8th Mar 2019 https://nfind.uk/brexit_cliff_edge/index.php/newsletter=20 brexit_cliff_edge

Jobs at Risk

Manchester Evening News Almost three quarters of automotive businesses expect to move part of their UK operations overseas in the next three years according to a study by leading independent law firm Brabners. The new research conducted with senior leaders from across the UKs automotive supply chain found that nine in 10 viewed the EU as the most attractive destination if they were to relocate part or even all of their UK operations. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/business-news/uk-automotive-industry-warns-brexit-15937360 7th Mar 2019

Jobs at Risk

Reuters British employers held off from hiring permanent staff in February adding to signs of growing nerves ahead of Brexit in the countrys otherwise strong labour market a survey of recruiters showed on Friday. Februarys reading was the secondweakest survey reading since the shortly after the Brexit referendum in June 2016 following Januarys slump to 49.7. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-economy-jobs/uk-firms-hold-off-on-permanent-hires-as-brexit-nears-survey-idUKKCN1QP032 8th Mar 2019

Jobs at Risk

Daily Telgraph LK Bennett has become the latest victim of the high street downturn after collapsing into administration putting about 500 jobs at risk. The upmarket fashion retailer which has 41 shops and 480 staff announced last week that it could enter administration unless funding is found to keep it afloat as it struggled with soaring business rates. Five stores Brent Cross and Westbourne Grove in London Meadowhall in Sheffield as well as Bristol and Liverpool will close immediately. Workers at the stores as well as some in head office have been made redundant immediately by ad https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2019/03/07/500-jobs-risk-lk-bennett-goes-administration/?li_source=LI&ampli_medium=li-recommendation-widget 7th Mar 2019

Jobs at Risk

The Telegraph A second consecutive annual loss of more than 200m for Countrywide sent the UKs biggest estate agent sliding to the bottom of Londons market as Brexit angst threatens to derail its turnaround. The company is implementing a back to basics plan to kickstart its recovery but Countrywide revealed that the turnaround has been hampered by a slump in property transactions as Brexit uncertainty bites. The companys shares have been under pressure since last summer when it tapped investors for a 140m lifeline aiming to slash its debt pile. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2019/03/07/market-reportbrexit-woe-hits-home-countrywide/ 7th Mar 2019

Economic Impact

Yahoo! A nodeal Brexit would be a sharp shock increase unemployment and could shrink the Scottish economy by 7 Scotlands top economist warned MSPs. With just three weeks until the UK is due to leave the EU the Scottish Governments chief economic adviser said that they would not be able to mitigate all the damage caused by a nodeal Brexit. Giving evidence about his report into the economic impact if the UK leaves without an agreement in place Dr Gary Gillespie told MSPs the Scottish economy would be between 2.5 and 7 lower compared with remaining. He said Despite the best government mitigation a nodeal would impact a short sharp shock to the economy. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/unemployment-rise-no-deal-brexit-140918899.html 7th Mar 2019

Economic Impact

Confederation of British Industry Less than one month before the UK is set to leave the European Union CBI affiliated firms believe The recent uncertainty around Brexit has negatively affected sales weighted balance of 58 and UK investment 43 Costs have increased significantly 59 as a result of Brexit uncertainty Stockpiling of goods is an everyday business reality 43 with no deal still on the table http://www.cbi.org.uk/news/brexit-stalemate-means-growing-damage-today-and-weaker-economy-tomorrow/ 7th Mar 2019

Economic Impact

The Times Temporary wage subsidies to stop companies laying off staff in a recession are an effective tool against joblessness Bank of England researchers have said in analysis that might feed into the policy response to a nodeal Brexit. On its Bank Underground blog the Bank published a study of shorttime work STW schemes which are used in other European countries to stabilise the economy in a shock. The researchers found that the presence of STW schemes can reduce the fall in employment brought on by a recession. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/subsidy-for-wages-can-protect-jobs-say-bank-researchers-wjdqb0kkr 7th Mar 2019

