-deaf approach, speaking to a patrician mindset from Remainers, that all it really takes is a few baubles and soothing words about immigration and the whole sorry contraption can be pushed over the line: The UK would be locked permanently into international treaty obligations from which it will take years to disentangle.
5th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Theresa May’s rhetoric can be as populist as Trump’s

An academic study, commissioned by the Guardian, involved close analysis of the speeches of leaders who have served 40 countries to ascertain levels of populist discourse. The surprising finding in relation to May is partly explained by Brexit, the issue that has defined her premiership and dominated the UK’s political conversations since the referendum to leave the European Union in 2016. Researchers identified several examples where May offered a romanticised description of “ordinary working people” pitted against a self-serving elite, a defining feature of populism
6th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Exclusive: Dominic Grieve hosts French minister for discussions on Article 50 and second referendum

Remain Tory MPs will meet on Thursday with senior members of Emmanuel Macron's government to discuss extending Article 50 as a path to a second referendum, The Telegraph can reveal. Dominic Grieve, the former Attorney General, will hold a meeting with Nathalie Loiseau, the French Europe minister, and other senior French politicians in his office. It came as Nick Boles and Oliver Letwin, two Tory MPs pushing for a softer Brexit, held a meeting with Jeremy Corbyn to discuss their plans. They have backed calls for a Norway-style Brexit - described as "Common Market 2.0 - that would see Britain stay inside the European Economic Area after Brexit.
6th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

How will next week’s Brexit votes affect the UK economy, jobs and wages?

If no deal actually materialises, it seems likely we’d see a further significant fall in sterling, pushing up import prices and inflation, and reducing real wages. Considerably more worrying, however, would be the impact on consumer and business confidence, and hence spending. Businesses would be hit by rising input prices, resulting both from the fall in sterling and the need to replace EU imports with more expensive ones sourced from outside the EU.
6th Mar 2019 - The Independent

The truth is out about Brexit – but there is a narrow road back to sanity

What the Kyle-Wilson amendment does is give the people a chance to choose between real options: either Brexit, via May’s deal, or remain. Provided the amendment is in place, both are on the table, both are agreed by the EU, and both are implementable now. And it has a third advantage: it offers at least some hope of mending bridges. If, during the debate preceding the public vote, more MPs were to speak the truth about the Good Friday agreement, some Brexiters who want greater freedom than May’s deal offers might come to understand why any version of Brexit has to be so tightly constrained
6th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Labour shadow minister admits organising to stop new Brexit referendum - despite party backing public vote

One of Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow ministers has admitted to organising a campaign to stop a fresh Brexit referendum, despite Labour’s backing for the policy. Gloria Del Piero refused to answer questions about how her campaigning could be squared with her frontbench role as a spokeswoman for justice issues. Critics said Mr Corbyn’s “complete lack of leadership” on Brexit would be underlined if he allowed shadow ministers to openly oppose party policy to push for a second public vote.
6th Mar 2019 - The Independent

Labour launches bid to purge Independent Group MPs from Commons committees

The party will hold internal elections to determine who they want to take over the Labour places that were lost when former members defected last month. Select committee places are allocated on a party basis at the start of each Parliament following a General Election.
5th Mar 2019 - Politics Home

Jeremy Hunt vows to step up fight against election cyber-attacks

Jeremy Hunt is to promise the government will step up international efforts to prevent overseas cyber-attacks on elections, while insisting the UK has never succumbed to such outside interference. A number of groups have called for an investigation into allegations that Russia was behind interference before the 2016 EU referendum, and for a wider examination of the role of foreign companies in the campaign. In a speech in Glasgow, the foreign secretary will warn that without concerted global action, cyber-attacks could turn some elections into “tainted exercises, robbing the governments they produce of legitimacy”. An advance trail of Hunt’s speech said he would, however, be “making clear that we have seen no evidence of successful interference in UK polls”.
7th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 6th Mar 2019

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Workers rights: MPs promised vote on changes after Brexit

MPs have been promised a vote on any changes to workers' rights after Brexit as Theresa May seeks Labour support to pass her deal on leaving the EU. No 10 said Parliament would be given a say over whether to adopt any new protections introduced on the continent and to stay aligned with EU standards. Labour MPs in Leave constituencies have been seeking assurances the UK will not fall behind EU standards after Brexit. But the TUC said they should not be "taken in by blatant window dressing". The union movement said what was being offered was "flimsy procedural tweaks".
5th Mar 2019 - BBC

Boost For May's Brexit Deal As Workers' Rights Plan Backed By Labour MP

5th Mar 2019 - Huffington Post UK

UK promises safeguards on workers' rights after Brexit

5th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Theresa May's Guarantee To Protect Workers' Post-Brexit Rights Makes Her Deal Supportable

5th Mar 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Frances O'Grady: Theresa May's Brexit promises on workers' rights are worthless

The flimsy proposals she’s unveiled today won’t even guarantee your existing rights after Brexit. And they certainly won’t stop workers’ rights in the UK from falling behind those in the rest of Europe. Theresa May says our rights at work won’t be watered down. But her promises are worthless when she is unlikely to be in post this time next year. And there’s nothing to stop a future right-wing Tory government from tearing these rules up altogether.
5th Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

Chief whip hands Tory Eurosceptics ultimatum on May Brexit deal

Julian Smith, the government chief whip, has issued an ultimatum to Eurosceptic Tories: vote for Theresa May’s Brexit deal or Europhile Conservative and Labour MPs will join forces to keep Britain in a customs union with the EU. Mr Smith told the cabinet on Tuesday that the stakes would be very high when MPs have a second “meaningful vote” on Mrs May’s deal. “He didn’t sound very optimistic we would win,” said one minister at the meeting.
5th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Soft Brexit could be result if May deal rejected again, says chief whip

5th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Do a deal on Brexit or risk Britain as strategic rival to EU, Hunt warns Macron

Jeremy Hunt today warned French president Emmanuel Macron to do a deal on Brexit or risk the UK becoming a “strategic” competitor just offshore of the EU. The Foreign Secretary piled pressure on Paris to ditch its hardline stance on Brexit as Attorney General Geoffrey Cox dashed to Brussels to seek a breakthrough in the deadlocked talks on the UK’s “divorce” from the EU.
5th Mar 2019 - Evening Standard

The Banks Files: how Brexit “bad boy” Arron Banks was eyeing a massive Russian gold deal

Millionaire Brexit backer Arron Banks eagerly pursued a multibillion-pound gold deal brought to him by a Russian oligarch with links to the Kremlin just months before the EU referendum, Channel 4 News can reveal. Business associates of the self-styled “bad boy of Brexit” offered to oversee a plan to create a massive new Russian gold company, and tried to arrange a personal meeting in Moscow with key players from a state-owned Russian bank. Five months before the referendum, the finance company suggested that Banks travel to Russia to meet executives at state-owned bank Sberbank to hurry the deal along. Associates of Mr Banks even identified a shell company, based in Sweden, to be used as a vehicle for the deal. Russia experts have told Channel 4 News that the document suggests Mr Banks and his associates expected the funding to come “one way or another from the Russian government”.
5th Mar 2019 - Channel 4 News

May's Chief Whip Tells Cabinet Vote Will Be Tight

The government’s chief whip told the Cabinet that the vote next week on May’s Brexit deal will be tight, according to three people familiar with the situation.
5th Mar 2019 - Bloomberg

Parliament will force Britain into permanent customs union with EU if Theresa May’s Brexit deal is voted down, Chief Whip warns Cabinet

Parliament will force Britain into a permanent customs union with the EU if the PM’s Brexit deal is voted down next week, the Chief Whip has warned. Government discipline chief Julian Smith delivered the dramatic assessment to the Cabinet’s weekly meeting on Tuesday. Instead of a simple Brexit delay of up to three months to keep negotiations on the PM’s deal going, Mr Smith said rebel Tories would ally with Labour to swiftly take control of the Commons order paper. An indicative vote would swiftly follow for MPs to pick their preferred Brexit outcome, which he is now certain would be a softer Brexit and a customs union.
5th Mar 2019 - The Sun

@PA The Independent Group MPs are at the Electoral Commission for talks about becoming a fully-fledged political party, group spokesman Chuka Umunna says

The Independent Group MPs are at the Electoral Commission for talks about becoming a fully-fledged political party, group spokesman Chuka Umunna says
5th Mar 2019 - @PA

Scottish parliament, Welsh assembly join forces to oppose Brexit

Scotland’s parliament and the Welsh national assembly voted on Tuesday to oppose the Brexit deal agreed by the UK government, the first time they have done so simultaneously in a sign of the United Kingdom’s internal fracture over Brexit. Britain’s 52-48 percent 2016 vote to leave the EU has stretched relations between the four-nation United Kingdom because England and Wales voted to leave but a majority in Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay.
5th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Brexit: UK in further push for deal with EU

Mr Cox has dismissed reports he has given up on securing a firm end date to ensure the UK is not stuck. MPs will vote on the deal by 12 March. The UK is currently scheduled to leave the European Union on 29 March. If MPs reject the withdrawal agreement for a second time, they will have the opportunity to vote on whether to go ahead in just over three weeks' time without any kind of negotiated deal. If they decide against, they will then have a vote on whether to extend negotiations and push the date of departure back by several months.
5th Mar 2019 - BBC

Brexit: 'Difficult discussions' with the EU and UK if no-deal

The Republic of Ireland will need to have "difficult discussions" with the EU and UK if there is a no-deal Brexit in a few weeks' time, the Irish prime minister has said. Leo Varadkar was speaking in the Irish parliament on Tuesday.
5th Mar 2019 - BBC

Ex-MI6 chief says no-deal Brexit far better than Theresa May's offering

The former head of MI6 and dozens of senior academics have said a no-deal Brexit would be far better for Britain than Theresa May’s “disastrous” deal. Sir Richard Dearlove said there would be “no tangible benefits” from a Brexit conducted under Mrs May’s deal, which would merely “prolong the agony”. In a letter to The Daily Telegraph, he is joined by 33 academics and business leaders who say that a no deal Brexit would offer “immediate opportunities”.
5th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit threat to Northern Ireland jobs revealed by civil service chief

Unemployment could rise sharply in Northern Ireland if the UK crashes out of the EU, the head of the civil service in the region has said in a letter to local political parties. Security in the region could also be undermined, David Sterling said, adding: “The planning assumptions include the possibility that, in some scenarios, a no-deal exit could result in additional challenges for the police if the approach appeared to be unfair or unreasonable for some of those most affected.” “These consequences do not arise from the possibility of checks or controls on either side of the land border, but would simply be the direct consequence of the legal position that would apply. This point is well understood by the business community.”
5th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

EU-UK Brexit talks failed to reach deal on Tuesday - sources

Talks between European Union and British Brexit negotiators ended after more than three hours in Brussels on Tuesday and will resume on Wednesday, sources from both sides said. An EU official said the talks did not go well. Neither side released any comments after the meeting, which involved the EU’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and the UK’s Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and Attorney General Geoffrey Cox.
5th Mar 2019 - Reuters

Nicola Sturgeon warns no-deal Brexit would be ‘unforgivably reckless’

Nicola Sturgeon hit out at the UK Government’s “unforgivably reckless” stance on Brexit as she led calls from both Scotland and Wales to rule out Britain quitting the European Union without a deal in place. Ms Sturgeon spoke as both the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly looked set to rally behind a plea for Theresa May to rule out no-deal and extend the Article 50 deadline beyond March 29. Leaving the EU without any deal in place is an “avoidable outcome” which could only happen “by the choice of the UK Government,” the Scottish First Minister said.
5th Mar 2019 - The Argus

Macron lays out proposals for a more ‘protective’ EU

Emmanuel Macron has stepped up calls for a more united EU, laying out a series of proposals for a “European renaissance” to fend off resurgent populists expected to score big gains in the bloc’s elections in May. “Never since the second world war has Europe been so necessary,” he wrote in an address to the “citizens of Europe” to be published on the opinion pages of multiple newspapers on Tuesday. “And yet Europe has never been so much in danger.”
4th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 5th Mar 2019

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EU must learn from Brexit and reform, says Emmanuel Macron

As part of what he called a “roadmap to European renewal”, he put forward a range of proposals for change including tougher joint action on internet hate speech, the supervision of internet giants, new competition rules, a minimum European wage and a new defence treaty. He also proposed that panels of European citizens should be consulted on EU reforms, not just during election periods.
4th Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: UK 'abandons' key backstop demand in move set to spark Tory row

Theresa May is braced for a Tory row after reports the government has abandoned a key demand to change her Brexit deal. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox is said to have dropped a push for certain changes to the 'Irish backstop' - a clause in the 585-page Brexit deal that could trap the UK under EU customs rules from 2021.
5th Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

Theresa May's lawyer seeks legal fix to the Brexit riddle

Prime Minister Theresa May’s top lawyer will try to clinch a Brexit compromise with the European Union this week in a last-ditch bid to win over rebellious British lawmakers before crunch votes that could delay the divorce. May is hoping to win over enough MPs to pass it, by agreeing a legal addendum with the EU on the deal’s most controversial element: a “backstop” to ensure no hard border between EU-member Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland.
4th Mar 2019 - Reuters

How Geoffrey Cox's backstop showdown could shape Brexit talks

Britain’s booming-voiced Attorney General returns to Brussels this week, as he launches a renewed campaign to secure concessions on the Irish backstop. Geoffrey Cox will meet with Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, on Tuesday to hold further talks on how the backstop can be tweaked, adjusted or clarified to suit the demands of Eurosceptic MPs. Mr Cox’s negotiations could hold the key to securing a Brexit deal by the end of the month, but only if he manages to extract some major concessions from EU officials - which continues to look highly unlikely.
4th Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Geoffrey Cox 'ditches UK demand for Brexit backstop end date and unilateral exit clause'

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox risks fresh anger from Conservative Brexiteers amid reports he has shelved attempts to try and put a time limit or unilateral exit clause on the controversial Northern Ireland backstop. According to the Telegraph, the Cabinet minister - who has been leading efforts to secure changes to Theresa May's Brexit deal - has conceded that the two major demands of Tory eurosceptics are too "blunt" and will not be accepted by the European Union. Ministers briefed on Mr Cox's thinking said he is instead trying to secure an independent "arbitration mechanism" allowing Britain or Brussels to serve notice that the backstop should come to an end.
4th Mar 2019 - Politics Home

Post-Brexit fund set up for struggling English towns

The government has unveiled a new pot of money to be spent on struggling towns in England. Theresa May said the Stronger Towns Fund was aimed at areas that had missed out on prosperity. But Labour said the government was trying to bribe MPs into supporting its Brexit deal, and added that the fund should have been much larger. There were also grumbles from Conservative backbenchers who suspect the money is being targeted at Labour areas rather than their own.
4th Mar 2019 - Channel 4 News

Tory MP says there’d be ‘rioting on the streets’ if Brexit was delayed for UK to do ‘absolutely nothing for another two years’

Conservative Eurosceptic MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan suggested her constituents would be “rioting in the streets” if Brexit delayed for two years beyond 29 March during an interview on Monday. Speaking on the BBC’s Politics Live show the MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed said that a lengthy extension, would lead to disorder if “we are going to do absolutely nothing for another two years.”
5th Mar 2019 - iNews

Northern Labour voters back Brexit second referendum move by 75%

Northern Labour voters overwhelmingly back the party’s shift towards a new Brexit referendum, a fresh poll has found. More than 75% of people who voted Labour in 2017 and expressed a preference backed the move, according to a YouGov poll for the People’s Vote campaign. Some 35%, said the policy change to push for a new Brexit vote made them feel more favourably towards Labour, while 14% said it made them feel less so. The survey of 5,000 voters across the North, Yorkshire and Humber and the Midlands found that 76% would support staying in the EU, with 24% against. If it was a choice between Remain and backing Prime Minister Theresa May's Withdrawal Agreement, the split would be 81% to 19% in favour of staying in the EU, according to the survey.
5th Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

Drugs 'blockage' after no-deal Brexit could see shortages in IRELAND - EU members AT RISK

The European Union has warned it will impose the stricter regulations it applies to imports and exports from other ‘third countries’ if Britain leaves without a deal. But Mr Hancock said such a move would disrupt drug supplies to EU members, with the Republic of Ireland particularly at risk. Taking calls on an LBC phone in this morning, Mr Hancock said most medicines bound for Ireland pass through the UK on the way to their destination.
4th Mar 2019 - Express.co.uk

Brexit talks entering 'sensitive phase' - Taoiseach

With just 25 days to go before the UK is scheduled to leave the EU, Mr Varadkar has said that the talks between the UK and the EU on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement are entering a sensitive phase. Speaking earlier today, the Taoiseach said Ireland was happy to offer clarifications on the backstop, which is designed to avoid a hard border in Ireland, but repeated it could not be time-limited or have a unilateral exit clause.
4th Mar 2019 - RTE.ie

How a second Brexit referendum could be won — and lost

Second time around, voters might be more willing to tune in to the detail. But any version of Leave still has the edge in emotional resonance, while Remain feels remote and technocratic. Few people understand global supply chains, or non-tariff barriers, nor do they want to. And economic uncertainty plays both ways. There is a strong feeling of “just get it over with”. Thirty per cent of people identify with the idea that “the longer the stalemate over Brexit goes on, the more likely I am to support leaving the EU without a deal”, according to the pollsters Survation. Remainers who talk only about economics fail to connect with people whose vote was about culture and fairness.
4th Mar 2019 - Financial Times

