Justice secretary Robert Buckland evades questions over prorogue plans September 17, 2019 Justice secretary Robert Buckland has refused to say whether parliament would be recalled if the Prime Minister loses at the Supreme Court this week. Two separate legal cases challenging the legality of Boris Johnson’s move to prorogue parliament for five weeks are being heard in Westminster. Former Prime Minister Sir John Major is among those [...]
No 10 plans to run down clock in Brexit face-off September 17, 2019 The UK will hold back from giving Brussels a written proposal for alternatives until as late as October, as the two sides try to out-manoeuvre each other in the final stages of Brexit talks. The European Union has repeatedly called for operable, legal text before it will consider reopening the Withdrawal Agreement and removing the [...]
Value of government’s £22bn Help to Buy scheme ‘uncertain’ September 17, 2019 MPs have raised alarm bells over the government’s costly Help to Buy scheme, noting that more than half of those it helped did not need financial support, while warning it does not address structural problems in the housing market. The scheme, which will cost an estimated £22bn – more than eight-times its original budget, has [...]
Row breaks out over Boris Johnson’s ’empty podium’ moment in Luxembourg September 16, 2019 Boris Johnson has been forced to cancelled a press conference with his counterpart in Luxembourg, after local aides refused to move it away from a protest. The Prime Minister was scheduled to give an update on Brexit talks following a bilateral with Xavier Bettel, as well as the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker [...]
Barnier to resume Brexit talks as Johnson swerves press conference September 16, 2019 Jean-Claude Juncker has given the go-ahead for the EU’s chief negotiator to resume meetings with the UK’s Brexit secretary, following a meeting today with Boris Johnson. The Prime Minister lunched with the President of the European Commission in a Luxembourg restaurant – the first time the two have met since Johnson took the keys for [...]
PM Johnson tips deal ‘in weeks’ ahead of Juncker meeting September 16, 2019 Boris Johnson has said he is confident of striking a Brexit deal “within weeks” as he travels to Luxembourg to meet Jean-Claude Juncker today. The lunch of “snails, salmon and cheese” is not being billed as a “breakthrough moment” by sources within Number 10 – but the Prime Minister is expected to put forward his [...]
Liberal Democrats split over new Revoke A50 position September 16, 2019 The Liberal Democrats are fracturing over the party’s new position to revoke Article 50, less than a day after it was agreed as formal policy. Yesterday afternoon members overwhelmingly voted for MPs to stand on a manifesto promise to revoke Brexit without a referendum. Under the plan, the Liberal Democrats would still support a second Brexit referendum [...]
Barnier rejects Brexit extension without ‘concrete’ proposals September 12, 2019 A number of leading European figures have said there is “no reason” to extend the Brexit process, with little sign of any change to the UK’s position. The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier held a closed-door meeting with members of the European Parliament today. Ahead of that meeting, Barnier told reporters: “We are still ready [...]
The ‘Boris Bridge’? PM puts price tag on ‘very good’ idea September 12, 2019 Boris Johnson has told a group of schoolchildren about his “very good” idea for a bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland. Speaking to children during his visit to the ship NLV Pharos on the Thames, the Prime Minister said he had recently discussed the possibility of constructing a bridge over the Irish Sea. He said: [...]
Belfast judge rules PM’s prorogation lawful September 12, 2019 The High Court in Belfast has ruled the Prime Minister’s decision to prorogue parliament was lawful, and would not damage the peace process in Northern Ireland. A judge dismissed the case on all grounds on Thursday. It is one of a series challenging Boris Johnson’s Brexit strategy, and follows a landmark ruling by Scottish judges [...]
