28th Feb 2019 https://nfind.uk/brexit_cliff_edge/index.php/newsletter=14 brexit_cliff_edge

Jobs at Risk

BBC Make UK said the move would cause shortages of welders robotics workers toolmakers and maintenance technicians. Few of these roles initially pay more than the 30000 necessary under the new rules to qualify to work in the UK said the organisation formerly known as the EEF. Its director of employment and skills policy Tim Thomas urged the government to urgently reconsider the salary threshold plans. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47389423 28th Feb 2019

Economic Impact

The Guardian BMW has said piecemeal delays to Brexit would not be good for the carmaker spelling more uncertainty for its four UK plants. Andreas Wendt a BMW board member and purchasing chief said in an interview with the German industry journal Automobilwoche that a stopstart approach would add unwelcome disruption to its manufacturing in Britain. A start date for Brexit delayed a little at a time would not be a good scenario for us he said. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/26/bmw-says-piecemeal-brexit-delays-not-good-for-its-four-uk-plants 26th Feb 2019

Economic Impact

Reuters British households are showing amazing stoicism as the country heads for Brexit a market research company said on Thursday as its measure of consumer confidence edged up in February. The GfK consumer confidence index rose to 13 from 14 in January. Economists taking part in a Reuters poll had expected a slight fall to 15. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-britain-economy-consumersentiment/uk-consumer-morale-edges-up-from-five-year-low-as-brexit-uncertainty-persists-idUKKCN1QH00Q 28th Feb 2019

Administrative Fall Out

The Times A third of the governments most critical nodeal Brexit plans are behind schedule ministers have admitted as they blamed business for ignoring warnings about the need to prepare. In a bleak assessment of the economic impact of no deal published yesterday the government said that 10 per cent of all food could be subject to shortages as well as price rises. It warned that crossChannel disruption would be increased by the failure of British companies to register for customs formalities. The paper revealed that of the 240000 businesses that trade only with the EU 40000 had registered with the government to export which would result in goods being turned back at the French border. The lack of preparation for EU controls greatly increases the probability of disruption it stated. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/brexit-critical-no-deal-plans-running-late-3rkmp0vlw?shareToken=04562bc8327b7fef31fd79cc5cc20e60 27th Feb 2019

Administrative Fall Out

The Guardian A nodeal Brexit is expected to have an immediate and drastic effect on supply chains for medicines. From the pen of an oped writer such language might seem alarmist. But this comes from a report published this week in the Lancet a worldclass scientific journal and it should terrify you. The scale of the problem is huge. You will know someone affected even if you are not. NHS figures show that almost half the population regularly takes a prescribed medicine. And around 75 of the medicines the NHS uses come into the UK from the EU. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/27/tory-plans-no-deal-brexit-medical-shortages?CMP=share_btn_tw 27th Feb 2019

Administrative Fall Out

The Guardian Six out of eight critical IT systems required to allow the UKs borders to function under a nodeal Brexit are in danger of not being ready Whitehalls spending watchdog has found. The National Audit Office has also concluded that with 31 days to go before the UK is due to leave the EU the readiness of UKs businesses are a redrated risk if the government crashes out of Europe. The findings were released on Wednesday evening in a memo sent to the public accounts committee. Meg Hillier the chair of the committee said serious questions remained about whether the UK would be prepared at the border and what this would mean for individuals and businesses. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/27/six-out-of-eight-border-it-systems-may-not-be-ready-for-no-deal 27th Feb 2019

Administrative Fall Out

The Pharmaceutical Journal Companies that supply these 7000 medicines have been asked to provide a sixweek buffer stock and health minister Stephen Hammond said in a written ministerial statement on 25 February 2019 that the majority of companies have confirmed that stockpiling plans are in place. Hammond also announced that the government had bought tickets from two crosschannel ferry operators that run routes to Poole Portsmouth Plymouth Immingham and Felixstowe away from the straits of Dover which are expected to become congested if there is a nodeal Brexit. https://www.pharmaceutical-journal.com/news-and-analysis/news/government-identifies-7000-medicines-for-no-deal-brexit-planning/20206222.article 26th Feb 2019