Economic Impact

The Guardian Its official life in Britain was getting better before the Brexit vote. In the years up to 2016 people in the UK were on average feeling better about their lives enjoying the data also captures a sense of buyers regret about Brexit. Between 2016 and 2018 the increase in the number of people believing that it was a good thing for EU citizens to have the right to work in the UK was higher than any other EU state up by 11 percentage points. Then comes 2018 the proportion of people in the UK disagreeing that the country faced a better future outside the EU increased by six percentage points from spring 2016 to spring 2018. The ONS data reflects a sense of buyers regret about Brexit. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/06/brexit-referendum-brought-uk-feelgood-factor-to-abrupt-halt-says-ons 7th Mar 2019

Economic Impact

The Telegraph Like most Leave voters my position has hardened. I still dont relish the idea of leaving without a deal but Im now for the first time reconciled to doing so. As matters stand a socalled nodeal in reality weve already agreed lots of minideals would be our least bad option. It wouldnt be pretty especially for one or two industries but would probably cost just 12 per cent of GDP. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/03/06/complete-myth-no-deal-brexit-would-cripple-british-economy/ 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

The Guardian British adults life expectancy has been cut by six months in the biggest reduction in official longevity forecasts. The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries which calculates life expectancy on behalf of the UK pension industry declined to speculate on why longevity is deteriorating for men and women in England and Wales. Some analysts however blame austerity and cuts in NHS spending others point to worsening obesity dementia and diabetes. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/07/life-expectancy-slumps-by-five-months 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Financial Times UK organisations such as food banks addiction centres and libraries are to receive public funds to help vulnerable EU nationals apply for settled status to avoid a second Windrush generation losing their legal rights after Brexit. Migration campaigners have been warning that the pressure to register 3.5m EU citizens with new immigration credentials in the next two years could result in mass disenfranchisement especially among the elderly disabled homeless and mentally ill. Those lacking internet access or necessary language skills are also at risk. Immigration officials are working on the basis that as many as 10 to 20 per cent of all EU nationals in the UK could be considered vulnerable and in need of assistance with the process. https://www.ft.com/content/4c3f42c0-401e-11e9-9bee-efab61506f44 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

The Guardian Brexit is a huge help to Irish republicanism and will fuel violent resistance to British rule in Northern Ireland a dissident republican leader has claimed. The UKs departure from the European Union has refocused attention on the border and the colonialist partition of Ireland boosting efforts to politicise a new generation of Irish nationalists Brian Kenna chairman of the political party Saoradh told the Guardian. Brexit has been a small pilot light in reigniting that side of physical force to British occupation he said. Kenna spoke in an interview before three improvised explosive devices were found at separate transport hubs in London on Tuesday. At least two of the packages bore Irish stamps and postmarks. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/06/brexit-is-a-huge-help-to-irish-republicanism-says-dissident-leader 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Sunderland Echo Public sector catering includes schools universities hospitals care homes and prisons and therefore caters for some of the most vulnerable in our society. It is estimated that 10.5 million people in the UK rely on public sector catering for some of their food of which some are completely reliant for all of their meals. Away from all the Brexit arguing are people young and old who will suffer in the event of a No Deal Brexit. https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/politics/no-deal-brexit-will-impact-on-catering-in-schools-hospitals-and-care-homes-sharon-hodgson-mp-1-9632710 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Sky News East Midlands Airport officials are in the dark on whether all cargo will be subject to further checks after Brexit. Extra border force officers are on standby if more checks are required on cargo from the EU after Brexit. About 365000 tonnes of freight passes through the airport every year making it the second largest freight airport in the UK after Heathrow. No one seems to know what will happen after the UK leaves the EU or whether all cargo will be subject to further checks. Were still waiting for government guidance on how that will look Mr Morris says. https://news.sky.com/story/east-midlands-airport-battles-to-keep-cargo-moving-amid-brexit-uncertainty-11656691 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Daily Mail CrossChannel train services are being thrown into chaos again today as militant French trade unions continue a Brexitstyle checking system. Eurostar was reporting cancellations and delays to services from its Paris hub where long queues started to build from 6am. Although nothing has yet changed aggressive questioning and passport checking has begun travellers said. Meanwhile ferry firm DFDS announced on Twitter at 6am that delays had already reached 60 minutes on its Dover to Dunkirk service. One frustrated driver in Calais shared a video online as he drove past parked trucks for more than four minutes in what is believed to be a 15mile tailback. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6781129/Chaos-Channel-train-services-continues-Brexit-protest-better-pay.html 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

