DEBATE: Is there any point to the annual WEF summit in Davos? January 22, 2019 Is there any point to the annual WEF summit in Davos? Bill Michael, chairman and senior partner of KPMG in the UK, says YES. Elements of the World Economic Forum (WEF) do raise an eyebrow. From the setting in the Swiss Alps to the A-listers in attendance, it can seem like the last bastion of global [...]
Think you know how Britain feels about Brexit? Think again January 22, 2019 Having seen her Brexit proposals rejected in the largest defeat for a sitting government in British parliamentary history, the Prime Minister returned to the House of Commons on Monday with a plan B that looks startling like plan A. Yes, there have been some tweaks around the edges, such as scrapping the fee for EU [...]
Theresa May waives £65 registration fee for EU citizens living in the UK January 21, 2019 EU citizens will no longer be hit by a £65 charge to register to stay in the UK after Brexit, Theresa May has announced in a bid to win support from MPs. Speaking in the Commons, the Prime Minister announced the fee will be waived after lobbying by parliamentarians from across the Commons during talks [...]
Poland breaks ranks with EU to propose five-year time limit on Brexit backstop January 21, 2019 The EU’s chief negotiator today insisted the Brexit deal negotiated with Theresa May is set in stone, as Poland broke ranks to suggest a key change to the agreement. Michel Barnier told Irish broadcaster RTE that “the withdrawal agreement with all its dimensions, including the backstop, is the best deal possible” this afternoon. Read more: [...]
Ireland will not negotiate with UK over Brexit backstop, says minister January 21, 2019 Sterling dipped this morning as Ireland said it would not negotiate separately with the UK over Theresa May’s Brexit deal. The Prime Minister was hoping to sign a treaty with Ireland to remove the so-called Irish backstop from her unpopular withdrawal agreement, according to The Sunday Times. Read more: May must battle MPs trying to delay [...]
Labour loses up to 150,000 members over its stance on Brexit January 20, 2019 The Labour party's stance on Brexit has prompted the exodus of about 150,000 members in recent months, according to reports. Labour sources told the Sunday Times that up to 100,000 are also not up to date with their subscriptions and enrolment is floundering at 385,000. The losses have reportedly cost the party £6m. A Labour source [...]
Theresa May faces trying week in parliament as MPs plan to delay Brexit January 20, 2019 Theresa May will update MPs on her Brexit plan B on Monday amid open warfare in her own party over how to break the deadlock in parliament. She will also table a motion that will be debated and voted on 29 January. The Prime Minister is believed to be focusing her efforts on winning over [...]
John Major urges Prime Minister May to ditch red lines on Brexit negotiations January 19, 2019 Former Conservative prime minister John Major has urged Theresa May to drop her so called red lines on Brexit negotiations and let parliament find a way to avoid a no deal scenario. Major said: “Her deal is dead and I don’t think honestly that tinkering with it is going to make very much difference if [...]
Customs union compromise could open the door to renewed talks on Brexit, says commissioner January 19, 2019 Britain could clear the way to reaching an agreement on the Brexit deal if it rows back on a commitment to leave the EU’s customs union, according to a senior commissioner within the bloc. Prime Minister Theresa May is still in a stand-off with opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, halting her last minute bid to [...]
Boris Johnson says delaying Article 50 would erode trust in politicians January 18, 2019 Boris Johnson warned today that politicians risk losing the electorate's trust if they were to delay Brexit by extending Article 50 beyond 29 March. In a speech at building machinery giant JCB’s headquarters in Staffordshire this morning, he said: “It's overwhelmingly likely we will get a deal, a good deal – we just won't get [...]