INTL BREXIT- October 31, 2019 or.....
- Thread starter Plain Jane
- Start date
-
- Tags
- brexit
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
You may be right especially since Parliament has recessed until September and all kinds of strategies are being pursued to block it.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...kstop-time-limited-sunday-times-idUSKCN1UU0A5
AUGUST 4, 2019 / 5:50 AM / UPDATED 4 HOURS AGO
DUP open to cross-border deal on food, if backstop time limited: Sunday Times
DUBLIN (Reuters) - The Northern Ireland party propping up Britain’s government has urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to seek a time-limit to the Irish “backstop” in exchange for agreeing to an all-Ireland food customs regime, the Irish edition of the Sunday Times reported without citing sources.
According to the newspaper, the DUP is prepared to discuss an all-island regime for food in exchange for a time limit on the “backstop” clause in Britain’s Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union to help end an impasse over the deal.
The Irish “backstop”, part of the Withdrawal Agreement that former Prime Minister Theresa May struck in November, is the main sticking point in efforts to agree an orderly British exit from the European Union.
“The DUP has urged Johnson to seek a time-limit to the backstop, somewhere between three and six years, as a quid pro quo for a pact on food,” said the article.
That would mean the time limit on the backstop would extend beyond a three-year implementation, or transition, period for a further three years, into the future relationship phase.
“We have not received any proposals from the EU or the Irish government to express concerns on the backstop,” senior DUP lawmaker Jeffrey Donaldson told Reuters when contacted regarding the article.
“And if we do, we will give them consideration, but we are not committed to any option at this stage.”
The Sunday Times said the proposition could be discussed if Johnson accepts Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar’s invitation to come to Dublin for talks without preconditions.
Varadkar has previously said he would back restricting checks on meat and food products to ports such as Belfast, Dublin and Rosslare, to meet his government’s objective of keeping the border with Northern Ireland open after Brexit.
But that was in the context of a no-deal Brexit.
The Irish government is strongly opposed to a time-limit on the “backstop”, which it sees as indispensable insurance against a “hard border” whatever the outcome of the negotiations on Britain’s departure from the EU.
The Irish government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Reporting by Graham Fahy and Ian Graham; Editing by Angus MacSwan and David Evans
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
AUGUST 4, 2019 / 5:50 AM / UPDATED 4 HOURS AGO
DUP open to cross-border deal on food, if backstop time limited: Sunday Times
DUBLIN (Reuters) - The Northern Ireland party propping up Britain’s government has urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to seek a time-limit to the Irish “backstop” in exchange for agreeing to an all-Ireland food customs regime, the Irish edition of the Sunday Times reported without citing sources.
According to the newspaper, the DUP is prepared to discuss an all-island regime for food in exchange for a time limit on the “backstop” clause in Britain’s Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union to help end an impasse over the deal.
The Irish “backstop”, part of the Withdrawal Agreement that former Prime Minister Theresa May struck in November, is the main sticking point in efforts to agree an orderly British exit from the European Union.
“The DUP has urged Johnson to seek a time-limit to the backstop, somewhere between three and six years, as a quid pro quo for a pact on food,” said the article.
That would mean the time limit on the backstop would extend beyond a three-year implementation, or transition, period for a further three years, into the future relationship phase.
“We have not received any proposals from the EU or the Irish government to express concerns on the backstop,” senior DUP lawmaker Jeffrey Donaldson told Reuters when contacted regarding the article.
“And if we do, we will give them consideration, but we are not committed to any option at this stage.”
The Sunday Times said the proposition could be discussed if Johnson accepts Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar’s invitation to come to Dublin for talks without preconditions.
Varadkar has previously said he would back restricting checks on meat and food products to ports such as Belfast, Dublin and Rosslare, to meet his government’s objective of keeping the border with Northern Ireland open after Brexit.
But that was in the context of a no-deal Brexit.
The Irish government is strongly opposed to a time-limit on the “backstop”, which it sees as indispensable insurance against a “hard border” whatever the outcome of the negotiations on Britain’s departure from the EU.
The Irish government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Reporting by Graham Fahy and Ian Graham; Editing by Angus MacSwan and David Evans
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ted-kingdom-ashcroft-poll-shows-idUSKCN1UV0HY
Scots favor independence from United Kingdom, Ashcroft poll shows
Guy Faulconbridge, Michael Holden
LONDON (Reuters) - Scottish voters would back independence and they want another referendum in the next two years, a poll published on Monday showed, indicating that the United Kingdom could be wrenched apart shortly after it leaves the European Union.
Asked how they would vote in an independence referendum, 46% of the 1,019 surveyed Scottish voters said they would vote for independence and 43% said they would vote against, according to a poll by Michael Ashcroft.
Excluding those who said they did not know or would not vote, this amounted to 52% to 48% for an independent Scotland.
“I found a small majority in favor of a new vote – and the first lead for an independent Scotland for more than two years,” Ashcroft, a Conservative who opposed Boris Johnson’s successful bid to be prime minister, said.
Johnson, who took over from Theresa May last month and is unpopular in Scotland, was booed as he entered a meeting last week with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who is demanding London agree to another referendum.
The poll is the first lead for Scottish independence in a published poll since an Ipsos MORI survey in March 2017, and the biggest lead since a spate of polls in June 2016, shortly after the EU referendum, Ashcroft said.
If there was another referendum and if Scots voted out, it would mark the biggest shock to the United Kingdom since Irish independence a century ago - just as London grapples with the fallout of a possible no-deal Brexit.
DISUNITED KINGDOM
Scots rejected independence by 55 to 45 percent in a 2014 referendum but a three-year political crisis in London and differences over Brexit have strained the bonds that tie the United Kingdom together.
The United Kingdom as whole voted 52-48 to leave the EU in a 2016 referendum: England and Wales voted to leave but Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay.
Irish nationalists have demanded moves towards Irish unification in response to Johnson’s threat of a no-deal Brexit.
The nations of Britain have shared the same monarch since James VI of Scotland became James I of England in 1603 and a formal union created the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707.
Today, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland includes England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
INDEPENDENT SCOTLAND?
One third of Labour Party voters, a majority of those who voted to stay in the European Union in 2016 and 18% of those who voted against independence last time said they would vote for independence, Ashcroft’s poll showed.
A majority of Scottish voters up to the age of 49 said they would vote for independence, including 62% of those aged 18 to 24, Ashcroft said.
Scottish independence would thrust the rest of the United Kingdom and the newly independent Scotland into talks on how to carve up North Sea oil revenues, what currency Scotland would use, and the fate of Britain’s main nuclear submarine base at Faslane near Glasgow.
The Scottish National Party (SNP), which runs the devolved government in Edinburgh, says that a second independence referendum is justified as Scotland is now being dragged out of the bloc against its will.
But British prime ministers since David Cameron, who agreed to and won the 2014 Scottish referendum, have repeatedly ruled out another referendum on Scottish independence, saying the 2014 vote was cast a once-in-a-generation vote.
Johnson said last week while on a visit to Scotland that the independence vote was a once in a generation event but a constitutional crisis could be looming over who has the right to allow another referendum - Holyrood or Westminster.
Seeking to tap into a cocktail of historical rivalry, opposing political tastes, and a perception that London has mismanaged Scotland for decades, nationalists say an independent Scotland could build a wealthier and fairer country.
“Attempts by the Tories to block Scotland’s right to choose our own future are undemocratic and unsustainable,” Sturgeon said in response to the poll.
Unionists say independence would needlessly break up the United Kingdom, cast a vulnerable Scotland into the high seas of global politics and usher in years of financial, economic and political uncertainty.
Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Michael Holden and Angus MacSwan
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Scots favor independence from United Kingdom, Ashcroft poll shows
Guy Faulconbridge, Michael Holden
LONDON (Reuters) - Scottish voters would back independence and they want another referendum in the next two years, a poll published on Monday showed, indicating that the United Kingdom could be wrenched apart shortly after it leaves the European Union.
Asked how they would vote in an independence referendum, 46% of the 1,019 surveyed Scottish voters said they would vote for independence and 43% said they would vote against, according to a poll by Michael Ashcroft.
Excluding those who said they did not know or would not vote, this amounted to 52% to 48% for an independent Scotland.
“I found a small majority in favor of a new vote – and the first lead for an independent Scotland for more than two years,” Ashcroft, a Conservative who opposed Boris Johnson’s successful bid to be prime minister, said.
Johnson, who took over from Theresa May last month and is unpopular in Scotland, was booed as he entered a meeting last week with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who is demanding London agree to another referendum.
The poll is the first lead for Scottish independence in a published poll since an Ipsos MORI survey in March 2017, and the biggest lead since a spate of polls in June 2016, shortly after the EU referendum, Ashcroft said.
If there was another referendum and if Scots voted out, it would mark the biggest shock to the United Kingdom since Irish independence a century ago - just as London grapples with the fallout of a possible no-deal Brexit.
DISUNITED KINGDOM
Scots rejected independence by 55 to 45 percent in a 2014 referendum but a three-year political crisis in London and differences over Brexit have strained the bonds that tie the United Kingdom together.
The United Kingdom as whole voted 52-48 to leave the EU in a 2016 referendum: England and Wales voted to leave but Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay.
Irish nationalists have demanded moves towards Irish unification in response to Johnson’s threat of a no-deal Brexit.
The nations of Britain have shared the same monarch since James VI of Scotland became James I of England in 1603 and a formal union created the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707.
Today, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland includes England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
INDEPENDENT SCOTLAND?
One third of Labour Party voters, a majority of those who voted to stay in the European Union in 2016 and 18% of those who voted against independence last time said they would vote for independence, Ashcroft’s poll showed.
A majority of Scottish voters up to the age of 49 said they would vote for independence, including 62% of those aged 18 to 24, Ashcroft said.
Scottish independence would thrust the rest of the United Kingdom and the newly independent Scotland into talks on how to carve up North Sea oil revenues, what currency Scotland would use, and the fate of Britain’s main nuclear submarine base at Faslane near Glasgow.
The Scottish National Party (SNP), which runs the devolved government in Edinburgh, says that a second independence referendum is justified as Scotland is now being dragged out of the bloc against its will.
But British prime ministers since David Cameron, who agreed to and won the 2014 Scottish referendum, have repeatedly ruled out another referendum on Scottish independence, saying the 2014 vote was cast a once-in-a-generation vote.
Johnson said last week while on a visit to Scotland that the independence vote was a once in a generation event but a constitutional crisis could be looming over who has the right to allow another referendum - Holyrood or Westminster.
Seeking to tap into a cocktail of historical rivalry, opposing political tastes, and a perception that London has mismanaged Scotland for decades, nationalists say an independent Scotland could build a wealthier and fairer country.
“Attempts by the Tories to block Scotland’s right to choose our own future are undemocratic and unsustainable,” Sturgeon said in response to the poll.
Unionists say independence would needlessly break up the United Kingdom, cast a vulnerable Scotland into the high seas of global politics and usher in years of financial, economic and political uncertainty.
Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Michael Holden and Angus MacSwan
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-...eal-possible-eu-commission-says-idUSKCN1UV12T
Brexit agreement is 'the best deal possible', EU Commission says
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The deal reached on Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union is the “best possible” and is not up for negotiation but the European Commission is ready to talk with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a spokeswoman for the bloc’s executive said on Monday.
She was responding to an op-ed by British Brexit Minister Stephen Barclay, who said the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, must go back to EU leaders to change the terms of the talks because the British parliament will not accept the current deal.
“So far it...remains unchanged - this position that the withdrawal agreement is not up for negotiation but we are open to talk about the political declaration,” Mina Andreeva told a news briefing in Brussels.
“And of course we are willing to talk and engage with Prime Minister Johnson.”
Writing in the Mail on Sunday newspaper, Barclay said the “political realities” had changed since Barnier’s instructions were set after Britain voted to leave the EU more than three years ago and that his mandate should reflect those differences.
Johnson has insisted Britain will leave the EU on Oct. 31 with or without a deal, and has told the bloc there is no point in new talks unless negotiators are willing to drop the so-called Northern Irish backstop agreed with his predecessor, Theresa May.
But Barnier has said the EU will not renegotiate the divorce deal, or Withdrawal Agreement, including the backstop, an insurance policy to prevent a return to a hard border between the British province of Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland.
“We are not in the blame game, this is not our business. Our business is to prepare for a no deal,” Andreeva said, saying that if Britain left without a deal it would cause “significant disruption” for citizens and businesses and have “a serious economic impact”.
Both sides negotiated with the very best intentions and the very best efforts. The outcome on the table is the best deal possible and I don’t think that there is any fault or blame to be looked for in this,” she said.
“We just simply expect the UK to live up to its commitment to avoiding a hard border while protecting Ireland’s place in the internal market.”
Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio; Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Angus MacSwan
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Brexit agreement is 'the best deal possible', EU Commission says
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The deal reached on Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union is the “best possible” and is not up for negotiation but the European Commission is ready to talk with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a spokeswoman for the bloc’s executive said on Monday.
She was responding to an op-ed by British Brexit Minister Stephen Barclay, who said the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, must go back to EU leaders to change the terms of the talks because the British parliament will not accept the current deal.
“So far it...remains unchanged - this position that the withdrawal agreement is not up for negotiation but we are open to talk about the political declaration,” Mina Andreeva told a news briefing in Brussels.
“And of course we are willing to talk and engage with Prime Minister Johnson.”
Writing in the Mail on Sunday newspaper, Barclay said the “political realities” had changed since Barnier’s instructions were set after Britain voted to leave the EU more than three years ago and that his mandate should reflect those differences.
Johnson has insisted Britain will leave the EU on Oct. 31 with or without a deal, and has told the bloc there is no point in new talks unless negotiators are willing to drop the so-called Northern Irish backstop agreed with his predecessor, Theresa May.
But Barnier has said the EU will not renegotiate the divorce deal, or Withdrawal Agreement, including the backstop, an insurance policy to prevent a return to a hard border between the British province of Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland.
“We are not in the blame game, this is not our business. Our business is to prepare for a no deal,” Andreeva said, saying that if Britain left without a deal it would cause “significant disruption” for citizens and businesses and have “a serious economic impact”.
Both sides negotiated with the very best intentions and the very best efforts. The outcome on the table is the best deal possible and I don’t think that there is any fault or blame to be looked for in this,” she said.
“We just simply expect the UK to live up to its commitment to avoiding a hard border while protecting Ireland’s place in the internal market.”
Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio; Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Angus MacSwan
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Melodi
Disaster Cat
London may think they can keep the Scots from holding another referendum but since the younger people were convinced to vote "stay" by promises to be in the EU (and the EU didn't help because the Basque situation in Spain was saying that Scotland wouldn't be in the EU anymore if they became independent) I think they have a very strong case for just holding one on their own and then challenging an already distracted London to do something about it.
The EU changed its tune on an independent Scotland not being allowed back into the EU without decades of waiting the moment BREXIT voted on the UK leaving but it really was too late.
Again, I have mixed feelings on the EU myself but both Scotland and Northern Ireland voted overwhelmingly to "remain" (which in Northern Ireland's situation really made sense) and turning that totally around and telling Scotland 2 years later - "opps we lied but your tied to us for the next 30 years isn't likely to go over very well).
I don't really think that London has the serious desire to re-occupy Northern Ireland militarily (which they did from the 1970s through most of the 1990s) and they sure as heck are not likely to try to force Scotland to try to stay using tanks and guns either.
I can see London trying to enforce order in Northern Ireland under certain conditions (at least for a time) but the situation in Scotland is totally different - they have been an independent country in the past and folks there have long memories.
This is one to watch...
The EU changed its tune on an independent Scotland not being allowed back into the EU without decades of waiting the moment BREXIT voted on the UK leaving but it really was too late.
Again, I have mixed feelings on the EU myself but both Scotland and Northern Ireland voted overwhelmingly to "remain" (which in Northern Ireland's situation really made sense) and turning that totally around and telling Scotland 2 years later - "opps we lied but your tied to us for the next 30 years isn't likely to go over very well).
I don't really think that London has the serious desire to re-occupy Northern Ireland militarily (which they did from the 1970s through most of the 1990s) and they sure as heck are not likely to try to force Scotland to try to stay using tanks and guns either.
I can see London trying to enforce order in Northern Ireland under certain conditions (at least for a time) but the situation in Scotland is totally different - they have been an independent country in the past and folks there have long memories.
This is one to watch...
Brexit Secretary: EU Must Accept 'Political Reality', Make New Deal
Jack Montgomery
3-3 minutes
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Secretary of State for Brexit has warned the European Union’s chief negotiator that Theresa May’s “colony status” withdrawal treaty is off the table, and that “political realities have changed” since the European Parliament elections and the downfall of Theresa May.
“We have a clear and unambiguous position – we will leave the EU on October 31st, whatever the circumstances,” Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay insisted in an article published by the Mail on Sunday, warning that the British government “would prefer to leave with a new deal, but will be ready to leave without one, having made all the necessary preparations.”
The Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) said that his opposite number in Brussels Michel Barnier [pictured, above] was, so far, refusing to budge, “telling us his instructions from European leaders mean he cannot change [the deal]… his mandate is his mandate – he can only negotiate what the Commission and leaders of member states have agreed.”
The Brit suggested that, in that case, the EU negotiator needed to either secure a new mandate or get ready for No Deal, as the new prime minister will “not accept that [issues related to the Irish border] can be solved only by all or part of the UK remaining in the Customs Union and Single Market” through the so-called backstop which was the most contentious issue with Mrs May’s deal — although far from the only one.
“MPs have been clear they cannot allow the people of Northern Ireland to have an indefinite period of continued alignment foisted on them,” Barclay said. His remarks referenced the way in which the backstop envisions the British province of Northern Ireland being, in essence, economically annexed to the EU’s Customs Union and Single Market in order to maintain “frictionless” trade with EU member-state the Republic of Ireland — while the rest of the United Kingdom would be signed up to an EU-controlled “single customs territory” in order to avoid the erection of a customs border between its own Home Nations.
“It would mean Northern Irish voters – UK citizens – being governed by rules in which they have no say,” he said.
“There is simply no chance of any deal being passed that includes the anti-democratic backstop. This is the reality that the EU has to face… [but] a deal is entirely possible if the EU takes a reasonable and sensible approach. They should start by giving their chief negotiator, Mr Barnier, the room to negotiate.”
Follow Jack Montgomery on Twitter: @JackBMontgomery
Follow Breitbart London on Facebook: Breitbart London
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/...accept-political-reality-reopen-negotiations/
Jack Montgomery
3-3 minutes
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Secretary of State for Brexit has warned the European Union’s chief negotiator that Theresa May’s “colony status” withdrawal treaty is off the table, and that “political realities have changed” since the European Parliament elections and the downfall of Theresa May.
“We have a clear and unambiguous position – we will leave the EU on October 31st, whatever the circumstances,” Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay insisted in an article published by the Mail on Sunday, warning that the British government “would prefer to leave with a new deal, but will be ready to leave without one, having made all the necessary preparations.”
The Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) said that his opposite number in Brussels Michel Barnier [pictured, above] was, so far, refusing to budge, “telling us his instructions from European leaders mean he cannot change [the deal]… his mandate is his mandate – he can only negotiate what the Commission and leaders of member states have agreed.”
The Brit suggested that, in that case, the EU negotiator needed to either secure a new mandate or get ready for No Deal, as the new prime minister will “not accept that [issues related to the Irish border] can be solved only by all or part of the UK remaining in the Customs Union and Single Market” through the so-called backstop which was the most contentious issue with Mrs May’s deal — although far from the only one.
“MPs have been clear they cannot allow the people of Northern Ireland to have an indefinite period of continued alignment foisted on them,” Barclay said. His remarks referenced the way in which the backstop envisions the British province of Northern Ireland being, in essence, economically annexed to the EU’s Customs Union and Single Market in order to maintain “frictionless” trade with EU member-state the Republic of Ireland — while the rest of the United Kingdom would be signed up to an EU-controlled “single customs territory” in order to avoid the erection of a customs border between its own Home Nations.
“It would mean Northern Irish voters – UK citizens – being governed by rules in which they have no say,” he said.
“There is simply no chance of any deal being passed that includes the anti-democratic backstop. This is the reality that the EU has to face… [but] a deal is entirely possible if the EU takes a reasonable and sensible approach. They should start by giving their chief negotiator, Mr Barnier, the room to negotiate.”
Follow Jack Montgomery on Twitter: @JackBMontgomery
Follow Breitbart London on Facebook: Breitbart London
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/...accept-political-reality-reopen-negotiations/
Boris's Top Adviser Dominic Cummings Says MPs 'Too Late' to Stop Brexit
Jack Montgomery
4-5 minutes
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s top adviser Dominic Cummings has reportedly told ministers and officials that Remain MPs are now “too late” to stop a No Deal Brexit on October 31st, lacking the time to depose before the deadline even if they can pass a vote of no confidence in his government.
While there is likely a majority against a clean break with the European Union and reversion standard World Trade Organization (WTO) terms in the House of Commons — a majority of the MPs even in Johnson’s own Cabinet voted Remain in 2016 — Parliament is currently in recess, with MPs not due to retake their seats until September.