Labour could order MPs to vote for Brexit second referendum says John McDonnell

Labour members would be ordered to vote in favour of a new Brexit referendum, John McDonnell has suggested. It could put the party in the unusual position of having to sack frontbenchers for both supporting and opposing the same policy within a few months of each other. "I just say this - and I think it'll be for MPs right the way across the House in all parties now - that they've got to look to the long-term interests of the country, they've got to protect people's jobs, they've got to protect the economy, otherwise we'll never be forgiven in the future."
3rd Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

Brexit, the NHS and the threat of dark money

Open Democracy's Adam Ramsay said: "There are huge amounts of the money that paid for the Brexit referendum, turns out to have come from powerful business lobby groups ... who seem to be very keen to take Britain away from the regulation of the EU and drag it towards the kind of unregulated space of America, so they can do things like privatise the NHS, so they can slash regulations, so they can keep Britain as the world's money laundry."
2nd Mar 2019 - AlJazeera

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 4th Mar 2019

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£1.6bn 'bribe' for poorer towns as May seeks Labour's backing for Brexit deal

Left-behind towns in England are to get a £1.6bn funding boost as part of a package of measures to win support for Theresa May’s Brexit deal among Labour MPs, who said the new cash would not buy their votes. Labour MPs including Lisa Nandy and Gareth Snell who have signalled they might back May’s deal criticised the approach and said the cash would do little to tackle the effects of austerity. The prime minister said the Stronger Towns Fund, much of it allocated over seven years to the north of England and the Midlands, would go to areas that had not “shared the proceeds of growth”.
3rd Mar 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: May accused of 'bribing' Labour MPs as new £1.6bn fund for deprived towns unveiled

3rd Mar 2019 - The Independent

Theresa May's £1.6bn 'shameless bung' for Labour towns to support to Brexit deal

Much of the cash will be distributed to Leave-voting Labour heartlands to give communities a boost after leaving the EU.
3rd Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox abandons time-limit and unilateral exit clause for Brexit backstop

The Attorney General has abandoned attempts to secure a hard time-limit or unilateral exit mechanism from the Irish backstop, The Telegraph has been told. Some Cabinet ministers are already resigned to the Prime Minister losing a second meaningful vote on her deal amid concerns that changes to the backstop secured by Mr Cox will not be sufficient to win round Brexiteers.
3rd Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit supporters give UK PM May three tests for EU deal

A group of Brexit-supporting lawmakers who rejected British Prime Minister Theresa May’s European Union exit deal in January have set out the changes they want to see to her agreement in return for their support. “The mechanism has got to be legally binding, so effectively treaty-level change,” one of the group, Conservative lawmaker Michael Tomlinson, said in an interview with the newspaper. “The second part is the language. It can’t be a reinterpretation of the withdrawal agreement or a re-emphasis; it’s got to be really clear language as to where we are going ... The third requirement is a clear exit route.”
3rd Mar 2019 - Reuters

'Star chamber' of Brexiteers: the Eurosceptic legal group that holds the PM's fate in their hands

The fate of Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement could be decided by a star chamber of Eurosceptic lawyers. The panel of eight lawyers - seven of whom are serving MPs - has been assembled to forensically examine any legal changes to the Brexit deal secured by Attorney General Geoffrey Cox. When the amended agreement is put to another meaningful vote on March 12, it is likely to hinge on whether the lawyers agree that what Cox has brought back from Brussels constitutes a legal change that will ensure the Northern Ireland backstop cannot endure indefinitely.
2nd Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Theresa May's Team Is Already Plotting A Third "Meaningful Vote"

Senior figures in Theresa May’s team privately fear she will lose the second "meaningful vote" on her Brexit deal and are gaming whether they can secure a majority at a third attempt. As Westminster waits to see if Attorney General Geoffrey Cox returns from Brussels next week with legally-binding changes to the Irish backstop – the insurance policy to prevent a hard border – allies of the prime minister conceded to BuzzFeed News that whatever he comes back with may not be enough to win the second vote on the deal.
2nd Mar 2019 - BuzzFeed News

Brexit: Boost for Corbyn as Labour voters in party's heartlands back Final Say referendum

Jeremy Corbyn’s decision to support a fresh Brexit referendum enjoys the overwhelming backing of Labour voters in Leave-voting areas, new research has found. Only 21 per cent of those in the north and the midlands who voted Labour at the last election said they opposed the dramatic policy shift – a figure dwarfed by the 66 per cent in favour. In a further boost for Mr Corbyn, 35 per cent said it made them feel more favourable towards Labour, compared with just 14 per cent who said it made them feel less positive
3rd Mar 2019 - The Independent

Now Tory Brexiteers plan a 'hop, skip and jump' exit from EU on March 29

Tory Brexiteers are prepared to settle for what they call a “hop, skip and jump” Brexit – paving the way for a deal as early as this week so Britain leaves the EU on time. The HOP is to reluctantly accept Theresa May ’s new deal with Brussels.The SKIP is the transition to get a free trade deal in place while we are effectively still in the EU. And the JUMP is to finally cut all EU ties by December 2022 at the latest. Tory Brexiteer Nigel Evans said: “Hop, skip and jump is not the clean break we all campaigned for. But now is the time for compromise to break the logjam.” Fellow Brexiteer and ex-Minister John Whittingdale added: “I want to leave on March 29. We have to compromise.”
2nd Mar 2019 - Daily Mirror

Cabinet ministers 'expect Theresa May to quit in November'

Several of Theresa May's Cabinet colleagues believe she will have stepped down as Prime Minister by the end of the year, it has emerged.
2nd Mar 2019 - Politics Home

The active pursuit of a delay to Brexit, with no purpose beyond frustration, is a betrayal of referendum result

Both ministers make the case that moving to an Article 50 extension without some strong purposes is futile, particularly if it is just to thwart the result of the 2016 referendum
2nd Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

Brexit delay now unavoidable, says EU, as Andrea Leadsom and Jeremy Hunt warn of attempt to frustrate departure

Delay to Brexit is now unavoidable, even if MPs sign off a deal next week, the European Commission has suggested. In an interview with a Spanish newspaper, Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator, indicated that a "technical" extension would be needed to implement a deal. His deputy, Sabine Weyand, later "liked" a tweet summarising his comments, in English, as "extension now inavoidable [sic] - will be granted". Mr Barnier's comments confirm the private view of a significant number of the Cabinet that a limited delay is now inevitable
2nd Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

No self-respecting country would accept this deal. MPs must vote it down

Hardline Brexiteer Daniel Hannan calls on Eurosceptics to vote down Theresa May's Brexit deal
2nd Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

The outcome of Brexit now depends on Geoffrey Cox, Arlene Foster and Nigel Dodds

I don’t see how Cox could come up with a form of words on the Irish border that would bridge the gap between the EU27 and the DUP. But, and I have no inside information on this, it would be astonishing if the DUP were not also engaged in negotiations with the prime minister over the next stage of their supply and confidence agreement. The two-year commitment to extra public spending in Northern Ireland, which was signed after the 2017 election, expires in the summer.
2nd Mar 2019 - The Independent

We promised the voters we would leave - if that means backing Theresa May's Brexit deal for now, so be it

Here we are at last, faced with the two ghastly choices: a bad deal or No Brexit. Theresa May’s terrible Withdrawal Agreement looms out of the miasma of confusion and incoherence as the only possible way of avoiding the trap laid long, long ago by the invincibly arrogant Remain forces.
2nd Mar 2019 - The Telegraph

MPs have 10 days to pass Theresa May’s Brexit deal or face a weaker Brexit negotiating position with the EU

If Mrs May’s deal hasn’t won a Commons vote by March 12, the Commons will vote on whether to proceed with No Deal. The Parliamentary arithmetic is such that No Deal will be defeated.
2nd Mar 2019 - The Sun

Theresa May has been forced to move on Brexit — now MPs must keep pushing

A refreshing gust of honesty and candour has blown into a decrepit process of post-truth, delusion and deception. The door is ajar to new and liberating options. But it must now be forced fully open. Posterity will not smile on MPs if they surrender this final opportunity to do the right thing.
1st Mar 2019 - Evening Standard

The Guardian view on delaying Brexit: time to take part in the EU elections

Theresa May envisages only a short delay. But any extension of article 50 raises big issues that would take many months to sort out. So the UK should take part in the European Elections to facilitate a longer extension period
1st Mar 2019 - The Guardian

The Tories have a historic opportunity to destroy Labour once and for all

Not since Lord North was prime minister in the 18th century has Britain been governed so appallingly, and yet the Tories could paradoxically still end up crushing Labour and winning the next election with a massive majority. As Friedrich Nietzsche put it in Beyond Good and Evil, “In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.”
27th Feb 2019 - The Telegraph

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 1st Mar 2019

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Huge obstacles remain to a second Brexit referendum

Advocates of a second referendum have a new plan: to push for a “ratification referendum”, meaning a public vote after Theresa May’s deal goes through. This would still require lots of Labour MPs to support a Tory Brexit, something the party seems set against. Some believe that the threat of a delay to Brexit also means it is more likely that Brexiteers vote for Mrs May’s deal. However, huge obstacles remain to a second vote. Ultimately it is very hard to push through a referendum unless the government agrees. Some MPs backing a second referendum hope that the binding nature of the forthcoming vote could make it impossible for the government to ignore. However, it requires parliamentary time and government money to set up, as well as an extension to Article 50.
28th Feb 2019 - The Times

Brexit: Cox has Theresa May's fate in his hands

The man who is arguably the most powerful force in the land at the moment was a stranger to many in Westminster until last summer. Geoffrey Cox, a more familiar face at the Bar until his appointment as attorney general in July, now holds the fate of Theresa May in his hands. There are signs that Brexiteer Tories and the DUP may be able to accept the key change Cox is seeking: a legally binding time limit to the Northern Ireland backstop. The backstop is designed to avoid a hard border by tying Northern Ireland closely to the rules of the EU if the UK and Brussels fail to negotiate a future relationship by the end of a planned transition period.
28th Feb 2019 - BBC

Breakthrough for May - after Rees-Mogg, now DUP say they could back her deal

The DUP’s Westminster spokesman Sammy Wilson admitted they could back the Prime Minister’s deal if the EU agreed a time limit to the Northern Ireland backstop. Mr Wilson said: “We have 21 months before the implementation period would be finished anyway. We believe there are possibilities to have the monitoring of trade across the border solved in that time. “That’s the kind of time limit we would be looking for.” It comes after Jacob Rees-Mogg, who chairs the powerful European Research Group (ERG) of pro-Brexit Tory MPs, softened his stance for legal guarantees limiting the Northern Ireland backstop. Mr Rees-Mogg suggested he could support Mrs May’s deal if binding legal assurances were added to an appendix to the Withdrawal Agreement, rather than put in the treaty itself.
28th Feb 2019 - Express.co.uk

Why the PM can dare to dream that her Brexit deal will pass

Can the prime minister dare to dream that her Brexit deal will pass - perhaps as soon as next week? It is striking how Brexiters from the ERG group are lining up to tell me how reasonable they are trying to be. After well over a hundred Tory MPs failed to vote for Yvette Cooper's amendment on Wednesday evening, which simply captured the PM's u-turn pledge to allow MPs to delay Brexit, one senior Tory texted me to insist this was "more cock up than conspiracy".
28th Feb 2019 - ITV News

SET THE DAY, MAY Brexiteer Tories tell Theresa May they will back her deal if she lays out timetable to quit Downing Street this year

Brexiteer Tory MPs have told Theresa May they can deliver a majority for her EU deal if she lays out a timetable to leave No10 this year. The Sun has been told that “dozens” of sceptical backbenchers are now ready to hold their noses and vote for the PM’s revised divorce agreement, even if she can only win small tweaks to it, so long as she names the day she'll go
28th Feb 2019 - The Sun

March on Westminster: Farage to lead HUGE Brexit protest march from Sunderland to London

The nationwide event will see marches begin in North East England on March 16 and culminate with a mass rally in London on March 29 - the day Theresa May had pledged Britain would quit the EU. Organised by pro-Brexit pressure group Leave Means Leave, the protest aims to “show the level of popular dissatisfaction” with how the divorce from Brussels is being handled. Brexiteer Nigel Farage, who serves as an MEP for South East England, said: “The Westminster elite are in the process of betraying the British people over Brexit.
1st Mar 2019 - Express.co.uk

Can Brexit be stopped? How leaving EU could be delayed or cancelled - in theory

Less than a month before we leave the EU, there's a question on a lot of people's lips - can Brexit be stopped? The short answer is yes. It takes only a crucial few decisions to un-chisel the March 29 exit date in stone. But the long answer is it's complicated - the Daily Mirror explains the options
28th Feb 2019 - Daily Mirror

Theresa May’s biggest Brexit u-turns

The UK staying in the customs union – could have been avoided if she’s made concessions elsewhere. She could have accepted Brussels’ offer to allow Northern Ireland to stay part of the EU customs union if no agreement was reached. Mrs May dismissed this option as “unacceptable” because, in her view, it would amount to breaking up the UK. No doubt the staunch opposition from her parliamentary lifeline, the DUP, also weighed on her mind as she considered that proposal.
28th Feb 2019 - Channel 4 News

Any extension of article 50 must be a one-off, Brussels to insist

Brussels is to insist that any Brexit delay is a one-off, according to senior EU diplomats, setting the stage for Theresa May to present MPs with the choice of her deal or a chaotic no-deal exit this summer. The prime minister has suggested that she will seek a two-month extension if MPs vote down her deal again in mid-March to allow further time for negotiations. But EU27 heads of state and government are said by senior sources to hate the idea of the UK then asking for a further delay when the initial extension proves to be insufficient for renegotiations. Key member states are understood to be planning to put pressure on the European council president, Donald Tusk, to rule out a second extension in writing. “Some member states will insist on that being on paper,” said one diplomat.
28th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

The EU’s options for extending Brexit

For Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council of EU states, delaying Brexit is the “rational” choice for the UK. Given UK prime minister Theresa May’s difficulties in Westminster, European officials almost universally concur that Britain needs to postpone its March 29 exit date from the EU. But beyond that there is little EU consensus. Senior diplomats are discussing delays ranging from two to 21 months. Some offici als have even questioned whether a deadline need be set at all. The final word will come from EU leaders, who must unanimously agree to any UK request to extend the formal Article 50 divorce process. Their minds are far from made up.
27th Feb 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit: Why Remain would win second referendum – Kenny MacAskill

Theresa May’s unpopularity and the difference between the emerging reality of Brexit and the Leave campaign’s rhetoric would help Remain triumph in a second vote, writes Kenny MacAskill. Theresa May continues to play with fire, running the clock down trying to deliver her Brexit deal. Meanwhile Jeremy Corbyn still vacillates but at least has been progressed to supporting a second referendum. Whether it’ll come about still isn’t clear but it’ll only happen if MPs hold their nerve and exert their authority. But, another vote is looking like the only way out of the morass and, what’s more, Remain will win. It’s not just that leading pollsters have been saying that Remain has had a narrow lead in the polls for a while now but, more importantly, the wider circumstances in which it would be held.
28th Feb 2019 - The Scotsman

Brexit: Republic to recruit 600 new customs staff

The Irish minister for finance has told the Dáil there will be 400 extra customs staff recruited before the end of the March. The hiring of some 200 more would follow soon after, minister Paschal Donohoe told the Irish parliament. These workers will be required to deal with a new customs systems resulting from Brexit. The minister insisted that the new staff will not be placed at or near the border with Northern Ireland.
28th Feb 2019 - BBC

ANALYSIS: Brexit set to dominate at the Newport West by-election following death of Paul Flynn

Labour and the Conservatives gearing up for a fresh clash over Brexit in Wales. The two parties will duke it out in the Newport West by-election, set for 4 April - just days after the UK is due to leave the EU. The seat was vacated by Labour veteran Paul Flynn after he died aged 84 last month. The seat has been held by Labour since 1987, when Flynn snatched it from Conservative Mark Robinson, who served as a junior minister under Margaret Thatcher. The majorities secured by Flynn in the eight elections he fought ranged from 2,708 in his first victory and 14,357 in the Blair surge of 1997. His majority at the 2017 snap election was 5,658 - so not a wildly safe bet when the political climate is so volatile.
28th Feb 2019 - Politics Home

Labour moving towards plan to let May's Brexit deal pass if it faces public vote

Amendment proposed by backbenchers would see party abstain on PM’s deal in return for second referendum. Those involved in talks said the Labour leadership was in favour of a redrafted amendment proposed by backbenchers Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson, which would see the party abstain on the Brexit deal if a second referendum were promised on those terms. Labour is moving towards a compromise plan that would allow Theresa May’s Brexit deal to pass but make clear that parliament “withholds support” until it has been put to a public vote, according to multiple party sources. Kyle said he was now confident the Labour leadership would back his rewritten amendment, along with a number of Conservative MPs, meaning there was an increasing prospect it would succeed. “I have every reason to believe
28th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Labour must make a principled case for free movement