Administrative Fall Out

PoliticsHome.com Ministers also admitted that up to a third of critical infrastructure projects were now behind schedule partly due to firms failing to view a nodeal scenario as sufficiently credible. Members of the public are also failing to prepare for a nodeal Brexit according to the 15page document which warned that industries like the automotive sector would be severely impacted by new tariff and nontarriff barriers if the Commons does not back the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated by Theresa May. https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/foreign-affairs/brexit/news/102130/no-deal-brexit-would-lead-food-shortages-and-cost 27th Feb 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Edinburgh News EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the 27 EU countries will keep any social benefits acquired before withdrawal in the event of a nodeal Brexit. Text adopted by the Employment and Social Affairs Committee subject to full EU Parliament approval aims to safeguard peoples entitlements to social security benefits based on insurance employment or residence. The contingency measures would apply to EU citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living in one of the 27 member states who have acquired social entitlements due to the free movement of people. The measures will be adopted across the EU only if the UK leaves with no withdrawal agreement in place. The European Commission will assess how the measures are working one year after the regulation is implemented and produce a report for the EU Parliament and MEPs https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/business/uk-citizens-living-in-eu-still-entitled-to-social-security-benefits-in-case-of-no-deal-brexit-1-4880086 27th Feb 2019

Administrative Fall Out

@AlbertoCostaMP 14 Cant begin to say how brilliant it is to see my amendment in black and white on the order paper today. Im hugely grateful to those colleagues who have very kindly supported my amendment to ringfence rights for those EU citizens in the UK and those in UK citizens in the EU. https://twitter.com/AlbertoCostaMP/status/1100707739481841664 27th Feb 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Express A leading industrial lobby which is based in the region around car giant Volkswagens headquarters is leading a charge for price adjustments to cover the costs of exporting to Britain in event of a nodeal Brexit. Smaller firms are also following the lead after Lueneburg Chamber of Commerce published five Brexit tips which includes charging Britons more to cover potential customs duties. The plans have been pushed out to over 10000 people as part of an effort to prepare businesses near Hamburg for a hard Brexit https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1093137/Brexit-news-UK-EU-Germany-business-no-deal-cost-plan-latest 27th Feb 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Express.co.uk Brexpats in Spain cofounder Anne Hernandez said Spanishbased Britons with existing medical problems are very concerned with 30 days until Brexit and health rights still not guaranteed. EUbased British pensioners are currently able to access free healthcare though the S1 scheme which is ultimately paid by the British government. But this week the government warned British nationals may have to pay for private health insurance in the event of a nodeal Brexit. https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1093350/brexit-spain-expats-health-theresa-may-health-rights-brexpats-in-spain 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

Sky News After a tumultuous three days where decisions were forced by threats of resignation and the realities of splits and defection Westminster faces a different set of Brexit choices there are now plausible routes to delay and a new referendum but also the increased credibility of both those outcomes could yet motivate rebellious Tory Brexiters to cash in their chips and accept the PMs deal. https://news.sky.com/story/the-smart-money-is-on-the-brexit-can-being-kicked-down-the-road-again-11650467 28th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

Bloomberg The hardline Conservative Brexit backers whose support May needs to get her deal ratified in Parliament appear to be softening after Mays tactical gamble to take a nodeal Brexit off the table and replace it with the option of postponing the exit day. The prospect of a delay or worse the divorce that euroskeptics have spent their careers fighting for being reversed may be focusing minds. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-27/brexiteer-rees-mogg-softens-stance-on-may-s-deal-brexit-update 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Sun Henry Newman of the Open Europe Think Tank argues that jitters over Brexit happening are understandable and that Brexiteers need to stand firm to see Brexit goes over the line and then Theresa May steps down https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8528310/the-prime-minister-must-use-brexit-deal-to-give-britain-a-new-start-then-she-may-go/ 28th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

Bloomberg ProBrexit lawmaker Jacob ReesMogg is no longer insisting that the Irish backstop be dropped as a condition for supporting Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit deal he told the Financial Times in an interview. In a sign that hes softening opposition to the plan ReesMogg the leader of the proBrexit European Research Group of Conservative Party lawmakers said he would consider other legal fixes to ensure the socalled backstop didnt become permanent the paper reported. That could be in the form of an appendix to the text he said. I think you can add an appendix without reopening the text ReesMogg said according to the Financial Times. Youd be adding something on at the end but its still part of the text. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-27/rees-mogg-tells-ft-he-won-t-insist-irish-backstop-be-dropped 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

