Brexit

Alastair Campbell’s article asking “What more could Remainers have done” (TNE 226) continues to prompt letters… Do not give up! A single pro-EU unified pressure group (not linked to any political party) is needed, ideally with a charismatic figurehead (but not a divisive politician). We need to attract massive funding (I am sure many in […]

The EU’s top Brexit official has warned Downing Street to be “very careful” in how it handles the diplomatic status of the EU’s ambassador to London. Michel Barnier, who brokered a trade deal with Britain on behalf of the EU, said it would be “wise” for the UK to find a solution to the dispute over its […]

A rethink is already needed over the government’s free trade agreement. It is already becoming obvious, less than a month in, that the current free trade agreement is not sustainable. As one example, Northern Ireland is severely disadvantaged in terms of goods imported from the rest of the UK and a number of hauliers and […]

The DUP has strongly rejected suggestions it should have supported Theresa May’s Brexit deal, which would have provided a backstop and avoided the creation of the Northern Ireland protocol which was part of Boris Johnson’s agreement. Lord Dodds told the Belfast Telegraph: “Some people have mistakenly suggested that if Theresa May’s backstop had been accepted, we […]

Some UK retailers are considering abandoning or burning goods returned by EU customers due to the cost and trouble of bringing them back into the country, an industry boss said. The BBC reports the Brexit trade deal has seen many European customers rejecting goods imported from the UK after being presented with unexpected customs charges […]

Scottish students could continue participating in the Erasmus exchange programme in spite of Brexit, The Times has revealed. Officials in Holyrood and Brussels have entered into talks over extending the Erasmus scheme to Scottish students, the paper reports, after almost 150 MEPs wrote EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen asking whether Scotland and Wales could rejoin the […]

A Question Time audience member has called on politicians to prepare for a border poll in Northern Ireland “even if it isn’t for another ten years”. The audience member told Northern Ireland first and deputy first ministers Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neil that Stormont had a lot to learn from the “shambles of the Brexit […]

If Brexit really was about winding up ‘Radio 4 types’ like MITCH BENN, there were easier ways to go about it. The more the effects of Brexit make themselves felt, the harder it gets to understand what the point of it was in the first place. During what for want of a more descriptive term […]

Almost half of Welsh voters would rejoin the EU, a new poll has found.  Despite a Brexit deal being reached at the eleventh hour, 44% of Welsh voters told ITV News they would vote yes if EU membership was put to another referendum. By comparison, 38% would reject rejoining and almost a fifth – 19% – said […]

Labour MPs have tabled an Opposition Day debate motion to protect employment rights now under threat as a result of Brexit.  With the UK no longer bound by EU directives, rights enshrined in their wording – such as holiday pay and statutory working limits – can be stripped away.  Sir Keir Starmer – together with […]

Bob Geldof has claimed “lying is second nature” to Boris Johnson’s government as he accused it of betraying British businesses to deliver Brexit. Geldof said Downing Street were “a hapless lot” who put politics ahead of the economic wellbeing of the nation. The Irish singer-songwriter turned political activist claimed No 10 was never serious about clenching a […]

The EU is to blame for British musicians not being able to tour in Europe, Jacob Rees-Mogg has attempted to claim. Rees-Mogg shrugged off accusations Downing Street rejected an offer to extend the EU music visa scheme that allowed artists to perform freely in Europe for up to 90 days. Earlier this week, culture minister Caroline […]

ALASTAIR CAMPBELL compares the recent resignation of the Dutch cabinet with the lack of scrutiny and accountability of our own leaders. It is now almost a quarter of a century since I jumped the journalistic fence into frontline political combat. By the time another quarter of a century is done, assuming I survive that long, […]

A Tory MP has complained Brexit has meant there is less scrutiny of trade deals struck by the UK government than when the country was part of the European Union. Jonathan Djanogly was appearing in the debate on the government’s trade bill where he warned that there must be “meaningful scrutiny” of future trade deals […]