Undermining existing rights to free movement undermines the rights of the whole working class. Labour must offer a vision of an open, democratic, egalitarian Britain.
28th Feb 2019 - New Statesman

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 28th Feb 2019

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The smart money is on the Brexit can being kicked down the road again

After a tumultuous three days where decisions were forced by threats of resignation and the realities of splits and defection, Westminster faces a different set of Brexit choices - there are now plausible routes to delay, and a new referendum, but also the increased credibility of both those outcomes could yet motivate rebellious Tory Brexiters to cash in their chips and accept the PM's deal.
28th Feb 2019 - Sky News

Another Sign of Hope for Her Deal

The hardline Conservative Brexit backers, whose support May needs to get her deal ratified in Parliament, appear to be softening after May’s tactical gamble to take a no-deal Brexit off the table and replace it with the option of postponing the exit day. The prospect of a delay or, worse, the divorce that euroskeptics have spent their careers fighting for being reversed, may be focusing minds.
27th Feb 2019 - Bloomberg

The Prime Minister must use Brexit deal to give Britain a new start… then she May go

Henry Newman of the Open Europe 'Think Tank' argues that jitters over Brexit happening are understandable and that Brexiteers need to stand firm to see Brexit goes over the line and then Theresa May steps down
28th Feb 2019 - The Sun

Rees-Mogg Won’t Insist on Dropping Irish Backstop, Report Says

Pro-Brexit lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg is no longer insisting that the “Irish backstop” be dropped as a condition for supporting Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal, he told the Financial Times in an interview. In a sign that he’s softening opposition to the plan, Rees-Mogg -- the leader of the pro-Brexit European Research Group of Conservative Party lawmakers -- said he would consider other legal fixes to ensure the so-called backstop didn’t become permanent, the paper reported. That could be in the form of an appendix to the text, he said. “I think you can add an appendix without reopening the text,” Rees-Mogg said, according to the Financial Times. “You’d be adding something on at the end, but it’s still part of the text.”
27th Feb 2019 - Bloomberg

Jacob Rees-Mogg softens position on Theresa May’s Brexit deal

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the head of the leading Eurosceptic faction of Conservative MPs, has softened his opposition to Theresa May’s Brexit deal, amid rising hopes in Downing Street that the prime minister might win approval for a revised agreement next month. Mr Rees-Mogg told the Financial Times that he was no longer insisting that the contentious “Irish backstop” be scrapped as a condition for his support for Mrs May’s deal and was prepared to consider other legal fixes to ensure it did not become permanent.
27th Feb 2019 - Financial Times

Labour will win more votes than it loses by backing another referendum

John Mann, the pro-Brexit Labour MP, says the party will lose support if it pursues the policy announced by Jeremy Corbyn, and ends up enabling a public vote ...
27th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Labour to push for Commons vote on second Brexit referendum – John McDonnell

Labour will push for a vote on calling a second referendum as soon as Theresa May brings her Brexit deal back to the Commons. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Labour would take the first opportunity to test whether MPs will back a public vote.
28th Feb 2019 - Belfast Telegraph

May and Corbyn have failed us on Brexit again. MPs must back a people’s vote

Take the prime minister first. She triggered article 50 without any clue as to what kind of Brexit could command the confidence of parliament or her party, and she did so without having any conversation with MPs or the country. Instead, the referendum result was taken as an instruction to deliver a hard Brexit, with the UK leaving the single market and the customs union.
27th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

@the3million @AlbertoCostaMP looking very happy after the #CostaAmendment has been adopted as Govt policy.

@AlbertoCostaMP looking very happy after the #CostaAmendment has been adopted as Govt policy. We are now one step closer to truly protect #citizensrights of EU citizens in the UK & @BritishInEurope even in case of no-deal Brexit.
27th Feb 2019 - @the3million

Brexit Vote: Here are the key amendments and what they mean for Theresa May

MPs are to have another chance to vote on Theresa May’s ongoing Brexit negotiations and strategy and propose their own suggestions. On Wednesday evening the Prime Minister will table another so-called “neutral motion” after updating the house on her Brexit talks the previous day. This will give members the chance to table their own amendments, which can be voted on, providing the Government with an indication to the Commons’ intentions over Brexit.
27th Feb 2019 - iNews.co.uk

EXPLAINED: All the Brexit amendments MPs are voting on tonight

Here we go again… MPs will vote tonight on a string of non-binding Brexit tweaks and alternatives, as Theresa May tables another ‘neutral’ motion on her deal to leave the EU. PoliticsHome gives you the lowdown on every single one.
27th Feb 2019 - Politics Home

The band of 11 who broke Corbyn and May on Brexit

For Mr Corbyn this was to announce his support for a second referendum if he cannot get the Brexit deal he wants. The risk of the People's Vote band in parliament following Chuka Umunna et al out of the door was simply too great. In reality, a plan to hold another referendum probably won't get through parliament, so this is a promise Mr Corbyn might never have to actually keep. But that he was forced into making the pledge for fear of a split is ample proof that this was the week traditional command-and-control party politics was turned on its head.
27th Feb 2019 - Sky News

Sir Keir Starmer says second EU referendum should include Remain but not no-deal

Labour's Sir Keir Starmer has told Sky News a second EU referendum should be a "basic choice" between a "credible Leave option and Remain" - but voters should not have the option of a no-deal Brexit. Labour have announced their support for a fresh public vote on Brexit to prevent a "damaging Tory Brexit being forced on the country"
27th Feb 2019 - Sky News

Brexit has already ravaged the northeast. Of course we’ll support Labour in backing a Final Say

Inevitably, focus will now be on parliamentary arithmetic, and how many Labour rebels will needed to be offset by Conservative MPs supporting a people’s vote to gain a majority in the House of Commons. The reality is that if a significant number of Labour MPs – such as John Mann and Caroline Flint – vote against a people’s vote, it is unlikely to happen. To do so, based on the misconception (propagated not just by a small group of MPs, but unelected advisors to the leader’s office) that northern and Midlands voters – specifically in Labour heartlands – are a homogenous group of die-hard Brexit voters, would be simply criminal.
27th Feb 2019 - The Independent

Jeremy Corbyn's referendum pledge is a fragile fix for a splintering Labour party

27th Feb 2019 - The Independent

@ITVPeston Oliver Letwin says to find a Brexit solution there should be a succession of votes to identify where the consensus lies in Parliament.

Oliver Letwin says to find a Brexit solution there should be a succession of votes to identify where the consensus lies in Parliament.
27th Feb 2019 - @ITVPeston

Brexit news latest: Brussels ‘will insist on delay of up to two years if UK fails to agree deal’

Senior ministers believe that the European Union will insist on a Brexit delay of up to two years if Britain fails to agree a deal in the next few weeks. Several sources have told the Standard they do not think the sort of “short, limited extension” of Article 50 suggested by Theresa May in the Commons yesterday would be permitted by Brussels. Ministers closely involved in Brexit preparations believe the EU would probably demand an extension until December 2020, effectively replacing the planned transition period with continued EU membership.
27th Feb 2019 - Evening Standard

Carlyle co-founder says new vote only way out of Brexit impasse

US billionaire David Rubenstein has said a second referendum on whether the UK should leave the EU is “the only solution” that could break Britain’s stalemate over Brexit. Speaking at a private equity conference in Berlin, Mr Rubenstein, who co-founded US buyout fund Carlyle in the 1980s, added that Brexit was hurting UK growth but that considerable “political will” would be needed for the country to hold a new EU referendum.
27th Feb 2019 - Financial Times

Why Centrist Dads will stop Brexit

What most accurately characterises Centrist Dads is a rejection of dogmatic certainty – along with an at times annoyingly compulsive habit to tell younger people that they may think that way now but they’ll see things differently when they get to his/her age. As their favourite joke goes: A Centrist Dad takes his children to feed the ducks, a Conservative Dad takes his children duck shooting, a Socialist Dad takes his children to a Solidarity With Ducks rally. When Centrist Dad pin-up figure Tony Blair called the Independent Group a “fightback in an era of crisis and extremism” it was the perfect application of the soothing moderate analgesic centrist Dads like to bathe in.
27th Feb 2019 - The Irish Times

Public backs Brexit extension — but only if it’s short

U.K. voters support a delay to Brexit, but only if it lasts no longer than three months, according to an exclusive POLITICO-Hanbury poll published ahead of a crucial showdown in the British parliament over the next steps in the Brexit process. While voters remain skeptical about the intention behind any delay, overall they support pushing back Brexit day (with 47 percent in favor to 26 percent opposed) if it is needed to continue the exit negotiations or to ratify the deal. But support for an extension lasting any longer than three months drops dramatically, according to the survey of 2,006 adults.
27th Feb 2019 - Politico

A second Brexit referendum is now essential

Theresa May’s aim is to convert fear of a no-deal Brexit into acceptance of her bad deal, which would leave the UK at the EU’s mercy. In the end, the rhetoric about “taking back control” has come down to a choice between suicide and vassalage. This march of folly needs to be stopped, for the UK’s sake and Europe’s. The only politically acceptable way to do this is via another referendum. That is risky. But it would be better than sure disaster.
26th Feb 2019 - Financial Times

Theresa May backs down to buy herself more time on Brexit

Mrs May now appears more like a driver who has lost control of the stagecoach. More important, the horses are pulling in two different directions. Her MPs, her ministers, her cabinet and even her close Downing Street advisers are divided. The prime minister’s only focus is keeping them from pulling the entire contraption apart. From the moment she lost the support of Brexit hardliners in her own party, Mrs May’s entire strategy has been to play for time until she can scare MPs into voting for her withdrawal agreement. Unfortunately the cliff edge is too close and she has, quite simply, lost the trust of even her allies in cabinet.
26th Feb 2019 - Financial Times

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 27th Feb 2019

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Theresa May offers MPs vote on no deal Brexit and chance to extend exit date beyond March 29

Prime Minister Theresa May has promised to give MPs a vote on extending Brexit negotiations or withdrawing from the EU without a deal if her plan is rejected next month. In a dramatic statement to the House of Commons, Mrs May confirmed that she will put her Withdrawal Agreement - including whatever additional assurances she has secured from Brussels - to a "meaningful vote" by March 12. If that fails, MPs will be offered two separate votes the following day - one on a no-deal Brexit, and the other on requesting an extension to the two-year Article 50 negotiation process to delay EU withdrawal beyond March 29. The sequence of votes will be proposed in an amendable motion tabled by the Prime Minister for debate and vote in the Commons on Wednesday.
26th Feb 2019 - The News Letter

Theresa May buys herself yet more time on Brexit with promise to MPs

26th Feb 2019 - Sky News

Theresa May pledges vote on Brexit delay if MPs reject no-deal amid uproar in the Commons

26th Feb 2019 - Belfast Telegraph

Theresa May offers MPs Brexit delay vote

26th Feb 2019 - BBC

May's Article 50 extension is a trick to take us to the real cliff edge

Ian Dunt nails Prime Minister Theresa May's obfuscation and intentional half-truths in an excellent article about how she is doing 'just enough' to keep moving the nation closer to her Brexit. She conceded 'some' of the ground proposed in the Cooper-Letwin amendment to delay leaving the EU but not enough to bind her hands legally. She tacitly admitted that if we extended it would only be to the eve of the European Elections and she baulked at the UK participating in them. With a legislative mountain of work still to do, even two months more would not be enough. May has in fact signalled there are two cliff edge Brexits not one and the second one is the eve of the EU elections in May
26th Feb 2019 - Politics

Brexit: Labour WILL back second EU referendum to avoid No Deal announces Corbyn

Labour has announced plans for the party to vote "in favour of" a second EU referendum. In a bombshell development 32 days before Brexit, the party said it will "put forward or support" an amendment "in favour" of a so-called People's Vote. It is still unclear exactly what form the party's backing for a second referendum would take and what conditions could be put on it. A prominent Labour MP said it will only happen next month, when MPs vote on Theresa May's final Brexit deal. But it's being seen as a major step forward by Remainers in the party after months of lobbying the leadership - which previously only had a public vote as an "option on the table".
26th Feb 2019 - Daily Mirror

If we’re heading for a hard Brexit, then we’re heading for a united Ireland

If an alternative arrangement that worked actually existed (or was likely to exist in the next couple of years) Brexiteers would have already accepted the backstop, knowing they could easily replace it with their idea during the transition. The fact that they won’t bet on themselves tells you all you need to know about what they have in the locker.
26th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

EU told to help UK launch second Brexit referendum for ‘second chance’ to stop exit

Jean Asselborn, who served as deputy prime minister of Luxembourg under Mr Juncker, said the EU should allow Britain to nominate members of the European Parliament for a short period. Mr Asselborn, now Luxembourg’s foreign minister, said the move would allow the UK to participate in May’s elections but would not tie British MEPs to Brussels. The 69-year-old told Reuters any second referendum was likely to push the timetable back by six months or more. Mr Asselborn explained the European Parliament elections in May were a problem but did not need to be a stumbling block.
26th Feb 2019 - Express.co.uk

May's Brexit Deal Hinges on Just One Man

Whether another vote comes to pass, or Brexit is delayed, now depends very much on if the prime minister can convince lawmakers in her own party to back her deal. It is one of the more curious twists of the Brexit drama that this job – and thus the fate of Theresa May and her divorce deal – falls to a lawyer few had heard of a year ago. There is a simple reason for that: Geoffrey Cox may be the only official left who critics of the prime minister’s deal feel they can trust. It was the attorney general’s damning November legal advice, which the government was forced to publish, that largely motivated parliament to reject her deal in January. May is now hoping Cox will change his opinion and help her win over enough votes to pass the settlement agreement next month. Failing that, the fate of Brexit looks to be truly out of her hands.
26th Feb 2019 - Bloomberg

Brexit polls: top UK pollster John Curtice says Remain has a ‘consistent’ 53-47 lead, but it’s based on non-voters showing up

One of Britain’s top polling experts has said his model shows voters’ desire to remain in the EU is currently commanding a “narrow but consistent” majority, but warned this depends on non-voters who back Remain turning up to vote in any future referendum. Sir John Curtice, Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde, told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme on Tuesday that Remain is polling ahead of Leave, as he discussed the Labour Party’s decision to endorse a second referendum between Theresa May’s Brexit deal and staying in the EU.
26th Feb 2019 - iNews

What does Labour’s policy change on a new Brexit referendum actually mean?

An emailed news release to journalists said he would tell them the party will “put forward or support an amendment in favour of a public vote to prevent a damaging Tory Brexit”. It is not yet clear when he will “put forward” such an amendment, or when there would be a suitable amendment for him to “support”.
26th Feb 2019 - The Independent

Jeremy Corbyn warned Labour may lose heartlands with fresh Brexit vote

The Labour leader dropped a welcome bombshell with news tonight that he would throw his weight behind a second referendum - but there are fears he may damage electoral chances in key Leave-voting marginals. Jeremy Corbyn last night vowed Labour would do everything it could to stop ­Britain crashing out of the EU with a no-deal he warned would be disastrous for the country. And the Labour leader finally backed a plan for a second referendum, despite fears it could cost him vital votes.
26th Feb 2019 - Daily Mirror

Independent Group table second referendum amendment to 'break Brexit gridlock'

MPs from the newly-formed Independent Group have tabled a amendment seeking to pave the way for a second Brexit referendum. The move comes after Labour's announcement the party would back attempts in the Commons for a fresh public vote, if it fails to force MPs to adopt its own Brexit plans in a series of votes on Wednesday evening in the chamber. The fresh bid has the support of MPs in the Scottish National Party, the Liberal Democrats, and Plaid Cymru - increasing the chances of it being selected by the Commons Speaker on Wednesday morning.
26th Feb 2019 - The Independent

Brexit: If not 29 March, then when?