They could attempt to immediately topple Prime Minister Johnson with a vote of no confidence, which may well be able to pass, given the Tories do not enjoy an outright majority in the Commons and a substantial number of arch-Remainers among their own ranks would likely be willing to vote against their prime minister to stop No Deal — but he would then have 14 days to try and win a second vote and then a reasonable amount of manoeuvre to set a date for a fresh general election if that failed, quite possibly after October 31st.
Ordinarily Parliament has to be dissolved 25 working days before a general election — and so would be unable to ram through any anti-Brexit legislation in that time — meaning that, at least in Cummings’s view, Remain MPs have simply run out of time to stop a No Deal by default on October 31st, in accordance with the terms of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act which has already been passed into law.
According to sources who spoke to The Telegraph, Cummings believes the EU is operating under the mistaken assumption that Boris Johnson is “bluffing” and that “MPs will cancel the referendum [result]” before No Deal can take place, and that they can therefore avoid making concessions on a new deal with Britain.
“They don’t realise that if there is a no-confidence vote in September or October, we’ll call an election for after the 31st and leave anyway,” Cummings is reported to have said, and instructed staff to prepare for No Deal on the basis that the EU might not realise that Johnson supposedly really is set on an October 31st Brexit, deal or no deal — a premise doubted by some Brexiteers, including Nigel Farage — until it is too late.
Regarded as the mastermind of Vote Leave — which alongside Leave.EU was one of the two major campaigns in favour of Brexit during the 2016 referendum on the EU — Cummings is a contentious and somewhat eccentric figure, easily identifiable by his scruffy attire when pictured with high-profile people at high-profile events.
The combative aide is noted for his healthy contempt for most career politicians and bureaucrats and the Civil Service, offering the arch observation after his last stint in government at the Department for Education that “Everyone thinks there’s some moment, like in a James Bond movie, where you open the door and that’s where the really good people are, but there is no door,” and denouncing then-Prime Minister David Cameron’s chief of staff Ed Llewellyn — now ambassador to France — as “a classic third-rate suck-up-kick-down sycophant presiding over a shambolic court”.
Follow Jack Montgomery on Twitter: @JackBMontgomery
Follow Breitbart London on Facebook: Breitbart London
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/...ys-mps-too-late-block-no-deal-brexit-october/
Jack Montgomery
4-5 minutes
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s top adviser Dominic Cummings has reportedly told ministers and officials that Remain MPs are now “too late” to stop a No Deal Brexit on October 31st, lacking the time to depose before the deadline even if they can pass a vote of no confidence in his government.
While there is likely a majority against a clean break with the European Union and reversion standard World Trade Organization (WTO) terms in the House of Commons — a majority of the MPs even in Johnson’s own Cabinet voted Remain in 2016 — Parliament is currently in recess, with MPs not due to retake their seats until September.
They could attempt to immediately topple Prime Minister Johnson with a vote of no confidence, which may well be able to pass, given the Tories do not enjoy an outright majority in the Commons and a substantial number of arch-Remainers among their own ranks would likely be willing to vote against their prime minister to stop No Deal — but he would then have 14 days to try and win a second vote and then a reasonable amount of manoeuvre to set a date for a fresh general election if that failed, quite possibly after October 31st.
Ordinarily Parliament has to be dissolved 25 working days before a general election — and so would be unable to ram through any anti-Brexit legislation in that time — meaning that, at least in Cummings’s view, Remain MPs have simply run out of time to stop a No Deal by default on October 31st, in accordance with the terms of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act which has already been passed into law.
According to sources who spoke to The Telegraph, Cummings believes the EU is operating under the mistaken assumption that Boris Johnson is “bluffing” and that “MPs will cancel the referendum [result]” before No Deal can take place, and that they can therefore avoid making concessions on a new deal with Britain.
“They don’t realise that if there is a no-confidence vote in September or October, we’ll call an election for after the 31st and leave anyway,” Cummings is reported to have said, and instructed staff to prepare for No Deal on the basis that the EU might not realise that Johnson supposedly really is set on an October 31st Brexit, deal or no deal — a premise doubted by some Brexiteers, including Nigel Farage — until it is too late.
Regarded as the mastermind of Vote Leave — which alongside Leave.EU was one of the two major campaigns in favour of Brexit during the 2016 referendum on the EU — Cummings is a contentious and somewhat eccentric figure, easily identifiable by his scruffy attire when pictured with high-profile people at high-profile events.
The combative aide is noted for his healthy contempt for most career politicians and bureaucrats and the Civil Service, offering the arch observation after his last stint in government at the Department for Education that “Everyone thinks there’s some moment, like in a James Bond movie, where you open the door and that’s where the really good people are, but there is no door,” and denouncing then-Prime Minister David Cameron’s chief of staff Ed Llewellyn — now ambassador to France — as “a classic third-rate suck-up-kick-down sycophant presiding over a shambolic court”.
Follow Jack Montgomery on Twitter: @JackBMontgomery
Follow Breitbart London on Facebook: Breitbart London
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/...ys-mps-too-late-block-no-deal-brexit-october/
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/20...on-to-renegotiate-heading-for-no-deal-brexit/
Guardian: EU Officials Believe PM Boris has no Intention to Renegotiate, Heading For No-Deal Brexit
OLIVER JJ LANE5 Aug 201985
2:39
Despite Boris Johnson’s public proclamations that he wants to negotiate a new deal with the European Union to avoid a no-deal Brexit, top EU officials believe he has no intention of doing so and will take the United Kingdom out of the bloc with no deal, according to claims made in a British newspaper.
New British negotiators brought in after one-time Vote Leave campaign frontman Boris Johnson replaced remain-supporting Theresa May as Prime Minister are no longer negotiating what might happen before the October 31st Brexit deadline but after it, according to claims reported by the strongly pro-remain Guardian newspaper.
The report cites the case of new government Brexit advisor David Frost, who it claims is now focussing on “resetting” negotiations with the European Union after Britain leaves after a deal, and quotes an unnamed “senior EU diplomat” who described meetings with his UK counterpart. The individual is reported to have told the paper: “It was clear UK does not have another plan…No intention to negotiate, which would require a plan. A no deal now appears to be the UK government’s central scenario.”
Breitbart London
@BreitbartLondon
Blair, Brown, Coalition of Remainers Scramble to Stop Johnson No Deal Brexit https://www.breitbart.com/europe/20...ners-scramble-to-stop-johnson-no-deal-brexit/ …
Blair, Brown, Coalition of Remainers Scramble to Stop No Deal Brexit
A coalition of peers and MPs from Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP, and Plaid Cymru are seeking a judicial review to stop no deal.
Speaking outside 10 Downing street just minutes after he became Prime Minister last month, Mr Johnson told the country that “of course” neither he nor his team wanted a no-deal Brexit, the full withdrawal of the nation from the European Union which many Brexiteers believe is necessary but which Eurocrats and many British establishment politicians are desperate to avoid.
If the claims are true, it is good news for Brexiteers including Nigel Farage who point out that the much-hated Brexit deal negotiated by former Prime Minister Theresa May amount to a surrender to Europe, and would lock the country into the control of Brussels indefinitely.
Such is the level of hatred of a no-deal Brexit in Westminster, however, there has even been discussion of bringing down the government or setting up a rival Parliament to prevent Boris Johnson delivering the will of the British people as expressed in the 2016 referendum.
That may be an irrelevance, however as top Downing Street aide Dominic Cummings insists it is now technically too late for Parliament to stop Brexit, given the Commons has already voted to pass the legislation to make Brexit day the default, rather than an option. The eccentric mastermind of the leave campaign has said even if Parliament now collapsed the government, the timing is so tight the country would still leave the European Union automatically before Parliament had time to cobble together a new government or hold an election.
Breitbart London
@BreitbartLondon
Boris's Top Adviser Dominic Cummings Says MPs 'Too Late' to Block No Deal #Brexit in October https://www.breitbart.com/europe/20...ys-mps-too-late-block-no-deal-brexit-october/ …
Boris's Top Adviser Dominic Cummings Says MPs 'Too Late' to Stop Brexit
Boris Johnson's top adviser Dominic Cummings reportedly believes that Remain MPs are now "too late" to stop a No Deal Brexit.
Guardian: EU Officials Believe PM Boris has no Intention to Renegotiate, Heading For No-Deal Brexit
OLIVER JJ LANE5 Aug 201985
2:39
Despite Boris Johnson’s public proclamations that he wants to negotiate a new deal with the European Union to avoid a no-deal Brexit, top EU officials believe he has no intention of doing so and will take the United Kingdom out of the bloc with no deal, according to claims made in a British newspaper.
New British negotiators brought in after one-time Vote Leave campaign frontman Boris Johnson replaced remain-supporting Theresa May as Prime Minister are no longer negotiating what might happen before the October 31st Brexit deadline but after it, according to claims reported by the strongly pro-remain Guardian newspaper.
The report cites the case of new government Brexit advisor David Frost, who it claims is now focussing on “resetting” negotiations with the European Union after Britain leaves after a deal, and quotes an unnamed “senior EU diplomat” who described meetings with his UK counterpart. The individual is reported to have told the paper: “It was clear UK does not have another plan…No intention to negotiate, which would require a plan. A no deal now appears to be the UK government’s central scenario.”
Breitbart London
@BreitbartLondon
Blair, Brown, Coalition of Remainers Scramble to Stop Johnson No Deal Brexit https://www.breitbart.com/europe/20...ners-scramble-to-stop-johnson-no-deal-brexit/ …
Blair, Brown, Coalition of Remainers Scramble to Stop No Deal Brexit
A coalition of peers and MPs from Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP, and Plaid Cymru are seeking a judicial review to stop no deal.
Speaking outside 10 Downing street just minutes after he became Prime Minister last month, Mr Johnson told the country that “of course” neither he nor his team wanted a no-deal Brexit, the full withdrawal of the nation from the European Union which many Brexiteers believe is necessary but which Eurocrats and many British establishment politicians are desperate to avoid.
If the claims are true, it is good news for Brexiteers including Nigel Farage who point out that the much-hated Brexit deal negotiated by former Prime Minister Theresa May amount to a surrender to Europe, and would lock the country into the control of Brussels indefinitely.
Such is the level of hatred of a no-deal Brexit in Westminster, however, there has even been discussion of bringing down the government or setting up a rival Parliament to prevent Boris Johnson delivering the will of the British people as expressed in the 2016 referendum.
That may be an irrelevance, however as top Downing Street aide Dominic Cummings insists it is now technically too late for Parliament to stop Brexit, given the Commons has already voted to pass the legislation to make Brexit day the default, rather than an option. The eccentric mastermind of the leave campaign has said even if Parliament now collapsed the government, the timing is so tight the country would still leave the European Union automatically before Parliament had time to cobble together a new government or hold an election.
Breitbart London
@BreitbartLondon
Boris's Top Adviser Dominic Cummings Says MPs 'Too Late' to Block No Deal #Brexit in October https://www.breitbart.com/europe/20...ys-mps-too-late-block-no-deal-brexit-october/ …
Boris's Top Adviser Dominic Cummings Says MPs 'Too Late' to Stop Brexit
Boris Johnson's top adviser Dominic Cummings reportedly believes that Remain MPs are now "too late" to stop a No Deal Brexit.
Well, that WAS pretty much the assumption, wasn't it? From what I see, he's open to Irish chit-chat with the key players...but better get on it kids. The time for negotiation was a couple of years ago. Now? Better plan for a hard exit and get some independent deals in place.
Time's a wastin' and the E.U. isn't aiming to make life easy for Britain. Period.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/aug/04/edinburgh-festival-performers-avoid-sterling-brexit
Edinburgh festival performers refuse sterling payments due to Brexit
Frances Perraudin
Increasing numbers of artists are asking to be paid in dollars and euros instead of sterling because of Brexit uncertainty, the director of the Edinburgh international festival has said.
The three-week arts festival opened on Friday and includes 293 performances by 2,600 artists from 40 countries. Speaking during its opening weekend, Fergus Linehan, who has been its director since 2015, said many performers had refused to be paid in sterling.
Linehan said organisers had taken the decision around November last year to hedge £1m – locking it into a particular exchange rate to protect against future fluctuations – to guarantee artists’ fees.
When a currency is very low but solid people don’t mind securing their fees in it,” he said. “But if they think [the value] is going to bounce around they want more security.”
The pound fell to its lowest level in 28 months on Tuesday as the government insisted it was prepared to leave the EU without a deal. Sterling hit a low of $1.2120 against the dollar, while also sliding against the euro, at one point hitting €1.0881.
Linehan said that the unstable pound meant that staging the festival had become more expensive at a time when public funding for the event was being cut. “There is a cost attached to hedging and we’ve also got this very low currency level at the moment, which doesn’t seem to be going anywhere but down,” he said.
“It’s not so much individual artists who are very expensive,” said Linehan. “It’s more about the scale of ambition which is obviously dented at a certain point. Every [extra cost] slices another bit of potential away.”
Linehan said the inability to plan ahead because of Brexit uncertainty was “the opposite of cost effective”. He said: “I’m sure it’s much worse for people who are running car factories and but conversations around planning and where we should be going have just been in hiatus for what seems like forever.
Of course all of this pales into insignificance if we have a serious downturn in the economy. The real worry is if this starts to bite into people’s day-to-day lives in terms of jobs.”
This year’s festival, with its budget of just under £12m, opened with a performance from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by its conductor, Gustavo Dudamel. Highlights include a new version of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring by Chinese choreographer Yang Liping and stage shows featuring Ian McKellen and Stephen Fry.
“It just feels great to have this counterpoint in terms of people from all over the world coming in and working together,” said Linehan. “It feels more important than it’s ever felt. It feels like more than a great big shindig.”
The Edinburgh international festival is not the only festival in Scotland’s capital to have suffered as a result of Brexit uncertainty. It was reported last week that the Edinburgh festival fringe was facing the loss of a $25m (£20m) five-year investment by the US circus company Spiegelworld.
The company, one of Las Vegas’s biggest variety producers, is staging what was supposed to be the first of five annual productions created and premiered in Edinburgh, but its producers said they were considering relocating their European base to Berlin or Paris because of uncertainties relating to Brexit.
Edinburgh festival performers refuse sterling payments due to Brexit
Frances Perraudin
Increasing numbers of artists are asking to be paid in dollars and euros instead of sterling because of Brexit uncertainty, the director of the Edinburgh international festival has said.
The three-week arts festival opened on Friday and includes 293 performances by 2,600 artists from 40 countries. Speaking during its opening weekend, Fergus Linehan, who has been its director since 2015, said many performers had refused to be paid in sterling.
Linehan said organisers had taken the decision around November last year to hedge £1m – locking it into a particular exchange rate to protect against future fluctuations – to guarantee artists’ fees.
When a currency is very low but solid people don’t mind securing their fees in it,” he said. “But if they think [the value] is going to bounce around they want more security.”
The pound fell to its lowest level in 28 months on Tuesday as the government insisted it was prepared to leave the EU without a deal. Sterling hit a low of $1.2120 against the dollar, while also sliding against the euro, at one point hitting €1.0881.
Linehan said that the unstable pound meant that staging the festival had become more expensive at a time when public funding for the event was being cut. “There is a cost attached to hedging and we’ve also got this very low currency level at the moment, which doesn’t seem to be going anywhere but down,” he said.
“It’s not so much individual artists who are very expensive,” said Linehan. “It’s more about the scale of ambition which is obviously dented at a certain point. Every [extra cost] slices another bit of potential away.”
Linehan said the inability to plan ahead because of Brexit uncertainty was “the opposite of cost effective”. He said: “I’m sure it’s much worse for people who are running car factories and but conversations around planning and where we should be going have just been in hiatus for what seems like forever.
Of course all of this pales into insignificance if we have a serious downturn in the economy. The real worry is if this starts to bite into people’s day-to-day lives in terms of jobs.”
This year’s festival, with its budget of just under £12m, opened with a performance from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by its conductor, Gustavo Dudamel. Highlights include a new version of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring by Chinese choreographer Yang Liping and stage shows featuring Ian McKellen and Stephen Fry.
“It just feels great to have this counterpoint in terms of people from all over the world coming in and working together,” said Linehan. “It feels more important than it’s ever felt. It feels like more than a great big shindig.”
The Edinburgh international festival is not the only festival in Scotland’s capital to have suffered as a result of Brexit uncertainty. It was reported last week that the Edinburgh festival fringe was facing the loss of a $25m (£20m) five-year investment by the US circus company Spiegelworld.
The company, one of Las Vegas’s biggest variety producers, is staging what was supposed to be the first of five annual productions created and premiered in Edinburgh, but its producers said they were considering relocating their European base to Berlin or Paris because of uncertainties relating to Brexit.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1162072/brexit-news-boris-johnson-no-deal-brexit-EU-deal
EU faces reality: Brussels admits ‘no alternative’ to No Deal - nations get 48hrs for plan
EU chiefs are now in “full no-deal Brexit preparation” after giving up on Boris Johnson’s ability to deliver an agreement, Brussels sources have revealed. The Prime Minister’s plan to scrap the controversial Irish backstop has all but ended hopes of a deal being reached ahead of October 31.
By JOE BARNES, BRUSSELS CORRESPONDENT
EU diplomats and officials have conceded that Britain leaving without an agreement is now the most likely outcome after Mr Johnson’s chief negotiator held meetings in Brussels last week. David Frost told European Commission officials that the Government favours abolishing the backstop in favour of “alternative arrangements” – but admitted any plan would not be ready until after Britain’s exit. After a meeting of EU Brexit negotiators, one diplomat conceded: “Even if the European Union chooses to give up on the backstop, there is no alternative.
That message has been heard loud and clear by EU capitals, and now reality is sinking in.”
Brussels sees little room for manoeuvre in Mr Johnson’s “do or die” Brexit pledge to quit the EU – with or without a deal – on October 31.
Another EU source said: “It is clear that the UK does not have another plan. There is no intention to negotiate because that would require a plan.”
A third source revealed the “working assumption” across EU capitals remains that Mr Johnson will commit to a no-deal Brexit ahead of a general election in order to “preserve the Conservative party”.
After a meeting between Eruopean Commission officials and Brexit diplomats - all EU nations have been given 48 hours to prove their readiness for a no deal.
They said: “Boris Johnson has made the same calculations as we did. If this is about preservation of the Conservative Party, nothing but no deal will do.
“Everything else will keep the Brexit Party alive. Any deal will not be Brexit and play straight into the hands of Nigel Farage. So Boris has decided to go for no deal and win an election on that ticket.
“We are now going into full no deal preparation.”
According to EU sources, Mr Frost said the UK would seek a “conventional free trade agreement” with Brussels in the event of no deal.
One said: “Afterwards he will seek some deal and hope for weak legs on the other side of the Channel.”
Others believe this is a downgrade on what Theresa May and the EU27 had designed in the political declaration, which spells out aspirations for the future trade and security relationship.
Another diplomat added: “This is a downgrade of the offer in EU mandate, which is for a comprehensive agreement that eliminates tariffs accompanied by level playing field arrangements.
“A conventional free trade agreement reduces tariffs but does not elevate them, and not having a level playing field or alignment will not fly.”
After the G7 summit in the French seaside town of Biarritz between August 24-26, the EU will undertake its last no deal preparations.
The bloc’s leaders are expected to undertake a last-minute communications blitz to ensure businesses and citizens are ready for Britain leaving without a deal.
Brussels is prepared for “disruption” following a hard split, claiming the European Commission’s legislation is in place to “mitigate the impact on the EU”.
EU capitals are preparing to take a hardline stance on Mr Johnson unless the Government hands over the £39 billion divorce bill.
An EU source warned: “Tesco and Waitrose will have to start diversifying their imports as long as the UK hasn’t made good on its outstanding debts.”
Others insist that no tariff-free standstill arrangements will be negotiated in an attempt to alleviate the situation.
A Commission spokeswoman said: "We are not in the blame game, this is not our business. Our business is to prepare for a no deal.
"Both sides negotiated with the very best intentions and the very best efforts. The outcome on the table is the best deal possible and I don't think that there is any fault or blame to be looked for in this.
"We just simply expect the UK to live up to its commitment to avoiding a hard border while protecting Ireland's place in the internal market.
The bloc’s leaders are expected to undertake a last-minute communications blitz to ensure businesses and citizens are ready for Britain leaving without a deal.
Brussels is prepared for “disruption” following a hard split, claiming the European Commission’s legislation is in place to “mitigate the impact on the EU”.
EU capitals are preparing to take a hardline stance on Mr Johnson unless the Government hands over the £39 billion divorce bill.
An EU source warned: “Tesco and Waitrose will have to start diversifying their imports as long as the UK hasn’t made good on its outstanding debts.”
Others insist that no tariff-free standstill arrangements will be negotiated in an attempt to alleviate the situation.
A Commission spokeswoman said: "We are not in the blame game, this is not our business. Our business is to prepare for a no deal.
"Both sides negotiated with the very best intentions and the very best efforts. The outcome on the table is the best deal possible and I don't think that there is any fault or blame to be looked for in this.
"We just simply expect the UK to live up to its commitment to avoiding a hard border while protecting Ireland's place in the internal market.
EU faces reality: Brussels admits ‘no alternative’ to No Deal - nations get 48hrs for plan
EU chiefs are now in “full no-deal Brexit preparation” after giving up on Boris Johnson’s ability to deliver an agreement, Brussels sources have revealed. The Prime Minister’s plan to scrap the controversial Irish backstop has all but ended hopes of a deal being reached ahead of October 31.
