Donald Tusk has failed to back Jean-Claude Juncker by refusing to rule out granting a further extension to the date of the UK’s departure from the EU. Speaking at a press conference after a new Brexit deal was endorsed by the EU, the European council president said he had ‘no idea’ what would happen in the House of Commons
The Irish PM said on Thursday he had 'mixed feelings' over the Brexit deal reached between the UK and the EU. Speaking at a press conference after the deal was ratified and sent to the UK parliament for approval, the taoiseach said he regretted Brexit but added that 'there will always be a place at the table for the United Kingdom, if they ever choose to come back'
European commission president puts pressure on British MPs to pass new Brexit deal by pouring doubt on the possibility of any further extension. Arriving in Brussels for the EU summit, Juncker said there was no argument for further delay
Continue reading...Prime minister is racing to secure backing from Democratic Unionist party for deal, which EU said they could approve today
For those of you who missed this, late last night Louise Ellman, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, announced she was leaving the Labour Party because she could “no longer advocate voting Labour when it risks Corbyn becoming PM”.
Dame Louise, 73, who is Jewish, said she had been “deeply troubled” by the “growth of anti-Semitism” in Labour in recent years.
I have made the truly agonising decision to leave the Labour Party after 55 years. I can no longer advocate voting Labour when it risks Corbyn becoming PM. I will continue to serve the people of Liverpool Riverside as I have had the honour to do since 1997. pic.twitter.com/3BTzUacZvo
Lord Adonis is up and tweeting early, as he often does. He is reiterating his view that Johnson will end up being forced to ask the EU for an extension beyond 31 October.
Obviously Parliament cannot vote tomorrow on a deal which has not been agreed, let alone published, as a legal text. So he will still have to apply for an extension, which is the key operative fact today
Continue reading...Prime minister will brief cabinet today on latest negotiations as UK and EU teams resume talks
These are from RTE’s Tony Connelly.
BREAKING: Michel Barnier has told EU Commissioners he is optimistic of getting a deal done today, @rtenews understands
2/ However, there still outstanding issues, so this could go right to the wire.
3/ It's understood VAT has emerged as a last minute problem: if NI remains inside the EU's VAT system, essential for North-South trade, then a new mechanism will have to be created for East-West trade, as the UK will be in its own VAT system
4/ However, it's understood officials are confident that a solution can be found.
5/ It's understood consent is also proving difficult, with a senior EU source saying the DUP are pushing to restore a tighter Stormont lock
6/ The third big hurdle is on the "level playing field" provisions. The EU is concerned at Boris Johnson's bid to dilute Theresa May's commitments to not stray far from the EU's environmental, state aid, social and labour standards
7/ The meeting of EU ambassadors, whom Barnier will brief, is still scheduled for 14hr CET, suggesting that the timings are still on course
ITV’s Robert Peston say the DUP are going back to Downing Street for another meeting.
DUP going back into Downing St, to try to find a way through roadblock. https://t.co/TDNS9amGqy
Continue reading...Negotiators understood to have agreed in principle to customs border down Irish Sea
Boris Johnson appears to be on the brink of reaching a Brexit deal after making major concessions to EU demands over the Irish border.
A draft text of the agreement could now be published on Wednesday if Downing Street gives the final green light, according to senior EU and British sources.
Continue reading...Eurosceptics and Labour MPs indicate they could back prime minister’s deal if he clinches agreement in Brussels
Boris Johnson is edging towards the parliamentary numbers needed to pass a Brexit deal after more hardline Eurosceptics and pro-deal Labour MPs indicated they could back a new agreement made with the EU.
The prime minister will need to win over almost all the 28 Tory “Spartans” who held out against Theresa May’s deal if he manages to bring an agreement back from Brussels, as well as either the Democratic Unionist party or a chunk of Labour backbenchers.
Continue reading...The day’s political developments as they happen, including the Queen’s speech, and Johnson and Corbyn speaking in the subsequent debate
Johnson says Labour’s plan to scrap Ofsted is “insane”.
He says that one nation Conservatives like himself support Ofsted because they believe in standards.
Back in the debate Labour’s Angela Eagle says Merseyside has lost 1,120 police officers. Why is it only being allowed to recruit 200 more.
Johnson says this is just the first wave of recruitment.
Continue reading...Barnier warns negotiations may have to continue as UK’s Irish border plans are an ‘untested’ risk
A breakthrough in the Brexit talks has failed to materialise after a weekend of intensive negotiations, with European Union capitals concluding that it may now be impossible for the UK to leave the EU by 31 October with a deal.
In a briefing to EU ambassadors on Sunday evening, the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, raised the prospect of the talks having to continue after the forthcoming leaders’ summit on Thursday, such was the lack of progress.
Continue reading...Pro-remain MPs predicted on Saturday that they were gaining sufficient cross-party support to secure a second Brexit referendum as fresh doubts were raised over whether Boris Johnson can secure a deal with the EU that can pass through parliament.