Theresa May has bowed to pressure from a group of Tory MPs and ministers and agreed to give Parliament a vote on delaying the UK's departure from the EU on 29 March. This will take place only if MPs reject her Brexit deal for a second time and then also say no to the UK leaving the EU without a comprehensive, legally binding agreement - the so-called no-deal scenario. With just 31 days to go, Parliament has yet to approve the terms of withdrawal negotiated with the EU.
26th Feb 2019 - BBC

Tory Brexiteers cry 'plot' and 'betrayal' after Theresa May U-turns on delaying Brexit

Theresa May’s “screeching U-turn” on giving MPs the chance to delay Exit Day has been branded a betrayal by Tory Brexiteers, who suspect it is part of a plot to stop Brexit. The backlash to Mrs May’s dramatic move came as a UK Government analysis on a no-deal scenario warned Britons were largely not prepared for such an outcome, which would result in higher food prices, delays at Dover lasting months and an extra £13 billion hit in costs to businesses.
26th Feb 2019 - Herald Scotland

Labour finally backing the People’s Vote is a victory, but the battle is far from over

Labour appears to have finally backed a People’s Vote – but now is not the time to get complacent. Now is the time to continue the work organisations Our Future Our Choice (OFOC), For Our Future’s Sake (FFS) and the young people of this country have done so far.
26th Feb 2019 - Metro.co.uk

EU Considers 21-Month Delay If May Can't Get Brexit Done

In just over a month, the U.K. is meant to be departing the union it’s belonged to for 40 years but the outlook has never looked more uncertain. May’s hands are increasingly tied by an unpopular divorce deal she sealed with the EU but that Parliament has rejected by a landslide. Brexit has proved to be such a divisive issue that both mainstream parties have suffered defections, businesses are panicking, and voters are exasperated. Delaying Brexit has the potential to split May’s Cabinet and her ruling party, triggering a rebellion from Brexit-supporting Tories who might even try to bring down her government.
25th Feb 2019 - Bloomberg

Government planning to pay billions to Brussels – even in event of no-deal Brexit

The Government is making plans to pay billions of euros to Brussels to settle large parts of the £39bn Brexit divorce bill even in the event of a ‘no deal’, the Telegraph can reveal. Ministers signed off the in-principle decision on Monday at a meeting of the Brexit ‘no deal’ preparedness cabinet committee, according to senior Whitehall sources. Under a plan agreed on Monday, the Government will table an executive order, or Statutory Instrument, in the final days of the Brexit negotiations to create the legal foundations for future payments to Brussels. This flies in the face of hardline Brexiteers hopes that No Deal would mean the UK simply walking away.
25th Feb 2019 - The Telegraph

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 26th Feb 2019

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Theresa May to propose to Cabinet today that she formally rules out No-Deal Brexit

Theresa May will today propose to Cabinet that she formally rules out a No Deal Brexit on March 29, opening the door to a delay. The decision will mean putting off Britain’s EU exit by weeks or months if MPs still haven’t passed a new divorce agreement in two weeks time. Mrs May's highly controversial move will infuriate hardline Tory Leavers. But allies of the PM say she has come to the difficult conclusion that the personal U-turn is the only way to avoid a “catastrophic” defeat by a Remain ministers’ rebellion. In a bid to calm Brexiteers’ fury, Mrs May still wants to keep the option of No Deal alive for later in the year as negotiating pressure on Brussels.
26th Feb 2019 - The Sun

Brexit could be delayed by 2 years as Theresa May again postpones vote on her deal

The EU is reportedly considering delaying Brexit by up to 2 years. The proposal comes after May once again delayed a parliamentary vote on her deal. MPs will now not get to vote on it until March 12, just days before Britain is due to crash out of the EU. Senior ministers in May's government are threatening to resign if she does not rule out a No Deal Brexit
25th Feb 2019 - Business Insider

Theresa May 'considering two-month Brexit delay' to stave off Article 50 rebellion

According to the Telegraph, Downing Street officials this weekend circulated a proposal to ask Brussels for an extension to Article 50. The report comes just hours after Mrs May confirmed that the second meaningful vote on her Brexit deal will not take place until 12 March - teeing up the prospect of a fresh clash with her Cabinet.
25th Feb 2019 - Politics Home

Labour backs second referendum: Is this really happening?

Advocates for a second referendum should not get over-excited just yet. There are still massive obstacles to securing it, let alone winning it. Labour support does not create a parliamentary majority. A chunk of Labour MPs - probably around 50 of them - would vote against any amendment on a People's Vote, regardless of whether the leadership backed it or not. This approach also involves backing for May's deal, albeit with a rather massive snarling caveat, which may make many opposition MPs queasy. That could worsen the numerical problem. And there are only about a dozen Tory MPs who are prepared to support such an idea right now. That means a lot of minds need changing to secure a Commons majority
25th Feb 2019 - Politics.co.uk

Labour prepared to back new Brexit referendum

Labour has said it is prepared to back another EU referendum to prevent a "damaging Tory Brexit". Jeremy Corbyn has told Labour MPs the party will move to back another vote if their own proposed Brexit deal is rejected on Wednesday. Labour's Emily Thornberry said if the parliamentary process ended with a choice of no deal or the PM's deal, the public should decide. Theresa May is under growing pressure to delay the 29 March Brexit date. Labour are not yet making clear what their proposed referendum would be on.
25th Feb 2019 - BBC

Jeremy Corbyn backs second referendum to prevent 'a damaging Tory Brexit being forced on country'

25th Feb 2019 - The Telegraph

Labour announces backing for a second Brexit referendum

25th Feb 2019 - Sky News

David Mundell won't oppose no-deal Brexit because it's 'easy win' for SNP

Scottish secretary David Mundell has been described as a “ghost of a minister” after walking away from a rebel cabinet group demanding no-deal Brexit be ruled out, because he didn’t want to give the SNP an “easy win”. Mundell accused the SNP of "actively pursuing a no deal Brexit in the belief that the chaos and confusion it would cause would increase support for Scotland leaving the UK.” "I would urge you to work in Scotland's interests, not your party's," he added.
25th Feb 2019 - The National

@JeremyCorbyn After meetings in Brussels and Madrid, it’s clear that Labour's alternative plan for Brexit is credible and could be negotiated with the EU.

After meetings in Brussels and Madrid, it’s clear that Labour's alternative plan for Brexit is credible and could be negotiated with the EU.
25th Feb 2019 - @JeremyCorbyn

@BBCPolitics Theresa May once again rejects the idea of delaying #Brexit, saying "any extension of Article 50 isn't addressing the issues"

Theresa May once again rejects the idea of delaying #Brexit, saying "any extension of Article 50 isn't addressing the issues"
25th Feb 2019 - @BBCPolitics

A divided Labour could hand the Tories another 12 years of power

In September 2016, the Labour party reached a turning point but then failed to turn. The re-election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader with an increased majority, despite the opposition of two thirds of his own MPs, seemed to make a split inevitable. But it wasn’t until this week that Labour MPs found the nerve to leave the party and begin to form a new one: the Independent Group.
25th Feb 2019 - The Spectator

If Labour aids a Tory Brexit it will be destroyed by what follows

The threat that Brexit poses to the British left is aptly summed up by an essay published 40 years ago. In The Great Moving Right Show, the late Stuart Hall laid out the scale of the challenge he believed the left faced from Thatcher – months before she even moved into No 10, years before she began her scorched-earth economics. But Hall saw it all coming: the populism of Thatcher, the way she would target schools and policing. And he saw how Thatcherism would win mass support: “Its success and effectivity does not lie in its capacity to dupe unsuspecting folk but in the way it addresses real problems, real and lived experiences, real contradictions – and yet is able to represent them within a logic of discourse which pulls them systematically into line with policies and class strategies of the right.”
25th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Sparks fly at Parliamentary Labour Party meeting on second referendum

The announcement that Labour will support an amendment calling for a second referendum if its own amendment to change the government’s negotiating position fails this week has proved divisive. While many MPs in the room welcomed the decision, even those who have campaigned for a second referendum were left frustrated. According to Owen Smith, Corbyn was asked 23 times if in a future referendum he would want Remain to be an option on the ballot paper. Corbyn declined to answer.
25th Feb 2019 - The Spectator

Theresa May signals she will defy calls to quit within months over Brexit

Theresa May has signalled she will defy calls to quit and let someone else negotiate the second stage of Brexit. The Prime Minister has faced demands to walk away once the UK has formally left the EU, allowing another figure to seize the No 10 keys and thrash out the terms of Britain's future relationship with Brussels. But she is desperate not to be remembered as “the Brexit PM” and wants to forge a domestic legacy. She told the Tories' backbench 1992 Committee in December that she would not fight the 2022 general election. But she has refused to outline a timetable for her departure.
24th Feb 2019 - Daily Mirror

Theresa May signals she is keen to stay after Brexit 'to deliver domestic agenda'

25th Feb 2019 - Sky News

EU Considers 21-Month Delay If May Can't Get Brexit Done

In just over a month, the U.K. is meant to be departing the union it’s belonged to for 40 years but the outlook has never looked more uncertain. May’s hands are increasingly tied by an unpopular divorce deal she sealed with the EU but that Parliament has rejected by a landslide. Brexit has proved to be such a divisive issue that both mainstream parties have suffered defections, businesses are panicking, and voters are exasperated. Delaying Brexit has the potential to split May’s Cabinet and her ruling party, triggering a rebellion from Brexit-supporting Tories who might even try to bring down her government.
25th Feb 2019 - Bloomberg

Rebel demands - Tory trio want PM to spell out timetable delaying Brexit if there’s No EU deal by mid-March

Remain Cabinet ministers will demand Theresa May this week spells out a timetable to delay Brexit if there is no EU deal by mid-March as their price not to rebel. A public declaration by Amber Rudd, David Gauke and Greg Clark to a back a Commons bid this week to extend Article 50 talks ignited a fresh civil war at the top of Government. Brexiteer Cabinet ministers angrily accused the trio - who are joined by 20 other junior minister and dozens of backbench Tory MPs - of "astonishing disloyalty” and undermining the PM. But Mrs May herself turned a blind eye yesterday and refused to slap them down.
24th Feb 2019 - The Sun

Tony Blair: It’s 'bloody obvious' the case for independence is stronger

If Scotland is in favour of staying in Europe, and you wrench the UK out of Europe, then yep, people who are arguing for independence are going to have another dimension to their argument”, Tony Blair said. “It doesn’t mean to say I agree with it, but it’s bound to have an impact.
24th Feb 2019 - The National

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 25th Feb 2019

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Theresa May risks Cabinet fury as she delays Brexit meaningful vote again

The Prime Minister told reporters en route to a summit in Egypt that the next major Commons showdown on her deal would take place by 12 March - less than three weeks before Britain is due to leave the EU. She said: "My team will be back in Brussels on Tuesday. As a result of that, we won’t bring a meaningful vote to parliament this week, but we will ensure that that happens by 12 March. It tees up a major class with Mrs May's Ministers who have threatened to vote to take No Deal off the table
24th Feb 2019 - Politics Home

Theresa May delays meaningful vote on final Brexit deal

24th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Another delay - May promises Brexit vote in parliament by March 12

24th Feb 2019 - Reuters

The Independent Group will back Theresa May in any vote of confidence, says Heidi Allen

The new Independent Group of MPs has agreed to back Theresa May in any vote of no confidence, one of its most prominent members has said. In an exclusive interview with The Independent, former Conservative MP Heidi Allen said the group – which also consists of eight Labour MPs – had decided not to do anything that would facilitate a general election. Her words go further than previous comments that the group might support Ms May in a confidence and supply arrangement if she agrees to soften her Brexit stance.
22nd Feb 2019 - The Independent

Independent Group MPs could keep May in No 10 if she backs Brexit referendum

22nd Feb 2019 - Yahoo!

UK independent lawmaker says would likely support PM May in confidence vote

24th Feb 2019 - Reuters

Brexit: Greg Clark, Amber Rudd and David Gauke issue delay warning

Brexit should be delayed if Parliament does not approve a deal in the coming days, three cabinet ministers have warned publicly for the first time. Ahead of crucial votes in the Commons, Greg Clark, Amber Rudd and David Gauke told the Daily Mail they would be prepared to defy Theresa May and vote for a delay. Downing Street said the trio's views on no deal were "scarcely a secret".
23rd Feb 2019 - BBC

Three British MPs suggest Brexit be delayed

23rd Feb 2019 - RTE.ie

May signals she is ready to fight on

Theresa May signalled on Sunday she wanted to press on as prime minister, saying there was still more to do to live up to her promise when she took office to make Britain work “for every one of us”. May told her governing Conservatives in December last year she would not lead the party into the next election, part of a message to ease concerns among her MPs before they mounted, and then lost, a no confidence vote against her. But she has so far refused to give a date for her departure, and despite reports some of her ministers want her to step down after local elections in May, she said she wanted to pursue not only Brexit, but what she called her “domestic agenda”
25th Feb 2019 - Reuters

Liam Fox slaps down Cabinet colleagues over plan to halt no-deal Brexit

Liam Fox has warned that a Commons plan to kill off a no-deal Brexit would "fundamentally weaken our position" - just a day after three of his Cabinet colleagues broke ranks to back the proposal. In a direct rebuke to his Cabinet colleagues, Dr Fox took aim at the plot to push for an Article 50 extension. He told the Sunday Telegraph: "Taking no-deal off the table would be to remove the single strongest card that we have in our negotiation with the EU itself and would therefore fundamentally weaken our position ... While [I] do not want to see a no-deal scenario, the risk of failing to deliver on Brexit itself is too great to be contemplated."
25th Feb 2019 - PoliticsHome.com

Brexit: Motion for second referendum to be tabled in parliament next week

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable has said his party will next week make a fresh drive to give MPs the chance to back a second Brexit referendum. Sir Vince asked members of the new Independent Group for support as he sought backing for a motion aiming to lock a new public vote into law. As it stands it is unclear whether any other group will try to bring forward or support a bid for a fresh referendum this Wednesday, when MPs will have another opportunity to table alternative proposals for the next steps in the Brexit process.
24th Feb 2019 - The Independent

Theresa May's Brexit vote delay: what does it all mean?

Deep divisions in the cabinet over how to manage Brexit burst into the open this week, with three ministers – Amber Rudd, David Gauke and Greg Clark – warning in a statement published in the Daily Mail on Saturday that if a breakthrough could not be achieved, “in the next few days”, then the article 50 notice period for leaving the EU must be extended. May is now promising to bring her deal back to parliament for a second meaningful vote on 12 March – just 17 days before Britain is due to leave the EU. But Rudd, Gauke and Clark’s comments suggested they were ready to join the string of ministers who have signalled that they are prepared to defy party whips in order to back the Cooper-Letwin amendment.
24th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Amber Rudd accused of cynical plot to force Tory Brexiteers into backing May's Brexit deal

Amber Rudd was last night at the centre of claims that she was part of a cynical ‘plot’ to force the capitulation of Tory Brexiteers over Theresa May’s deal with Brussels. The Work and Pensions Secretary faced fury after she joined fellow Remainer Cabinet Ministers, Business Secretary Greg Clark and Justice Secretary David Gauke, in signalling publicly that they would force a delay to Brexit to stop a ‘disastrous’ No Deal. While some leading figures in the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG) said the three Ministers should resign as they were in breach of Cabinet collective responsibility, others said they suspected it was a ruse to scare MPs into backing Theresa May’s deal.
24th Feb 2019 - Daily Mail

Brexit news latest: Senior Labour MPs say party could back second referendum this week

Labour is moving closer to supporting a second Brexit referendum and may officially back one as soon as this week, senior members of the party have said. Asked whether this would be the week Labour comes out in support of a second referendum, the party's deputy leader Tom Watson told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "It might be... we are getting closer to that point."
24th Feb 2019 - London Evening Standard

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell exclusively reveals how Luciana Berger was let down by Labour

McDonnell argues there is progress. They are backing the Cooper-Letwin amendment, which would delay Brexit if a deal isn’t approved by March. Although Corbyn is perceived to be anti-People’s Vote, McDonnell is not. He volunteers that “we’re moving towards [a referendum]” and is warm about the initiative by Labour MP’s Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson, which would offer the Prime Minister support for her deal, so long as it was put to the people for a vote.
23rd Feb 2019 - Evening Standard

Theresa May insists Brexit must not be blocked

Theresa May has vowed to Tory grassroots activists that she will not allow the referendum vote for Britain to leave the EU to be frustrated. Northern Minister John Penrose warned taking no-deal off the table could undermine Mrs May’s efforts to secure concessions on the backstop. “It could torpedo Brexit completely, leaving us in a ‘Hotel California’ Brexit, where we’d checked out but could never leave,” he said in an article for The Sunday Telegraph.
23rd Feb 2019 - ITV News

Brexit: Carwyn Jones calls for second EU referendum

Former First Minister Carwyn Jones has called for a fresh referendum on Britain's EU membership. Before standing down in December, Mr Jones, the AM for Bridgend, argued that Labour should seek a general election first. But speaking S4C debate show Pawb a'i Farn on Thursday evening, Mr Jones said: "It makes sense to me settle the question now."
22nd Feb 2019 - BBC

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 22nd Feb 2019

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Group of 100 Conservative MPs ready to force Brexit delay if May's deal fails

Theresa May has been warned by a group of 100 moderate Tory MPs that they are prepared to rebel against the Government to force her to delay Brexit if she cannot reach a deal. The Brexit Delivery Group, which represents both Remain and Leave MPs, has called for a free vote next week on a backbench bid to take no deal off the table. Simon Hart and Andrew Percy, the leaders of the bloc, say in a letter leaked to The Daily Telegraph that "numerous" members of the group have become "deeply troubled" by the prospect of a no deal Brexit. The letter to Julian Smith, the chief whip, says: "The reputation for competence of both the party and the Government depends on our ability to deliver an orderly exit, in line with the existing timescale.
21st Feb 2019 - The Telegraph

Could new group reshape political tribes?

Fears over Brexit and the party drifting to the right - and away from relevance - are held far beyond today's "three amigos", but by dozens of MPs privately, including ministers in the government. If, as is likely, more MPs move across, those private pleas to stay in the centre ground have more weight. Like Labour, the Tories have big questions they can't answer at the moment - profound quandaries that it's not clear their leaderships are ready, or perhaps even capable right now of meeting.
21st Feb 2019 - BBC

UK's Jeremy Corbyn: Risk of no-deal Brexit 'very serious'

The leader of Britain's biggest opposition party warned on Thursday that there was a "very serious" risk that the country would crash out of the European Union without a deal. Following a "useful" meeting in Brussels with Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotatiator, Corbyn said May was "trying to keep the threat of a no deal on the table" and accused her of "running down the clock" ahead of the Brexit deadline on March 29. The Labour Party was "determined" to remove the possibility of a no-deal exit, he said, adding that Barnier had conveyed the EU's own fears about the predicted economic damage such an outcome would entail for both sides.
21st Feb 2019 - Deutsche Welle

@SkyNewsPolitics "It is a complex and difficult question to answer at this stage".