By JOE BARNES, BRUSSELS CORRESPONDENT
EU diplomats and officials have conceded that Britain leaving without an agreement is now the most likely outcome after Mr Johnson’s chief negotiator held meetings in Brussels last week. David Frost told European Commission officials that the Government favours abolishing the backstop in favour of “alternative arrangements” – but admitted any plan would not be ready until after Britain’s exit. After a meeting of EU Brexit negotiators, one diplomat conceded: “Even if the European Union chooses to give up on the backstop, there is no alternative.
That message has been heard loud and clear by EU capitals, and now reality is sinking in.”
Brussels sees little room for manoeuvre in Mr Johnson’s “do or die” Brexit pledge to quit the EU – with or without a deal – on October 31.
Another EU source said: “It is clear that the UK does not have another plan. There is no intention to negotiate because that would require a plan.”
A third source revealed the “working assumption” across EU capitals remains that Mr Johnson will commit to a no-deal Brexit ahead of a general election in order to “preserve the Conservative party”.
After a meeting between Eruopean Commission officials and Brexit diplomats - all EU nations have been given 48 hours to prove their readiness for a no deal.
They said: “Boris Johnson has made the same calculations as we did. If this is about preservation of the Conservative Party, nothing but no deal will do.
“Everything else will keep the Brexit Party alive. Any deal will not be Brexit and play straight into the hands of Nigel Farage. So Boris has decided to go for no deal and win an election on that ticket.
“We are now going into full no deal preparation.”
According to EU sources, Mr Frost said the UK would seek a “conventional free trade agreement” with Brussels in the event of no deal.
One said: “Afterwards he will seek some deal and hope for weak legs on the other side of the Channel.”
Others believe this is a downgrade on what Theresa May and the EU27 had designed in the political declaration, which spells out aspirations for the future trade and security relationship.
Another diplomat added: “This is a downgrade of the offer in EU mandate, which is for a comprehensive agreement that eliminates tariffs accompanied by level playing field arrangements.
“A conventional free trade agreement reduces tariffs but does not elevate them, and not having a level playing field or alignment will not fly.”
After the G7 summit in the French seaside town of Biarritz between August 24-26, the EU will undertake its last no deal preparations.
The bloc’s leaders are expected to undertake a last-minute communications blitz to ensure businesses and citizens are ready for Britain leaving without a deal.
Brussels is prepared for “disruption” following a hard split, claiming the European Commission’s legislation is in place to “mitigate the impact on the EU”.
EU capitals are preparing to take a hardline stance on Mr Johnson unless the Government hands over the £39 billion divorce bill.
An EU source warned: “Tesco and Waitrose will have to start diversifying their imports as long as the UK hasn’t made good on its outstanding debts.”
Others insist that no tariff-free standstill arrangements will be negotiated in an attempt to alleviate the situation.
A Commission spokeswoman said: "We are not in the blame game, this is not our business. Our business is to prepare for a no deal.
"Both sides negotiated with the very best intentions and the very best efforts. The outcome on the table is the best deal possible and I don't think that there is any fault or blame to be looked for in this.
"We just simply expect the UK to live up to its commitment to avoiding a hard border while protecting Ireland's place in the internal market.
The bloc’s leaders are expected to undertake a last-minute communications blitz to ensure businesses and citizens are ready for Britain leaving without a deal.
Brussels is prepared for “disruption” following a hard split, claiming the European Commission’s legislation is in place to “mitigate the impact on the EU”.
EU capitals are preparing to take a hardline stance on Mr Johnson unless the Government hands over the £39 billion divorce bill.
An EU source warned: “Tesco and Waitrose will have to start diversifying their imports as long as the UK hasn’t made good on its outstanding debts.”
Others insist that no tariff-free standstill arrangements will be negotiated in an attempt to alleviate the situation.
A Commission spokeswoman said: "We are not in the blame game, this is not our business. Our business is to prepare for a no deal.
"Both sides negotiated with the very best intentions and the very best efforts. The outcome on the table is the best deal possible and I don't think that there is any fault or blame to be looked for in this.
"We just simply expect the UK to live up to its commitment to avoiding a hard border while protecting Ireland's place in the internal market.
Melodi
Disaster Cat
Things are getting dicey all right and from the perspective of living on the island of Ireland a bit scary too - even worse than BREXIT (in my view) is the fact that a Hard Brexit will almost certainly result in "direct rule" of Northern Ireland from London at least for a time - for the last two years there has been a stand-off with the civil service kind of bumbling along while the two major Northern Ireland Parties refused to settle things and re-open their devolved legislature (think State Government in the US only with a bit more power).
A Direct Rule from London is likely to anger even the most moderate Republican (aka Catholic) population and be seen as a return to a colonial past with a boot in it - if the hotheads on either side revive the terrorist bombings (already attempted so yeah very likely) then a remilitarization might be London's only choice at least in the short term.
Then we are back to The Troubles square one unless of course there is a reunification vote and surprise - the six countries go with the rest of Ireland, at which point an ill funded "civil defense" force will get to try to keep the two sides from killing each other.
I see no "good" options here and I'm watching it like a hawk, especially since a bomb factory was found behind our usual supermarket (in a rural small town) a few years ago.
Historically the violence doesn't totally stay in Northern Ireland...
A Direct Rule from London is likely to anger even the most moderate Republican (aka Catholic) population and be seen as a return to a colonial past with a boot in it - if the hotheads on either side revive the terrorist bombings (already attempted so yeah very likely) then a remilitarization might be London's only choice at least in the short term.
Then we are back to The Troubles square one unless of course there is a reunification vote and surprise - the six countries go with the rest of Ireland, at which point an ill funded "civil defense" force will get to try to keep the two sides from killing each other.
I see no "good" options here and I'm watching it like a hawk, especially since a bomb factory was found behind our usual supermarket (in a rural small town) a few years ago.
Historically the violence doesn't totally stay in Northern Ireland...
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/pol...-different-state-leo-varadkar-warns-1.3978985
A united Ireland would be a ‘different state’, Leo Varadkar warns
Gerry Moriarty
People calling for a united Ireland they must realise it would involve a “different state” with a “new constitution”, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has told an audience in Belfast.
Speaking during the West Belfast Féile an Phobail leaders’ debate, Mr Varadkar insisted now was not the time to push for a Border poll on a united Ireland despite coming under pressure on the issue from fellow participant Mary Lou McDonald, the Sinn Féin president.
She said that a no-deal Brexit must lead to a poll on Irish unity.
However, Mr Varadkar said in the context of Brexit and in the absence of powersharing at Stormont, a Border poll would be divisive and could be defeated.
He said it should be realised that were a united Ireleand to happen, it would involve Ireland being a “different state” and considering matters such as Irish being the first official language it would require a “new constitution”.
The Taoiseach also expressed concern about what might happen if such a poll was carried in favour of unity by a narrow margin.
“I think it would result in some of the mistakes being repeated 100 years ago at the time of partition, just the other way around, with unionists being brought into united Ireland against their will,” he said.
The other participants in the debate, held at St Mary’s University on the Falls Road, were DUP East Derry MP Gregory Campbell, Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith, SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan, Ulster Unionist Party MLA Doug Beattie and Alliance leader and MEP Naomi Long. The main auditorium was crowded to capacity for the two debate so two large lecture theatres were used to deal with the overflow audience.
As well as a Border poll, the debate also touched on Brexit and restoring the Northern Executive and Assembly.
Blame game’
Speakers were asked who they felt was to blame for the Brexit uncertainty and Mr Varadkar said he was “keen not to play the blame game”, a sentiment with which Mr Campbell agreed. Ms Long, however, was happy to blame UK prime minister Boris Johnson, his predecessor Theresa May and most particularly former prime minister David Cameron for calling the 2016 referendum.
Ms McDonald said that Mr Varadkar may not want to point the finger at the Conservative Party, which she said was chiefly to blame, but that members of the party were happy “to point the finger at him - wrongly”.
Asked about the security of the DUP’s confidence and supply agreement with the Tories, Mr Campbell replied: “I don’t have to trust Boris and Boris doesn’t have to trust us. But what we do have to do is business with each other. The business that we do brings benefit to every single person in this room.”
Mr Campbell, to some barracking from the crowd, said it should be remembered that it was Sinn Féin which brought down the Northern Executive and Assembly in January 2017.
“We didn’t bring it down,” he said emphatically a number of times.
Cherish’
He added that despite his “curry my yogurt” remarks, in the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2014, which he said was a response to Sinn Féin “abuse” of the Irish language, he did “cherish” the language.
Mr Campbell repeated that the DUP had no preconditions to see Stormont reinstated.
Progress has been made in the talks, more can be made, but it has to be concluded, it is frustrating,” said Mr Campbell.
The Taoiseach also said that the current negotiations involving the British and Irish governments and the North’s five main parties could still succeed.
Debate chairman and BBC broadcaster William Crawley asked participants who on the panel they most admired.
Mr McCrossan said Mr Beattie, Mr Beattie said Mr Varadkar, Mr Varadkar said Mr Smith because he and Fianna Fáil had helped him to become Taoiseach. Ms McDonald said Ms Long. Mr Smith would not say anybody while Ms Long also ducked the question.
Mr Campbell lived up to his role as the pantomime villain by looking down the panel and asking was there anyone he could nominate.
“Nah,” he said.
A united Ireland would be a ‘different state’, Leo Varadkar warns
Gerry Moriarty
People calling for a united Ireland they must realise it would involve a “different state” with a “new constitution”, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has told an audience in Belfast.
Speaking during the West Belfast Féile an Phobail leaders’ debate, Mr Varadkar insisted now was not the time to push for a Border poll on a united Ireland despite coming under pressure on the issue from fellow participant Mary Lou McDonald, the Sinn Féin president.
She said that a no-deal Brexit must lead to a poll on Irish unity.
However, Mr Varadkar said in the context of Brexit and in the absence of powersharing at Stormont, a Border poll would be divisive and could be defeated.
He said it should be realised that were a united Ireleand to happen, it would involve Ireland being a “different state” and considering matters such as Irish being the first official language it would require a “new constitution”.
The Taoiseach also expressed concern about what might happen if such a poll was carried in favour of unity by a narrow margin.
“I think it would result in some of the mistakes being repeated 100 years ago at the time of partition, just the other way around, with unionists being brought into united Ireland against their will,” he said.
The other participants in the debate, held at St Mary’s University on the Falls Road, were DUP East Derry MP Gregory Campbell, Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith, SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan, Ulster Unionist Party MLA Doug Beattie and Alliance leader and MEP Naomi Long. The main auditorium was crowded to capacity for the two debate so two large lecture theatres were used to deal with the overflow audience.
As well as a Border poll, the debate also touched on Brexit and restoring the Northern Executive and Assembly.
Blame game’
Speakers were asked who they felt was to blame for the Brexit uncertainty and Mr Varadkar said he was “keen not to play the blame game”, a sentiment with which Mr Campbell agreed. Ms Long, however, was happy to blame UK prime minister Boris Johnson, his predecessor Theresa May and most particularly former prime minister David Cameron for calling the 2016 referendum.
Ms McDonald said that Mr Varadkar may not want to point the finger at the Conservative Party, which she said was chiefly to blame, but that members of the party were happy “to point the finger at him - wrongly”.
Asked about the security of the DUP’s confidence and supply agreement with the Tories, Mr Campbell replied: “I don’t have to trust Boris and Boris doesn’t have to trust us. But what we do have to do is business with each other. The business that we do brings benefit to every single person in this room.”
Mr Campbell, to some barracking from the crowd, said it should be remembered that it was Sinn Féin which brought down the Northern Executive and Assembly in January 2017.
“We didn’t bring it down,” he said emphatically a number of times.
Cherish’
He added that despite his “curry my yogurt” remarks, in the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2014, which he said was a response to Sinn Féin “abuse” of the Irish language, he did “cherish” the language.
Mr Campbell repeated that the DUP had no preconditions to see Stormont reinstated.
Progress has been made in the talks, more can be made, but it has to be concluded, it is frustrating,” said Mr Campbell.
The Taoiseach also said that the current negotiations involving the British and Irish governments and the North’s five main parties could still succeed.
Debate chairman and BBC broadcaster William Crawley asked participants who on the panel they most admired.
Mr McCrossan said Mr Beattie, Mr Beattie said Mr Varadkar, Mr Varadkar said Mr Smith because he and Fianna Fáil had helped him to become Taoiseach. Ms McDonald said Ms Long. Mr Smith would not say anybody while Ms Long also ducked the question.
Mr Campbell lived up to his role as the pantomime villain by looking down the panel and asking was there anyone he could nominate.
“Nah,” he said.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...dependence-referendum-mcdonnell-idUSKCN1UX0JF
UK's opposition Labour Party open to a Scottish independence referendum: McDonnell
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s opposition Labour Party should allow Scotland to hold another independence referendum if the Scottish parliament votes for one, the second most powerful man in the party said.
Labour’s John McDonnell told an event at the Edinburgh festival fringe that his party should not try to block a second vote on independence, the Guardian reported.
“We would not block something like that. We would let the Scottish people decide. That’s democracy,” McDonnell was quoted as saying.
Scottish voters would back independence and they want another referendum in the next two years, a poll published on Monday showed, indicating that the United Kingdom could be wrenched apart shortly after it leaves the European Union.
Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Kate Holton
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
UK's opposition Labour Party open to a Scottish independence referendum: McDonnell
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s opposition Labour Party should allow Scotland to hold another independence referendum if the Scottish parliament votes for one, the second most powerful man in the party said.
Labour’s John McDonnell told an event at the Edinburgh festival fringe that his party should not try to block a second vote on independence, the Guardian reported.
“We would not block something like that. We would let the Scottish people decide. That’s democracy,” McDonnell was quoted as saying.
Scottish voters would back independence and they want another referendum in the next two years, a poll published on Monday showed, indicating that the United Kingdom could be wrenched apart shortly after it leaves the European Union.
Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Kate Holton
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-49258852
Brexit: Food industry seeks no-deal competition waiver
By Faisal Islam
Economics editor
7 August 2019
The UK food industry has asked the government to waive aspects of competition law to allow firms to co-ordinate and direct supplies with each other after a no-deal Brexit.
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) said it repeatedly asked ministers for clarity on a no-deal scenario.
Existing rules prohibit suppliers and retailers discussing supply or pricing.
The industry says leaving in the autumn could pose more supply problems than the original Brexit date last March.
The FDF, which represents a wide range of food companies and trade associations, said: "We asked for these reassurances at the end of last year. But we're still waiting."
The boss of one leading retailer told the BBC: "At the extreme, people like me and people from government will have to decide where lorries go to keep the food supply chain going. And in that scenario we'd have to work with competitors, and the government would have to suspend competition laws."
What is 'no-deal Brexit'?
No-deal Brexit: 10 ways it could affect you
Brexit: What happens now?
The FDF's chief operating officer Tim Rycroft told the BBC that in the event of a no deal, there would be "selective shortages" of food that would go on for "weeks or months".
"It may be the government is going to come to us and say, 'can't you guys work together to ensure that remote communities or the elderly or children - at risk groups - don't suffer from these shortages'," he said.
We're happy to help, but the CMA can fine companies up to 10% of turnover if they are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour. So we wouldn't be able to do that without some pretty cast iron reassurances."
He said the industry had asked for these reassurances at the end of last year, but despite "support" from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, they were still waiting.
A government spokesman said: "The UK will be leaving the EU on 31 October and our top priority is supporting consumers and businesses in their preparations for Brexit.
"We are working closely with the food industry to support preparations as we leave the EU."
There is a precedent for the government or competition authorities to act in this way, with the government pointing to four previous examples of such orders having been made - three in relation to the defence industry (one of which was subsequently repealed), and a fourth made regarding arrangements for the supply of oil and petroleum products.
But John Fingleton, the former head of the Office for Fair Trading, warned: "The last time something like this happened was in relation to dairy prices in 2001 when companies incorrectly thought government words about higher prices for dairy farmers would protect them from competition law. It did not."
As a consequence, supermarkets faced huge fines for price fixing.
It comes after Domino's Pizza Group said it had spent £7m stockpiling ingredients, including tomato sauce, in case a no-deal Brexit disrupts supplies.
The company, which imports the tomato sauce for its pizza bases from Portugal, said the probability of shortages of ingredients had increased since March.
The FDF said it has repeatedly asked government to direct the CMA to issue a "letter of comfort" to the industry that such co-ordination would be considered legal, in the public interest and that the strict letter of the law would not be enforced in this situation.
The industry claims that the government, in internal discussions, has played down the impact a no-deal Brexit would have on the overall food supply.
One industry member said that a year ago: "Food was part of the conversation in terms of what to prioritise in a no-deal Brexit".
That has changed with the government now privately acknowledging there may be an impact on price and choice rather than overall availability.
The change in date for the UK to leave the European Union from the end of March to the end of October is also causing problems for the food industry as it relies more heavily on Europe for fresh food at this time of year.
There is also a lack of warehouse space available for stockpiling.
One retailer said that 31 October "is about the worst day you can pick," because warehouse capacity is at 105% in November, versus 75-80% in March.
They said that the UK would need 30 massive empty warehouses to store just a week's extra food supply.
Lord Haskins, former chairman of Northern Foods, told the BBC: "The government thinks food will flow normally in the event of a no-deal Brexit. I have my doubts.
"I think there will be some panic buying, that will create shortages. I am very worried about the supermarkets getting a priority, we have to remember the schools are very important, the NHS is very important… restaurants and catering. All of them have very complex distribution systems. I don't see how that can be left to the private sector to deal with frankly."
But the government spokesman said: "Half of the food we eat is produced in the UK. The rest of our food is imported, with 30% coming from the EU and 20% from other countries. There will not be an overall shortage of food in the UK after we leave the EU."
Brexit: Food industry seeks no-deal competition waiver
By Faisal Islam
Economics editor
7 August 2019
The UK food industry has asked the government to waive aspects of competition law to allow firms to co-ordinate and direct supplies with each other after a no-deal Brexit.
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) said it repeatedly asked ministers for clarity on a no-deal scenario.
Existing rules prohibit suppliers and retailers discussing supply or pricing.
The industry says leaving in the autumn could pose more supply problems than the original Brexit date last March.
The FDF, which represents a wide range of food companies and trade associations, said: "We asked for these reassurances at the end of last year. But we're still waiting."
The boss of one leading retailer told the BBC: "At the extreme, people like me and people from government will have to decide where lorries go to keep the food supply chain going. And in that scenario we'd have to work with competitors, and the government would have to suspend competition laws."
What is 'no-deal Brexit'?
No-deal Brexit: 10 ways it could affect you
Brexit: What happens now?
The FDF's chief operating officer Tim Rycroft told the BBC that in the event of a no deal, there would be "selective shortages" of food that would go on for "weeks or months".
"It may be the government is going to come to us and say, 'can't you guys work together to ensure that remote communities or the elderly or children - at risk groups - don't suffer from these shortages'," he said.
We're happy to help, but the CMA can fine companies up to 10% of turnover if they are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour. So we wouldn't be able to do that without some pretty cast iron reassurances."
He said the industry had asked for these reassurances at the end of last year, but despite "support" from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, they were still waiting.
A government spokesman said: "The UK will be leaving the EU on 31 October and our top priority is supporting consumers and businesses in their preparations for Brexit.
"We are working closely with the food industry to support preparations as we leave the EU."
There is a precedent for the government or competition authorities to act in this way, with the government pointing to four previous examples of such orders having been made - three in relation to the defence industry (one of which was subsequently repealed), and a fourth made regarding arrangements for the supply of oil and petroleum products.
But John Fingleton, the former head of the Office for Fair Trading, warned: "The last time something like this happened was in relation to dairy prices in 2001 when companies incorrectly thought government words about higher prices for dairy farmers would protect them from competition law. It did not."
As a consequence, supermarkets faced huge fines for price fixing.
It comes after Domino's Pizza Group said it had spent £7m stockpiling ingredients, including tomato sauce, in case a no-deal Brexit disrupts supplies.
The company, which imports the tomato sauce for its pizza bases from Portugal, said the probability of shortages of ingredients had increased since March.
The FDF said it has repeatedly asked government to direct the CMA to issue a "letter of comfort" to the industry that such co-ordination would be considered legal, in the public interest and that the strict letter of the law would not be enforced in this situation.
The industry claims that the government, in internal discussions, has played down the impact a no-deal Brexit would have on the overall food supply.
One industry member said that a year ago: "Food was part of the conversation in terms of what to prioritise in a no-deal Brexit".
That has changed with the government now privately acknowledging there may be an impact on price and choice rather than overall availability.
The change in date for the UK to leave the European Union from the end of March to the end of October is also causing problems for the food industry as it relies more heavily on Europe for fresh food at this time of year.
There is also a lack of warehouse space available for stockpiling.
One retailer said that 31 October "is about the worst day you can pick," because warehouse capacity is at 105% in November, versus 75-80% in March.
They said that the UK would need 30 massive empty warehouses to store just a week's extra food supply.
Lord Haskins, former chairman of Northern Foods, told the BBC: "The government thinks food will flow normally in the event of a no-deal Brexit. I have my doubts.
