Michel Barnier: Brexit deal ‘still possible this week’ despite difficult talks October 15, 2019 The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said today that reaching a fresh Brexit deal “will be difficult” but that it “is still possible this week”. Barnier told EU ministers in Luxembourg that Brexit negotiations with the UK are “intense” and that “our team are working hard”. Read more: Sterling creeps back up as hopes [...]
Queen’s Speech: Government’s ‘priority’ is Hallowe’en Brexit October 14, 2019 The government has used the Queen’s Speech to reiterate its “priority” to making sure Brexit will happen on 31 October, with several of the 22 bills announced this morning setting out the UK’s post-EU future. Overarching the bulk of the state opening of parliament was the European Union Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which will ratify any [...]
Sterling slides as hopes of a Brexit deal falter October 14, 2019 Sterling has dropped half a per cent against the dollar this morning as traders limited their expectations of a Brexit deal. The pound surged at the end of last week when Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he saw a “pathway” to a “possible” agreement and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier gave the green light [...]
City of London Corporation looks east to China in post-Brexit plans October 13, 2019 London must capitalise on the US-China trade war to increase Chinese investment and help offset the potential effects of Brexit, according to the City’s governing body. The City of London Corporation proposes to position London as a “top global financial centre” and as a “supporter to China’s financial reform” in a motion to be reviewed [...]
Rees-Mogg urges Brexiteers to trust Boris Johnson on Brexit negotiations October 13, 2019 Arch-Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has said compromises over Brexit “are inevitable” as he seeks to get leavers to trust Boris Johnson. Rees-Mogg wrote in The Telegraph today that Brexiteers must get behind any deal the prime minister strikes with the European Union in a message aimed at members of the Eurosceptic European Research Group (ERG). Read [...]
UK awards no-deal Brexit ferry contracts worth £87m October 12, 2019 The government has awarded contracts to several ferry companies to transport medicines in the even of a no-deal Brexit. Brittany Ferries, DFDS, P&O and Stena Line are those in line to deliver supplies from 31 October after being awarded contracts worth £86.6m. Read more: Brexit tunnel talks: What you need to know The contracts will [...]
Brexit tunnel talks: What you need to know October 12, 2019 When Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar said there was a “pathway” to a deal last week, people thought this might be the light at the end of a very long Brexit tunnel. Now it turns out we weren’t even in the tunnel at the time – in fact, we’re just [...]
Brexit talks intensify as bid to thrash out a deal continues in Brussels October 12, 2019 Brexit negotiations are set to continue in Brussels over this weekend as both sides move toward a workable deal. Discussions yesterday between EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier and UK Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay were labelled by the pair as “constructive”. Read more: EU member states approve the opening of ‘tunnel’ negotiations’ on Brexit Boris Johnson [...]
Sterling blasts past $1.26 as EU leaders welcome Brexit deal progress October 11, 2019 Sterling rose by over one per cent today to smash past $1.26 as EU leaders welcomed signs that the Brexit talks deadlock could finally break. The British pound climbed 1.8 per cent to $1.267 against the dollar as both European Council president Donald Tusk and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier reacted positively to talks between [...]
Exclusive: Outsourcers told Michael Gove no-deal Brexit planning is stalling industry October 10, 2019 Whitehall has come under pressure from some of its most prominent public service providers for slow decision-making, as time and resources are increasingly directed towards no-deal Brexit planning. Three sources with knowledge of the matter told City A.M. that de facto no-deal Brexit secretary Michael Gove has been urged to “get a move on” so [...]