Is giving Parliament a vote on the final Brexit deal a disaster waiting to happen? January 18, 2017 Denis MacShane, the former minister of Europe, author of Brexit: How Britain Left Europe, and senior adviser at Avisa Partners in Brussels, says Yes. The Prime Minister’s speech is just the first shot in what will be a very long two years. Right now it’s about politics. But over the next 24 months it will [...]
It’s May way or the Highway: Prime Minister Theresa May confirms UK will seek bespoke Brexit deal January 18, 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May laid out her plan for life outside the Single Market yesterday, warning Brussels that she will walk away from negotiations if the EU seeks to damage the UK by blocking a free trade deal. While May’s threat sent jitters through the City, business groups were heartened to hear the PM promise [...]
“No deal is better than a bad deal” – Six things we learned from Theresa May’s big Brexit speech January 17, 2017 Theresa May said her plan to quit the EU would involve 12 key objectives, and while some of those may be broader than others, there were still plenty of interesting developments. Speaking at Lancaster House today, the Prime Minister gave an outline of her hopes for Brexit for the first time – so what did we [...]
Theresa May must be even bolder to make Global Britain a free-trading success January 17, 2017 “Fear not, we are of the nature of the lion.” – Queen Elizabeth I There was just enough in Theresa May’s speech today to reassure those who campaigned to leave the EU. Crucially, she made clear that we are definitely leaving the Single Market and taking control of our borders. She suggested only a great [...]
Theresa May is guaranteeing businesses a “phased” move into Brexit January 17, 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May has promised to avoid a "cliff-edge" transition to Brexit, while stressing she hopes to have reached a deal within the two year Article 50 process. May has said she will begin Brexit talks by the end of March, and speaking at Lancaster house today, she reiterated that the government does not [...]
Theresa May guarantees parliament a vote on the final Brexit deal January 17, 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May has promised that both the House of Commons and the House of Lords will be granted a vote on a final Brexit deal. Speaking at Lancaster House today, May said Parliament would be asked to approve the final terms of her negotiations with the European Union. Branding the move an effort to provide "certainty", [...]
Theresa May: The UK “cannot” remain a Single Market member January 17, 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May and chancellor Philip Hammond have both said the UK will terminate its membership of the Single Market. Hammond revealed the UK would look for a "quick and simple" and "ambitious agenda for a comprehensive free-trade agreement" in the House of Commons, while May's landmark address at Lancaster House said the UK "cannot" remain a [...]
Xi Jinping in Davos: “No one will emerge as a winner in a trade war.” January 17, 2017 Chinese president Xi Jinping used his first appearance at the World Economic Forum to mount a robust defence of globalisation. “It is the result of growing social productivity and is the natural outcome of scientific and technological advances”, Xi said in the forum’s Opening Plenary. “It is not something created by any individuals or any [...]
National Audit Office: Concentrix £1bn tax credit outsourcing delivered savings of less than a fifth than was expected January 17, 2017 A catalogue of errors in relation to outsourcing tax credits has been laid bare in a damning report by the public spending watchdog. Highlighting a series of shortcomings, the National Audit Office (NAO) today released its findings into HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC) controversial outsourcing arrangement with Concentrix. HMRC estimated £1bn of savings could be [...]