"I think there will be some panic buying, that will create shortages. I am very worried about the supermarkets getting a priority, we have to remember the schools are very important, the NHS is very important… restaurants and catering. All of them have very complex distribution systems. I don't see how that can be left to the private sector to deal with frankly."
But the government spokesman said: "Half of the food we eat is produced in the UK. The rest of our food is imported, with 30% coming from the EU and 20% from other countries. There will not be an overall shortage of food in the UK after we leave the EU."
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/07/us-uk-trade-deal-mike-pompeo-brexit-dominic-raab
US will be 'on doorstep' ready to sign UK trade deal after Brexit, says Pompeo
On first trip to Washington as UK foreign secretary, Dominic Raab says Trump was ‘effusive in his warmth’ for Britain
Julian Borger in Washington
Wed 7 Aug 2019 14.46 EDT
The secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has said that the US will be “on the doorstep, pen in hand”, ready to sign a new trade deal with the UK as soon as possible after Brexit.
Pompeo was speaking alongside Dominic Raab, who was making his first trip to Washington as UK foreign secretary. Raab restated the British government’s determination to leave the EU at the end of October, and claimed that Donald Trump, whom he met at the White House on Tuesday evening, “was effusive in his warmth for the United Kingdom”.
“It was amazing to hear an American president talk about our country in such warm terms,” the foreign secretary said, adding that there was “huge appetite on both sides” for achieving a deal.
“Of course, America is our single largest bilateral trading partner,” Raab said. “President Trump has made clear again that he wants an ambitious free trade agreement with UK. So I hope we can make that happen as soon as possible after we leave the EU on 31 October.”
After meeting with Raab on Wednesday at the state department, Pompeo said: “We support the United Kingdom’s sovereign choice, however Brexit ultimately shakes out. And the we’ll be at the doorstep, pen in hand, ready to sign a new free trade agreement at the earliest possible time.”
He said he was confident that the manner of the UK’s departure from the EU would safeguard the principles of the Good Friday agreement in Northern Ireland.
A no-deal Brexit without any resolution to what would happen to the border between the two Irelands is likely to jeopardise the 1998 peace agreement, which relies on the unrestricted flow of people and goods.
Any US trade deal with the UK would have to be approved by Congress and the Democratic leadership. It would also need approval from the Irish American Republicans in the House of Representatives who have warned that they would block a deal if Brexit affects the Irish border, and therefore the Good Friday peace agreement.
In the Senate, 45 Republicans have signed a letter pledging unconditional support for a US-UK trade deal, but that falls short of a majority the administration will need to get an agreement through the upper chamber.
Pompeo thanked the UK for its decision to join a US-led maritime protection force in the strait of Hormuz, to defend oil tankers following the Iranian seizure of a British-flagged vessel, the Stena Impero.
This is a victory for meaningful, effective multilateralism,” he added. Pompeo also expressed US gratitude for “contributions towards alleviating Iranian-caused suffering in Yemen”.
“We hope the UK will keep taking new steps to hold the Islamic Republic of Iran responsible for its rash of destructive behaviour,” the secretary of state said.
Raab, however, made clear the UK upheld its commitment to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which the Trump administration abandoned in May last year.
“We continue to want to make the deal work, and more broadly..de-escalate tensions so far as we can,” he said.
US will be 'on doorstep' ready to sign UK trade deal after Brexit, says Pompeo
On first trip to Washington as UK foreign secretary, Dominic Raab says Trump was ‘effusive in his warmth’ for Britain
Julian Borger in Washington
Wed 7 Aug 2019 14.46 EDT
The secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has said that the US will be “on the doorstep, pen in hand”, ready to sign a new trade deal with the UK as soon as possible after Brexit.
Pompeo was speaking alongside Dominic Raab, who was making his first trip to Washington as UK foreign secretary. Raab restated the British government’s determination to leave the EU at the end of October, and claimed that Donald Trump, whom he met at the White House on Tuesday evening, “was effusive in his warmth for the United Kingdom”.
“It was amazing to hear an American president talk about our country in such warm terms,” the foreign secretary said, adding that there was “huge appetite on both sides” for achieving a deal.
“Of course, America is our single largest bilateral trading partner,” Raab said. “President Trump has made clear again that he wants an ambitious free trade agreement with UK. So I hope we can make that happen as soon as possible after we leave the EU on 31 October.”
After meeting with Raab on Wednesday at the state department, Pompeo said: “We support the United Kingdom’s sovereign choice, however Brexit ultimately shakes out. And the we’ll be at the doorstep, pen in hand, ready to sign a new free trade agreement at the earliest possible time.”
He said he was confident that the manner of the UK’s departure from the EU would safeguard the principles of the Good Friday agreement in Northern Ireland.
A no-deal Brexit without any resolution to what would happen to the border between the two Irelands is likely to jeopardise the 1998 peace agreement, which relies on the unrestricted flow of people and goods.
Any US trade deal with the UK would have to be approved by Congress and the Democratic leadership. It would also need approval from the Irish American Republicans in the House of Representatives who have warned that they would block a deal if Brexit affects the Irish border, and therefore the Good Friday peace agreement.
In the Senate, 45 Republicans have signed a letter pledging unconditional support for a US-UK trade deal, but that falls short of a majority the administration will need to get an agreement through the upper chamber.
Pompeo thanked the UK for its decision to join a US-led maritime protection force in the strait of Hormuz, to defend oil tankers following the Iranian seizure of a British-flagged vessel, the Stena Impero.
This is a victory for meaningful, effective multilateralism,” he added. Pompeo also expressed US gratitude for “contributions towards alleviating Iranian-caused suffering in Yemen”.
“We hope the UK will keep taking new steps to hold the Islamic Republic of Iran responsible for its rash of destructive behaviour,” the secretary of state said.
Raab, however, made clear the UK upheld its commitment to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which the Trump administration abandoned in May last year.
“We continue to want to make the deal work, and more broadly..de-escalate tensions so far as we can,” he said.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.theguardian.com/politic...halt-no-deal-brexit-amid-fury-at-pms-enforcer
New rebel bid to halt no-deal Brexit amid fury at PM’s enforcer
Alarm is mounting about Dominic Cummings and his willingness to defy parliament
Rowena Mason and Jessica Elgot
Wed 7 Aug 2019 16.10 EDT
Rebel MPs are working on a plan to thwart Boris Johnson pursuing a no-deal Brexit on 31 October that involves forcing parliament to sit through the autumn recess, amid growing outrage about the power and influence of his controversial aide, Dominic Cummings.
The cross-party group of MPs is looking at legislative options with mounting urgency because of the hardline tactics of Cummings, who one Conservative insider described as running a “reign of terror” in No 10 aimed at achieving Brexit on 31 October at any cost.
Three MPs have told the Guardian that one method under discussion is for members to amend the motion needed for parliament to break for party conferences in mid-September. This could give MPs another three weeks of sitting time to stop a no-deal and potentially open the door for days to be set aside for rebels to control parliamentary business. The ultimate aim would be to pass a bill forcing the government to request an extension to article 50 from Brussels.
Since joining Johnson’s administration, Cummings has told government advisers that No 10 stands ready to do whatever is necessary to bring about Brexit on 31 October – deal or no deal. This could include proroguing parliament, or ignoring the result of any no-confidence vote in Johnson and calling a “people v politicians” general election – to be held after the UK had left the EU.
However, it is understood that alarm is mounting within No 10, among some special advisers and Tory MPs about the scale of Cummings’ influence and willingness to defy parliament.
One Conservative insider said that Cummings had in effect demanded control over Johnson’s operation as his price for entering government and proceeded to sideline more moderate advisers, such as ex-City Hall stalwart Sir Eddie Lister, while installing a team of “true believers” in hard Brexit largely from the former Vote Leave campaign.
The source described Cummings’ grip over No 10 as a “reign of terror”, with advisers petrified about keeping their jobs and being told they are expected to be working flat out to deliver Brexit come what may by the 31 October deadline.
Lister was initially briefed to the media as Johnson’s newly appointed chief of staff and is described by some inside Downing Street as one of “the sensibles”. But an internal No 10 email shows that Cummings is now styled as “assistant to the prime minister” in charge of Brexit and domestic policy, while Lister has been downgraded to “chief strategic adviser” responsible for foreign affairs, business and security.
A Tory special adviser told the Guardian that Cummings was “absolutely running the show” and was even more ruthless and difficult to work with than Theresa May’s former advisers Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill: “The level of terror is greater than Priti Patel would like to exert on the criminal classes. It is far, far scarier than under Nick Timothy. He is two Fionas plus a Nick rolled into one. It’s the worst of both worlds in one person.”
Cummings does have some supporters, including one special adviser who worked under the last two administrations, who said: “Dom wants people who can do the job well, will actually deliver on the PM’s priorities and will give honest answers when there are problems. In the last government you could get fired simply because someone else was having a bad day.”
Sign up to our Brexit weekly briefing
Read more
But some Conservative MPs told the Guardian they were already very worried about the amount of power Cummings had accumulated so quickly as an unelected political appointment. One centrist Tory MP said: “Cummings is an unelected backroom adviser, and there’s a worry the PM is becoming just a front for his ideological plans.”
A No 10 source denied that Cummings had sidelined Lister, saying: “Eddie is the PM’s chief strategic adviser who has known the PM for 20 years, advising the PM on policy and strategy at all key meetings. Any suggestion that he is not in the room is total nonsense.”
The cross-party rebels are returning to ways to block no-deal in law partly because Labour has made it clear it could not support a national unity government formed in the wake of a no-confidence vote.The party would prefer to push for a general election or minority Labour administration led by Jeremy Corbyn as opposed to supporting a compromise candidate such as Yvette Cooper or Ken Clarke.
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, told an audience in Edinburgh that if Johnson lost a confidence vote then Corbyn would seek to form a caretaker government instead, with the support of other opposition parties and rebel Conservative MPs.
If the Conservative leader failed to quit, McDonnell quipped that he would not “want to drag the Queen into this but [he] would be sending Jeremy Corbyn in a cab to Buckingham Palace to say ‘we’re taking over’”.
However, rebel Conservative MPs would be extremely wary about a plan that installed Corbyn as even a temporary prime minister and many prefer the option of legislation to block no-deal rather than a vote to collapse the government.
Peter Kyle, a Labour MP who led a compromise plan to put any deal to a second referendum, said he was completely confident that any plans by Johnson and Cummings to push through no deal against the will of parliament could be stopped.
“Of course we can decide to sit through recess. Of course we can decide to amend precedent. If government acts unconventionally and flouts the sovereign power of parliament, parliament will rise to the challenge and if they break the rules, we will make new rules,” he said. He said MPs would not be cowed by Cummings who is a “maverick populist who spouts off to his blogger friends” about no-deal.
But Chuka Umunna, the Liberal Democrat MP and Treasury spokesman, said the “vital cross party work” would only succeed if enough Labour and Tory MPs stand ready to stop a no deal.
“It will all come to nothing so long as there is the continuing alliance between at least 25 Labour MPs, including eight frontbenchers, and most Tory MPs who persist in voting against legally binding measures to stop a no-deal Brexit in the House of Commons,” he said.
Experts said it was a plausible plan for cross-party rebels to seize control of the order paper via motions for recess, which are called “periodic adjournment motions”. They are not normally amendable, but John Bercow, the Speaker of the Commons, caused major controversy in January when he defied this convention and allowed Tory MP Dominic Grieve to amend a similar motion, which set a three-day deadline for the then prime minister to come back to the Commons with new plans if her Brexit deal was voted down. Grieve declined to comment on the idea of amending the September recess motion.
But the former attorney general, has said it would be unconstitutional for Johnson to defy any vote of no confidence and remain in Downing Street until after the Brexit deadline of 31 October.
When approached by Sky News outside his home on Tuesday, Cummings gave a rare public comment suggesting that parliament would be unable to find a way of forcing the prime minister out in order to stop a no-deal Brexit.
“The most simple thing is the prime minister believes that politicians don’t get to choose which votes they respect, that’s the critical issue,” he said. “I don’t think I am arrogant. I don’t know very much about very much. Mr Grieve … we’ll see what he’s right about.”
New rebel bid to halt no-deal Brexit amid fury at PM’s enforcer
Alarm is mounting about Dominic Cummings and his willingness to defy parliament
Rowena Mason and Jessica Elgot
Wed 7 Aug 2019 16.10 EDT
Rebel MPs are working on a plan to thwart Boris Johnson pursuing a no-deal Brexit on 31 October that involves forcing parliament to sit through the autumn recess, amid growing outrage about the power and influence of his controversial aide, Dominic Cummings.
The cross-party group of MPs is looking at legislative options with mounting urgency because of the hardline tactics of Cummings, who one Conservative insider described as running a “reign of terror” in No 10 aimed at achieving Brexit on 31 October at any cost.
Three MPs have told the Guardian that one method under discussion is for members to amend the motion needed for parliament to break for party conferences in mid-September. This could give MPs another three weeks of sitting time to stop a no-deal and potentially open the door for days to be set aside for rebels to control parliamentary business. The ultimate aim would be to pass a bill forcing the government to request an extension to article 50 from Brussels.
Since joining Johnson’s administration, Cummings has told government advisers that No 10 stands ready to do whatever is necessary to bring about Brexit on 31 October – deal or no deal. This could include proroguing parliament, or ignoring the result of any no-confidence vote in Johnson and calling a “people v politicians” general election – to be held after the UK had left the EU.
However, it is understood that alarm is mounting within No 10, among some special advisers and Tory MPs about the scale of Cummings’ influence and willingness to defy parliament.
One Conservative insider said that Cummings had in effect demanded control over Johnson’s operation as his price for entering government and proceeded to sideline more moderate advisers, such as ex-City Hall stalwart Sir Eddie Lister, while installing a team of “true believers” in hard Brexit largely from the former Vote Leave campaign.
The source described Cummings’ grip over No 10 as a “reign of terror”, with advisers petrified about keeping their jobs and being told they are expected to be working flat out to deliver Brexit come what may by the 31 October deadline.
Lister was initially briefed to the media as Johnson’s newly appointed chief of staff and is described by some inside Downing Street as one of “the sensibles”. But an internal No 10 email shows that Cummings is now styled as “assistant to the prime minister” in charge of Brexit and domestic policy, while Lister has been downgraded to “chief strategic adviser” responsible for foreign affairs, business and security.
A Tory special adviser told the Guardian that Cummings was “absolutely running the show” and was even more ruthless and difficult to work with than Theresa May’s former advisers Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill: “The level of terror is greater than Priti Patel would like to exert on the criminal classes. It is far, far scarier than under Nick Timothy. He is two Fionas plus a Nick rolled into one. It’s the worst of both worlds in one person.”
Cummings does have some supporters, including one special adviser who worked under the last two administrations, who said: “Dom wants people who can do the job well, will actually deliver on the PM’s priorities and will give honest answers when there are problems. In the last government you could get fired simply because someone else was having a bad day.”
Sign up to our Brexit weekly briefing
Read more
But some Conservative MPs told the Guardian they were already very worried about the amount of power Cummings had accumulated so quickly as an unelected political appointment. One centrist Tory MP said: “Cummings is an unelected backroom adviser, and there’s a worry the PM is becoming just a front for his ideological plans.”
A No 10 source denied that Cummings had sidelined Lister, saying: “Eddie is the PM’s chief strategic adviser who has known the PM for 20 years, advising the PM on policy and strategy at all key meetings. Any suggestion that he is not in the room is total nonsense.”
The cross-party rebels are returning to ways to block no-deal in law partly because Labour has made it clear it could not support a national unity government formed in the wake of a no-confidence vote.The party would prefer to push for a general election or minority Labour administration led by Jeremy Corbyn as opposed to supporting a compromise candidate such as Yvette Cooper or Ken Clarke.
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, told an audience in Edinburgh that if Johnson lost a confidence vote then Corbyn would seek to form a caretaker government instead, with the support of other opposition parties and rebel Conservative MPs.
If the Conservative leader failed to quit, McDonnell quipped that he would not “want to drag the Queen into this but [he] would be sending Jeremy Corbyn in a cab to Buckingham Palace to say ‘we’re taking over’”.
However, rebel Conservative MPs would be extremely wary about a plan that installed Corbyn as even a temporary prime minister and many prefer the option of legislation to block no-deal rather than a vote to collapse the government.
Peter Kyle, a Labour MP who led a compromise plan to put any deal to a second referendum, said he was completely confident that any plans by Johnson and Cummings to push through no deal against the will of parliament could be stopped.
“Of course we can decide to sit through recess. Of course we can decide to amend precedent. If government acts unconventionally and flouts the sovereign power of parliament, parliament will rise to the challenge and if they break the rules, we will make new rules,” he said. He said MPs would not be cowed by Cummings who is a “maverick populist who spouts off to his blogger friends” about no-deal.
But Chuka Umunna, the Liberal Democrat MP and Treasury spokesman, said the “vital cross party work” would only succeed if enough Labour and Tory MPs stand ready to stop a no deal.
“It will all come to nothing so long as there is the continuing alliance between at least 25 Labour MPs, including eight frontbenchers, and most Tory MPs who persist in voting against legally binding measures to stop a no-deal Brexit in the House of Commons,” he said.
Experts said it was a plausible plan for cross-party rebels to seize control of the order paper via motions for recess, which are called “periodic adjournment motions”. They are not normally amendable, but John Bercow, the Speaker of the Commons, caused major controversy in January when he defied this convention and allowed Tory MP Dominic Grieve to amend a similar motion, which set a three-day deadline for the then prime minister to come back to the Commons with new plans if her Brexit deal was voted down. Grieve declined to comment on the idea of amending the September recess motion.
But the former attorney general, has said it would be unconstitutional for Johnson to defy any vote of no confidence and remain in Downing Street until after the Brexit deadline of 31 October.
When approached by Sky News outside his home on Tuesday, Cummings gave a rare public comment suggesting that parliament would be unable to find a way of forcing the prime minister out in order to stop a no-deal Brexit.
“The most simple thing is the prime minister believes that politicians don’t get to choose which votes they respect, that’s the critical issue,” he said. “I don’t think I am arrogant. I don’t know very much about very much. Mr Grieve … we’ll see what he’s right about.”
Melodi
Disaster Cat
As I said earlier on this thread, I am starting to wonder if BoJo's "plan" is really to just let things crash out and then put the blame on the Irish for a new (and probably militarized eventually) border on the Island of Ireland. I think this could backfire spectacularly but I can see it happening (backfire because it will still be London that has to pay for the military occupation of Northern Ireland) - this is an op-ed piece from the Irish Independent this morning.
Worse there is no "natural border" the "border" cuts some people off from leaving their houses, goes through the main streets of villages, in one case it cuts off a church from the church graveyard...
.
Dan O’Brien: 'Government must tell us its Border plans - our EU partners will soon turn on us if it doesn't do its duty'
Dan O'Brien
Dan O'Brien
August 8 2019 2:30 AM
Much attention in Ireland has recently been given to a handful of derogatory comments in the British media directed at this country's political leaders. Infinitely more important than the views of a few English journalists is what is happening here - or rather not happening here - as the worst-case Brexit scenario moves closer by the day.
More than three years after the British decision to leave the EU and 21 months after Ireland and the EU put the Northern Ireland backstop proposal on the negotiating table, the Government does not have a plan for how it will deal with the Border if a no-deal Brexit happens in a few short months. Many questions remain unanswered.
How will the EU's external frontier on this island differ from all of the other external frontiers across the continent, if it differs at all? Where will the EU's import tax on non-EU goods be collected, a matter that will be of relevance from day one of no-deal rupture? Has the enforcer of EU laws and rules - the European Commission - agreed to make exceptions for how the Irish Border operates and, if so, what are these exceptions? Has the Commission squared any exceptions with other EU members? What is the legal basis for the granting of exceptions? What are the risks that any exceptions granted could be challenged in Europe's highest court? What are the main sticking points between Dublin and Brussels as of now, and why has it taken so long to come up with an agreed plan?
Cabinet members and other Government representatives should be bombarded with these questions every time they make public appearances because the dangers of not having a clear and well-communicated plan are enormous.
Everyone by now is aware of the dangers of a no-deal for Northern Ireland, for this island's economy and for Ireland-Britain relations. But less discussed is how relations with the rest of the EU could be negatively affected by a Brexit rupture. This needs very careful consideration because if relations with London are left in tatters in November and the White House cannot be depended on as a source of support, then coming into conflict with continental partners would leave Ireland isolated and friendless. That would make an already disastrous situation very much worse. How could that come about?
Let's start with the EU institutions. The most fraught single issue in Ireland's half-century as a member of Europe's economic and political union was the confrontation with the European Central Bank in 2010-11 over the handling of the banking crisis.
The ECB has powers and responsibilities. Among these is the protection of the integrity of the euro system. In 2010 and again in 2011 it believed the authorities in Dublin were embarking on a course which threatened the integrity of the euro system. Frankfurt believed the planned non-repayment of €5bn worth of bonds in defunct banks risked another financial panic at a time when the entire European banking system was teetering. The ECB forced two successive Irish Governments to make full repayments of these bonds because it believed doing so was the best course of action for the wider system. Frankfurt's way, not Ireland's way.
Moving from the past to what is looming in the near future. The European Commission's job, as the 'guardian of the EU treaties', is to enforce EU rules. Central to this role is maintaining the integrity of the European market system. If Britain exits the EU without a deal, the integrity of that system will be at risk.