Financial Times Jacob ReesMogg the head of the leading Eurosceptic faction of Conservative MPs has softened his opposition to Theresa Mays Brexit deal amid rising hopes in Downing Street that the prime minister might win approval for a revised agreement next month. Mr ReesMogg told the Financial Times that he was no longer insisting that the contentious Irish backstop be scrapped as a condition for his support for Mrs Mays deal and was prepared to consider other legal fixes to ensure it did not become permanent. https://www.ft.com/content/44530d70-39df-11e9-b856-5404d3811663 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian John Mann the proBrexit Labour MP says the party will lose support if it pursues the policy announced by Jeremy Corbyn and ends up enabling a public vote ... https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/27/labour-vote-referendum-jeremy-corbyn 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

Belfast Telegraph Labour will push for a vote on calling a second referendum as soon as Theresa May brings her Brexit deal back to the Commons. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Labour would take the first opportunity to test whether MPs will back a public vote. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/labour-to-push-for-commons-vote-on-second-brexit-referendum-john-mcdonnell-37863892.html 28th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian Take the prime minister first. She triggered article 50 without any clue as to what kind of Brexit could command the confidence of parliament or her party and she did so without having any conversation with MPs or the country. Instead the referendum result was taken as an instruction to deliver a hard Brexit with the UK leaving the single market and the customs union. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/27/may-corbyn-failed-brexit-peoples-vote-independent-group 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

@the3million @AlbertoCostaMP looking very happy after the CostaAmendment has been adopted as Govt policy. We are now one step closer to truly protect citizensrights of EU citizens in the UK @BritishInEurope even in case of nodeal Brexit. https://twitter.com/the3million/status/1100843513762205696 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

iNews.co.uk MPs are to have another chance to vote on Theresa Mays ongoing Brexit negotiations and strategy and propose their own suggestions. On Wednesday evening the Prime Minister will table another socalled neutral motion after updating the house on her Brexit talks the previous day. This will give members the chance to table their own amendments which can be voted on providing the Government with an indication to the Commons intentions over Brexit. https://inews.co.uk/news/brexit/brexit-vote-today-amendments-explained-when-time-deal/ 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

Politics Home Here we go again MPs will vote tonight on a string of nonbinding Brexit tweaks and alternatives as Theresa May tables another neutral motion on her deal to leave the EU. PoliticsHome gives you the lowdown on every single one. https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/foreign-affairs/brexit/news/102151/explained-all-brexit-amendments-mps-are-voting-tonight 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

Sky News For Mr Corbyn this was to announce his support for a second referendum if he cannot get the Brexit deal he wants. The risk of the Peoples Vote band in parliament following Chuka Umunna et al out of the door was simply too great. In reality a plan to hold another referendum probably wont get through parliament so this is a promise Mr Corbyn might never have to actually keep. But that he was forced into making the pledge for fear of a split is ample proof that this was the week traditional commandandcontrol party politics was turned on its head. https://news.sky.com/story/the-band-of-11-who-broke-corbyn-and-may-on-brexit-11649454 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

Sky News Labours Sir Keir Starmer has told Sky News a second EU referendum should be a basic choice between a credible Leave option and Remain but voters should not have the option of a nodeal Brexit. Labour have announced their support for a fresh public vote on Brexit to prevent a damaging Tory Brexit being forced on the country https://news.sky.com/story/labours-sir-keir-starmer-says-second-eu-referendum-should-be-leave-vs-remain-11648505 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/corbyn-labour-second-brexit-referendum-final-say-tig-europe-a8797356.html 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Independent Inevitably focus will now be on parliamentary arithmetic and how many Labour rebels will needed to be offset by Conservative MPs supporting a peoples vote to gain a majority in the House of Commons. The reality is that if a significant number of Labour MPs such as John Mann and Caroline Flint vote against a peoples vote it is unlikely to happen. To do so based on the misconception propagated not just by a small group of MPs but unelected advisors to the leaders office that northern and Midlands voters specifically in Labour heartlands are a homogenous group of diehard Brexit voters would be simply criminal. https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-second-referendum-labour-corbyn-eu-deal-a8799351.html 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

@ITVPeston Oliver Letwin says to find a Brexit solution there should be a succession of votes to identify where the consensus lies in Parliament. https://twitter.com/itvpeston/status/1100886891887378432 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