Related: No-deal Brexit will wreck Tories’ reputation as party of business, says Lidington
Continue reading...Minister voices hopes of progress after talks between UK and Ireland over border
The prospects of a Brexit deal with the EU appear to be “promising” after negotiations between Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar over the Irish border, Nicky Morgan has said.
A day after the British prime minister signalled the possibility of a U-turn on his plans, the culture secretary said the “mood music … seems positive, but clearly there are lots of details to be worked out.”
Continue reading...EU gives go-ahead to weekend meetings after PM appears to backtrack on customs stance
Boris Johnson has signalled that he will make a last-ditch U-turn on his plans for the Irish border, setting up 48 hours of intense negotiations that will make or break a Brexit deal.
On a day of rapid movement in talks, EU sources said the prime minister had conceded that there could not be a customs border on the island of Ireland – a critical step away from his previous position.
Continue reading...Follow the latest political developments after Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar agreed there was a “pathway to a possible Brexit deal” after an unexpectedly constructive meeting
The Pro-Brexit Tory MP, Nigel Evans, has said members of the Eurosceptic European Research Group could vote for concessions on Northern Ireland if the DUP was in favour.
“I think it is very difficult to get it through without the DUP, but we have seen a shift from the DUP already,” he said according to PA.
“We’re going to look at the detail - none of us know.
“I believe it is three dimensional poker and we’re playing very high risk stakes here.
ITV’s Joe Pike has been told that the Labour defector, Angela Smith, now a Lib Dem MP, plans to stand against the Tory backbench shop steward Graham Brady.
She faces a tough battle: In 2017 Brady secured a majority of more than 6,000 votes over Labour with the LibDems a very distant third.
Angela Smith says: ‘Me and the @LibDems are confident we stand an excellent chance of winning the seat.’
The Altrincham constituency leans Remain and Sir Graham Brady is pro-Brexit.
Taoiseach ‘convinced’ UK and Ireland want an agreement in interests of all parties
Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar have agreed there is a “pathway to a possible Brexit deal”, surprising sceptical EU officials with their upbeat assessment after more than three hours of private talks.
The British prime minister hosted his Irish counterpart at a country house in the north-west of England for talks on Thursday that had been expected to break down. But when the pair emerged from discussions they painted a more optimistic picture, suggesting the Brexit logjam could be broken by the end of the month.
Continue reading...Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including Boris Johnson’s meeting with Leo Varadkar to discuss Brexit
Brexit party MEPs vote against plans to address Russian propaganda
Brexit party MEPs vote against plans to tackle Russian propaganda https://t.co/ZP99X4GXrN
A few key dates for the diary:
Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay will meet the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, in Brussels on Friday when they are expected to assess whether there are the grounds to move forward.
Continue reading...Pair to meet in north-west England on Thursday and discuss Northern Ireland
Boris Johnson is set for a private meeting with the Irish taoiseach on Thursday in a last-ditch attempt to come to a Brexit compromise over Northern Ireland, after talks came to a sudden halt in Brussels.
Johnson and Leo Varadkar have opted to meet on “neutral” territory in the north-west of England rather than Dublin or London, as negotiations enter a make-or-break phase ahead of next week’s EU summit.
Continue reading...EU may offer to extend Brexit talks to summer, despite PM’s insistence UK will leave on 31 October
Boris Johnson’s Brexit plan appeared to be all but dead on Tuesday night as the government admitted there was little prospect of a deal before 31 October, following a day of furious recriminations.
The prime minister spoke to the Irish taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, on the phone after a stormy 24 hours of briefing and counter-briefing, as concerns about his tactics were even raised in Johnson’s cabinet.
Continue reading...Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as doubts grow over future of Brexit negotiations
This is from Mujtaba Rahman, the Brexit specialist at the Eurasia consultancy.
Collapse of negotiations now leaves MPs with a huge dilemma. Do they put trust in Benn Act to be robust enough to prevent the no-deal Boris will now gravitate to? Or do they oust him in a VONC to make totally sure? Former more likely- still no sign of agreement on caretaker PM
And these are from the BBC’s Berlin correspondent, Jenny Hill.
Worth bearing in mind the following when looking at No 10’s interpretation of Merkel / Johnson call. 1. This confrontational language / style is unusual for Merkel 2. Germany - more than most - has been careful to avoid leaks / statements which wld inflame tensions between UK&EU
3. My understanding is that German govt still ready to work to find solution not least because....4. Germany doesn’t want no deal. Met president of German exporters assoc earlier - they are horrified by prospect
Continue reading...MPs say thousands of jobs, many in rural Scotland, could be at risk from planned 25% tax
MPs are calling on Boris Johnson to intervene directly with Donald Trump to prevent the US imposing punitive tariffs of 25% on imported scotch whisky later this month.
The US announced last week that scotch would be among a range of European goods subject to hefty import taxes from 18 October, as it hits back against the EU in the long-running trade dispute over subsidies for Airbus.
Continue reading...