That risk will not come because French, Belgian or Dutch customs authorities refuse to treat goods arriving at their ports from Britain as they do goods arriving from China or South America - they are planning to do exactly that. It will come if systems, of which nothing is known publicly, are not in place on the Republic's side of the new EU frontier on this island with a non-EU country.
So far, the Government has insisted it will not put in the sort of customs posts which exist on all of the EU's external borders. The European Commission's top spokesman stated earlier this year that there would have to be checks on the Irish side of the Border. But Brussels has maintained a diplomatic silence since. That is not, it should be stressed, because everything has been agreed with the Government here.
Once a no-deal happens, if not before, the diplomatic silence will end because the Commission is bound by the EU's rules-based framework to apply the rules. The European Commission could go from being Ireland's best friend to Europe's hard cop in a very short time.
That might suit other member countries. They will leave Brussels to do its job in the early days and weeks of a no-deal situation. Indeed, there would most likely be continued displays of solidarity - don't be surprised if heavy-lift transport planes from the French military land in Ireland with vital supplies that have been disrupted as a result of Brexit.
But if the EU border on this island does not function to the satisfaction of fellow members for any length of time, continental capitals will sooner or later demand that Ireland fulfils its obligations. If that does not happen and Ireland comes to be seen as a back-door into the single market, other countries will start treating Ireland and goods coming from Ireland differently.
As a business person with knowledge of investment-luring matters muttered recently to your columnist, competitors tasked with persuading foreign multinationals to locate in their countries would not be slow to point out to corporate executives that Ireland is not a full member of the single market.
Time is running out. The stakes could not be higher. The Government needs to level with the public on the hard choices ahead.
Irish Independent
https://www.independent.ie/opinion/...-on-us-if-it-doesnt-do-its-duty-38384989.html
Worse there is no "natural border" the "border" cuts some people off from leaving their houses, goes through the main streets of villages, in one case it cuts off a church from the church graveyard...
.
Dan O’Brien: 'Government must tell us its Border plans - our EU partners will soon turn on us if it doesn't do its duty'
Dan O'Brien
Dan O'Brien
August 8 2019 2:30 AM
Much attention in Ireland has recently been given to a handful of derogatory comments in the British media directed at this country's political leaders. Infinitely more important than the views of a few English journalists is what is happening here - or rather not happening here - as the worst-case Brexit scenario moves closer by the day.
More than three years after the British decision to leave the EU and 21 months after Ireland and the EU put the Northern Ireland backstop proposal on the negotiating table, the Government does not have a plan for how it will deal with the Border if a no-deal Brexit happens in a few short months. Many questions remain unanswered.
How will the EU's external frontier on this island differ from all of the other external frontiers across the continent, if it differs at all? Where will the EU's import tax on non-EU goods be collected, a matter that will be of relevance from day one of no-deal rupture? Has the enforcer of EU laws and rules - the European Commission - agreed to make exceptions for how the Irish Border operates and, if so, what are these exceptions? Has the Commission squared any exceptions with other EU members? What is the legal basis for the granting of exceptions? What are the risks that any exceptions granted could be challenged in Europe's highest court? What are the main sticking points between Dublin and Brussels as of now, and why has it taken so long to come up with an agreed plan?
Cabinet members and other Government representatives should be bombarded with these questions every time they make public appearances because the dangers of not having a clear and well-communicated plan are enormous.
Everyone by now is aware of the dangers of a no-deal for Northern Ireland, for this island's economy and for Ireland-Britain relations. But less discussed is how relations with the rest of the EU could be negatively affected by a Brexit rupture. This needs very careful consideration because if relations with London are left in tatters in November and the White House cannot be depended on as a source of support, then coming into conflict with continental partners would leave Ireland isolated and friendless. That would make an already disastrous situation very much worse. How could that come about?
Let's start with the EU institutions. The most fraught single issue in Ireland's half-century as a member of Europe's economic and political union was the confrontation with the European Central Bank in 2010-11 over the handling of the banking crisis.
The ECB has powers and responsibilities. Among these is the protection of the integrity of the euro system. In 2010 and again in 2011 it believed the authorities in Dublin were embarking on a course which threatened the integrity of the euro system. Frankfurt believed the planned non-repayment of €5bn worth of bonds in defunct banks risked another financial panic at a time when the entire European banking system was teetering. The ECB forced two successive Irish Governments to make full repayments of these bonds because it believed doing so was the best course of action for the wider system. Frankfurt's way, not Ireland's way.
Moving from the past to what is looming in the near future. The European Commission's job, as the 'guardian of the EU treaties', is to enforce EU rules. Central to this role is maintaining the integrity of the European market system. If Britain exits the EU without a deal, the integrity of that system will be at risk.
That risk will not come because French, Belgian or Dutch customs authorities refuse to treat goods arriving at their ports from Britain as they do goods arriving from China or South America - they are planning to do exactly that. It will come if systems, of which nothing is known publicly, are not in place on the Republic's side of the new EU frontier on this island with a non-EU country.
So far, the Government has insisted it will not put in the sort of customs posts which exist on all of the EU's external borders. The European Commission's top spokesman stated earlier this year that there would have to be checks on the Irish side of the Border. But Brussels has maintained a diplomatic silence since. That is not, it should be stressed, because everything has been agreed with the Government here.
Once a no-deal happens, if not before, the diplomatic silence will end because the Commission is bound by the EU's rules-based framework to apply the rules. The European Commission could go from being Ireland's best friend to Europe's hard cop in a very short time.
That might suit other member countries. They will leave Brussels to do its job in the early days and weeks of a no-deal situation. Indeed, there would most likely be continued displays of solidarity - don't be surprised if heavy-lift transport planes from the French military land in Ireland with vital supplies that have been disrupted as a result of Brexit.
But if the EU border on this island does not function to the satisfaction of fellow members for any length of time, continental capitals will sooner or later demand that Ireland fulfils its obligations. If that does not happen and Ireland comes to be seen as a back-door into the single market, other countries will start treating Ireland and goods coming from Ireland differently.
As a business person with knowledge of investment-luring matters muttered recently to your columnist, competitors tasked with persuading foreign multinationals to locate in their countries would not be slow to point out to corporate executives that Ireland is not a full member of the single market.
Time is running out. The stakes could not be higher. The Government needs to level with the public on the hard choices ahead.
Irish Independent
https://www.independent.ie/opinion/...-on-us-if-it-doesnt-do-its-duty-38384989.html
northern watch
TB Fanatic
U.K. Steps Up Efforts for a Trade Deal With U.S. British cabinet ministers meet with members of the Trump administration to lay the groundwork for a trade deal as Britain prepares to leave the European trade zone
Wednesday, August 07, 2019, 3:22 PM ET
By Max Colchester and Anna Isaac
Wall Street Journal
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson 's government launched a charm offensive in Washington this week in a bid to secure a trade deal with the U.S. quickly after the U.K. leaves the European Union .
With less than three months until the U.K. is set to leave the European Union , British cabinet ministers met with members of the Trump administration to lay the groundwork for a deal to mitigate the hit to British trade expected following Brexit.
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab met with President Trump on Wednesday, while Trade Secretary Liz Truss met with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer earlier in the week. After his meeting with Mr. Trump, Mr. Raab said the U.K. government is committed to leaving the EU by Oct. 31, and aims to complete a bilateral agreement with the U.S. "as soon as possible after." A day earlier, Ms. Truss called a trade pact a "golden opportunity."
During a joint press conference with Mr. Raab on Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed confidence that the U.K. and EU would "sort this out." He said the U.S. supports the U.K. "and will be on the doorstep, pen in hand, ready to sign a new free-trade agreement at the earliest possible time."
British officials hope a quick deal would cover some sectors, while more contentious aspects could be settled and fleshed out at a later date.
Such a deal could be an early win for Britain as it resets its global trading ties after Brexit. In a statement, the British trade department said it wanted to negotiate an "ambitious trade deal with the U.S. as soon as possible."
But the fate of such a deal is largely in U.S. hands. "It comes down to the question of what the U.S. is willing to settle for," said Stephen Adams, a trade expert at Global Counsel, an advisory firm. "If the U.S. was interested in a tariff-only deal, a basic free-trade agreement, then could you do that relatively quickly? Yes of course you could."
Such a quick deal could limit the U.S.'s ability to use a trade deal to pry open access to other parts of the U.K. market, including government procurement, access to Britain's National Health Service and relaxing British agricultural standards.
A U.S.-British trade deal has long been trumpeted by Brexit supporters as a prize of quitting the EU . The U.S. accounts for 18.4% of all British exports, making America the country's single largest export market. That is still dwarfed by the more than 40% of British exports sold to the EU 's 27 countries.
The idea of a trade pact has gained traction with the U.S. administration, with Mr. Trump touting it during a visit to London earlier this year. A group of 44 U.S. senators recently signed a letter promoting such a deal. The Trump administration has pushed such narrow trade deals. Japan is now negotiating a bilateral deal with the U.S.
Much depends on how the U.K. leaves the EU .
Mr. Johnson has said he wants to renegotiate a divorce deal with the EU . If he succeeds, the U.K. may be bound to EU rules for several years as it eases away from the bloc. That would impinge on the U.K.'s ability to sign a wide-ranging trade deal.
Or, if the EU rejects a renegotiation, and the U.K. quits without a deal, as Mr. Johnson has threatened, the U.K. has already promised to temporarily cut its tariffs on most imports to zero, mainly to prevent prices on imports from rising. It is unclear what the incentive will be for the U.S. to agree a deal given such low tariffs.
Adding to the tension: The 54 members of the bipartisan Friends of Ireland caucus in Congress has threatened to block a trade agreement if a no-deal exit from the EU results threatens peace by leading to the reemergence of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The U.K. has already held six meetings with U.S. officials to lay the foundations of a trade a deal. However, under EU rules, the U.K. isn't allowed to sign one until it has formally left the bloc. The British government is considering ignoring this restriction, say people familiar with the matter, a strategy that would risk harming relations with the bloc.
Among the issues that the U.K. would like to advance is improved access to the U.S. for U.K. nationals, with a special visa scheme similar to the E3 visa granted to Australia, say British officials. But there are numerous U.S. demands, which may be tricky for the U.K. government to sell to Parliament.
British farmers worry about a flood of cheap U.S. food entering Britain, produced to lower standards. British voters also worry about U.S. pharmaceutical companies gaining leverage over drug pricing in the U.K.'s nationalized health service.
The U.K. could have a weak hand after leaving the EU , given the pressure the government is under to prove Brexit a global success. Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers said Tuesday that Mr. Johnson was "delusional" to think that the U.K. could extract a good deal from the U.S. straight after Brexit.
The U.K. is now only the U.S.'s seventh largest goods trading partner, according to U.S. data, so the stakes are much lower for Washington.
After Brexit, Britain would have to move quickly. The U.S. Trade Promotion Authority, which allows trade deals to be fast-tracked through Congress, expires in July 2021. Trade deals aren't normally submitted to Congress before the vote in a presidential election year, so it would likely have to be done by 2020.
The U.K. is also seeking trade deals with other countries, including Canada, which Mr. Raab visited on Tuesday.
Courtney McBride and William Mauldin in Washington contributed to this article.
Write to Max Colchester at max.colchester@wsj.com
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-steps-up-efforts-for-a-trade-deal-with-u-s-11565195637
Wednesday, August 07, 2019, 3:22 PM ET
By Max Colchester and Anna Isaac
Wall Street Journal
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson 's government launched a charm offensive in Washington this week in a bid to secure a trade deal with the U.S. quickly after the U.K. leaves the European Union .
With less than three months until the U.K. is set to leave the European Union , British cabinet ministers met with members of the Trump administration to lay the groundwork for a deal to mitigate the hit to British trade expected following Brexit.
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab met with President Trump on Wednesday, while Trade Secretary Liz Truss met with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer earlier in the week. After his meeting with Mr. Trump, Mr. Raab said the U.K. government is committed to leaving the EU by Oct. 31, and aims to complete a bilateral agreement with the U.S. "as soon as possible after." A day earlier, Ms. Truss called a trade pact a "golden opportunity."
During a joint press conference with Mr. Raab on Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed confidence that the U.K. and EU would "sort this out." He said the U.S. supports the U.K. "and will be on the doorstep, pen in hand, ready to sign a new free-trade agreement at the earliest possible time."
British officials hope a quick deal would cover some sectors, while more contentious aspects could be settled and fleshed out at a later date.
Such a deal could be an early win for Britain as it resets its global trading ties after Brexit. In a statement, the British trade department said it wanted to negotiate an "ambitious trade deal with the U.S. as soon as possible."
But the fate of such a deal is largely in U.S. hands. "It comes down to the question of what the U.S. is willing to settle for," said Stephen Adams, a trade expert at Global Counsel, an advisory firm. "If the U.S. was interested in a tariff-only deal, a basic free-trade agreement, then could you do that relatively quickly? Yes of course you could."
Such a quick deal could limit the U.S.'s ability to use a trade deal to pry open access to other parts of the U.K. market, including government procurement, access to Britain's National Health Service and relaxing British agricultural standards.
A U.S.-British trade deal has long been trumpeted by Brexit supporters as a prize of quitting the EU . The U.S. accounts for 18.4% of all British exports, making America the country's single largest export market. That is still dwarfed by the more than 40% of British exports sold to the EU 's 27 countries.
The idea of a trade pact has gained traction with the U.S. administration, with Mr. Trump touting it during a visit to London earlier this year. A group of 44 U.S. senators recently signed a letter promoting such a deal. The Trump administration has pushed such narrow trade deals. Japan is now negotiating a bilateral deal with the U.S.
Much depends on how the U.K. leaves the EU .
Mr. Johnson has said he wants to renegotiate a divorce deal with the EU . If he succeeds, the U.K. may be bound to EU rules for several years as it eases away from the bloc. That would impinge on the U.K.'s ability to sign a wide-ranging trade deal.
Or, if the EU rejects a renegotiation, and the U.K. quits without a deal, as Mr. Johnson has threatened, the U.K. has already promised to temporarily cut its tariffs on most imports to zero, mainly to prevent prices on imports from rising. It is unclear what the incentive will be for the U.S. to agree a deal given such low tariffs.
Adding to the tension: The 54 members of the bipartisan Friends of Ireland caucus in Congress has threatened to block a trade agreement if a no-deal exit from the EU results threatens peace by leading to the reemergence of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The U.K. has already held six meetings with U.S. officials to lay the foundations of a trade a deal. However, under EU rules, the U.K. isn't allowed to sign one until it has formally left the bloc. The British government is considering ignoring this restriction, say people familiar with the matter, a strategy that would risk harming relations with the bloc.
Among the issues that the U.K. would like to advance is improved access to the U.S. for U.K. nationals, with a special visa scheme similar to the E3 visa granted to Australia, say British officials. But there are numerous U.S. demands, which may be tricky for the U.K. government to sell to Parliament.
British farmers worry about a flood of cheap U.S. food entering Britain, produced to lower standards. British voters also worry about U.S. pharmaceutical companies gaining leverage over drug pricing in the U.K.'s nationalized health service.
The U.K. could have a weak hand after leaving the EU , given the pressure the government is under to prove Brexit a global success. Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers said Tuesday that Mr. Johnson was "delusional" to think that the U.K. could extract a good deal from the U.S. straight after Brexit.
The U.K. is now only the U.S.'s seventh largest goods trading partner, according to U.S. data, so the stakes are much lower for Washington.
After Brexit, Britain would have to move quickly. The U.S. Trade Promotion Authority, which allows trade deals to be fast-tracked through Congress, expires in July 2021. Trade deals aren't normally submitted to Congress before the vote in a presidential election year, so it would likely have to be done by 2020.
The U.K. is also seeking trade deals with other countries, including Canada, which Mr. Raab visited on Tuesday.
Courtney McBride and William Mauldin in Washington contributed to this article.
Write to Max Colchester at max.colchester@wsj.com
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-steps-up-efforts-for-a-trade-deal-with-u-s-11565195637
Melodi
Disaster Cat
Not to mention the "small" problem that the US is insisting (or was last I checked) that any trade deal pretty much "allow" unfettered access in the UK market to the selling of antibiotic filled meats, unlabeled GMO garbage that would no longer be either forbidden or forcibly labeled by EU regulations.
I have no idea how that one would play out with the public but it was labeling that killed GMOs in Europe and the UK (or why the lobbies spent billions fighting real labels in the US) and the British public is very adverse to antibiotic laced meat - though they also like cheap prices.
This could also create cross-border issues in Ireland though I suspect there will be much bigger ones before this is all over - again, a lot of stuff will be a moot point if The Troubles start again - London will be far too busy trying to figure out how to re-start a draft and pay for the military occupation if they continue along the lines that BoJo has so far which seems to be to throw "fairy dust" at the border and poof it will all be "fine."
Oh there was brick-throwing and social unrest in Belfast last night, not a lot but it was sectarian in nature; this is getting more common the closer things get to the 31st of October.
I have no idea how that one would play out with the public but it was labeling that killed GMOs in Europe and the UK (or why the lobbies spent billions fighting real labels in the US) and the British public is very adverse to antibiotic laced meat - though they also like cheap prices.
This could also create cross-border issues in Ireland though I suspect there will be much bigger ones before this is all over - again, a lot of stuff will be a moot point if The Troubles start again - London will be far too busy trying to figure out how to re-start a draft and pay for the military occupation if they continue along the lines that BoJo has so far which seems to be to throw "fairy dust" at the border and poof it will all be "fine."
Oh there was brick-throwing and social unrest in Belfast last night, not a lot but it was sectarian in nature; this is getting more common the closer things get to the 31st of October.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
Melodi, That is pretty alarming and puts a lot of pressure on everyone. And there so many moving parts that it is difficult to keep up. I think the meat deal is for non-antibiotic beef, but of course the deal isn't signed.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...s-eye-a-very-british-power-grab-idUSKCN1UY1T9
Cab ride to queen: Johnson rivals eye a very British power grab
LONDON (Reuters) - British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn would dash across London in a cab to Buckingham Palace and tell Queen Elizabeth “We’re taking over” should Prime Minister Boris Johnson refuse to quit if he lost a no-confidence vote, Corbyn’s deputy says.
Traditionally, a new British prime minister travels to the queen’s official residence in a choreographed procession of official cars to be formally appointed as the nation’s leader.
But with the meter running down toward Britain’s exit from the bloc, Labour Party deputy leader John McDonnell suggested a break with such pomp and ceremony might be needed.
Johnson, who heads a minority government, has promised that Oct. 31 will be Britain’s last day as an EU member, with or without a withdrawal agreement.
Commentators have suggested that parliament, where a majority are opposed to a no-deal Brexit, could call a vote of no-confidence in him before then, most likely in September.
But some reports say Johnson could refuse to resign even if he lost in order to delay an election beyond Brexit day and ensure the country leaves the EU.
Speaking at the Edinburgh Festival on Wednesday, McDonnell proposed a simpler solution to removing Johnson in that event.
“I would be sending Jeremy Corbyn in a cab to Buckingham Palace to say “We’re taking over”,” McDonnell said.
Though he appeared to be joking rather than revealing the precise details of a Labour plan, his words did signal that the party could try to use untested electoral law to take control of the country if parliament votes against Johnson’s government.
Under 2011 legislation, a vote of no-confidence triggers a 14-day period during which Johnson can either regain the confidence of parliament by winning a vote, or rivals can pitch their own government and try to secure majority backing.
A transition of power between British prime ministers relies on the outgoing office holder recommending their successor. Any deviation from this could force the queen to break a golden rule that the monarch does not get involved in politics.
Reporting by William James; Editing by Angus MacSwan
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Cab ride to queen: Johnson rivals eye a very British power grab
LONDON (Reuters) - British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn would dash across London in a cab to Buckingham Palace and tell Queen Elizabeth “We’re taking over” should Prime Minister Boris Johnson refuse to quit if he lost a no-confidence vote, Corbyn’s deputy says.
Traditionally, a new British prime minister travels to the queen’s official residence in a choreographed procession of official cars to be formally appointed as the nation’s leader.
But with the meter running down toward Britain’s exit from the bloc, Labour Party deputy leader John McDonnell suggested a break with such pomp and ceremony might be needed.
Johnson, who heads a minority government, has promised that Oct. 31 will be Britain’s last day as an EU member, with or without a withdrawal agreement.
Commentators have suggested that parliament, where a majority are opposed to a no-deal Brexit, could call a vote of no-confidence in him before then, most likely in September.
But some reports say Johnson could refuse to resign even if he lost in order to delay an election beyond Brexit day and ensure the country leaves the EU.
Speaking at the Edinburgh Festival on Wednesday, McDonnell proposed a simpler solution to removing Johnson in that event.
“I would be sending Jeremy Corbyn in a cab to Buckingham Palace to say “We’re taking over”,” McDonnell said.
Though he appeared to be joking rather than revealing the precise details of a Labour plan, his words did signal that the party could try to use untested electoral law to take control of the country if parliament votes against Johnson’s government.
Under 2011 legislation, a vote of no-confidence triggers a 14-day period during which Johnson can either regain the confidence of parliament by winning a vote, or rivals can pitch their own government and try to secure majority backing.
A transition of power between British prime ministers relies on the outgoing office holder recommending their successor. Any deviation from this could force the queen to break a golden rule that the monarch does not get involved in politics.