Evening Standard Senior ministers believe that the European Union will insist on a Brexit delay of up to two years if Britain fails to agree a deal in the next few weeks. Several sources have told the Standard they do not think the sort of short limited extension of Article 50 suggested by Theresa May in the Commons yesterday would be permitted by Brussels. Ministers closely involved in Brexit preparations believe the EU would probably demand an extension until December 2020 effectively replacing the planned transition period with continued EU membership. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/brexit-news-latest-brussels-will-insist-on-delay-of-up-to-two-years-if-uk-fails-to-agree-deal-a4077851.html 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

Financial Times US billionaire David Rubenstein has said a second referendum on whether the UK should leave the EU is the only solution that could break Britains stalemate over Brexit. Speaking at a private equity conference in Berlin Mr Rubenstein who cofounded US buyout fund Carlyle in the 1980s added that Brexit was hurting UK growth but that considerable political will would be needed for the country to hold a new EU referendum. https://www.ft.com/content/e40eecba-3aae-11e9-b72b-2c7f526ca5d0 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Irish Times What most accurately characterises Centrist Dads is a rejection of dogmatic certainty along with an at times annoyingly compulsive habit to tell younger people that they may think that way now but theyll see things differently when they get to hisher age. As their favourite joke goes A Centrist Dad takes his children to feed the ducks a Conservative Dad takes his children duck shooting a Socialist Dad takes his children to a Solidarity With Ducks rally. When Centrist Dad pinup figure Tony Blair called the Independent Group a fightback in an era of crisis and extremism it was the perfect application of the soothing moderate analgesic centrist Dads like to bathe in. https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/why-centrist-dads-will-stop-brexit-1.3808505 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

Politico U.K. voters support a delay to Brexit but only if it lasts no longer than three months according to an exclusive POLITICOHanbury poll published ahead of a crucial showdown in the British parliament over the next steps in the Brexit process. While voters remain skeptical about the intention behind any delay overall they support pushing back Brexit day with 47 percent in favor to 26 percent opposed if it is needed to continue the exit negotiations or to ratify the deal. But support for an extension lasting any longer than three months drops dramatically according to the survey of 2006 adults. https://www.politico.eu/article/poll-public-uk-voters-backs-brexit-extension-but-only-if-its-short-deal/ 27th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

Financial Times Theresa Mays aim is to convert fear of a nodeal Brexit into acceptance of her bad deal which would leave the UK at the EUs mercy. In the end the rhetoric about taking back control has come down to a choice between suicide and vassalage. This march of folly needs to be stopped for the UKs sake and Europes. The only politically acceptable way to do this is via another referendum. That is risky. But it would be better than sure disaster. https://www.ft.com/content/d69fe31e-38f0-11e9-b856-5404d3811663 26th Feb 2019

Political Shenanigans

Financial Times Mrs May now appears more like a driver who has lost control of the stagecoach. More important the horses are pulling in two different directions. Her MPs her ministers her cabinet and even her close Downing Street advisers are divided. The prime ministers only focus is keeping them from pulling the entire contraption apart. From the moment she lost the support of Brexit hardliners in her own party Mrs Mays entire strategy has been to play for time until she can scare MPs into voting for her withdrawal agreement. Unfortunately the cliff edge is too close and she has quite simply lost the trust of even her allies in cabinet. https://www.ft.com/content/a6731eb0-39b1-11e9-b72b-2c7f526ca5d0?segmentId=635a35f9-12b4-dbf5-9fe6-6b8e6ffb143e&ampcampaign=brexit 26th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

Irish Independent Naomi Long has described the DUPs Brexit strategy as a massive act of selfharm and completely illjudged. The Alliance leader said Arlene Fosters party was now being driven by its 10 MPs who she claimed had become aligned with extremists and slightly giddy at the attention Westminsters finelypoised arithmetic had brought upon them. http://www.irishnews.com/news/politicalnews/2019/02/28/news/naomi-long-labels-dup-brexit-strategy-a-massive-act-of-self-harm--1562077/ 28th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

BBC One of Scotlands richest men has accused politicians of letting down the country as he called for another referendum to be held on Brexit. Sir Tom Hunter said voters had been lied to by the Leave campaign during the EU referendum in 2016. They had ... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-47392422 28th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

