Brexit secretary Dominic Raab admits food will need to be stockpiled – but stresses there will be “adequate” supply July 24, 2018 Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has admitted food will have to be stockpiled in the event of a hard Brexit – but insisted there will be "adequate food supply". During a terse grilling by the Brexit Select Committee, Raab stressed he would not "drip feed out" information, pointing to the "series of technical notices" that are [...]
Prime Minister Theresa May confirms she, not Dominic Raab, is leading Brexit negotiations July 24, 2018 Theresa May has confirmed that Brexit secretary Dominic Raab will not be in charge of the talks in Brussels, issuing a statement saying she is taking the lead from now on. The Prime Minister's written statement, issued just a couple of hours before summer recess began, and under the vague headline of "a machinery of [...]
Insurance giant Aviva sells Friends Provident for £340m to International Financial Group subsidiary July 19, 2018 Insurance giant Aviva will sell its loss-making Friends Provident arm to International Financial Group for £340m, the firm announced this morning. The sale follows a strategic review of Friends Provident International Limited (FPIL), which made a post-tax loss of £2m last year and remitted no cash back to the parent company, Aviva said. The sale [...]
EU publishes its no Brexit deal guidelines July 19, 2018 The European Commission has published its guidance over what countries, businesses and individuals should do to prepare for a no deal ahead of Brexit day next March. As revealed by City A.M. yesterday, the Commission is calling on all parties to step up preparations on the back of what was agreed at the European Council [...]
Exclusive: EU27 negotiators and MEPs are mulling extension to Article 50 over no deal fears July 18, 2018 An extension to next year's Article 50 deadline is being discussed in the backrooms of Brussels, as MEPs and officials from member states weigh up plans to avoid a cliff-edge Brexit. Fears are growing that talks will not conclude in time for both the UK and EU to meet the 29 March 2019 deadline. Several [...]
European Commission to ramp up warnings over no deal Brexit plans as press conference with Dominic Raab appears to be ruled out July 18, 2018 The European Commission will tomorrow urge member states, businesses and private individuals to step up their preparations for no deal, ahead of the first meeting between Michel Barnier and Dominic Raab. The Brexit secretary will meet his counterpart in Brussels tomorrow afternoon, however it is understood there will be no press conference at the end [...]
Brexit: Rebel Conservative and opposition MPs fail to defeat government on key customs union amendment to Trade Bill July 17, 2018 Remainer rebels in the Conservatives and Labour MPs have failed to derail Theresa May over her Brexit policy, leaving the Prime Minister bruised but not beaten yet again. An amendment to the government’s Trade Bill, requiring the UK to seek customs union membership if frictionless trade is not secure by January next year, was opposed by [...]
Another Commons battle looms as Labour vows to fight government on early recess motion and Brexit trade bill amendment July 17, 2018 Theresa May is facing rebellions on not one but two different votes today – including one about bringing the start of recess forward. Fresh from her pyrrhic victory yesterday, the Prime Minister is to go head-to-head with Remainers over another Brexit bill – this time on trade – and her decision to start MPs' summer [...]
Brexit: The damage inflicted by the ERG leaves Theresa May in power – but too weak to stop the Conservatives’ civil war July 16, 2018 A lot of ink has been spilled on whether the Prime Minister could face a vote of no confidence and be forced out of Downing Street. However, for many weeks now Brexiters have made it clear this is not the route they are seeking. Eurosceptics, represented in part by the European Research Group (ERG), know [...]
Chequers deal crumbles as Theresa May gives into ERG’s amendments on new Brexit bill, putting facilitated customs arrangement at risk July 16, 2018 The government has backed down on all four of the wrecking amendments put forward by Brexiter-in-chief Jacob Rees-Mogg last week, in order to avoid an embarrassing defeat in the House of Commons. Three of the amendments were relatively uncontroversial, but a fourth – tabled by former Cabinet minister Priti Patel – was widely viewed as [...]