"Did Barnier say it was possible to have an extension to #Article50?" asks @Stone_SkyNews. @jeremycorbyn responds with: "It is a complex and difficult question to answer at this stage".
21st Feb 2019 - @SkyNewsPolitics

The real Brexit cliff edge is not on March 29th - it's July 1st

Here's the great secret truth about the Brexit cliff edge: It's not on March 29th. It's actually pretty easy to extend that deadline by a few months and there is something close to consensus in Whitehall, Westminster and Brussels that we'll have to. The real cliff edge is on July 1st, the day before the inaugural plenary session of the newly-elected European parliament. That's the dead zone. If you haven't taken part in the upcoming European elections, there's no way to extend the deadline any further. So something is becoming increasingly clear. If Labour really is committed to ruling out no-deal, if moderate Tory Cabinet ministers really mean it when they say they refuse to allow it to happen, they must support British participation. This is, by far, the most important aspect of the whole Brexit debate. And there is almost no mention of it at all.
21st Feb 2019 - Politics.co.uk

Labour MP Jess Phillips: 'I feel closer to Luciana Berger [than Jeremy Corbyn] without any shadow of a doubt'

Labour MP Jess Phillips – who has said she found it hard to disagree with her former colleagues who are part of the Independent Group – spoke to Channel 4 News and they asked her whether she was minded to join them.
21st Feb 2019 - Channel 4 News

Labour must take on the splitters by finally backing a people’s vote

From the perspective of the anti-Brexit movement, the Labour split does not change the bottom line. At some point in the process, Labour needs to whip in favour of a public vote and, if there is not a general election in the meantime, enough Tories need to join them to pass the motion. The damaging thing is the bigger process: the crude attempt by Chuka Ummuna and others to cash in their role in the anti-Brexit movement to lend credibility to a New Labour project which has run out of its own ideas.
21st Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Theresa May fights Remainer rebels as EU departure set to be delayed up to nine months

Cabinet ministers have told Theresa May she must agree to delay Brexit if there is no EU deal to halt their Commons rebellion next week. Four of the PM’s top table confronted her during a No10 meeting on Monday to insist she must take No Deal off the table. Amber Rudd, David Gauke, Greg Clark and David Mundell named a new pledge from Mrs May to extend Article 50 talks as their price not to side with backbench rebels during a new showdown with MPs in seven days time. If the PM refuses, the senior ministers insisted they and 20 other members of the Government would press on with their vow to back Labour MP Yvette Cooper and Tory grandee Sir Oliver Letwin’s plan for Parliament to seize control of the Brexit process.
21st Feb 2019 - The Sun

Tory MP Phillip Lee causes an argument on BBC Politics Live show after calling Brexit a ‘turd’

Conservative MP Phillip Lee sparked a row during the BBC Politics Live show on Wednesday after he branded Brexit a “turd” during a heated discussion. The Tory MP for Bracknell was discussing the latest defections of his colleagues Anna Soubry, Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston to the centrist The Independent Group parliamentary bloc that has taken shape this week. While he said he did not feel it was the time to join them, he took issue with the Conservatives embrace of Brexit since the 2016 vote.
21st Feb 2019 - iNews

Theresa May must rule out catastrophic no-deal Brexit at all costs

Anybody claiming a no-deal Brexit would be anything other than a catastrophe is either an idiot or a liar. It’s a simple fact that crashing out of the EU without a deal would involve an economic shock that would be devastating for hundreds of thousands of people across the UK. This truth was driven home in a stark parliamentary statement by Scottish Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell yesterday. The SNP minister revealed that official Scottish Government estimates suggest 100,000 jobs would be lost in the aftermath of a no-deal Brexit.
21st Feb 2019 - Daily Record

Brexit: Theresa May eyes potential route out of negotiation deadlock in Brussels

The outline of a potential compromise deal on Brexit has begun to emerge in Brussels with both sides now working towards a new route out of the deadlock. EU diplomats confirmed they were looking at a new kind of legal instrument to sit alongside the existing withdrawal agreement, giving clarity over the temporary nature of the Irish backstop so hated by Tory backbenchers. They were in meetings with the UK’s attorney general Geoffrey Cox, who has already done groundwork on similar instruments before heading to Brussels for meetings alongside Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay.
21st Feb 2019 - The Independent

Brexit: No deal threat focusing minds, says Hammond

The threat of a no-deal Brexit is "focusing minds" and encouraging compromise, the chancellor has said. Philip Hammond said the government was "determined to get a deal" before leaving the EU on 29 March but a "very bad" no deal outcome remained possible. The government said talks on Thursday were "productive" and would "continue urgently at a technical level". Jeremy Corbyn, who met EU negotiator Michel Barnier earlier, again accused the PM of "running down the clock".
21st Feb 2019 - BBC

Corbyn in Brussels to break Brexit deadlock – as Juncker declares his ‘Brexit fatigue’

We don’t need more time – we need decisions from the British Parliament – this from the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, who’s just been holding talks with the Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay – the mood in Brussels growing distinctly gloomier, about the prospects of No Deal. Even the European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker declared he had “Brexit fatigue”.
21st Feb 2019 - Channel 4 News

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker complains of 'Brexit fatigue'

21st Feb 2019 - Cornwall's Pirate FM

Amendment to May's Brexit deal could protect UK and EU citizens' rights

It's just over a month before the UK is set to leave the European Union on March 29, and the risk of a no deal exit is rising with every day that passes. In this scenario, British citizens in the EU and EU citizens in the UK could lose their rights
21st Feb 2019 - Euro News

Newly-partnered Fianna Fail and SDLP release joint statement on Brexit

The SDLP and Fianna Fail have issued a joint statement urging pro-remain parties across Ireland to form an alliance. The statement, which was issued by party leaders Colum Eastwood and Micheal Martin, sets out five core principles for parties across the island to agree on, in order to counteract the consequences of Brexit.
21st Feb 2019 - Yahoo!

David Mundell: SNP wants No Deal Brexit to break-up UK

The SNP is "contriving" to bring about a No Deal Brexit because it will hasten the demise of the United Kingdom, Scottish Secretary David Mundell has claimed. And he indicated that he is ready to back moves to remove control of the Brexit process from the Government and return it to the Commons to avoid a "No Deal" scenario .
21st Feb 2019 - The Scotsman

Exclusive: The Independent Group Could Prop Up Theresa May's Government In Return For A Referendum On Her Deal

The Independent Group of Labour and Tory defectors could prop up Theresa May’s government in a confidence and supply arrangement, a leading member has said. This would include voting for any Brexit deal, if the prime minister put it to the public in a referendum. Gavin Shuker told HuffPost UK’s Commons People podcast it would be “in the national interest” to provide stability through any public vote, which could take a year to arrange. The group first made the offer in a meeting with the PM’s de facto deputy, David Lidington, last month.
22nd Feb 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 21st Feb 2019

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Tory MP Phillip Lee causes an argument on BBC Politics Live show after calling Brexit a ‘turd’

Conservative MP Phillip Lee sparked a row during the BBC Politics Live show on Wednesday after he branded Brexit a “turd” during a heated discussion. The Tory MP for Bracknell was discussing the latest defections of his colleagues Anna Soubry, Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston to the centrist The Independent Group parliamentary bloc that has taken shape this week. While he said he did not feel it was the time to join them, he took issue with the Conservatives embrace of Brexit since the 2016 vote.
21st Feb 2019 - iNews

Theresa May must rule out catastrophic no-deal Brexit at all costs

Anybody claiming a no-deal Brexit would be anything other than a catastrophe is either an idiot or a liar. It’s a simple fact that crashing out of the EU without a deal would involve an economic shock that would be devastating for hundreds of thousands of people across the UK. This truth was driven home in a stark parliamentary statement by Scottish Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell yesterday. The SNP minister revealed that official Scottish Government estimates suggest 100,000 jobs would be lost in the aftermath of a no-deal Brexit.
21st Feb 2019 - Daily Record

Theresa May fights Remainer rebels as EU departure set to be delayed up to nine months

Cabinet ministers have told Theresa May she must agree to delay Brexit if there is no EU deal to halt their Commons rebellion next week. Four of the PM’s top table confronted her during a No10 meeting on Monday to insist she must take No Deal off the table. Amber Rudd, David Gauke, Greg Clark and David Mundell named a new pledge from Mrs May to extend Article 50 talks as their price not to side with backbench rebels during a new showdown with MPs in seven days time. If the PM refuses, the senior ministers insisted they and 20 other members of the Government would press on with their vow to back Labour MP Yvette Cooper and Tory grandee Sir Oliver Letwin’s plan for Parliament to seize control of the Brexit process.
21st Feb 2019 - The Sun

Could new group reshape political tribes?

Fears over Brexit and the party drifting to the right - and away from relevance - are held far beyond today's "three amigos", but by dozens of MPs privately, including ministers in the government. If, as is likely, more MPs move across, those private pleas to stay in the centre ground have more weight. Like Labour, the Tories have big questions they can't answer at the moment - profound quandaries that it's not clear their leaderships are ready, or perhaps even capable right now of meeting.
21st Feb 2019 - BBC

Sky Views: If Theresa May won't take no-deal off the table, her MPs will

Ministers and MPs who have doggedly supported Mrs May's Brexit deal, even of they don't like it much either, were furious that this "party within the party" is dictating the terms of Brexit and pushing the country towards a no-deal. Now they are preparing to rise up to act as a counter-weight to their eurosceptic colleagues. A group of up to 30 government ministers are preparing block a no-deal Brexit. They are working out how many of them need to resign from government in order to support the Cooper/Letwin amendment that will give parliament the power to take no-deal off the table.
20th Feb 2019 - Sky News

‘My phone is melting’: Tory defectors buoyed by support

The mobile phones of Heidi Allen, Sarah Wollaston and Anna Soubry were “melting” in the 24 hours before their departure.
20th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: Theresa May says 'time of essence' for backstop deal

Theresa May has said progress has been made in talks about changes to the Brexit deal that could win MPs' backing but admitted "time is of the essence". The PM met the EU's Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels to discuss legally-binding guarantees over the Irish border. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said "small but important" changes to the backstop would allay MPs' concerns it could be trapped in a customs union. But Home Secretary Sajid Javid said the chances of a no-deal exit had risen.
20th Feb 2019 - BBC

May and Juncker dive into Brexit fine print

The Prime Minister acknowledged the EU’s position and notably the letter sent by President [Donald] Tusk and President Juncker on 14 January.” That letter, to May, stated that the Withdraw Agreement is not renegotiable. "We are not in a position to agree to anything that changes or is inconsistent with the Withdrawal Agreement," the two EU leaders wrote at the time. In their statement, the two leaders said they explored “which guarantees could be given with regard to the backstop that underline once again its temporary nature and give the appropriate legal assurance to both sides” and they “reconfirmed their commitment to avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland and to respect the integrity of the EU’s internal market and of the United Kingdom.
20th Feb 2019 - Politico.eu

Brexit Accord Is Already Being Hammered Out, Spain Says

"The EU’s position is that the treaty won’t be reopened, but can be interpreted, or complemented with explanations that may be satisfactory," said the minister, who met EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Madrid on Tuesday. Josep Borrell was cautious as to whether what’s on offer will be enough for U.K. politicians.
20th Feb 2019 - Bloomberg

Revealed: How dark money is winning ‘the Brexit influencing game’

Shanker Singham has been a near-constant presence in British media in recent weeks, often dismissing concerns about a no-deal Brexit. And as well as a constant stream of broadcast media invites for a man who refuses to reveal his paymasters, Singham has enjoyed “extraordinary” access to government ministers including Michael Gove and Boris Johnson. Earlier this month, Singham attended a meeting at the Cabinet Office between senior ERG figures, Brexit secretary Steve Barclay and officials “from all arms of government” to discuss “alternative arrangements” for the Irish backstop. Theresa May was said to be “clearly taking this exercise seriously”. Between them, influential, dark-money-funded lobbyists like Singham and pro-Brexit MPs have sought to play down fears about Brexit, and particularly a no-deal departure from the EU. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of pounds of dark money has poured into social media ads warning MPs not to “steal Brexit” and promoting the UK leaving the EU on WTO rules.
20th Feb 2019 - openDemocracy

Theresa May told to delay Brexit if there’s No Deal to halt Commons rebellion

Amber Rudd, David Gauke, Greg Clark and David Mundell named a new pledge from Mrs May to extend Article 50 talks as their price not to side with backbench rebels during a new showdown with MPs in seven days time. If the PM refuses, the senior ministers insisted they and 20 other members of the Government would press on with their vow to back Labour MP Yvette Cooper and Tory grandee Sir Oliver Letwin’s plan for Parliament to seize control of the Brexit process.
20th Feb 2019 - The Sun

Risk of no-deal Brexit has risen - Home Secretary Sajid Javid

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said on Wednesday that the risk of a no-deal Brexit has risen and that the option could not be taken off the table. "It is not possible" to rule out a no-deal Brexit, Javid told ITV in an interview
20th Feb 2019 - Reuters

The Independent Group: Ex-Tory MP says 'hardline, right-wing, awkward squad' has taken over party

An ex-Tory MP who left the party for a breakaway group has said that the battle for the Conservative Party was “over” because hard-right Brexit extremists have won. Anna Soubry, a former minister, said “the right wing, the hardline anti-EU awkward squad” was running the party from top to bottom. Speaking hours after she announced her resignation from the Conservatives alongside Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston, the Broxtowe MP also launched a scathing attack on Theresa May, saying she had failed to reach out to moderate Tory MPs.
20th Feb 2019 - The Independent

Brexit: Theresa May says 'time of essence' for backstop deal

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said "small but important" changes to the backstop would allay MPs' concerns it could be trapped in a customs union. But Home Secretary Sajid Javid said the chances of a no-deal exit had risen. Speaking on ITV's Peston show, to be broadcast later on Wednesday, Mr Javid said it was "fair to say that in the past few weeks the probability of a no-deal Brexit has gone up".
20th Feb 2019 - BBC

@IanDunt There's an amendment secretly doing the rounds which would force the government to try & protect Brits' rights in Europe in the event of no-deal - and it looks set to succeed

Bit of breaking news here. There's an amendment secretly doing the rounds which would force the government to try & protect Brits' rights in Europe in the event of no-deal - and it looks set to succeed
20th Feb 2019 - @IanDunt

Last-gasp gambit: Smart new amendment to May deal protects Brits in Europe

A smart new amendment looking to guarantee citizens' rights even in the event of no-deal is doing the rounds in Westminster. It's picking up support from across the Tory party - from ERG types to the moderate wing, making it highly likely to pass. It's a skillful bit of legislative footwork. The amendment will be put down by Tory MP Alberto Costa. It's designed to be attached to Theresa May's motion on her deal during the meaningful vote on February 26th. It reads like this: "This House considers the prime minister's statement of 26th February and requires the prime Minister to seek at the earliest opportunity a joint UK-EU commitment to adopt part two of the withdrawal agreement on citizens rights and ensure its implementation prior to the UK’s exiting the European Union, whatever the outcome of negotiations on other aspects of the withdrawal agreement."
20th Feb 2019 - Politics.co.uk

@VinceCable We will hold out the hand of friendship to the independent MPs with whom we already have a good working relationship.

We will hold out the hand of friendship to the independent MPs with whom we already have a good working relationship. In the short term we must focus on securing a People's Vote, with an option to stay in the EU.
20th Feb 2019 - @VinceCable

Conservative split as rebels denounce grip of hardline Brexiters

Three Conservative MPs who resigned to join a new independent group on Wednesday said Theresa May had allowed their former party to fall prey to hardline Brexiters and declared that the Tory modernising project had been destroyed. In the latest evidence that Brexit is reshaping the political landscape, Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston, all outspoken critics of May’s stance on Europe, said the Conservative party as they had known it under David Cameron was dead.
20th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 20th Feb 2019

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UK will push options to Brexit backstop for future trading

Earlier on Tuesday, reports said the Malthouse Compromise would not be included in Brexit talks between British Prime Minister May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday. However, Steve Baker, a member of a eurosceptic group in May’s ruling Conservative Party, said the Malthouse Compromise was “alive and kicking” after a meeting with May on Tuesday.
20th Feb 2019 - Reuters

Brexit backstop: Theresa May to put new proposals to EU

Theresa May will present the EU with new legal proposals to solve the Irish backstop issue on Wednesday, which Downing Street hopes will be enough to convince Eurosceptics to back her Brexit deal. The prime minister is travelling to Brussels to meet Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president, with a plan to secure legal assurances that the backstop would not permanently bind the UK into a customs union.
20th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: Robert Buckland cautious over 'sensitive talks'

It would be "reckless and irresponsible" to give a running commentary on changes the UK is seeking to the Northern Ireland backstop, a government minister has said. Solicitor General Robert Buckland was answering MPs on "sensitive" Brexit negotiations taking place with the EU.
20th Feb 2019 - BBC

Breakaway Labour MPs picked their moment for maximum impact

On January 16 — the day Theresa May saw off a vote of no confidence in her government and the one after her Brexit deal was defeated by a historic margin — Mr Shuker registered a company called Gemini A Ltd, which will support the Independent Group. He told friends that the company name was “deliberately meant to sound like a Bond villain’s lair to annoy the conspiracy theorists”. On February 10 the group registered a website and the venue for yesterday’s launch was booked within the past week. “If you’re going to build a new politics it’s got to be the people who are currently on the field,” one of the MPs said. “This has to be a project for current politicians and activists and people who want to build a new politics.”
19th Feb 2019 - The Times

@MrHarryCole Cabinet ministers explicitly told Malthouse Compromise won’t be part of the measures put to the EU this week.