Michel Barnier has become the first foreign winner of the European of the Year award given by the European Movement Ireland group thanks to his work on Brexit negotiations. The EU negotiator was given the award via a virtual ceremony for his role in defending the Republic of Ireland’s interests during Brexit negotiations. Barner also received praised […]

Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly has called upon Ireland to fill the void left by the UK’s departure from the Erasmus programme.  With the UK’s withdrawal confirmed following Brexit, Kelly – a long-time advocate of the initiative – urged Irish colleges to take advantage of the country’s new-found status: “16,000 EU students participate in an Erasmus in the […]

A Tory Brexiteer has claimed that the Electoral Commission “hated Leave campaigners'” claiming he had never before encountered “an organisation that was maliciously undermining the democratic process and attacking individuals because of their political views”. Peter Bone made an intervention as MPs were asked to approve the appointment of Alex Attwood, an SDLP former environment minister in the […]

The UK and the EU have clashed over the status the trading bloc’s ambassador in London should have. The UK government is refusing to grant Joao Vale de Almeida full diplomatic status offered to other ambassadors. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is insisting he and his officials should not have privileges and immunities afforded to […]

A minister has finally accepted that Brexit has contributed to shortages on supermarket shelves in Northern Ireland. International trade secretary Liz Truss acknowledged that Brexit had caused issues while appearing on the Peston programme, but claimed that “predictions of armageddon” had not happened. Ireland’s foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney denied the government’s original assertion that Covid-19 was […]

The Northern Ireland secretary has urged MPs not to “overstate” issues at the border which have led to supply issues in supermarkets.  Brandon Lewis said that whilst there have been “challenges” to overcome in the first few weeks since the end of the Brexit transition period, “goods are moving” to and from the island. Responding to […]

Labour MP Ben Bradshaw has called out the prime minister over his false promises made over Brexit. Speaking at the latest session of Prime Minister’s Questions, Bradshaw asked Johnson: “When the prime minister told the fishermen in the South West that they would not face new export barriers or unnecessary form filling. And when he […]

Roger Daltrey has been accused of being a hypocrite after signing a letter calling on No 10 to help British bands tour EU countries after having previously dismissed concerns about the impact of Brexit on the UK’s music industry.  Daltrey, the lead singer of the rock band the Who, famously downplayed the effect of Brexit on bands touring Europe, once […]

Boris Johnson has narrowly avoided feat over a vote on a bid to outlaw post-Brexit trade deals with countries that are committing genocide. The prime minister’s working majority of 87 dwindled to just 11 as MPs voted to reverse an amendment to the Trade Bill made by the House of Lords by 319 votes to […]

Tory MPs have voted down a House of Lords amendment aimed at protecting the NHS from post-Brexit trade deals. The amendment, proposed by peers, would have blocked trade deals that “undermines or restricts” the ability to provide “a comprehensive publicly funded health service free at the point of delivery”. But Tory MPs voted down the […]

A Tory minister has admitted the UK rejected a proposal by the EU to extend the music visa scheme in favour of more stringent border policies. Culture minister Caroline Dinenage said No 10 declined the offer because it would have meant allowing “visa-free short-stays for all EU citizens”. Speaking in the House of Commons, Dinenage […]

Problems exporting fish to continental Europe as a result of Brexit are a sign that “decisions have consequences”, an EU ambassador has said. The European Union’s ambassador to the UK Joao Vale de Almeida warned that the consequences of leaving the single market and customs union meant that extra checks and paperwork were now an ongoing […]

A right-wing commentator has been accused of using unconventional polling methods to whip up support to end lockdown. Martin Daubney, a former Brexit Party MEP turned right-wing commentator, claimed some 80% of respondents of a Twitter poll he ran among his followers would vote in favour of ending lockdown if a referendum were called today. In a […]

New business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has confirmed that the government is set to review workers’ rights after Brexit, but claims that they will not be watered down. Kwarteng told the business, energy and industrial strategy committee that his department was carrying out a consultation with business leaders on the working time directive and other EU rules […]