Reporting by William James; Editing by Angus MacSwan
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...mmigration-rules-for-scientists-idUSKCN1UY26B
Britain plans to relax immigration rules for*scientists
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will relax its immigration rules to attract more elite scientists after Brexit by seeking to fast-track visas, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday.
To ensure we continue to lead the way in the advancement of knowledge, we have to not only support the talent that we already have here, but also ensure our immigration system attracts the very best minds from around the world,” he said.
The fast-track immigration route, which the government hopes to launch later this year, would be designed to attract elite researchers and specialists in science, engineering and technology, Johnson’s office said.
It could abolish the cap on numbers eligible for the current Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visas, ensure dependents of successful applicants can access the British labor market and remove the requirement of having a job offer before arriving.
Other options for the new system, which will be created after talks with leading institutions and universities, could also expand the pool of research institutes and colleges that can endorse candidates and accelerate their path to settlement.
Business groups and universities backed the move, and called for the reforms to go further to help Britain address its skills shortages, particularly in technology.
Leading universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, have warned the sector could be badly damaged if divorce from the European Union goes ahead without a deal, shattering research links and deterring the brightest from studying in Britain.
In the 2018/19 academic year, the number of EU students enrolling in Britain’s leading universities fell by 3 percent, with the biggest drop hitting postgraduate research courses.
Johnson, who led the campaign to leave the EU, has advocated an Australian-style, points-based immigration system to give the government more control to attract talent needed to fill gaps in the workforce.
“We want Britain to be the most prosperous economy in Europe with an immigration system that attracts the brightest and best global talent,” Home Secretary Priti Patel said.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Russell Group of 24 leading British universities, which also includes Imperial College London and the London School of Economics, welcomed the move and said it would bolster the country’s position as a world leader in research.
“Our universities strive to recruit the most talented staff and students, wherever they are from,” the Russell Group’s senior policy analyst Hollie Chandler said. “The government’s announcement today will help them do so.”
The government said it would also provide additional funding for scientists and researchers who had sought EU funding ahead of Britain’s exit from the bloc which Johnson has vowed will take place by Oct. 31.
Reporting by William James and Kate Holton; Editing by Michael Holden and Andrew Cawthorne
Britain plans to relax immigration rules for*scientists
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will relax its immigration rules to attract more elite scientists after Brexit by seeking to fast-track visas, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday.
To ensure we continue to lead the way in the advancement of knowledge, we have to not only support the talent that we already have here, but also ensure our immigration system attracts the very best minds from around the world,” he said.
The fast-track immigration route, which the government hopes to launch later this year, would be designed to attract elite researchers and specialists in science, engineering and technology, Johnson’s office said.
It could abolish the cap on numbers eligible for the current Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visas, ensure dependents of successful applicants can access the British labor market and remove the requirement of having a job offer before arriving.
Other options for the new system, which will be created after talks with leading institutions and universities, could also expand the pool of research institutes and colleges that can endorse candidates and accelerate their path to settlement.
Business groups and universities backed the move, and called for the reforms to go further to help Britain address its skills shortages, particularly in technology.
Leading universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, have warned the sector could be badly damaged if divorce from the European Union goes ahead without a deal, shattering research links and deterring the brightest from studying in Britain.
In the 2018/19 academic year, the number of EU students enrolling in Britain’s leading universities fell by 3 percent, with the biggest drop hitting postgraduate research courses.
Johnson, who led the campaign to leave the EU, has advocated an Australian-style, points-based immigration system to give the government more control to attract talent needed to fill gaps in the workforce.
“We want Britain to be the most prosperous economy in Europe with an immigration system that attracts the brightest and best global talent,” Home Secretary Priti Patel said.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Russell Group of 24 leading British universities, which also includes Imperial College London and the London School of Economics, welcomed the move and said it would bolster the country’s position as a world leader in research.
“Our universities strive to recruit the most talented staff and students, wherever they are from,” the Russell Group’s senior policy analyst Hollie Chandler said. “The government’s announcement today will help them do so.”
The government said it would also provide additional funding for scientists and researchers who had sought EU funding ahead of Britain’s exit from the bloc which Johnson has vowed will take place by Oct. 31.
Reporting by William James and Kate Holton; Editing by Michael Holden and Andrew Cawthorne
Melodi
Disaster Cat
The UK has invited top tier scientists before including a lot of Americans who came over when the US banned Stem Cell research - most of them went back to the US when the bans were partly lifted but some did stay on.
Done correctly the proposed UK system can work pretty well because smallish Islands don't always grow every specialist they need at home, done badly you get disasters like the US HB1 program that has been abused for over 25 years now and used repeated by tech companies to avoid higher cost Americans and often even firing existing employees.
The difference between a trickle and a flood.
Done correctly the proposed UK system can work pretty well because smallish Islands don't always grow every specialist they need at home, done badly you get disasters like the US HB1 program that has been abused for over 25 years now and used repeated by tech companies to avoid higher cost Americans and often even firing existing employees.
The difference between a trickle and a flood.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/09/brexit-party-mep-lib-dems-britain-politics
I’m a Brexit party MEP. With the Lib Dems, we can reboot Britain’s politics
Matthew Patten
The cooperation between me and a fellow MEP shows that we can challenge the broken two-party system
Fri 9 Aug 2019 03.00 EDT
This is a story of hope and optimism. During the last European parliamentary session in Brussels, I sat down with a fellow British MEP over a coffee to discuss how we might work together to encourage a peaceful solution to the crisis in the straits of Hormuz near Iran.
We had each been contacted by the Foreign Office because of our membership of the European parliament’s delegation on relations with Iran. It’s not a particularly influential body, but it does have a voice. However, what gave me hope was not the delegation, but the fact that my colleague in question was a Liberal Democrat. We may have diametrically opposing views on Brexit, but here we were striving to solve an equally intractable problem.
Brexit has shattered the British postwar consensus, polarised political parties and weaponised our national conversation. Pretty much every relationship in our lives is now subject to the gravitational pull of either leave or remain. I fell into the Brexit vortex three months ago, frustrated by my perception of MPs’ betrayal of the 2016 referendum, and was spat out as a Brexit party MEP. Since then I’ve been happy to hold the EU, government and official opposition to account. It’s cost my family some life-long friends, one of whom says they are “never going to speak to that man ever again”. Many of my former work colleagues in the third sector, instinctively of the remain persuasion, can’t quite get their heads around it.
I’m not looking for sympathy. My concern is what happens to our national psyche when it’s all over. When we’ve left or remained. Will it be like the morning after a particularly wild night before, when we all feign amnesia and pretend nothing happened? Or will the recriminations and bad blood continue to fester?
Neither of our two major political parties have thought much beyond the immediate crisis. Both are reacting in fear of the Brexit party and Lib Dems. They are right to be scared: the Brecon and Radnorshire byelection saw Labour relegated to fourth place and the Tories losing thanks to the Brexit party. But if either think there’s any chance of Britain returning to a cosy two-party duopoly, they’re kidding themselves.
Whether we leave or remain, post-Brexit Britain is going to look and feel very different to where we are now. While the two major parties are engaged in the war over our membership of the EU, neither is in good shape to win the peace that follows. Brexit is about much more than our relationship with the EU, it’s about how we govern ourselves in the future.
For all the talk of one nation Conservatism and national unity, Boris Johnson’s one-dimensional government is locked and loaded on saving its own skin. “Do or die” is the only strategy open to a government that has spent three years negotiating against itself. That may be what’s needed to lance the Brexit boil, but it’s not a formula to engage the 48% who voted to remain, including many existing and potential supporters.
The same issue lies at the root of Jeremy Corbyn’s problems. In moving towards a remain agenda, he is turning his back on 17.4 million leave voters, including huge numbers of Labour supporters.
With a possible general election in view, both parties have been busy promising voters lots of new goodies to try to secure their support. But this is not enough to heal the toxic Brexit divide, to reunite families, colleagues, communities and the union.
I’m not a fan of proportional representation, but our first-past-the-post system leaves many voters unrepresented. Our second chamber, the House of Lords, is way past its use-by date. The yah-boo politics of the Commons may be entertaining, but it’s no way to run a 21st-century democracy. The command-and-control relationship between Whitehall, devolved administrations, local government and civil society needs to be rebalanced.
Despite profound differences, the irony is that the two challenger parties – the Brexit party and the Lib Dems – share a common aim in challenging our self-serving two-party system. I believe that we could both force the issue once more, this time to reboot our politics, bring the nation back together and rebuild trust in our democracy. Call me optimistic, but perhaps a coffee would be a good place to start.
• Matthew Patten is the Brexit party MEP for the East Midlands
I’m a Brexit party MEP. With the Lib Dems, we can reboot Britain’s politics
Matthew Patten
The cooperation between me and a fellow MEP shows that we can challenge the broken two-party system
Fri 9 Aug 2019 03.00 EDT
This is a story of hope and optimism. During the last European parliamentary session in Brussels, I sat down with a fellow British MEP over a coffee to discuss how we might work together to encourage a peaceful solution to the crisis in the straits of Hormuz near Iran.
We had each been contacted by the Foreign Office because of our membership of the European parliament’s delegation on relations with Iran. It’s not a particularly influential body, but it does have a voice. However, what gave me hope was not the delegation, but the fact that my colleague in question was a Liberal Democrat. We may have diametrically opposing views on Brexit, but here we were striving to solve an equally intractable problem.
Brexit has shattered the British postwar consensus, polarised political parties and weaponised our national conversation. Pretty much every relationship in our lives is now subject to the gravitational pull of either leave or remain. I fell into the Brexit vortex three months ago, frustrated by my perception of MPs’ betrayal of the 2016 referendum, and was spat out as a Brexit party MEP. Since then I’ve been happy to hold the EU, government and official opposition to account. It’s cost my family some life-long friends, one of whom says they are “never going to speak to that man ever again”. Many of my former work colleagues in the third sector, instinctively of the remain persuasion, can’t quite get their heads around it.
I’m not looking for sympathy. My concern is what happens to our national psyche when it’s all over. When we’ve left or remained. Will it be like the morning after a particularly wild night before, when we all feign amnesia and pretend nothing happened? Or will the recriminations and bad blood continue to fester?
Neither of our two major political parties have thought much beyond the immediate crisis. Both are reacting in fear of the Brexit party and Lib Dems. They are right to be scared: the Brecon and Radnorshire byelection saw Labour relegated to fourth place and the Tories losing thanks to the Brexit party. But if either think there’s any chance of Britain returning to a cosy two-party duopoly, they’re kidding themselves.
Whether we leave or remain, post-Brexit Britain is going to look and feel very different to where we are now. While the two major parties are engaged in the war over our membership of the EU, neither is in good shape to win the peace that follows. Brexit is about much more than our relationship with the EU, it’s about how we govern ourselves in the future.
For all the talk of one nation Conservatism and national unity, Boris Johnson’s one-dimensional government is locked and loaded on saving its own skin. “Do or die” is the only strategy open to a government that has spent three years negotiating against itself. That may be what’s needed to lance the Brexit boil, but it’s not a formula to engage the 48% who voted to remain, including many existing and potential supporters.
The same issue lies at the root of Jeremy Corbyn’s problems. In moving towards a remain agenda, he is turning his back on 17.4 million leave voters, including huge numbers of Labour supporters.
With a possible general election in view, both parties have been busy promising voters lots of new goodies to try to secure their support. But this is not enough to heal the toxic Brexit divide, to reunite families, colleagues, communities and the union.
I’m not a fan of proportional representation, but our first-past-the-post system leaves many voters unrepresented. Our second chamber, the House of Lords, is way past its use-by date. The yah-boo politics of the Commons may be entertaining, but it’s no way to run a 21st-century democracy. The command-and-control relationship between Whitehall, devolved administrations, local government and civil society needs to be rebalanced.
Despite profound differences, the irony is that the two challenger parties – the Brexit party and the Lib Dems – share a common aim in challenging our self-serving two-party system. I believe that we could both force the issue once more, this time to reboot our politics, bring the nation back together and rebuild trust in our democracy. Call me optimistic, but perhaps a coffee would be a good place to start.
• Matthew Patten is the Brexit party MEP for the East Midlands
The guy in the article above seems a rare sane type. People need to get over themselves and their petty partisanship to get the job done.
As an American, I can't believe a developed Western nation would balk at grasping their Independence back from a growing globalist tyranny (E.U.) without having to go to war for it. There are worse things than puzzling out Brexit...both in the past, and looming in the future for Britain and all free people.
Step back, get some perspective and deal.
As an American, I can't believe a developed Western nation would balk at grasping their Independence back from a growing globalist tyranny (E.U.) without having to go to war for it. There are worse things than puzzling out Brexit...both in the past, and looming in the future for Britain and all free people.
Step back, get some perspective and deal.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49302778
Brexit: Email slip-up reveals no-deal fishing patrol 'uncertainty'
There is "a lot of uncertainty" about the UK's capacity to patrol fishing waters after a no-deal Brexit, a government memo mistakenly emailed to the BBC has revealed.
The memo, from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, says there are just 12 ships "to monitor a space three times the size of the surface area of the UK".
Meanwhile Michael Gove has said there will be a government support fund to help British businesses in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
How would Brexit affect fishing waters?
Why is everyone talking about fishing?
What is a no-deal Brexit?
The UK is due to leave the EU on 31 October. A "divorce" deal - which sets out how the UK leaves - has not been agreed and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to leave whether one is reached or not.
In the event of leaving without a deal, the UK would become an independent coastal state and leave the Common Fisheries Policy, which states the EU's shared rules about how much fish countries can catch and where.
But ministers said they are confident security will be enforced after Brexit.
Not an overly strong footing'
Defra's internal email mentioned a number of media stories, including one being worked on by a freelance journalist for the Independent.
According to the memo, the story planned to look at the preparation being made to deter EU fishermen from UK waters in the case of a no-deal Brexit, and also whether the UK will enforce the exclusion of foreign vessels.
The note reads: "While our public position on this wider issue is already clear and widely communicated, in that post-Brexit we will be an independent coastal state with control of our waters, both policy and MoD have indicated we are not on an overly strong footing to get ahead of the potential claims that could arise from this story.
"At this stage, there is a lot of uncertainty about the sufficiency of enforcement in a no-deal because we have 12 vessels that need to monitor a space three times the size of the surface area of the UK."
Admiral Lord West, a Labour peer and former First Sea Lord, said the email appeared to show the UK has "insufficient assets to patrol and look after our exclusive economic zone for fisheries, and also our territorial seas".
"This will be thrown into stark relief if we should cease to have an agreement with the EU on fisheries."
He added: "This is something a number of us have been saying for some time now, but it has always been denied by Defra and the government."
'Foolish'
However, Barrie Deas, the CEO of the National Federation of Fisherman's Organisations (NFFO), said any EU vessel would be "foolish" to fish in UK waters - even without a deal in place.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Under international law, the UK would automatically become an independent coastal state with the rights and responsibilities of that status and there is an obligation under the UN Law of the Sea for countries that share stocks to co-operate.
"So I think there will be a fisheries agreement post-Brexit between the UK and the EU, but on a different basis from the Common Fisheries Policy."
A government spokesperson confirmed an internal email concerned with the "veracity and details of media enquiries" had been "inadvertently sent outside of Defra".
They said: "Britain is leaving the EU on 31 October with or without a deal.
"We are confident that we will have the ships and the expertise we need to properly enforce security in UK waters."
10 ways no-deal Brexit could affect you
What is the UK doing to get ready for no deal?
Mr Gove, the cabinet minister in charge of preparations for a possible no-deal Brexit, spoke openly for the first time about a government support fund for British businesses during a visit to Northern Ireland on Friday.
The support package, known as Operation Kingfisher, will help companies deal with any "bumps in the road" that might occur as a result of a no-deal Brexit.
BBC political correspondent Jessica Parker said the plans predate Boris Johnson's premiership but few details have so far been revealed - including how much money will be made available and where the cash would come from.
According to the Times, the government has compiled a list of companies it believes could be most exposed financially if the UK leaves the EU without a deal and may need of help. It is said to include a number of firms in the construction and manufacturing sectors.
Brexit: Email slip-up reveals no-deal fishing patrol 'uncertainty'
There is "a lot of uncertainty" about the UK's capacity to patrol fishing waters after a no-deal Brexit, a government memo mistakenly emailed to the BBC has revealed.
The memo, from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, says there are just 12 ships "to monitor a space three times the size of the surface area of the UK".
Meanwhile Michael Gove has said there will be a government support fund to help British businesses in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
How would Brexit affect fishing waters?
Why is everyone talking about fishing?
What is a no-deal Brexit?
The UK is due to leave the EU on 31 October. A "divorce" deal - which sets out how the UK leaves - has not been agreed and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to leave whether one is reached or not.
In the event of leaving without a deal, the UK would become an independent coastal state and leave the Common Fisheries Policy, which states the EU's shared rules about how much fish countries can catch and where.
But ministers said they are confident security will be enforced after Brexit.
Not an overly strong footing'
Defra's internal email mentioned a number of media stories, including one being worked on by a freelance journalist for the Independent.
According to the memo, the story planned to look at the preparation being made to deter EU fishermen from UK waters in the case of a no-deal Brexit, and also whether the UK will enforce the exclusion of foreign vessels.
The note reads: "While our public position on this wider issue is already clear and widely communicated, in that post-Brexit we will be an independent coastal state with control of our waters, both policy and MoD have indicated we are not on an overly strong footing to get ahead of the potential claims that could arise from this story.
"At this stage, there is a lot of uncertainty about the sufficiency of enforcement in a no-deal because we have 12 vessels that need to monitor a space three times the size of the surface area of the UK."
Admiral Lord West, a Labour peer and former First Sea Lord, said the email appeared to show the UK has "insufficient assets to patrol and look after our exclusive economic zone for fisheries, and also our territorial seas".
"This will be thrown into stark relief if we should cease to have an agreement with the EU on fisheries."
He added: "This is something a number of us have been saying for some time now, but it has always been denied by Defra and the government."
'Foolish'
However, Barrie Deas, the CEO of the National Federation of Fisherman's Organisations (NFFO), said any EU vessel would be "foolish" to fish in UK waters - even without a deal in place.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Under international law, the UK would automatically become an independent coastal state with the rights and responsibilities of that status and there is an obligation under the UN Law of the Sea for countries that share stocks to co-operate.
"So I think there will be a fisheries agreement post-Brexit between the UK and the EU, but on a different basis from the Common Fisheries Policy."
A government spokesperson confirmed an internal email concerned with the "veracity and details of media enquiries" had been "inadvertently sent outside of Defra".
They said: "Britain is leaving the EU on 31 October with or without a deal.
"We are confident that we will have the ships and the expertise we need to properly enforce security in UK waters."
10 ways no-deal Brexit could affect you
What is the UK doing to get ready for no deal?
Mr Gove, the cabinet minister in charge of preparations for a possible no-deal Brexit, spoke openly for the first time about a government support fund for British businesses during a visit to Northern Ireland on Friday.
The support package, known as Operation Kingfisher, will help companies deal with any "bumps in the road" that might occur as a result of a no-deal Brexit.
BBC political correspondent Jessica Parker said the plans predate Boris Johnson's premiership but few details have so far been revealed - including how much money will be made available and where the cash would come from.
According to the Times, the government has compiled a list of companies it believes could be most exposed financially if the UK leaves the EU without a deal and may need of help. It is said to include a number of firms in the construction and manufacturing sectors.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.thesun.ie/news/4424998/irish-farmers-back-government-approach-brexit/
HIGH STEAKS Irish farmers back Government’s approach to Brexit and claim UK’s beef on backstop should be with EU – not Leo Varadkar
Adam Higgins, Political Correspondent
10 Aug 2019, 8:30
FARMERS have backed the *Government’s approach to Brexit and claim the UK’s beef on the backstop should be with the EU and not Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
The farming community is set to be among the worst affected industries in Ireland by a no-deal Brexit, with a fifth of Irish food and agri exports going to the UK.
Beef farmers will be particularly impacted, with 50 per cent of all red meat exports sold in the UK.
A hard Brexit will also cause havoc for milk, pig and lamb farmers in Ireland and Northern Ireland as their products cross the border during production.
Deputy president of the Irish Farmer’s Association Richard *Kennedy told the Irish Sun: “Since the removal of the border checkpoints trade has been very smooth and the island has worked as an island.
“The people have co-operated together and this is an alarming situation that could be changed.
“No matter what Boris Johnson says, if there is a border there’s a border and there will have to be checkpoints on it.
This will be a European border now. It won’t be a border between England and Ireland, it will be a border between Europe and Great Britain.”
Despite a catastrophic no-deal looking ever more likely, the IFA backs the Government’s policy on Brexit and claims there can be no wriggle room on the backstop in Northern Ireland.
Mr Kennedy said: “This *argument is between the UK and Europe and not between the UK and Ireland.
“There are 27 countries who have decided the backstop should be there and not just Ireland.
“This deal was negotiated by the UK and Europe and I just feel that we need to fight from a European point of view.”
He added: “(Tanaiste) Simon Coveney has been particularly solid. I have no criticism of the Taoiseach either, except that I think he should refer more to Europe.
“I think tactically the UK are trying to isolate him.