The Yorkshire Post Back in November Theresa May compared herself to her cricketing hero Geoffrey Boycott as she insisted she had the obduracy and resolve to get her Brexit deal through Parliament. But the Prime Minister now finds herself on an increasingly sticky wicket on the issue. On Monday Mrs May told a Press conference in Egypt that a delay to Brexit doesnt deliver a decision in Parliament it doesnt deliver a deal and just delays the point at which you come to that decision. But 24 hours later she addressed the Commons to say that if her deal is rejected for a second time and MPs then prevent leaving without a deal on March 29 they will then be given the chance to vote to delay Britains departure to the end of June. https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion/the-yorkshire-post-says-theresa-may-on-back-foot-over-brexit-1-9618271 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

@Channel4News The stark truth is this not one word of the Withdrawal Agreement or the Political Declaration has changed since it was signed off on 25th November last year. Labours Sir Keir Starmer says Theresa May is wrong to believe that her Brexit deal with the EU is going to be changed https://twitter.com/Channel4News/status/1100799216086077440 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

Open Democracy Although the Constitution minister Chloe Smith told the debate that responsibility for unincorporated associations lay with the Electoral Commission and that data held by them was treasure trove of information DochertyHughes said the way the DUP donation was organised was the exact opposite of open properlyfunctioning parliamentary democracy. He questioned whether anyone in the DUP knew the source of the cash that was largely used to fund proleave campaigning on the UK mainland and whether any requisite due diligence was done ahead of the money being accepted. Under previous Northern Ireland electoral laws donations to any of the major political parties were protected. The exact origins of 435000 could have been revealed if the government had honoured its promise last year to backdate legal changes to the time of the 2016 referendum. This did not happen. https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/brexitinc/james-cusick/mp-accuses-former-tory-official-of-being-fraudster-and-cowboy-who-exploite 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

@YoungTories4PV We voted to leave not for a deal Well just wait for someone to show us anything from Vote Leave that mentioned no deal https://twitter.com/YoungTories4PV/status/1100740104887459840 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

The Sun Jeremy Corbyn has tonight formally backed a second referendum after MPs threw out his plans for a soft Brexit. The Labour bosss official policy will now be to betray the 17.4million Brits who voted to leave the EU and send them back to the polls to have another go. Labours amendment was defeated by 240 votes to 323 in the Commons this evening after his lastditch plans for a soft Brexit failed. And Mr Corbyn tonight confirmed it was now party policy but risked anger from Remainers by saying he would look at other options too. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/brexit/8524755/brexit-jeremy-corbyn-second-referendum-labour-commons-votes/ 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

@BBCPolitics People have been thoroughly misled over a long period of time by a form of propaganda that believes the EU is evil Conservative MP Dominic Grieve says many people calling for a catastrophic nodeal Brexit have been led to believe mad fantasies https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1100816362291806208 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

Reuters https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-ireland-france-minister/no-point-in-brexit-delay-without-clear-purpose-french-fin-min-idUKKCN1QF2JB 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

Politics Home French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to block any extension to Brexit unless there is a clear objective for the delay. Speaking at a press conference alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Paris Mr Macron warned Theresa May that France would use its veto power to prevent any extension to Article 50. Any request from the Prime Minister to delay Brexit past 29 March would require the unanimous agreement of all 27 EU member states. We would support an extension request only if it was justified by a new choice of the British he told reporters. But we would in no way accept an extension without a clear objective. https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/foreign-affairs/brexit/news/102149/french-president-emmanuel-macron-vows-block-any-brexit 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

The Guardian Emmanuel Macron has said France will block a Brexit delay unless there is a new choice by Britain as Spains prime minister said that merely postponing the nodeal deadline would not be reasonable or desirable. In a sign of the heightened risk of an accidental crashlanding for the UK both leaders signalled their disapproval of Theresa Mays suggestion of a lastminute request for a twomonth extension if her deal is voted down again. The French president said there would need to be a clear purpose to delaying the UKs exit from the EU in comments that will inevitably raise crossparty concerns among those seeking to take nodeal Brexit off the table. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/27/spanish-pm-warns-may-brexit-delay-with-no-plan-not-reasonable-or-desirable?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Tweet 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