Cabinet ministers explicitly told Malthouse Compromise won’t be part of the measures put to the EU this week.
19th Feb 2019 - @MrHarryCole

EU not prepared to re-open the Withdrawal Agreement ahead of Theresa May visit

Theresa May will meet European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Wednesday, commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas has said. Mr Schinas told the daily briefing for journalists in Brussels that the talks would aim to find a way through the current impasse over the Northern Ireland backstop but said the EU was not prepared to re-open the Withdrawal Agreement.
19th Feb 2019 - Herald Scotland

UK will probably delay Brexit, says former EU chief Jose Manuel Barroso

Britain is likely to delay Brexit because of the lack of a deal, former EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has said. Mr Barroso, who ran the bloc’s executive from 2004 to 2014, said it would be right for the EU27 to accept any request for an extension. Theresa May has repeatedly said she would not extend the Article 50 period – which expires on 29 March – and that “no-deal is better than a bad deal”. MPs have however voted in principle
19th Feb 2019 - The Independent

Health secretary urged to quit to block no-deal Brexit

Matt Hancock sidestepped calls to confirm he would resign to block a no-deal Brexit, as he revealed the cost of NHS contingency planning. The health secretary said around £11 million of taxpayers’ cash has been spent so far, adding there have been costs to the pharmaceutical industry due to stockpiling of medicines. Hancock also attempted to reassure people with diabetes after insisting the two major providers of insulin have made stockpiles of at least 12 weeks - double that requested by the Government for other medicines
19th Feb 2019 - The New European

Theresa May axes hi-tech plans to solve Brexit deadlock amid hopes of imminent breakthrough with Brussels

Theresa May last night dumped hi-tech plans to solve the Brexit deadlock amid hopes of an imminent breakthrough with Brussels. The PM told Cabinet it was not plausible to pursue the so-called Malthouse Compromise pushing for alternative arrangements to the hated Irish backstop by March 29. Sources claimed a new agreement on the backstop such as a time-limit could even be struck with the EU this weekend following talks between Theresa May and Commission boss Jean Claude Juncker on Wednesday night.
19th Feb 2019 - The Sun

Mainland councils predicting traffic misery at ports in no-deal Brexit plans. What about IWC?

Two of the Hampshire’s biggest councils are preparing for the impacts of Brexit, with traffic misery forecast if no deal is reached. This, it has been predicted, will come from disruptions at both Southampton’s and Portsmouth’s ports. Last week the no-deal Brexit plans for Portsmouth were likened to a ‘Dad’s Army comedy. This week Southampton City Council will consider the impact of a no-deal Brexit.
19th Feb 2019 - Isle of Wight News

Up to three Tories preparing to join new Independent Group of MPs

Up to three Conservative MPs are preparing to cross the floor to join the new Independent Group of MPs, it emerged today. The bombshell could come as early as tomorrow morning, the day of Tory leader Theresa May’s weekly Prime Minister’s Questions appearance. Chuka Umunna, one of the seven MPs who quit Labour to form the new centre-ground group yesterday, issued a rallying cry to Tories “demoralised by the Ukip-isation, if you like, of the Conservative Party”.
19th Feb 2019 - Evening Standard

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 19th Feb 2019

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No 'key-hole surgery' on Withdrawal Agreement - Coveney

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said Ireland is ruling out any "key-hole surgery" on the Withdrawal Agreement and that the Irish Government would reject any unilateral exit clause or expiry date to the Irish backstop. He added that Ireland would not be "steamrolled" as the Brexit process nears a potential no-deal scenario at the end of March...
18th Feb 2019 - RTE.ie

Simon Coveney says frustration prevalent in Ireland as Brexit looms

18th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Theresa May must investigate 'foreign influence and voter manipulation' in Brexit vote, say MPs

Theresa May must launch an independent investigation into “foreign influence and voter manipulation” in the Brexit vote, a committee of MPs says today, amid growing evidence of lawbreaking by Leave campaigners. A highly critical report – which warns “democracy is at risk” from rogue practices on social media – turns its fire on the prime minister for the failure to probe their effect on the referendum result. No wide-ranging investigation has taken place, despite the main Vote Leave campaign, fronted by Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, being found by the Electoral Commission to have broken the law.
18th Feb 2019 - The Independent

Michael Gove vows to uphold food standards after Brexit

The environment secretary, Michael Gove, is to pledge that British food standards will not be lowered “in pursuit of trade deals”. In an address to the National Farmers’ Union annual conference on Tuesday he is expected to also vow to minimise the risk that food producers will be left at “competitive disadvantage” in the face of cheaper imports that are below EU standards. His words follow a recent warning from senior figures in the US that if the UK chooses after Brexit to adhere to EU regulations, which ban chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef, then trade talks will be difficult.
19th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Can a general election be a way out of the Brexit conundrum?

Prime Minister Theresa May is lacking authority and credibility, unable to listen or lead. Indeed, having led the first government to be found in contempt of parliament, May now finds herself in contempt of the people: is her intransigence paralysing the country, the economy, the political system the country and its economy perhaps for years to come. Now the endgame threatens the preservation not simply of the British government, but of modern Britain. The Brexit process revealed the weakness of Westminster’s insular politics. The UK Parliament is seemingly incapable of running a modern economy and society. Westminster’s politics are becoming more not less dysfunctional. Whether a general election could provide a way out of this mess, hangs in the balance.
18th Feb 2019 - LSE Blog

More EU-UK Brexit talks set after Cox sets out backstop changes

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said on Monday he would hold more talks with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier at mid-week after British Attorney General Geoffrey Cox sets out proposed amendments to the tricky Irish border backstop.
18th Feb 2019 - Reuters

‘We are in God’s hands’ Juncker says of Brexit

“If you are asking for how long the withdrawal can be postponed, I have no timeframe in mind. With Brexit so many timetables have already gone by the wayside.” “But I find it hard to imagine that British voters would again vote in the European elections. That to my mind would be an irony of history. Yet I cannot rule it out.” (Jean-Claude Juncker)
18th Feb 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit won't necessarily lead to an EU army

There is no consensus on what constitutes a European army. It remains ambiguous whether it would be a centralized institution operating like traditional armed forces, or a looser integration of European military personnel. European nations would have to forego an unprecedented level of autonomy, something which they have rejected once before. With most EU members also being members of NATO, a European Army may find it difficult to attain enough funding to justify its existence, especially if states are considering their defense spending alongside NATO's security contributions.
18th Feb 2019 - CNBC

Brexit: 'More and more people are trying to stop it,' says MP

"More and more people are trying to stop Brexit" and ensure the UK stays in the EU, a Welsh MP has said. David Jones said those calling for a second referendum or more negotiating time had no plan for leaving. The Tory MP for Clwyd West, a former Brexit minister, predicted a deal will not be agreed until "a few days" before the UK's departure on 29 March. It comes as Labour's Anna McMorrin said a General Election or final say vote were the only ways to avoid "chaos".
18th Feb 2019 - BBC

Brexit: Theresa May 'must talk to Labour' - John McDonnell

Theresa May must approach Labour for a "serious discussion" over Brexit by the end of the month, the shadow chancellor has said. John McDonnell told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show that the prime minister can secure parliamentary approval for a deal, but only if she is prepared to negotiate with Labour over its approach.
18th Feb 2019 - BBC

Tory minister and four Conservative backbench MPs poised to join new Labour splinter group

A Tory minister and four Conservative backbenchers appear poised to defect to the new Independent Group set up by disgruntled Labour MPs, it has been claimed. Describing the breakaway group as “remarkably sensible people”, the minister told the Telegraph he was prepared to join the new party if the Government presses ahead with a no-deal Brexit.
18th Feb 2019 - The Telegraph

We’ll back the deal if the people are allowed a final say

This is our compromise: we are prepared to facilitate the passage of the prime minister’s deal through the House of Commons if the deal is put to a confirmatory ballot of the British people. We believe this is the way forward because Brexit started with the people and therefore should end with the people. We are preparing to lay an amendment in parliament to this effect at the appropriate time. There is precedent for our approach. The Good Friday agreement was enacted automatically after a ballot of the electorate on both sides of the Irish border. The people decided with the facts before them. The same with the 2011 AV referendum on the proposed changes to the electoral system. Again, the people had the facts before them. Both pieces of legislation meant there was no need for a return to parliament. And no third, fourth or fifth referendum. Our approach confines the theory of “neverendum” to the bin.
18th Feb 2019 - The Times

What’s the Plan for Brexit? There Is No Plan

The way the process has been going, counting on a reasonable vote at the last minute is seriously tempting disaster. There are several sites already displaying a countdown to Brexit, and their message seems to be that the 11th hour has struck, and getting an extension now might not be the worst idea.
17th Feb 2019 - New York Times

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 18th Feb 2019

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Theresa May letting zealots turn Tory Party into another Ukip, warns Nick Boles

“There has been a systematic operation of infiltration of the Conservative Party by Ukip and Ukip sympathisers. I had 400 members until 12 months ago and I now have 500 . . . They have coalesced with those in my party who already had these views. Among the more right-wing and reactionary members there has never been a total acceptance of my brand of politics; they were quite grumpy about gay marriage.”
15th Feb 2019 - The Times

Brexit ‘high noon’ could see Theresa May lose six ministers

A dozen or more government ministers could quit by the end of the month if Prime Minister Theresa May refuses to extend the Brexit negotiating period beyond 29 March, a leading Tory opponent of EU withdrawal has said. Former attorney general Dominic Grieve said the next round of Brexit votes on 27 February would be a “high noon” moment when resignations on this scale – which he said could include six Cabinet members – might bring Mrs May’s government down. He was speaking as Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt made clear his unwillingness to accept a no-deal departure, telling hardline Brexiteers in a tweet: “We are not leaving without a deal. If you want to leave, you’d better agree one. In the next fortnight would help.”
16th Feb 2019 - The Scotsman

David Gauke expresses 'grave concerns' about no-deal Brexit

The justice secretary has said he has grave concerns about the prospect of leaving the European Union without a deal, saying it would have a “very adverse effect” on the UK’s economy, security and union with Northern Ireland. David Gauke said the government was planning for the contingency of no deal, but suggested he would support extending article 50 if a deal between the UK and EU was not reached, since a no-deal Brexit was not in the national interest. He added that he expected the government to act responsibly if the current deadlock prevailed.
16th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

People's Vote campaign announces London march for weekend before Brexit day

The People's Vote campaign for a second referendum on Brexit has announced a march the weekend before the UK leaves the EU. The "put it to the people" march will call for the public to be given a final say on any Brexit deal. Its timing - on March 23 - follows suggestions that a deal may not be agreed until the eleventh hour. Britain is due to leave on March 29.
16th Feb 2019 - Evening Standard

Brussels fears ’90 per cent’ chance of No Deal Brexit after PM’s Commons defeat

Brussels fears the chances of a no deal Brexit are now as high as 90 per cent after Theresa May’s latest calamitous Commons defeat. EU diplomats warned the PM she is on her “last chance” to salvage a Brexit deal – but warned that privately the mood is “black”
15th Feb 2019 - The Sun

Brexit extremism is going nowhere. Now the moderate millions must act

For three years, the worst of Britain has been in charge. The Britain that says it is elitist to tell the electorate it can’t have the impossible. The Britain that has patted itself on the back for threatening the rule of law and the independence of MPs. The Britain where it is normal for supporters of Jeremy Corbyn to call the BBC’s political editor a bitch and a whore and demand her dismissal for crimes against the party line and for supporters of Nigel Farage to send death threats to MPs. The Britain with no middle, only extremes.
16th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Labour pulls level with Tories in latest opinion poll

Labour has pulled level with the Conservatives, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer that suggests significant potential support for a new party. The poll also confirmed that a large proportion of the public are disillusioned with the two main parties. Almost half (41%) think that both Labour and the Conservatives have become extreme, with 39% of Tory voters and 37% of Labour voters agreeing with this. A similar number (42%) think neither party stands for anything. Two-fifths (40%) think a new political party would be the best way for people like them to be represented, while 59% would consider voting for a new centre-ground party.
16th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Remainers plan mass march and key vote in last days before Brexit

Campaigners against Theresa May’s “my deal or no deal” Brexit strategy are planning to mobilise the public and politicians for a showdown over the UK’s future in Europe in the final six days before Britain is due to leave the EU, the Observer can reveal. The plans will involve a huge march in London on Saturday, 23 March, aimed at demonstrating the scale of public anxiety about the two Brexit options May is offering, which will conclude with speeches outside the Palace of Westminster. Hundreds of thousands are expected to attend.
16th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Parliament’s Brexit drama will play out in three acts

Act 1 is all about killing off the disastrous outcome of leaving the EU on March 29 without a deal, which remains the default. Act 2, which could prove very short, will revolve around final attempts to obtain some kind of compromise with the EU. It needs to be sufficiently Brexity to persuade the hardliners in the Conservative party and the Democratic Unionist party that a fig leaf over the initial Northern Ireland backstop provides enough cover for their partial retreat. Act 3 begins with the prime minister, centre stage, looking for salvation: the threat of no deal will have been disarmed and her plan will still lack majority support. There will remain the option of going to the country by calling a general election — risky but tempting given the helpless Labour leadership — or going to the country with a referendum.
16th Feb 2019 - Financial Times

Tories plan to crown Boris Johnson PM in exchange for supporting Theresa May's Brexit deal

Tory Brexiteers are plotting to demand Theresa May’s job as the price she must pay to get her EU deal through Parliament. Jacob Rees-Mogg’s rebel European Research Group want her to quit as Prime Minister after local elections on May 2. In return they will vote for her deal so she can hit her March 29 deadline for us to leave the EU. A Tory leadership contest would take place over the summer with the ERG campaigning for their champion Boris Johnson. And the new PM will be crowned at the Tory conference in Manchester in September. Brexiteers think they can hold Mrs May to ransom because she cares more about getting Brexit on her terms than being PM.
16th Feb 2019 - Daily Mirror

Brexit: Put It To The People march demanding Final Say referendum to take place six days before UK leaves EU

Campaigners for a fresh Brexit referendum will pour onto the streets for another huge demonstration next month, with the decision poised to “go down to the wire”. The Put It To The People march – organised in partnership with The Independent’s Final Say campaign – will take place in London on Saturday 23 March, just six days before the UK’s scheduled departure from the EU. That decision still hangs in the balance, with the EU refusing changes demanded by Theresa May to reverse the crushing defeat of her divorce deal last month and cabinet ministers threatening resignation.
16th Feb 2019 - The Independent

Theresa May Makes Another Plea for Unity to Get Brexit Deal Through

Prime Minister Theresa May launched a desperate appeal to Conservative Party lawmakers to unite behind her derided Brexit plan as she prepares for a return to Brussels for more talks with European Union leaders. In a letter to her party’s lawmakers, May said she’s planning to meet with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and speak to the leader of every EU member state in the days ahead. Gaining headway in Brussels will depend largely on whether she can show a united front at home.
16th Feb 2019 - Bloomberg

Claims that scare stories about transport chaos after No Deal Brexit have been demolished after EU chiefs have allegedly agreed a secret deal with Britain to maintain links

There are unsubstantiated claims that EU chiefs have secretly agreed measures to ensure transport links with Britain are maintained in the event of a No Deal Brexit, The Sun on Sunday can reveal. The contingency plan drawn up by the European Commission is on the condition that the UK offers the same rights to the EU.
17th Feb 2019 - The Sun on Sunday

Our new march will show MPs there is a price to pay if they allow such a damaging Brexit

It was a project that began on the right-wing extremes of the Tory party, then helped by those too right-wing even for that, such as multimillionaire Jimmy Goldsmith, whose Referendum Party made much noise on the subject in the 1990s, and Ukip, for which Dulwich College-educated City trader Nigel Farage would deploy a beer-swilling, fag-chomping faux man-of-the-people shtick to broaden the appeal.
17th Feb 2019 - The Independent

My bill stops drift and damage – not Brexit

I want to see a workable deal that supports manufacturing and can sustain a consensus. But the prime minister’s refusal to change her red lines, her refusal even to consider a customs union, and her determination to pander only to the hardline European Research Group within her own party make me deeply worried. The votes last week show that the ERG will not be satisfied with any sensible plan. Its members advocate no-deal, but they won’t be the ones who suffer if food prices go up as a result of WTO tariffs and border delays to food, and they won’t be the ones who are hit if manufacturing jobs are lost.
17th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Tory benefactor John Griffin questions party reliance on rich donors

One of the Conservatives’ most generous donors has criticised the party’s reliance on wealthy benefactors, and has urged the party’s chief executive, Mick Davis, to be “more energetic” and seek £50 gifts from ordinary members...Some of the party’s biggest donors are withholding payments because of concerns over Theresa May’s leadership, the lack of a policy agenda and paralysis over Brexit.
17th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 15th Feb 2019

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Backing a Tory Brexit could wipe out Labour, warns Clive Lewis

Clive Lewis, a shadow Treasury minister, warned Corbyn that Labour might never be forgiven and could disappear from UK politics if MPs voted to facilitate a Conservative Brexit deal. Another shadow minister, Paul Sweeney, also backed a second referendum on the final Brexit deal for the first time on Thursday. The high-profile pro-EU backbencher Chris Leslie said he was “clinging to hope” that the Conservatives would back a fresh poll in the next fortnight, suggesting that he had lost faith in his own party.
14th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Labour will be 'destroyed' like Lib Dems if it ushers in Tory Brexit, frontbencher Clive Lewis warns

14th Feb 2019 - PoliticsHome.com

Anti-Corbyn MPs Were Plotting A "Valentine's Day Breakup" As Their Plans To Quit Labour Speed Up

14th Feb 2019 - BuzzFeed News

Is the DUP heading for a split with Tory Brexiteers?

