No one in their right mind wants another year of Brexit transition – except the EU October 19, 2018 Who is smiling on the Prime Minister’s announcement that the transition period after exiting the EU could be extended by an extra year? Not the hardline Brexiteers, many of whom think that the UK should have left the bloc yesterday. Not the ultra-Remainers either – an extension of the transition still leads to the inevitable [...]
Tory leader in City Hall offers coy defence of controversial mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey October 18, 2018 The leader of the Conservatives in the London Assembly has shied away from giving a weighty endorsement of the group's controversial candidate for mayor, Shaun Bailey. Bailey, who is the Tories' pick to take on the incumbent Labour mayor Sadiq Khan in the upcoming election, has sparked criticism after it emerged he made a series of [...]
Theresa May’s bungled Brexit backstop plan means that once again nothing has changed October 18, 2018 The gathering of EU leaders in Brussels this week was supposed to bring clarity, not confusion, to the Brexit negotiations. After the PR disaster of Salzburg, both sides needed to at least act like the talks were going in the right direction and a deal was doable. But as with so much of the Brexit [...]
Theresa May rows back from Brexit transition extension after Tory backlash October 18, 2018 Theresa May has tried to downplay anger over a plan to extend the UK’s post-Brexit transition period, just hours after flagging the idea to EU leaders. Speaking in Brussels, the PM claimed keeping the UK signed up to EU rules for a further year was not her idea – but could indeed be a solution [...]
EU leaders did not discuss extending Brexit transition period, reveals Donald Tusk October 18, 2018 EU leaders did not discuss extending the UK’s post-Brexit transition period last night despite Theresa May floating the offer as a way to jumpstart negotiations. The PM made the proposal to her EU counterparts on Wednesday, but European Council president Donald Tusk revealed it was not talked about after she had left the room. German [...]
Brexit uncertainty puts small businesses at risk, warns FSB October 18, 2018 Tens of thousands of small businesses would be put at risk from a no-deal Brexit, the Federation of Small Businesses claimed today. The business campaigner added that the lack of progress in negotiations between the UK and EU is increasing uncertainty among firms, forcing them to consider putting business decisions on hold and even cutting [...]
Whitehall’s move to Canary Wharf should inspire us towards a smaller, smarter state October 18, 2018 Moore's Law is an observable rule that has held broadly true since the mid-1960s. Named after the co-founder of Intel, it argues that every two years the number of transistors on a microchip will double at the same time that costs halve. In the real world, this has meant phones, cameras, and computers that are now [...]
Brexit: Theresa May is losing the confidence of colleagues as negotiations stall, says ex-minister October 18, 2018 Prime Minister Theresa May is losing Cabinet members’ trust in her ability to reach a Brexit agreement, a former minister claimed today, accusing both the UK and EU of secretly hoping for a no-deal scenario. May and her EU counterparts are running down the clock towards a no-deal Brexit, said Tory MP Nick Boles, who [...]
Dominic Raab seeks to scupper MPs’ ‘meaningful vote’ on Brexit October 17, 2018 MPs will face a straight 'deal or no deal' vote on any agreement struck with the EU, Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has claimed in a blow to those hoping to reopen negotiations. In a letter to the Commons procedural committee, Raab spelled out that any motion relating to the Brexit agreement must deliver an “unequivocal [...]
Theresa May to hold conference call with 150 business leaders October 17, 2018 Theresa May will hold a conference call with 150 CEOs on Friday to brief them on the state of the Brexit talks. The call is part of a charm offensive of the business community following a fractious period – summed up by former foreign secretary Boris Johnson claiming “f*** business” when it came to the [...]