“I think he’s doing a good job. They’re both doing a good job and all I hope is that they don’t show any weakness.
HIGH STEAKS Irish farmers back Government’s approach to Brexit and claim UK’s beef on backstop should be with EU – not Leo Varadkar
Adam Higgins, Political Correspondent
10 Aug 2019, 8:30
FARMERS have backed the *Government’s approach to Brexit and claim the UK’s beef on the backstop should be with the EU and not Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
The farming community is set to be among the worst affected industries in Ireland by a no-deal Brexit, with a fifth of Irish food and agri exports going to the UK.
Beef farmers will be particularly impacted, with 50 per cent of all red meat exports sold in the UK.
A hard Brexit will also cause havoc for milk, pig and lamb farmers in Ireland and Northern Ireland as their products cross the border during production.
Deputy president of the Irish Farmer’s Association Richard *Kennedy told the Irish Sun: “Since the removal of the border checkpoints trade has been very smooth and the island has worked as an island.
“The people have co-operated together and this is an alarming situation that could be changed.
“No matter what Boris Johnson says, if there is a border there’s a border and there will have to be checkpoints on it.
This will be a European border now. It won’t be a border between England and Ireland, it will be a border between Europe and Great Britain.”
Despite a catastrophic no-deal looking ever more likely, the IFA backs the Government’s policy on Brexit and claims there can be no wriggle room on the backstop in Northern Ireland.
Mr Kennedy said: “This *argument is between the UK and Europe and not between the UK and Ireland.
“There are 27 countries who have decided the backstop should be there and not just Ireland.
“This deal was negotiated by the UK and Europe and I just feel that we need to fight from a European point of view.”
He added: “(Tanaiste) Simon Coveney has been particularly solid. I have no criticism of the Taoiseach either, except that I think he should refer more to Europe.
“I think tactically the UK are trying to isolate him.
“I think he’s doing a good job. They’re both doing a good job and all I hope is that they don’t show any weakness.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.scotsman.com/news/polit...o-independence-party-to-take-on-snp-1-4981043
Wings Over Scotland plans new pro-independence party to take on SNP
A controversial independence blogger has revealed his plan to create a new political party to challenge the SNP at Holyrood.
Stuart Campbell, the founder, and author of the popular Wings Over Scotland blog believes a new party would capitalise on demands within the Yes movement for more action to be taken towards independence.
Speaking in an interview with The Times, Mr Campbell said: "The responsibility I feel is to speak up for people who feel ignored by the SNP and politics in general.
"[There are] people who are in this tiny bubble and they all feel very important.
All the politicians, all the journalists, all the civic Scotland figures are all on the same page on this but it is not the same page that the vast majority of the population is on. So I feel a responsibility for those people.”
He added: "I think the SNP is a shambles at the moment. It doesn't know what it's doing."
It is understood the Wings party would try to mimic the success of populist, anti-political movements which have swept across the western world in recent years.
Mr Campbell said he had already put forward the notion of a new party to several potential candidates but he will wait until nearer the 2021 Scottish election before deciding whether or not to create a new political group.
"It's conceivable that a Wings party might be able to pick-up list seats that the pro-indy side otherwise might not."
Mr Campbell hinted that plans would be put in motion if there was a realistic prospect of the pro-independence movement losing its majority at Holyrood.
Reacting to the writer's political ambitions, The Scottish Conservatives branded Mr Campbell "despicable."
A spokesman for the party said: "Wings Over Scotland is the most reprehensible extreme of the independence movement.
“The organisation would be far and away the most despicable participant ever to have sought involvement in Holyrood.
Perhaps the reverend should start closer to home and pitch some candidates in Bath council elections.”
In June, the blogger, who has 250,000 unique visitors a month to his website, defended his robust writing style in an interview with Alex Salmond on the Kremlin-backed Russia Today news channel.
Wings Over Scotland plans new pro-independence party to take on SNP
A controversial independence blogger has revealed his plan to create a new political party to challenge the SNP at Holyrood.
Stuart Campbell, the founder, and author of the popular Wings Over Scotland blog believes a new party would capitalise on demands within the Yes movement for more action to be taken towards independence.
Speaking in an interview with The Times, Mr Campbell said: "The responsibility I feel is to speak up for people who feel ignored by the SNP and politics in general.
"[There are] people who are in this tiny bubble and they all feel very important.
All the politicians, all the journalists, all the civic Scotland figures are all on the same page on this but it is not the same page that the vast majority of the population is on. So I feel a responsibility for those people.”
He added: "I think the SNP is a shambles at the moment. It doesn't know what it's doing."
It is understood the Wings party would try to mimic the success of populist, anti-political movements which have swept across the western world in recent years.
Mr Campbell said he had already put forward the notion of a new party to several potential candidates but he will wait until nearer the 2021 Scottish election before deciding whether or not to create a new political group.
"It's conceivable that a Wings party might be able to pick-up list seats that the pro-indy side otherwise might not."
Mr Campbell hinted that plans would be put in motion if there was a realistic prospect of the pro-independence movement losing its majority at Holyrood.
Reacting to the writer's political ambitions, The Scottish Conservatives branded Mr Campbell "despicable."
A spokesman for the party said: "Wings Over Scotland is the most reprehensible extreme of the independence movement.
“The organisation would be far and away the most despicable participant ever to have sought involvement in Holyrood.
Perhaps the reverend should start closer to home and pitch some candidates in Bath council elections.”
In June, the blogger, who has 250,000 unique visitors a month to his website, defended his robust writing style in an interview with Alex Salmond on the Kremlin-backed Russia Today news channel.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
I agree. The thing that I see is that the legacy parties have made their way by preventing lasting solutions from occurring. All pretense of representing the actual people who have to live with the problems has been exposed. So watching new parties form or support for minor parties grow has been hopeful. It's occurring in Scotland and Ireland/Northern Ireland as well.
By the way, when Scotland's independence referendum occurred in 2014, I would check out the Wings Over Scotland website daily. Stuart Campbell is very much a liberal and strong supporter of Scottish independence. He seemed to have the most detailed coverage. I have been checking him out again in the last week and find that he is covering a broader range of topics and not posting as much. If he picks up the pace, I start posting his stuff.
Scrapman
Veteran Member
They used to say the sun never sets on the British empire. Now the people leading don't even have the confidence to be there own country again. The wealthy and those in power have invested heavily into the eurozone and will loose a pretty penny if brexit take place. .follow the money it's always about the money. All ready claims of corruption are being thrown at the brexit party over the first vote. Watch as the will be the importance for a second vote .
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...nds-varadkar-over-brexit-report-idUSKCN1V107S
British PM Johnson to meet Ireland's Varadkar over Brexit: report
LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has accepted an offer to meet Irish leader Leo Varadkar to discuss Brexit and the Northern Irish backstop, the Sunday Telegraph said citing UK government sources.
“The UK has accepted Varadkar’s offer to meet and dates are being discussed,” a UK source told the newspaper
Johnson has told the European Union there is no point in new talks on a withdrawal agreement unless negotiators are willing to drop the Northern Irish backstop agreed by his predecessor Theresa May.
The EU has said it is not prepared to reopen the divorce deal it agreed with May, which includes the backstop, an insurance policy to prevent the return to a hard border between the British province of Northern Ireland and EU-member Ireland.
May’s agreement, rejected three times by the British parliament, says the United Kingdom will remain in a customs union “unless and until” alternative arrangements are found to avoid a hard border.
Johnson has said Britain will leave the EU on Oct. 31 with or without a deal. He has stepped up preparations to leave without a divorce agreement if Brussels refuses to renegotiate, prompting some lawmakers to suspect a no-deal Brexit is his goal.
The Telegraph said it was hoped a meeting between Johnson and Varadkar could take place before the G7 summit in France later in August.
Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Janet Lawrence
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
REUTERS NEWS NOW
British PM Johnson to meet Ireland's Varadkar over Brexit: report
LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has accepted an offer to meet Irish leader Leo Varadkar to discuss Brexit and the Northern Irish backstop, the Sunday Telegraph said citing UK government sources.
“The UK has accepted Varadkar’s offer to meet and dates are being discussed,” a UK source told the newspaper
Johnson has told the European Union there is no point in new talks on a withdrawal agreement unless negotiators are willing to drop the Northern Irish backstop agreed by his predecessor Theresa May.
The EU has said it is not prepared to reopen the divorce deal it agreed with May, which includes the backstop, an insurance policy to prevent the return to a hard border between the British province of Northern Ireland and EU-member Ireland.
May’s agreement, rejected three times by the British parliament, says the United Kingdom will remain in a customs union “unless and until” alternative arrangements are found to avoid a hard border.
Johnson has said Britain will leave the EU on Oct. 31 with or without a deal. He has stepped up preparations to leave without a divorce agreement if Brussels refuses to renegotiate, prompting some lawmakers to suspect a no-deal Brexit is his goal.
The Telegraph said it was hoped a meeting between Johnson and Varadkar could take place before the G7 summit in France later in August.
Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Janet Lawrence
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
REUTERS NEWS NOW
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.theguardian.com/politic...deal-brexit-will-need-new-tactics-report-says
MPs opposing no-deal Brexit will 'need new tactics', report says
Institute for Government says parliament passing motions or no-confidence vote may not be enough
Peter Walker Political correspondent
@peterwalker99
Sun 11 Aug 2019 17.31 EDT
A no-deal Brexit appears increasingly likely on 31 October given the lack of time to secure a new agreement with the EU and the diminishing number of ways in which MPs could block such a process, an influential thinktank has said.
In a report on the likely lead-up to the UK’s departure, the Institute for Government said that MPs merely expressing opposition to no deal would not necessarily be sufficient and that there were limited parliamentary manoeuvres open to them to force the issue.
With the exit date now less than 12 weeks away, should the government reach a new accord with the EU there would only be a slim parliamentary window in which to pass the necessary legislation. Even bringing down the government would be unlikely to see an election take place in time.
“MPs looking to force the government into a change of approach face a huge challenge when parliament returns.” said Joe Owen, the Brexit programme director for the institute. “Even if they can assemble a majority for something, they may find few opportunities to make their move – and time is running out.”
Johnson told no-deal Brexit will crush domestic policy plans
Read more
The thinktank’s report – titled Voting on Brexit: Parliament’s Role before 31 October – noted that more than three years on from the referendum, the UK’s options remained the same: leaving with a deal; leaving without a deal; seeking an extension; or revoking article 50.
But while no-deal Brexit would happen by default, and the government has said it does not need to pass any more primary legislation before 31 October for it to happen, a new deal would require Boris Johnson’s government to seal this with the EU over the summer and begin parliamentary work after the Commons recess in September.
Even if this happens – and Johnson is currently declining any new talks with the EU without a commitment from Brussels to ditch the Irish backstop border insurance policy – the current Commons schedule would leave just 22 sitting days to pass the new withdrawal deal.
The report said that while a majority of MPs appeared to oppose no deal, they would “need new tactics” to actually block it, given the lack of Brexit-related legislation on to which to tack amendments or new motions, unlike when Theresa May was seeking to pass her deal.
Simply passing motions opposing no deal would not be enough, the report argued, as Johnson’s government has indicated it will not be bound by these. Amending primary legislation would carry more weight, but this would depend on bills being brought to the Commons, which might not happen.
Even what the report called the “nuclear option” of a no-confidence vote against Johnson’s government might not block no deal, the report said, as Johnson could sit out the 14-day period dictated if he lost such a vote, even if a new government seemed viable.
The report said that if an election was called, given a five-week campaign period and a possible week needed to finish parliamentary business before dissolution, it would be very tight to arrange before 31 October.
Such a timetable “would raise big questions for the civil service”, the report added. “Although it could continue to prepare for no deal, as it would be seen as being ‘in the national interest’, it would be restricted in how it communicated about it. It would also make it a more challenging choice for businesses considering investing in no-deal preparations as they may want to await the outcome of the election.”
MPs opposing no-deal Brexit will 'need new tactics', report says
Institute for Government says parliament passing motions or no-confidence vote may not be enough
Peter Walker Political correspondent
@peterwalker99
Sun 11 Aug 2019 17.31 EDT
A no-deal Brexit appears increasingly likely on 31 October given the lack of time to secure a new agreement with the EU and the diminishing number of ways in which MPs could block such a process, an influential thinktank has said.
In a report on the likely lead-up to the UK’s departure, the Institute for Government said that MPs merely expressing opposition to no deal would not necessarily be sufficient and that there were limited parliamentary manoeuvres open to them to force the issue.
With the exit date now less than 12 weeks away, should the government reach a new accord with the EU there would only be a slim parliamentary window in which to pass the necessary legislation. Even bringing down the government would be unlikely to see an election take place in time.
“MPs looking to force the government into a change of approach face a huge challenge when parliament returns.” said Joe Owen, the Brexit programme director for the institute. “Even if they can assemble a majority for something, they may find few opportunities to make their move – and time is running out.”
Johnson told no-deal Brexit will crush domestic policy plans
Read more
The thinktank’s report – titled Voting on Brexit: Parliament’s Role before 31 October – noted that more than three years on from the referendum, the UK’s options remained the same: leaving with a deal; leaving without a deal; seeking an extension; or revoking article 50.
But while no-deal Brexit would happen by default, and the government has said it does not need to pass any more primary legislation before 31 October for it to happen, a new deal would require Boris Johnson’s government to seal this with the EU over the summer and begin parliamentary work after the Commons recess in September.
Even if this happens – and Johnson is currently declining any new talks with the EU without a commitment from Brussels to ditch the Irish backstop border insurance policy – the current Commons schedule would leave just 22 sitting days to pass the new withdrawal deal.
The report said that while a majority of MPs appeared to oppose no deal, they would “need new tactics” to actually block it, given the lack of Brexit-related legislation on to which to tack amendments or new motions, unlike when Theresa May was seeking to pass her deal.
Simply passing motions opposing no deal would not be enough, the report argued, as Johnson’s government has indicated it will not be bound by these. Amending primary legislation would carry more weight, but this would depend on bills being brought to the Commons, which might not happen.
Even what the report called the “nuclear option” of a no-confidence vote against Johnson’s government might not block no deal, the report said, as Johnson could sit out the 14-day period dictated if he lost such a vote, even if a new government seemed viable.
The report said that if an election was called, given a five-week campaign period and a possible week needed to finish parliamentary business before dissolution, it would be very tight to arrange before 31 October.
Such a timetable “would raise big questions for the civil service”, the report added. “Although it could continue to prepare for no deal, as it would be seen as being ‘in the national interest’, it would be restricted in how it communicated about it. It would also make it a more challenging choice for businesses considering investing in no-deal preparations as they may want to await the outcome of the election.”
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.apnews.com/054c6663ecce47a3b1ce61b183b687b4
Island or European nation? Rival views of UK shape Brexit
By JILL LAWLESS
today
British voters’ decision three years ago to split from the European Union was fueled by a sense that the U.K. is fundamentally separate from its continental neighbors — a sceptered isle, rather than a European power.
Brexit-backing Conservative lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg has compared Brexit to historic British military victories on the continent, saying “it’s Waterloo, it’s Agincourt, it’s Crecy.” Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage fires up crowds with air-raid sirens and the theme from World War II thriller “The Great Escape.”
Such patriotic messages strike a strong chord in an era of surging nationalism. But anti-Brexit politicians and historians say that view is too simplistic — and could end up making the U.K. weaker rather than stronger.
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown argued Sunday in The Observer newspaper that “a destructive, populist, nationalist ideology” was leaving the United Kingdom “sleepwalking into oblivion.”
Brown, who was Labour Party leader and British prime minister between 2007 and 2010, accused current Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson of “conjuring up the absurd and mendacious image of the patriotic British valiantly defying an intransigent Europe determined to turn us into a vassal state.”
Richard J. Evans, professor emeritus of history at Cambridge University, lamented an increasing tendency to “talk about Europe as if it’s somewhere separate, as if Britain is not part of Europe.”
“I went to Gatwick Airport recently and there’s a huge advertisement there for an airline that says ‘Europe is closer than you think,’” he said. “And I thought, well, it’s closer than you think — we’re in it.”
Evans said the view of Britain as an exception to the European rule ignores “the multiple connections between England and the continent over the centuries.”
“If you look at our sovereigns, they have been variously French and Dutch and German,” he said, noting also how culturally intertwined Britain is with continental Europe.
Like Evans, University of Toronto history professor Margaret MacMillan argues that Brexit is being “driven by a very false picture of the past” and by nostalgia for the days when Britain’s empire covered a quarter of the globe.
MacMillan said many people in Britain — and especially in England, which accounts for five-sixths of the U.K. population and saw the strongest vote to leave the EU in 2016 — “are having an existential crisis about who they are.”
“I think they lost their empire and lost being a major world power and they seem to have accepted that, but I think there has been a lingering sense that ‘We were once great and now we’re not,’” she said.
Brexit-supporting historians reject that notion, viewing the EU as an undemocratic obstacle to British sovereignty.
Cambridge University historian Robert Tombs says the fact that Britain did not experience 20th-century occupation or dictatorship sets it apart from many of its neighbors. But he thinks Britain’s historical differences from the rest of Europe are often overstated, and Brexit was driven by more immediate concerns.
“We certainly had less commitment to the whole idea of European integration than countries like France or Germany,” he said. “But I think attitudes to Europe are not really all that different in many EU states. And I think that has a lot to do with more recent events such as the eurozone crisis, the democratic deficit in the EU and the fact that the EU has got so much more important in people’s lives and yet they have very little control over what it does.”
Tombs argues that at a time of international instability, Britain is better off outside the fractious bloc.
“I think a relatively cohesive and relatively democratically governed unit is much more likely to be able to ride out whatever storms may be coming than a really rather ramshackle and unpopular and very weak confederation,” he said.
Historian Andrew Roberts, a biographer of Winston Churchill, said recently that “the idea that your sovereignty effectively belongs to somebody else outside your country is just unacceptable for anybody who has any sense of British independence.”
But others contend, like Brown, that Britain’s democratic institutions are under threat from Brexit.
As the Oct. 31 deadline for Britain’s departure from the EU approaches, the country is facing a political crisis. Johnson’s Conservative government is determined to leave with or without a Brexit divorce agreement, yet Parliament will try to block him from taking Britain out of the EU without a deal. Johnson’s allies have suggested he could suspend Parliament or refuse to quit if he lost a no-confidence vote, triggering a crisis for Britain’s ancient but partly unwritten constitution.
Former British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind argued in a letter to The Times of London that if Johnson “sought to prevent both Parliament and the electorate having a final say on no deal, he would create the gravest constitutional crisis since the actions of Charles I led to the Civil War” in the 17th century.
That showdown ended with the monarch’s execution.
Meanwhile Brexit is fraying the bonds tying together the four nations of the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In Scotland, which rejected separating from the U.K. in a 2014 referendum and then voted in 2016 to remain in the EU, pressure is growing for a new referendum on independence.
In Northern Ireland, which also voted to remain in the EU, the threat of a heavily guarded border with the neighboring Republic of Ireland has boosted support for a united Ireland, an idea that has historically been anathema to Northern Ireland’s Protestant, pro-British Unionist majority.
“I never thought I’d hear people in Northern Ireland talking about how it might be time to reunite with the south in the way they’re talking about it now,” MacMillan said. “There were always fantasists who said ‘One day we’ll be reunited,’ but you’re now getting middle-of-the-road Protestants saying it.
“It’s quite possible that if Brexit happens, the United Kingdom won’t survive.”
Island or European nation? Rival views of UK shape Brexit
By JILL LAWLESS
today
British voters’ decision three years ago to split from the European Union was fueled by a sense that the U.K. is fundamentally separate from its continental neighbors — a sceptered isle, rather than a European power.
Brexit-backing Conservative lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg has compared Brexit to historic British military victories on the continent, saying “it’s Waterloo, it’s Agincourt, it’s Crecy.” Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage fires up crowds with air-raid sirens and the theme from World War II thriller “The Great Escape.”
Such patriotic messages strike a strong chord in an era of surging nationalism. But anti-Brexit politicians and historians say that view is too simplistic — and could end up making the U.K. weaker rather than stronger.
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown argued Sunday in The Observer newspaper that “a destructive, populist, nationalist ideology” was leaving the United Kingdom “sleepwalking into oblivion.”
Brown, who was Labour Party leader and British prime minister between 2007 and 2010, accused current Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson of “conjuring up the absurd and mendacious image of the patriotic British valiantly defying an intransigent Europe determined to turn us into a vassal state.”
Richard J. Evans, professor emeritus of history at Cambridge University, lamented an increasing tendency to “talk about Europe as if it’s somewhere separate, as if Britain is not part of Europe.”
“I went to Gatwick Airport recently and there’s a huge advertisement there for an airline that says ‘Europe is closer than you think,’” he said. “And I thought, well, it’s closer than you think — we’re in it.”
Evans said the view of Britain as an exception to the European rule ignores “the multiple connections between England and the continent over the centuries.”
“If you look at our sovereigns, they have been variously French and Dutch and German,” he said, noting also how culturally intertwined Britain is with continental Europe.
Like Evans, University of Toronto history professor Margaret MacMillan argues that Brexit is being “driven by a very false picture of the past” and by nostalgia for the days when Britain’s empire covered a quarter of the globe.
MacMillan said many people in Britain — and especially in England, which accounts for five-sixths of the U.K. population and saw the strongest vote to leave the EU in 2016 — “are having an existential crisis about who they are.”