Both the European Research Group and latterly Downing Street subscribe to that logic, which is why the prime minister agreed to demand compromise from the EU27 on the Irish backstop - something it has neither the desire nor political incentive to offer - after the last set of Brexit votes last month. But when asked to affirm that strategy this evening, the DUP and ERG diverged. May’s confidence and supply partners voted for the government motion, while most ERG MPs followed Jacob Rees-Mogg’s instruction to abstain on the grounds that to vote for the motion would be to implicitly reject the principle of a no-deal exit.
14th Feb 2019 - New Statesman

Corbyn to hold Brexit talks with Barnier and Verhofstadt

Jeremy Corbyn will hold talks in Brussels next week with Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, as he seeks to break the Brexit impasse and persuade Theresa May to sign up to a customs union. The visit is likely to be highly unwelcome in Downing Street, and risks accusations that Labour is pursuing its own shadow negotiations, undermining the prime minister’s hopes of fresh EU concessions.
14th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

MPs voting on May's Brexit strategy

MPs are voting on whether to back the government's Brexit strategy. They have rejected a Labour call for another vote on the withdrawal deal by 27 February by 322 votes to 306. The Commons also rejected an SNP call to delay Brexit by at least three months by 315 votes to 93 votes, after Labour abstained in the vote. Conservative backbencher Anna Soubry has withdrawn her amendment calling for official papers on the impact of a no-deal Brexit to be published. Brexit Minister Chris Heaton-Harris indicated that Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington would meet Ms Soubry and would be publishing some information.
15th Feb 2019 - BBC

Caroline Flint Says MPs' Attempt To Block No Deal Is A 'Trojan Horse' To Stop Brexit

A cross-party attempt to take control of Brexit and rule out no deal is a “Trojan horse” for stopping Britain’s exit from the EU, a senior Labour MP has said. Caroline Flint said the Yvette Cooper-led move could open the door to “game playing” by politicians who want to overturn the 2016 referendum result, and criticised the Labour leadership’s “high handed” decision to back it in the February 27 ‘high noon’ Brexit votes without consulting MPs.
14th Feb 2019 - Huffington Post UK

Andrew Adonis says remain must march again before it's too late | Latest Brexit news and top stories

As for any future big demo, it has to have as much impact as the great October 20 People’s Vote march. As soon as the new date is announced, every reader of The New European needs to make plans to be there, taking at least 20 friends and colleagues each! Remember who Milton set in contrast to the immobile: “Thousands at his bidding speed / And post o’er Land and Ocean without rest.” The least we can do is march again on London, so that May doesn’t get Brexit through by default and wreck our country.
14th Feb 2019 - The New European

Theresa May loses another battle – but she may be zigzagging towards winning the Brexit war

The assumption must be that May was persuaded to tack towards her soft-Brexit wing by a group of ministers who are threatening to resign if the government heads towards a no-deal exit. Inevitably, by trying to keep those ministers on board, she lost about 50 Eurosceptic MPs off the other side of the seesaw. But this is important because it contradicts the usual Labour allegation that May is a prisoner of her hard-Brexit backbenchers and always gives in to them. This time, she went the other way and lost the vote as a result.
14th Feb 2019 - The Independent

Is the DUP heading for a split with Tory Brexiteers?

Both the European Research Group and latterly Downing Street subscribe to that logic, which is why the prime minister agreed to demand compromise from the EU27 on the Irish backstop - something it has neither the desire nor political incentive to offer - after the last set of Brexit votes last month. But when asked to affirm that strategy this evening, the DUP and ERG diverged. May’s confidence and supply partners voted for the government motion, while most ERG MPs followed Jacob Rees-Mogg’s instruction to abstain on the grounds that to vote for the motion would be to implicitly reject the principle of a no-deal exit.
14th Feb 2019 - New Statesman

It is time for Labour and Tory MPs to wake up and see the Brexit reality staring them in the face.

After tonight’s voting debacle, no one in the EU thinks that she would secure a majority for her deal even if they were to give Theresa May everything she and the ERG Brexiters say they want and eviscerated the backstop. The EU has given up on Theresa May as the deliverer of any Brexit and is now pinning its hopes on MPs of all parties coalescing around a customs-union version of the long-term relationship between the UK and EU - which would turn the hated backstop into the bridge to a permanent solution that it was always designed to be. A customs-union Brexit as the only compromise deal on offer will test to breaking point the unity of Tory and Labour parties. But if it is not seized, then the default option of a no-deal Brexit becomes the vivid reality. There is an outside chance that as and when this reality bites, MPs will belatedly think it is all too hard for them and decide to put the choice back to us in a referendum.
14th Feb 2019 - @PestonITV

@BBCThisWeek - "It's not an opinion poll, it's like a jury" @stellacreasy tells Michael Portillo on her call for a People's Assembly over Brexit

"It's not an opinion poll, it's like a jury" @stellacreasy tells Michael Portillo on her call for a People's Assembly over Brexit #bbctw #bbctw
14th Feb 2019 - @BBCThisWeek

@BBCQuestionTime - ‘I think we should scrap the whole thing, it was a bad idea to start with’ @jimmy_wales

‘I think we should scrap the whole thing, it was a bad idea to start with’ @jimmy_wales says he wants another referendum on leaving the European Union. #bbcqt
14th Feb 2019 - @BBCQuestionTime

Britain can manage no-deal Brexit tariffs

There is no cliff edge on 29 March, but there are some major transitional problems that are manageable, as long as the Government develops a bit of backbone, argues David Green Director of Civitas
14th Feb 2019 - The Spectator

As Brexit Day Nears, Conservatives Consider Purging One of Their Own

They were lingering at the back of the church: a cluster of men and women in their 60s, mostly white-haired and wearing sensible coats. They were the leaders of the local conservative association, the ones deciding whether to expel Mr. Boles from his seat for trying to block a no-deal Brexit. Party leaders see the threat of no-deal as a key lever in last-minute negotiations with the European Union. “He has let us down badly,” said Philip Sagar, chairman of the Grantham and Stamford Conservative Association. “I cannot vote for someone who is selfish,” said Matthew Lee, the leader of the District Council.
14th Feb 2019 - The New York Times

Hundreds march through Leeds in anti-Brexit protest - as Theresa May suffers another defeat in parliament

Hundreds of people marched through Leeds city centre this evening in protest against Brexit. Leeds for Europe called the protest as they launched a new campaign, titled Brexit Divides Us - Let’s Stay Together.
14th Feb 2019 - Yorkshire Evening Post

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 14th Feb 2019

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Theresa May forced to deny she’s secretly planning to delay Brexit after bombshell leak reveals plan to run the clock down

Theresa May has today been forced to deny that she's secretly planning to delay Brexit after a bombshell 'leak' revealing the PM wants to run the clock down. Last night Theresa May's chief Brexit negotiator was overheard in a bar saying she will threaten MPs with a huge delay if they don't back her deal next month.
14th Feb 2019 - The Sun

Brexit: Call for Irish border poll during deadlock 'irresponsible'

Last week, several cabinet ministers told the BBC a no-deal Brexit could lead to a vote on Irish unification. Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald has also called on the Irish government to begin planning for a border poll, in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Now Bertie Ahern has called such a move irresponsible
14th Feb 2019 - BBC

Varadkar expects UK to leave EU with Brexit deal at end of March

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar expects the UK to leave the European Union at the end of March with a withdrawal deal, although his Government continues to prepare for “for all outcomes”, including a no-deal Brexit. Addressing more then 300 international bankers and finance executives at a conference in Dublin, Mr Varadkar said it was necessary to ensure that there would be no return to a hard border in Ireland and that the peace process be protected.
14th Feb 2019 - The Irish Times

@BBCNewsnight “The Brexiteer Tories are not happy with the government motion and are threatening to vote against it”

“The Brexiteer Tories are not happy with the government motion and are threatening to vote against it” Newsnight’s Political Editor Nick Watt lays out the potential landscape facing the government in tomorrow’s Brexit motion @nicholaswatt | #newsnight
14th Feb 2019 - BBC Newsnight

Jeremy Corbyn urges Theresa May to publish tax return as he reveals his own £46000 bill

Figures published by Labour show that the Labour leader handed over £46,074.90 to the HMRC for the 2017/18 tax year. The new data represents the fourth time Mr Corbyn has made his own tax return public, and shows that he earned £132,611 in the 12-month period from his salary as an MP and pensions.
13th Feb 2019 - Politics Home

EU officials: UK only 'pretending to negotiate' over Brexit impasse

The British government is “pretending to negotiate” with the European Union and has not presented any new proposals to break the Brexit deadlock, according to EU officials. Barnier, has said current talks with the UK do not even qualify as negotiations. In a call on Tuesday morning with Guy Verhofstadt, chief Brexit representative for the European parliament, Barnier said there were “no negotiations” with the British. “These are courtesy calls at best and we have nothing new to say,” Barnier was reported to have said, by a source familiar with the conversation.
13th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Does Theresa May want a no-deal Brexit?

On Monday, HuffPost’s Paul Waugh contended that, unwilling to countenance a solution that will split her party, the prime minister has warmed to the once “unthinkable” idea of leaving the EU without a deal as a fallback position should her withdrawal agreement be rejected for a second time by MPs. ITV’s Robert Peston generated much excitement with a similar argument in a blog published the same day.
13th Feb 2019 - New Statesman

Labour launches bid to stop Theresa May 'running down the clock' towards no-deal Brexit

Jeremy Corbyn tabled an amendment to the Prime Minister's Brexit plan which would force the Government to hold a fresh meaningful vote on her deal by the end of February. MPs will vote on Labour's attempt on Thursday and the Labour leader said: "This amendment would stop the Government from running down the clock on the Brexit negotiations, hoping Members of Parliament can be blackmailed into supporting a botched deal. "This is an act of gross irresponsibility. The Prime Minister is playing for time and playing with people’s jobs, our economic security and the future of our industry."
13th Feb 2019 - Politics Home

Brexit: Could Labour rebels form new party?

The unhappiness with the Labour leadership is of course not new. But the moment of decision may have arrived because some of the MPs in the small group who are contemplating leaving felt it was worth staying in a party they felt was hostile to them as individuals while they had a chance of influencing Brexit policy. But as the final shakedown over Brexit approaches and Jeremy Corbyn's attitude to another referendum stays the same - obviously not enthusiastic - their frustration is reaching new levels. And if they can't get him to the position of backing another vote, for them, what's the point of hanging around to defend a policy they don't believe in, in a party they believe is no longer their own.
13th Feb 2019 - BBC

Hardline Brexiters threaten to vote down Theresa May's motion

Members of the Tory European Research Group are unhappy with the wording of a No 10 motion because it endorses parliament’s vote against any Brexit without a withdrawal agreement. The motion for debate on Thursday simply affirms “the approach to leaving the EU” backed by the Commons on 29 January, when an amendment was passed in favour of an attempt to replace the Northern Ireland backstop with “alternative arrangements”. The motion was thought to be fairly uncontroversial until pro-Brexit supporters realised it also encompassed a second amendment passed on that day, which ruled out a no-deal Brexit. The amendment, tabled by Dame Caroline Spelman, “rejects the United Kingdom leaving the European Union without a withdrawal agreement and a framework for the future relationship”.
13th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Dark money is pushing for a no-deal Brexit. Who is behind it?

So who or what is Britain’s Future? Sorry, I have no idea. As openDemocracy points out, it has no published address and releases no information about who founded it, who controls it and who has been paying for these advertisements. The only person publicly associated with it is a journalist called Tim Dawson, who edits its website. Dawson has not yet replied to the questions I have sent him. It is, in other words, highly opaque. The anti-Brexit campaigns are not much better. People’s Vote and Best for Britain have also been spending heavily on Facebook ads, though not as much in recent weeks as Britain’s Future.
13th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Our constituencies voted to leave – based on an impossible promise

After two years of talks, the government has admitted that every form of Brexit will hurt our economy. That means our constituents will be poorer, for many of them their jobs will be put at risk, and the pressures on our NHS and other public services will only deepen. And far from taking back control, Brexit would see the UK forced to follow EU rules over which we will no longer have a say.
12th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Brexit: Will there be a resolution to months of indecision?

And at the start of this Westminster week, it's hard to find anyone in Westminster who is confident that there will be any ending to the drama much before the end of March. There is a summit with EU leaders where the prime minister will gather with her counterparts seven days before the departure date of 29 March. And while it seems like the kind of kamikaze politics the UK doesn't tend to do, traditionally at least, there is growing expectation, horrific to some, exciting to others, that the prime minister may well not come back with her final deal that she wants them to vote on until after that.
11th Feb 2019 - BBC

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 13th Feb 2019

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Here's the moral case for a second Brexit referendum

Given the complexity of the issue and the impasse on the Withdrawal Agreement in Westminster, a second referendum is a political necessity. Furthermore, a second referendum is a moral requirement. A second referendum would not mark the end of democracy in the UK as we know it, and the prospect of anarchic violence post-referendum is nothing more than empty rhetoric and shameless fear-mongering.
12th Feb 2019 - RTE.ie

Brexit news latest: Theresa May would win working majority in snap general election, poll finds

Theresa May would win a working majority if a general election were held today but the Tories would only gain four seats, a new poll has found. YouGov modelling for The Times, which correctly predicted a hung parliament, suggests that Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour would lose 12 seats and the Tories would gain four.
12th Feb 2019 - Evening Standard

'It's never too late,' Luxembourg minister says on possible Brexit deal

"I have seen many negotiations, yes, but this one is such a wide one that you cannot strike a deal by changing a number, a percentage or adding a sentence. This is so wide that it took many months, in fact two years to negotiate, and there are so many different topics, so that's why we needed something that encompasses the whole relationship and that's why a last-minute agreement cannot fix it all," Luxembourg Finance Minister Pierre Gramegna said.
12th Feb 2019 - CNBC

If we're heading for a no-deal Brexit, why is the Government not acting now?

it now looks as if the Prime Minister yet again wants to postpone a showdown and seek another fortnight’s grace in the hope of securing changes able to get her deal over the line. If by February 27 she cannot bring a renegotiated agreement before Parliament for a so-called meaningful vote then she promises to let the House debate an amendable motion that would allow all the various alternatives to be voted on.
12th Feb 2019 - The Telegraph

UK calls on former EU chief to help break Brexit deadlock

A source told Sky News that Mr Van Rompuy was invited to attend the dinner because he is seen as an "influencer" with the potential capability to seek out a compromise between the two sides. Mr Van Rompuy was at the helm in the European Council throughout the Greek financial crisis, which threatened the stability of the euro. Greece was finally bailed out in a compromise deal overseen by Mr Van Rompuy.
12th Feb 2019 - Sky News

Brexit: Theresa May promises meaningful vote after more talks with EU

Theresa May has promised MPs a final, decisive vote on her Brexit deal with the EU - but not until she has secured changes to the Irish backstop clause. The PM said she needed "some time" to get the changes she believes MPs want. She promised to update MPs again on 26 February and, if she had not got a new deal by then, to give them a say on the next steps in non-binding votes. Jeremy Corbyn accused her of "running down the clock" in an effort to "blackmail" MPs into backing her deal.
12th Feb 2019 - BBC

There’s a big problem with Theresa May’s plan to pass her Brexit deal

May doesn’t want to embrace membership of a customs union with the European Union because that would split her party. What she is aiming for instead is to pass a Brexit deal primarily with Conservative and DUP votes, with Labour votes making up the difference. The problem is that the Prime Minister is fishing in a very, very small pool. Just 20 Labour MPs have voted against the Labour whip to make Brexit harder than official party policy, and a further nine have abstained on vital votes. Taken together that gets you to 29 votes, including a number of sitting shadow ministers.
12th Feb 2019 - New Statesman

Theresa May tells MPs she’s still seeking backstop changes

Theresa May is still seeking "legally binding changes" to the Irish backstop and these "can be achieved by reopening the Withdrawal Agreement," she told MPs. Despite the EU's firm rejection of any changes to the legally binding draft agreement, as communicated to May during meetings in Brussels last week, the U.K. prime minister said talks are "at a crucial stage."
12th Feb 2019 - Politico.EU

