Brexit: Government’s latest no-deal planning revealed October 8, 2019 Michael Gove has revealed his latest set of plans for no-deal Brexit planning, just minutes after Downing Street appeared to admit talks had collapsed. The latest report, which government had promised to publish regularly in the run-up to Hallowe’en, sets out plans for a “significant increase” in the number of customs agents at the borders [...]
Labour rules out unity government plan to block no-deal Brexit October 8, 2019 Labour has definitively ruled out opposition plans for a government of national unity as part of efforts to prevent a no-deal Brexit, City A.M. understands. The rainbow coalition of anti-no-dealers, including a swelling tribe of Liberal Democrat MPs, has tried repeatedly to find a suitable candidate to lead a caretaker government in a bid to [...]
Brexit deal ‘overwhelmingly unlikely’, Merkel tells PM October 8, 2019 German Chancellor Angela Merkel has told Boris Johnson a Brexit deal is “overwhelmingly unlikely” as talks in Brussels teeter on the brink. Johnson spoke with Merkel on the phone this morning, as part of his ongoing charm offensive to get an 11th-hour deal secured. However, a Downing Street source claims that Merkel told the PM [...]
Bank of England governor appointment ‘on track’, says chancellor Sajid Javid October 8, 2019 Chancellor Sajid Javid has stressed plans to appoint a new Bank of England governor are still “on track”, despite resources being redeployed towards Brexit planning. Javid has written to the Treasury Select Committee – which is still without a chair after Nicky Morgan entered government this summer – to reassure MPs that a new head [...]
Brexit: Government pledges to cut tariffs if there’s no deal October 8, 2019 The government has pledged to cut tariffs on lorries imported into the UK, and apply new tariffs on clothing imports, in the event of a no-deal Brexit. For the first year after the UK leaves the EU, the government will reduce the tariff from 22 per cent to 10 per cent. The move comes after [...]
Downing Street: Anti-Brexit countries will ‘go to bottom of queue’ in future talks October 8, 2019 Countries that support a delay to Brexit “will go to the bottom of the queue” when negotiating the UK’s future relationship, a source within Downing Street has said. As tensions rise ahead of the weekend – viewed on both sides as a critical point for determining whether a deal can be struck in time – [...]
PM to wave through Corbyn’s election meeting request October 7, 2019 The Prime Minister is backing a request by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to hold a series of meetings with senior civil servants, as the two parties edge towards calling a snap election. According to Politico, the leader of the opposition has requested these meetings, in the event that he forms a government in the coming [...]
Boris Johnson urges EU to ‘thrash out’ Brexit deal as weekend deadline looms October 7, 2019 Boris Johnson has urged the EU to “thrash this thing out” with both sides admitting there is just a handful of days left to break the Brexit impasse and secure a deal. Last week the UK government published its proposal – initially described as a “final offer” – which has met with criticism from Brussels, [...]
Court dismisses attempt to force PM to seek Brexit extension October 7, 2019 The Edinburgh Court of Session has said it will not act to force Boris Johnson to comply with the law that says he must seek an extension to Brexit if no deal is agreed by 19 October. The court said the PM’s unequivocal assurances that he will comply with the Benn Act means action at [...]
No 10 calls on US to ‘reconsider its position’ over diplomat’s wife October 7, 2019 Downing Street has called on the US government to “reconsider its decision” to give immunity to a diplomat’s wife who is wanted by British police over a fatal road crash. The case is “extremely concerning”, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said this morning. “The justice process should be allowed to take place and we urge the [...]