The New Statesman The party must campaign on the values its supporters in the real progressive multiethnic working class believe in not on the values of people who will never vote for it. Look at the MRP polling done by Hope Not Hate and Best for Britain it shows that even in those constituencies where Leave scored high and where Labour stands a chance of winning the next general election on average theres been a six percentage point swing from Leave to Remain with working class women young Labour voters and Muslims the groups most likely to change their mind. And look at the real working class of Britain. It contains 2.7m European citizens many of who are the very factory workers and farm hands the labour movement was born to represent. Do we include them in the British working class Scotland did in 2014 when it gave them the vote so why cant we https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/brexit/2019/02/labour-must-challenge-myth-working-class-supports-brexit 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

Politics Home Alberto Costa whose parents are Italian resigned as parliamentary private secretary to Scottish Secretary David Mundell after tabling an amendment to the Governments Brexit business in the Commons. He had called on the Government and Brussels to make a joint commitment to protect the rights of EU and UK expats regardless of whether Britain leaves with or without a deal. Labour accused the Prime Minister of sacking the South Leicestershire MP but Downing Street insisted he had no option but to stand down. A spokesman for Mrs May said Hes resigned from the Government. Theres a longstanding convention that members of the Government payroll dont table amendments to government bills. https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/conservative-party/news/102148/government-aide-quits-over-bid-guarantee-eu 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

Talk Radio A nodeal Brexit would be catastrophic for Britain according to Dominic Grieve MP. Speaking to talkRADIOs Julia HartleyBrewer the former Attorney General said he would not allow the UK to leave the European Union without a deal and would do everything possible to achieve his goal. A nodeal Brexit would be catastrophic for our country. I must do everything possible to stop it happening he said. Brexit has damaged trust in our democracy. Its a dreadful process and one that is dragging this country to a thirdrate future. The thirdrate future is going to be infinitely more damaging than continuing to have a debate at the moment about the best terms of exit. https://talkradio.co.uk/news/dominic-grieve-no-deal-brexit-would-be-catastrophic-19022730036 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

Wired.co.uk Earlier this month Open Democracy raised the alarm about a cluster of Facebook pages that were publishing ads supportive of nodeal Brexit while providing very little information on who was behind the organisations nominally paying for the posts. One could again lay the blame on Facebooks doorstep publishing political ads on the platform only requires a British or EU identity document and a UK bank account. But the problem runs deeper. It has to do for instance with the British Electoral Commissions utter toothlessness when it comes to supervising digital campaigning let alone forcing an organisation to reveal its backers. https://www.wired.co.uk/article/brexit-second-referendum-facebook-adverts-money 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

The Independent Sajid Javid has pledged the government will back a move to protect the rights of EU citizens if there is a nodeal Brexit a day after Theresa May dismissed it. The home secretary stunned and delighted a committee of MPs by saying there was nothing wrong with the amendment tabled by a Tory MP. However he was blindsided when told the government had suggested it would fight the amendment saying When did you hear that From who. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-no-deal-eu-citizens-rights-sajid-javid-theresa-may-alberto-costa-a8799181.html 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

The Guardian May was horrified that some MPs might have thought she was trying to run down the clock and force them into accepting her deal that they had already overwhelmingly rejected or risk either no deal or no Brexit. So to alleviate any uncertainty she was going to give parliament the certainty of even longer uncertainty by offering it the chance of delaying Brexit for a couple of months in which nothing would change and then allow the country to go over a cliff edge at the end of June. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/26/theresa-may-the-new-iron-lady-or-a-heap-of-rusting-brexit-metal 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

The Washington Post An economic study by the Bank of England estimated that a disorderly no deal could result in as much as a 10 percent drop in the economy gross domestic product. The pain would be shared with E.U. countries because the United Kingdom is a large market for their exports. Assuming widespread economic consequences Kirkegaard doubts that a no deal decision could last very long. Both the E.U. and the United Kingdom would be drawn back to the bargaining table. But to what end https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-inescapable-irony-of-the-brexit-crackup/2019/02/27/ec832094-3aab-11e9-a06c-3ec8ed509d15_story.html 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

The Guardian Brexit is irredeemably complex. There is no tidy way to do it and the messiest version of all is the one that the hardest Brexiters advocate quitting without a comprehensive agreement. This is routinely called the no deal scenario but that is a misnomer. Only if Britain wants to be more isolated than North Korea will there be literally no deal. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/27/clean-brexit-theresa-may 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