PM calls on MPs to 'hold their nerve' on Brexit

Addressing the House of Commons a fortnight after MPs voted for her to go back to Brussels and replace the controversial Irish border backstop, Mrs May acknowledged that she would need "some time" to hold talks with the EU. Mrs May pledged to return to Parliament on February 26, if no deal has been secured before that time, to report back on progress and trigger a further MPs' vote the following day.
12th Feb 2019 - ITV News

Ian Blackford calls Theresa May a 'liar' in the House of Commons

Blackford was angry that the prime minister had claimed an economic analysis of her Brexit proposals put forward had been published - and the claim she wanted her Brexit deal done and dusted by hristmas - despite pulling the vote. Blackford, in his main response to May’s statement, said: “Sometimes I think the prime minister must live in a parallel universe. “We’ve just heard from the prime minister that she wanted this concluded in December. Talk about rewriting history. “It was the prime minister that denied us the right to have the meaningful vote and to try and rewrite history, and she sits there laughing, sometimes you should be honest with yourself, never mind being honest with the people of the United Kingdom.” He added May is “lost in a Brexit fantasy”, adding: “We’re 45 days from Scotland being dragged out of the European Union against our will - 45 days from economic catastrophe.”
12th Feb 2019 - The New European

A united Ireland now looks like an increasing possibility

According to recent polls, 86 per cent of people surveyed in the Republic preferred a united Ireland to a hard border and 62 per cent of people in Northern Ireland believe that Brexit makes a united Ireland more likely. Reunification would mean Northern Ireland automatically remains in the EU. A united Ireland was always “the solution that dare not speak its name,” says Margaret Urwin, author of A State in Denial, a book about the British government’s collaboration with loyalist paramilitaries. But speaking about reunification used to lead to accusations of supporting the IRA. “It’s a breath of fresh air now people feel able to mention it,” she tells me.
11th Feb 2019 - New Statesman

MPs reveal two new plans to stop no-deal Brexit

Two proposals were published after the prime minister urged MPs to give her more time to renegotiate an agreement with Brussels, but faced claims she is running down the clock. Jeremy Corbyn is leading the Labour frontbench bid to force a vote on the EU divorce deal itself or let MPs come up with their own plans to change the course of Brexit. From the backbenches, Yvette Cooper has teamed up with Labour colleagues and Tory rebels to try to give MPs a separate vote a fortnight before Brexit day on 29 March.
12th Feb 2019 - Sky News

Brexit: Cooper is reborn and Theresa hands out sweets

12th Feb 2019 - Channel 4 News

Theresa May running down the clock on Brexit, Starmer says

The British Labour Party’s Brexit spokesman has warned that Theresa May is “running down the clock” towards Brexit and restated his party’s promise to put a second referendum “on the table.” “I’m very concerned now with 46 days to go that the prime minister appears to be just running down the clock,” he told journalists at the headquarters of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. “Mindful as I am that the next EU summit is the 21st of March, and if she’s trying through chunks of two weeks to run the clock down, then I think parliament has to step in with a hard stop and say we’re not going to accept that.”
11th Feb 2019 - The Irish Times

Westminster to prevent May from running down Brexit clock, says Starmer

12th Feb 2019 - Gibraltar Chronicle

Exclusive: UK chief Brexit negotiator Olly Robbins warns MPs the choice is May’s deal or extension

Olly Robbins said that, in his view, he expects the choice for MPs to be either backing May’s deal or extending talks with the EU. He expects MPs in March to be presented with backing a reworked Brexit deal or a potentially significant delay to Brexit, he told colleagues last night. “The issue is whether Brussels is clear on the terms of extension,” he was overheard saying. “In the end they will probably just give us an extension.”
12th Feb 2019 - ITV News

Theresa May's Brexit tactic: my way or a long delay

12th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Theresa May's chief Brexit negotiator warned that MPs face choice between her deal or long delay

12th Feb 2019 - The Telegraph

UK's chief negotiator overheard contradicting May on Brexit deal

12th Feb 2019 - The National

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 12th Feb 2019

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Why A No-Deal Brexit Is Now Theresa May's Fallback Plan To Save Her Party – And Herself

Chief whip Julian Smith and, crucially, party chairman Brandon Lewis made a forceful case that she had to find a way to accommodate her backbenches, rather than make a grand bargain with the official Labour opposition. Smith had warned her before the vote that she would lose if she didn’t address MPs’ concerns about the so-called backstop for Northern Ireland, the guarantee in the deal to keep the province’s border open with Ireland through continuing alignment of EU rules. A fortnight later, May was thrown a lifeline by her party after she agreed to ask Brussels for “alternative arrangements” that could win a parliamentary majority. In recent days, May has more than ever bought into the Smith-Lewis argument that party unity has to come first, one source claims. “She’s thrown all of her weight behind the chief whip. He’s telling her ‘your party is fucked if you do anything other than hold strong’.”
11th Feb 2019 - Huffington Post

Why a no-deal Brexit is likely

Most MPs tell me they believe a no-deal Brexit is a remote prospect. They are wrong. I would argue it is the most likely outcome - unless evasive action is taken much sooner than anyone expects. Here is why. 1) The probability is low of the PM securing substantial enough changes to the widely loathed backstop to win a vote for her deal exclusively from Tory MPs, the DUP and a modest number of leave-supporting Labour MPs. 2) The probability is also low of the PM risking the break up of her party by pursuing all the way to a formal agreement.
11th Feb 2019 - ITV News

Dominic Grieve: As Brexit disaster looms, we must have the courage to retrace our steps

For more than two-and-a-half years we have been following a route, led by the Prime Minister, which is intended to take us out of the EU without undermining our economy or security while honouring the referendum result. But with less than 50 days to go the signs that we have lost our way are all about us. So is the mounting evidence of present and future damage.
11th Feb 2019 - Evening Standard

Majority of voters want Theresa May to delay Brexit, exclusive Independent poll finds

A majority of the country want Theresa May to delay Brexit, according to a new poll released ahead of a fresh Commons showdown over her exit strategy. With less than seven weeks until exit day, the exclusive survey for The Independent found 53 per cent of voters would support postponing Britain’s departure from the European Union, opening the door to a second referendum or further talks with Brussels. The poll comes as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sought to quell anger among his own MPs by stressing that a Final Say vote was still on the table.
11th Feb 2019 - The Independent

Barnier says Britain must give ground to break Brexit impasse

Michel Barnier has said “something has to give” on the British side of the negotiations if the Brexit impasse is to be broken. The EU’s chief negotiator insisted there was no question of Brussels giving in to Downing Street’s demands on the Irish backstop. “We’re waiting for clarity and movement from the United Kingdom,” Barnier told reporters after talks in Luxembourg with the country’s prime minister, Xavier Bettel.
11th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Back a public vote now, Labour donors tell Corbyn

Over 40 Labour donors and long-standing members have written to Jeremy Corbyn demanding that he “back a public vote without further delay”. The letter, sent to the Labour leader today, warns that “time is dangerously short” and “the current deadlock is slowly but surely wrecking the economy”. Citing Theresa May’s “dismal record as a negotiator” and “propensity to put party before country”, the party donors say they could not trust her to deliver the right Brexit result – even if parliament were to vote for Labour’s alternative Brexit plan.
11th Feb 2019 - Labour List

Lessons for Brexit from Norway’s hard border with Sweden

Norway’s membership in the European Economic Area (EEA) grants it access to the EU’s vast common market and most goods are exempt from paying duties. Still, everything entering the country must be declared and cleared through customs. Technological solutions being tested in Norway to digitalize customs procedures for cargo have been seized on by some in Britain as a way to overcome border-related problems that threaten to scuttle a divorce deal with the EU. But the realities of this northern border also show the difficulties that persist.
11th Feb 2019 - Associated Press

BBC Radio 4's news not biased against Brexit, says regulator

BBC Radio 4’s news output is not inherently anti-Brexit, the media regulator has concluded, dismissing a formal complaint from a group of MPs and peers who believe the corporation is biased in favour of remainers. The politicians had claimed “positive, pro-Brexit opinion is being systematically underrepresented in BBC output” and that “more time, space and emphasis is being given to pro-EU or anti-Brexit voices”, based on an analysis of Radio 4’s output.
11th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Ribble Valley MP requests rural funding for constituencies that voted to leave the EU

Nigel Evans, MP for the Ribble Valley, has written to the Prime Minister asking for increased funding for rural constituencies that voted to leave the European Union. Following recent reports that the Government is considering proposals from a group of Labour MPs, in predominantly Leave-supporting constituencies, to allocate more funds to their communities, Mr Evans has urged the Prime Minister to extend any incentives and funding to all rural constituencies that voted to leave the European Union.
11th Feb 2019 - Clitheroe Advertiser and Times

Inside Europe: superb TV that shows how to solve the EU crisis

Inside Europe: Ten Years of Turmoil, is an extraordinary BBC2 documentary that ends tonight. The series is effectively a Brexit prequel, examining how the current crisis was shaped by three pressure points on the European Union: the bail-out of the Eurozone in 2010, plus the Greek debt crisis and the European migrant emergency of 2015.
11th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Political Shenanigans - News from the Brexit Cliff Edge - 11th Feb 2019

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UK Labour Party seeks Brexit deal vote before end of the month

The Labour Party will this week try to force Theresa May to pledge another “meaningful vote” on her Brexit deal before the end of February to prevent the prime minister taking the final parliamentary showdown on the UK departure from the EU to the wire. With fewer than 50 days to go until the scheduled Brexit day on March 29, there are growing fears among MPs and business leaders that Downing Street is engaged in dangerous brinkmanship. Keir Starmer, shadow Brexit secretary, will put forward an amendment within days aimed at compelling Mrs May to hold the vote before February 26. “We have got to put a hard stop into this running down the clock,” he told the Sunday Times.
10th Feb 2019 - Financial Times

Brexit: More votes promised as Labour says May running down the clock

10th Feb 2019 - BBC

Theresa May 'set to delay second Commons vote on her Brexit deal' as she pleads with EU

7th Feb 2019 - PoliticsHome

May rejects Corbyn's offer as businesses warn of Brexit cliff edge

Theresa May has effectively ruled out Labour’s ideas for a compromise Brexit plan, shutting off another potential route to a deal as business groups warned that with less than 50 days to go the departure process was entering the “emergency zone”.
11th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Boris Johnson backs call for multibillion cut to UK aid budget

There are calls for a multibillion-pound cut in the UK’s overseas aid budget and closure of the Department for International Development (DfID) as a separate Whitehall entity are set out in a new Conservative vision for a post-Brexit “global Britain” backed by the former foreign secretary Boris Johnson.
11th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Government’s secret post-Brexit plan must rule out the Singapore model

Whitehall should publish the findings of ‘Project After’ to clarify the direction of UK industrial strategy in the case of no-deal. here are plans under discussion in Whitehall to cope with the long-term consequences of a no-deal Brexit. Dubbed Project After, these plans involve Whitehall officials poring over the government’s entire portfolio of tax and spending commitments and how they might be adjusted once the UK tumbles out of the European Union’s single market and tariff-free customs area. No 10 has kept Project After under wraps and little is known about any conclusions that might have been drawn. The theme, we know, centres on encouraging companies that might otherwise depart these shores to stay, and encouraging fresh investment from businesses nervous about setting up shop in a newly outcast UK.
10th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Not opposing Brexit could lose Labour 45 seats, says leaked report

A trade union affiliated with the Labour party has claimed that Jeremy Corbyn’s party could lose an additional 45 seats in a snap election if it fails to take an anti-Brexit position, in a leaked report. The report, drawn up by the transport union TSSA and including extensive polling, was sent to the leftwing pressure group Momentum. It appears to be an attempt to pile pressure on the Labour leader over Brexit. It claims that “Brexit energises Labour remain voters” disproportionately, and warns: “There is no middle way policy which gets support from both sides of the debate.” The Guardian understands that while the report was sent to Momentum, it was not commissioned or requested by the group.
10th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Black and White Ball: Brexit donor snub has PM relying on backers linked to Russia

Conservative donors snubbed the party’s annual Black and White Ball fundraiser, leaving Theresa May increasingly dependent on handouts from supporters linked to Russia. A senior party insider said many big donors had failed to show up at the social event held on Wednesday night at the Evolution venue in Battersea Park, London. One donor who did attend said others had stayed away in protest at May’s leadership and her handling of Brexit...Meanwhile, May has accepted almost £270,000 from Russian-linked donors since she blamed the Kremlin for the Skripal poisoning. She had promised to distance her party from Russian donors when she took office, with allies briefing that she would “sup with a long spoon”. However, the party has accepted almost £2m from Russia-linked donors since May become prime minister in July 2016. Lubov Chernukin, the wife of a former Putin minister, has given £230,250 since last March and Alexander Temerko, a Ukrainian-born former Russian defence chief, gave £39,450.
10th Feb 2019 - The Times

Tory donors could stop giving after no deal Brexit

9th Feb 2019 - MSN.com

Senior European Diplomats Believe Theresa May Has Embarked On A “Buy Time” Strategy

A diplomatic note seen by BuzzFeed News reveals that senior European diplomats think the prime minister is trying to “buy time” with MPs – and the risks of a “no deal by accident” are increasing.
9th Feb 2019 - BuzzFeed News

BBC defends decision to ban audience members waving EU flags at Eurovision: You Decide

Audience members at a BBC programme to decide the UK’s 2019 Eurovision entry were reportedly banned from bringing EU flags into the venue – instead being offered Union Flags. In a move slammed by pro-EU campaigners as “politicising”, all external flags were checked into security while the show was taking place. EU Flag Mafia, a group who were handing out EU flags ahead of the event, added: “No issues with the Union flag as we’re British, but this is clear propaganda and against the Eurovision code of conduct.”
9th Feb 2019 - iNews

BBC investigating after Scots ex-UKIP candidate makes Question Time audience appearance for FOURTH time

The BBC has launched an investigation after it emerged a Question Time audience member who attacked the SNP had been on the show three times before. But Mitchell’s contribution from the audience sparked controversy because of his numerous previous appearances. Thursday’s programme aired from Motherwell. Mitchell has previously asked questions from the audience at two debates in Stirling and one in Kilmarnock. Question Time is supposed to have stringent rules about applications and adhere to strict rules about balance. SNP deputy leader Keith Brown said the progamme had “got itself into a real mess”.
8th Feb 2019 - Daily Record

BBC Question Time 'investigating' after same man gets in audience multiple times

8th Feb 2019 - Daily Mirror

BBC Question Time criticised after three-time audience member slams SNP

8th Feb 2019 - The Scotsman

Govt working to ensure NHS can 'operate fully' in event of no-deal Brexit

Matt Hancock's confirmation of the preparations followed reports that senior figures are examining ways to reboot the economy if the UK leaves the European Union without an agreement in place. According to the Financial Times, officials from the Treasury, Cabinet Office, business and trade departments are meeting with the head of the civil service to develop emergency plans as part of an initiative called "Project After". The newspaper reports that options explored by the group have included cutting taxes, boosting investment and slashing tariffs - with one Whitehall source describing it as a "Doomsday list of economic levers we could pull if the economy is about to tank".
8th Feb 2019 - Sky News

Theresa May facing ministerial resignations over Brexit as Brussels sends her away empty-handed

Theresa May is returning to Westminster facing ministerial resignations after she left talks with EU leaders over her Brexit deal empty-handed. With another vote in the Commons due next week, a minister said colleagues on Ms May’s own front bench are ready to quit if there is no breakthrough in talks with Brussels. She was told on Thursday by a string of EU chiefs that the controversial backstop in the withdrawal agreement was not up for negotiation – and that she should instead change her red lines to win Labour support and take the deal over the line.
8th Feb 2019 - The Independent

Revealed: The dark-money Brexit ads flooding social media

Facebook has new transparency rules on political ads. But in the last week pro-Brexit groups have spent tens of thousands pushing ‘no deal’ – without having to explain who pays for them.
5th Feb 2019 - openDemocracy

Boris Johnson earned £51,000 for one speech, MPs' register reveals

Whatever the speculation about Boris Johnson’s political ... no one can doubt his ability to make money since returning to the backbenches, including, it has emerged, being paid more than £51,000 for a single speech.
6th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Ireland and EU discuss emergency funds to offset no-deal Brexit

Ireland is in talks with the EU over a substantial Brexit emergency fund to offset the damage caused to the country’s €4.5bn (£3.96bn) food exports to Britain if the UK crashes out of the bloc with no deal next month. As Theresa May prepares for a crunch meeting in Brussels on Thursday, officials at the European commission are already looking at continuous compensatory measures for Ireland as part of an ongoing arrangement that could last years.
5th Feb 2019 - The Guardian

Yvette Cooper: Man arrested over threats to Labour MP

A man has been arrested by police investigating threats made to Labour MP Yvette Cooper. The 59-year-old Leeds man was arrested in Castleford on Friday over alleged threats to the Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford MP. West Yorkshire Police said the man was held "as a result of information received in relation to alleged threats against a serving MP".
5th Feb 2019 - BBC