“I think they lost their empire and lost being a major world power and they seem to have accepted that, but I think there has been a lingering sense that ‘We were once great and now we’re not,’” she said.
Brexit-supporting historians reject that notion, viewing the EU as an undemocratic obstacle to British sovereignty.
Cambridge University historian Robert Tombs says the fact that Britain did not experience 20th-century occupation or dictatorship sets it apart from many of its neighbors. But he thinks Britain’s historical differences from the rest of Europe are often overstated, and Brexit was driven by more immediate concerns.
“We certainly had less commitment to the whole idea of European integration than countries like France or Germany,” he said. “But I think attitudes to Europe are not really all that different in many EU states. And I think that has a lot to do with more recent events such as the eurozone crisis, the democratic deficit in the EU and the fact that the EU has got so much more important in people’s lives and yet they have very little control over what it does.”
Tombs argues that at a time of international instability, Britain is better off outside the fractious bloc.
“I think a relatively cohesive and relatively democratically governed unit is much more likely to be able to ride out whatever storms may be coming than a really rather ramshackle and unpopular and very weak confederation,” he said.
Historian Andrew Roberts, a biographer of Winston Churchill, said recently that “the idea that your sovereignty effectively belongs to somebody else outside your country is just unacceptable for anybody who has any sense of British independence.”
But others contend, like Brown, that Britain’s democratic institutions are under threat from Brexit.
As the Oct. 31 deadline for Britain’s departure from the EU approaches, the country is facing a political crisis. Johnson’s Conservative government is determined to leave with or without a Brexit divorce agreement, yet Parliament will try to block him from taking Britain out of the EU without a deal. Johnson’s allies have suggested he could suspend Parliament or refuse to quit if he lost a no-confidence vote, triggering a crisis for Britain’s ancient but partly unwritten constitution.
Former British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind argued in a letter to The Times of London that if Johnson “sought to prevent both Parliament and the electorate having a final say on no deal, he would create the gravest constitutional crisis since the actions of Charles I led to the Civil War” in the 17th century.
That showdown ended with the monarch’s execution.
Meanwhile Brexit is fraying the bonds tying together the four nations of the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In Scotland, which rejected separating from the U.K. in a 2014 referendum and then voted in 2016 to remain in the EU, pressure is growing for a new referendum on independence.
In Northern Ireland, which also voted to remain in the EU, the threat of a heavily guarded border with the neighboring Republic of Ireland has boosted support for a united Ireland, an idea that has historically been anathema to Northern Ireland’s Protestant, pro-British Unionist majority.
“I never thought I’d hear people in Northern Ireland talking about how it might be time to reunite with the south in the way they’re talking about it now,” MacMillan said. “There were always fantasists who said ‘One day we’ll be reunited,’ but you’re now getting middle-of-the-road Protestants saying it.
“It’s quite possible that if Brexit happens, the United Kingdom won’t survive.”
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019...minted-october-31-eu-independence-celebration
Millions Of Brexit Coins To Be Minted For October 31 EU Independence Celebration
Profile picture for user Tyler Durden
by Tyler Durden
Mon, 08/12/2019 - 05:00
1
SHARES
TwitterFacebookRedditEmailPrint
Authored by Mike Shedlock via MishTalk,
Plans for "Peace, Prosperity, and Friendship" coin are underway
The Telegraph reports Millions of Brexit 50p Coins to be Minted in Time for October 31.
Millions of special 50p Brexit coins are to be minted and ready to spend in time to mark Britain's exit from the European Union, under plans being drawn up by the Chancellor.
Sajid Javid, who is also Master of the Mint, has asked officials to look at whether the seven-sided coins can be produced in huge volumes in time for exit day on October 31.
The decision will be seen as a statement of intent that the Treasury is fully behind Brexit now that its predecessor Philip Hammond, who was mistrusted by Brexiteers for his gloomy prognosis on leaving the EU, has returned to the backbenches.
Special Events
The Royal Mint regularly issues special coins to mark national moments notably a new set of coins which celebrate the London 2012 Olympics, including one that explained football's offside rule.
A 50p coin was minted when the UK joined the European Economic Community in 1973 and when the UK held the presidency of the EU in 1998.
Time to Celebrate
Former Chancellor Philip Hammond, a Customs-Union Remainer, proposed the coins distributing the coins on special order, on an eight week custom order basis after March 29.
Chancellor Javid wants the coins to be ready and in circulation by October 31.
Tory MP Craig Mackinlay who first raised the idea with the Treasury last year said:
"This is a time for national celebration that our independence and new global freedom is with us. Great news and a clear, positive indication of intent from the Prime Minister and his new government."
Free at Last
I propose "Free at Last" would be far more fitting than "Peace, Prosperity, and Friendship for all Nations" especially in light of the piss poor way the EU attempted to screw the UK.
Those who disagree need to watch my video Let's Discuss Brexit (and How the EU Bragged, on Film, About Screwing the UK)
However, a sense of optimism might win more votes.
Millions Of Brexit Coins To Be Minted For October 31 EU Independence Celebration
Profile picture for user Tyler Durden
by Tyler Durden
Mon, 08/12/2019 - 05:00
1
SHARES
TwitterFacebookRedditEmailPrint
Authored by Mike Shedlock via MishTalk,
Plans for "Peace, Prosperity, and Friendship" coin are underway
The Telegraph reports Millions of Brexit 50p Coins to be Minted in Time for October 31.
Millions of special 50p Brexit coins are to be minted and ready to spend in time to mark Britain's exit from the European Union, under plans being drawn up by the Chancellor.
Sajid Javid, who is also Master of the Mint, has asked officials to look at whether the seven-sided coins can be produced in huge volumes in time for exit day on October 31.
The decision will be seen as a statement of intent that the Treasury is fully behind Brexit now that its predecessor Philip Hammond, who was mistrusted by Brexiteers for his gloomy prognosis on leaving the EU, has returned to the backbenches.
Special Events
The Royal Mint regularly issues special coins to mark national moments notably a new set of coins which celebrate the London 2012 Olympics, including one that explained football's offside rule.
A 50p coin was minted when the UK joined the European Economic Community in 1973 and when the UK held the presidency of the EU in 1998.
Time to Celebrate
Former Chancellor Philip Hammond, a Customs-Union Remainer, proposed the coins distributing the coins on special order, on an eight week custom order basis after March 29.
Chancellor Javid wants the coins to be ready and in circulation by October 31.
Tory MP Craig Mackinlay who first raised the idea with the Treasury last year said:
"This is a time for national celebration that our independence and new global freedom is with us. Great news and a clear, positive indication of intent from the Prime Minister and his new government."
Free at Last
I propose "Free at Last" would be far more fitting than "Peace, Prosperity, and Friendship for all Nations" especially in light of the piss poor way the EU attempted to screw the UK.
Those who disagree need to watch my video Let's Discuss Brexit (and How the EU Bragged, on Film, About Screwing the UK)
However, a sense of optimism might win more votes.
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/pol...ts-issued-in-northern-ireland-falls-1.3983176
Number of British passports issued in Northern Ireland falls
DUP’s Sammy Wilson says there may be ‘a lot of reasons’ for decline, which follows Brexit vote
Updated: about 2 hours ago
The number of British passports issued in Northern Ireland has been steadily declining over the past four years, with the most significant drop in the year after the 2016 Brexit referendum, new official figures from London show.
The UK passport office began recording a breakdown of documents issued by region only in 2015.
That year, 129,550 British passports were printed for people living in Northern Ireland. The following year, the number dipped slightly to 128,759, while in 2017 it dropped to 121,858.
Last year, the figure fell again to 119,298.
The figures were obtained in response to a Freedom of Information request.
Over the same period, the issuance of Irish passports to citizens living in the North has risen significantly.
In 2015, some 53,715 Irish passports were issued through Northern Ireland Passport Express (NIPX), which is available at post offices in the North. This rose to 67,582 the following year, jumped to 82,274 in 2017 and increased again last year to 84,855.
The figures do not include Irish citizens in the North who apply for their passports from Dublin.
The number of Irish passports being issued every year through the NIPX has more than doubled over the past 10 years, figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs show.
Sammy Wilson, the DUP MP for East Antrim and the party’s Brexit spokesman, said he was “not particularly” concerned about the trend of declining British passports and increasing Irish passports.
There could be a lot of reasons behind it, but nothing that would give any cause for alarm,” he said.
“The Irish passport comes through a heck of a deal faster than a British passport, so you may well find that a lot of people, like myself, leave things to the last minute and their passport is nearly expired.
And if somebody came in and asked me for advice, saying they’re going on their holidays in the middle of September, should they apply for a British or Irish passport, I’ll tell them, if you want to go on your holidays, you best apply for an Irish passport rather than a British passport.”
Non-political reasons
Other possible factors in the trend could include concerns over disruption after Brexit, cost and issues to do with travel insurance, he added.
“There are lots of non-political reasons why people would take an Irish passport,” he said.
People who are my voters come to me, and they are totally unembarrassed about getting an Irish passport – they just say would you sign this [Irish passport application] for me? End of story.
“I don’t think this is a voter going in the nationalist direction.”
Mr Wilson said he regularly gets “quite a lot” of constituents from loyalist areas who come to him to sign applications for Irish passports.
“I just signed two this week, I know them, they are from the unionist community. I have no doubt people are applying for Irish passports now who wouldn’t have had in the past.”
But Mr Wilson said he did not hold an Irish passport and would not be getting one.
“I don’t believe when we leave the EU that there is going to be any disruption,” he said.
“If you have to stand in a queue for an extra five minutes when you’re going through the airport at Malaga or whatever, big deal. It’s not an important issue as far as I’m concerned.”
Number of British passports issued in Northern Ireland falls
DUP’s Sammy Wilson says there may be ‘a lot of reasons’ for decline, which follows Brexit vote
Updated: about 2 hours ago
The number of British passports issued in Northern Ireland has been steadily declining over the past four years, with the most significant drop in the year after the 2016 Brexit referendum, new official figures from London show.
The UK passport office began recording a breakdown of documents issued by region only in 2015.
That year, 129,550 British passports were printed for people living in Northern Ireland. The following year, the number dipped slightly to 128,759, while in 2017 it dropped to 121,858.
Last year, the figure fell again to 119,298.
The figures were obtained in response to a Freedom of Information request.
Over the same period, the issuance of Irish passports to citizens living in the North has risen significantly.
In 2015, some 53,715 Irish passports were issued through Northern Ireland Passport Express (NIPX), which is available at post offices in the North. This rose to 67,582 the following year, jumped to 82,274 in 2017 and increased again last year to 84,855.
The figures do not include Irish citizens in the North who apply for their passports from Dublin.
The number of Irish passports being issued every year through the NIPX has more than doubled over the past 10 years, figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs show.
Sammy Wilson, the DUP MP for East Antrim and the party’s Brexit spokesman, said he was “not particularly” concerned about the trend of declining British passports and increasing Irish passports.
There could be a lot of reasons behind it, but nothing that would give any cause for alarm,” he said.
“The Irish passport comes through a heck of a deal faster than a British passport, so you may well find that a lot of people, like myself, leave things to the last minute and their passport is nearly expired.
And if somebody came in and asked me for advice, saying they’re going on their holidays in the middle of September, should they apply for a British or Irish passport, I’ll tell them, if you want to go on your holidays, you best apply for an Irish passport rather than a British passport.”
Non-political reasons
Other possible factors in the trend could include concerns over disruption after Brexit, cost and issues to do with travel insurance, he added.
“There are lots of non-political reasons why people would take an Irish passport,” he said.
People who are my voters come to me, and they are totally unembarrassed about getting an Irish passport – they just say would you sign this [Irish passport application] for me? End of story.
“I don’t think this is a voter going in the nationalist direction.”
Mr Wilson said he regularly gets “quite a lot” of constituents from loyalist areas who come to him to sign applications for Irish passports.
“I just signed two this week, I know them, they are from the unionist community. I have no doubt people are applying for Irish passports now who wouldn’t have had in the past.”
But Mr Wilson said he did not hold an Irish passport and would not be getting one.
“I don’t believe when we leave the EU that there is going to be any disruption,” he said.
“If you have to stand in a queue for an extra five minutes when you’re going through the airport at Malaga or whatever, big deal. It’s not an important issue as far as I’m concerned.”
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-49314350
Labour deputy Watson voices indyref2 opposition
The UK Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson has spoken out against a second Scottish independence referendum.
It follows comments by shadow chancellor John McDonnell that a future Labour government would not block another vote.
Mr Watson said another referendum "is not the answer" to Tory austerity and Brexit.
He added that he fully endorsed the position of Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard.
His intervention comes after Mr McDonnell told an audience in Edinburgh last week that any decision about holding an independence vote would be up to the Scottish Parliament.
Settled will'
And it follows a warning by ex-Labour prime minister Gordon Brown, who said unionism "appears to be sleepwalking into oblivion".
In a video released on Sunday, Mr Watson said: "We can see the mess caused by the prospect of the UK leaving the four decade-long union with Europe - imagine how much more disruptive it would be to break our three centuries-long Union of Scotland within the UK."
He pointed out that the party's Scottish leader Richard Leonard had already made it "absolutely clear" that there was no case for a second independence referendum.
Mr Watson added: "As we said in our 2017 manifesto, Labour opposes another referendum and the turbo-charged austerity in Scotland that leaving the UK would cause, with the inevitable threat to thousands of jobs and livelihoods.
"That is not because our society doesn't need to change. It does, and badly.
"But another independence referendum isn't the answer. More nationalism, more uncertainty, and more division isn't the answer."
SNP deputy leader Keith Brown said: "People across the UK overwhelmingly believe that independence should be a matter for the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish people - not Westminster.
"UK voters believe it should be up to people of Scotland to decide how they are governed - not a Tory party which has no mandate in Scotland, putting our economy at risk to suit their own political ends."
Labour deputy Watson voices indyref2 opposition
The UK Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson has spoken out against a second Scottish independence referendum.
It follows comments by shadow chancellor John McDonnell that a future Labour government would not block another vote.
Mr Watson said another referendum "is not the answer" to Tory austerity and Brexit.
He added that he fully endorsed the position of Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard.
His intervention comes after Mr McDonnell told an audience in Edinburgh last week that any decision about holding an independence vote would be up to the Scottish Parliament.
Settled will'
And it follows a warning by ex-Labour prime minister Gordon Brown, who said unionism "appears to be sleepwalking into oblivion".
In a video released on Sunday, Mr Watson said: "We can see the mess caused by the prospect of the UK leaving the four decade-long union with Europe - imagine how much more disruptive it would be to break our three centuries-long Union of Scotland within the UK."
He pointed out that the party's Scottish leader Richard Leonard had already made it "absolutely clear" that there was no case for a second independence referendum.
Mr Watson added: "As we said in our 2017 manifesto, Labour opposes another referendum and the turbo-charged austerity in Scotland that leaving the UK would cause, with the inevitable threat to thousands of jobs and livelihoods.
"That is not because our society doesn't need to change. It does, and badly.
"But another independence referendum isn't the answer. More nationalism, more uncertainty, and more division isn't the answer."
SNP deputy leader Keith Brown said: "People across the UK overwhelmingly believe that independence should be a matter for the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish people - not Westminster.
"UK voters believe it should be up to people of Scotland to decide how they are governed - not a Tory party which has no mandate in Scotland, putting our economy at risk to suit their own political ends."
Plain Jane
Just Plain Jane
https://www.apnews.com/455e63c576bd4910a0e1330e5db85da8
UK court to hear bid to stop no-deal Brexit next month
LONDON (AP) — A British judge has set a hearing for next month for an attempt by opposition lawmakers to stop Prime Minister Boris Johnson from suspending Parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit.
More than 70 parliamentarians argue that sending lawmakers home before the scheduled Oct. 31 Brexit date would be “unlawful and unconstitutional.”
On Tuesday, at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Judge Raymond Doherty said a substantive hearing should take place Sept. 6.
Johnson says Britain will leave the European Union on Oct. 31, with or without a divorce deal. Britain’s Parliament has rejected the existing agreement and the EU refuses to renegotiate, so a no-deal Brexit looks increasingly likely, despite fears it could cause economic turmoil.
Lawmakers are expected to try to block a no-deal departure this fall.
UK court to hear bid to stop no-deal Brexit next month
LONDON (AP) — A British judge has set a hearing for next month for an attempt by opposition lawmakers to stop Prime Minister Boris Johnson from suspending Parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit.
More than 70 parliamentarians argue that sending lawmakers home before the scheduled Oct. 31 Brexit date would be “unlawful and unconstitutional.”
On Tuesday, at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Judge Raymond Doherty said a substantive hearing should take place Sept. 6.
Johnson says Britain will leave the European Union on Oct. 31, with or without a divorce deal. Britain’s Parliament has rejected the existing agreement and the EU refuses to renegotiate, so a no-deal Brexit looks increasingly likely, despite fears it could cause economic turmoil.
Lawmakers are expected to try to block a no-deal departure this fall.
northern watch
TB Fanatic
U.S.-British trade pact won't pass Congress if Good Friday deal harmed - Pelosi
August 14, 2019 / 8:25 AM / Updated 13 hours ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - There is no chance the U.S. Congress would approve a planned U.S.-British trade deal if Britain’s exit from the European Union undermines the landmark 1998 Good Friday peace agreement for Northern Ireland, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Wednesday.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is negotiating a free trade deal with Britain that would go into effect after it completes Brexit, now scheduled for October. 31. Any U.S.-British trade agreement would have to pass the U.S. Congress.
The Good Friday agreement, which helped end three decades of violence in Northern Ireland, dismantled all physical border infrastructure between EU member Ireland and Northern Ireland, a province of Britain, guaranteeing that people and goods on either side can move freely.
“Whatever form it takes, Brexit cannot be allowed to imperil the Good Friday Agreement, including the seamless border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland,” Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, said in a statement.
“If Brexit undermines the Good Friday accord, there will be no chance of a U.S.-UK trade agreement passing the Congress,” Pelosi added.
Congress is split between Democrats, who control the House, and Trump’s fellow Republicans, who control the Senate.
An impasse with the EU leaves Britain facing the possibility of an exit without any formal transition period or legal agreement covering issues such as trade, data transfers and border policy.
U.S. national security adviser John Bolton, visiting London this week, said Washington would enthusiastically support a no-deal Brexit if that is what Britain’s government decided to do, and that a trade deal with the United States would help cushion the blow of Britain’s departure.
During a visit aimed at reassuring Britain over British-U.S. ties, Bolton told British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that Trump wants to see a successful Brexit and that Washington would be ready to work quickly on a trade pact.
Many in Ireland believe a no-deal Brexit would be catastrophic for the Good Friday agreement.
Of particular concern is what to do about the so-called backstop insurance policy in the previous deal negotiated by Johnson’s predecessor as prime minister, Theresa May, to prevent the return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
May’s proposal, rejected three times by the British parliament, would force Britain to obey some EU rules if no other way could be found to keep the land border open.
Bolton said during his London visit there was “zero chance” that a no-deal Brexit would undermine the accord.
Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall and Will Dunham
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-b...-good-friday-deal-harmed-pelosi-idUKKCN1V419I
August 14, 2019 / 8:25 AM / Updated 13 hours ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - There is no chance the U.S. Congress would approve a planned U.S.-British trade deal if Britain’s exit from the European Union undermines the landmark 1998 Good Friday peace agreement for Northern Ireland, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Wednesday.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is negotiating a free trade deal with Britain that would go into effect after it completes Brexit, now scheduled for October. 31. Any U.S.-British trade agreement would have to pass the U.S. Congress.
The Good Friday agreement, which helped end three decades of violence in Northern Ireland, dismantled all physical border infrastructure between EU member Ireland and Northern Ireland, a province of Britain, guaranteeing that people and goods on either side can move freely.
“Whatever form it takes, Brexit cannot be allowed to imperil the Good Friday Agreement, including the seamless border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland,” Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, said in a statement.
“If Brexit undermines the Good Friday accord, there will be no chance of a U.S.-UK trade agreement passing the Congress,” Pelosi added.
Congress is split between Democrats, who control the House, and Trump’s fellow Republicans, who control the Senate.
An impasse with the EU leaves Britain facing the possibility of an exit without any formal transition period or legal agreement covering issues such as trade, data transfers and border policy.
U.S. national security adviser John Bolton, visiting London this week, said Washington would enthusiastically support a no-deal Brexit if that is what Britain’s government decided to do, and that a trade deal with the United States would help cushion the blow of Britain’s departure.
During a visit aimed at reassuring Britain over British-U.S. ties, Bolton told British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that Trump wants to see a successful Brexit and that Washington would be ready to work quickly on a trade pact.
Many in Ireland believe a no-deal Brexit would be catastrophic for the Good Friday agreement.
Of particular concern is what to do about the so-called backstop insurance policy in the previous deal negotiated by Johnson’s predecessor as prime minister, Theresa May, to prevent the return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
May’s proposal, rejected three times by the British parliament, would force Britain to obey some EU rules if no other way could be found to keep the land border open.
Bolton said during his London visit there was “zero chance” that a no-deal Brexit would undermine the accord.
Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall and Will Dunham
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-b...-good-friday-deal-harmed-pelosi-idUKKCN1V419I