Politico.eu Citizens across the EU27 generally reckon their countries will not be much affected by the U.K.s exit from the bloc and more think Britain will be worse off after the divorce according to newly released data. A study by the Bertelsmann Foundation published Wednesday found that 61 percent of people living in the EU27 believe there will not be a significant change in EU countries because of Brexit. The foundation asked 10434 people across the EU27 in December what best describes the consequences of Brexit for both the EU as well as the United Kingdom. https://www.politico.eu/article/eu27-citizens-see-no-big-brexit-hit-for-them-but-think-brits-will-be-worse-off-poll-extension-dutch-uk-britain/ 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

The Irish Times The crazy guy strategy as it is sometimes called is of little value in the UKs negotiating approach towards the EU. The major flaw is that the no deal button over which Mays finger now deliberately hovers would if triggered rain down its destruction principally not on the EU27 but on the UK itself. For the EU to give any credence to the threat of volatility and irrationality it would have to believe that the UK government is not only completely mad but also colossally stupid. https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/may-using-nixon-s-madman-theory-to-play-chicken-with-brexit-1.3807003 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

Daily Mirror Theresa May was accused of a nasty and petty act in sacking Alberto Costa despite accepting the plan that got him ditched in the first place. Though she argued that it was a resignation and it was an Executive norm for ministers to stand down when proposing motions in this fashion https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-brexit-alberto-costa-mp-14060851 27th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

Daily Mail I would not blame the Prime Minister if she felt isolated. Who could blame her for looking for a way out The right playbook however is Churchills. Keep buggering on. This is not the time to capitulate to fold and to be defeatist. Now is the time to stand firm and hold our nerve. Mrs Mays announcement yesterday in which she conceded two Commons votes on Brexit in mid March is the wrong move. It sends the wrong message to the EU. Opening up the possibility of ruling out No Deal or extending Article 50 may harm our negotiating position. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-6749435/DAVID-DAVIS-says-utter-folly-defeatist-Mrs-taking-No-Deal-table.html 26th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

iNews.co.uk Andrea Leadsom is said to have gone off like a firework when Mrs May raised the prospect of Brexit being deferred https://inews.co.uk/news/brexit/brexit-deal-theresa-may-cabinet-split/?utm_campaign=how-likely-do-you-think-it-is-that-the-u-6b0E&amputm_customer=inews&amputm_medium=twitter&amputm_source=opinary 26th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

The Telegraph Jacob ReesMogg has warned that delaying Brexit beyond the European elections risks a surge in rightwing extremism. Addressing a 2500 strong audience at the London Palladium the leading Brexiteer said denying the public the biggest democratic mandate in British history would open the door to rightwing firebrand Tommy Robinson. Speaking at the sellout Spectator event the MP for North East Somerset said If we try to stay and we stay beyond the European elections there will only be one winner from that and that would be Tommy Robinson. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/02/26/delaying-brexit-risks-surge-right-wing-extremism-warns-jacob/ 26th Feb 2019

Political Setbacks

Evening Standard Even in the past few days she was refusing in public and private to countenance delay. Her insistence that a nodeal departure remained on the table solely as a negotiating tactic to bully her own party has already cost the British economy billions of pounds as businesses move key operations offshore some never to return. It has taken an unprecedented revolt from the sensible wing of her party to force her to stop this madness. Backbenchers like Oliver Letwin and Nick Boles and the Cabinet trio of Amber Rudd Greg Clark and David Gauke deserve the nations thanks https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/evening-standard-comment-at-last-the-ice-melts-as-brexit-positions-collapse-a4076846.html 26th Feb 2019

Trade Deals/Negotiations

Express.co.uk BRITAIN has secured a deal of sort with a body connected to the World Trade Organization WTO and will remain within the its Government Procurement Agreement GPA after it leaves the EU https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1093237/brexit-news-WTO-world-trade-organization-trade-uk-us-relationship 27th Feb 2019

Trade Deals/Negotiations

The Irish Times The crazy guy strategy as it is sometimes called is of little value in the UKs negotiating approach towards the EU. The major flaw is that the no deal button over which Mays finger now deliberately hovers would if triggered rain down its destruction principally not on the EU27 but on the UK itself. For the EU to give any credence to the threat of volatility and irrationality it would have to believe that the UK government is not only completely mad but also colossally stupid. https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/may-using-nixon-s-madman-theory-to-play-chicken-with-brexit-1.3807003 27th Feb 2019