BBC Britains departure from the EU could be an opportunity to look afresh at boosting Scotlands agriculture industry a leading expert has said. Prof Wayne Powell principal of Scotlands Rural College said rural economies in places such as New Zealand and Norway were well ahead of Scotland. The main EU subsidy paid to UK farmers is to be phased out after Brexit. Experts have said Scotlands economy could be boosted by 4.5bn with a rural university. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-47480407 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

The Scotsman Brexit was supposed to have been pretty much sorted last year. We were supposed to be entering an orderly transition period towards the end of this month. But its now March and no one is able to say with any certainty what is going to happen next. As MPs flirt with the idea of a nodeal Brexit despite the catastrophic effect this could have on our economy and also relations with the EU they should bear in mind that across Scotland people are literally praying for this crisis to be averted. https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/brexit-will-uk-government-hear-the-prayers-of-scots-leader-comment-1-4885584 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Derby Telegraph Birds is stockpiling a number of ingredients it imports from the European Union as the Brexit deadline looms closer. Staff at the wellknown bakery based in Derby revealed on Sky News that they have started squirrelling away their stash from the continent due to the uncertainly of what will happen come the end of the month. Mike Holling head of retail at the company is calling on the Government to end the uncertainty once and for all. He said Fifty percent of our ingredients comes from the UK and 40 per cent come from outside the country but from the European Union. https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/birds-bakery-begins-stockpiling-brexit-2620288 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

The New European Farmers in Spain are concerned that Britains impending departure from the European Union could have a huge impact on their business. The trade in fresh produce hinges on getting goods to market promptly. By throwing up borders with the 27 countries remaining in the EU Brexit could mean long costly waits for trucks at customs posts. The prospect of UK import tariffs volatile exchange rates and a potentially wounded British economy is also setting off alarm bells among farmers workers and officials on the Mediterranean coast. https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/terrified-produce-growers-in-southern-spain-brace-for-brexit-pain-1-5923284 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

BBC The Irish government is advertising a 4m euro 3.4m contract to recruit vets to carry out animal inspections in the event of a nodeal Brexit. Northern Ireland has already recruited additional vets and says further appointments are planned. It remains unclear whether any checks could take place at the Irish border. But EU law says animal products including livestock have to be inspected at the point they enter the single market. We could see a surge in demand for border checks on animals and animal products says Aurelie Moralis president of the Northern Ireland branch of the British Veterinary Association. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-47359306 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Express.co.uk A top violinist has claimed he is ready to leave the UK due to Brexit claiming he was embarrassed to be associated with the country. Nigel Kennedy lashed out at Brexiteers claiming most of those who voted to leave did not realise the consequences. And he praised calls for a second referendum on the UKs membership of the EU. Speaking to Germany newspaper Die Welt Mr Kennedy said Im embarrassed to be British even though Im half Irish. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1096979/brexit-news-nigel-kennedy-leave-uk 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Nature The UK government is considering creating an international research fund to fill a gap left by the loss of prestigious European Union funding after Brexit. Adrian Smith director of the Alan Turing Institute in London will lead a major project with the research community to look at establishing such a fund UK science minister Chris Skidmore told a parliamentary science committee on 5 March. He said that such a fund if established would be open to international as well as British scientists. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00808-4 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

The Guardian Britain has 5.7m small and mediumsized enterprises defined as businesses with fewer than 250 employees and concerns about a potentially disorderly departure from the EU span many sectors. Theresa Mays deal is due to be put to a parliamentary vote on Tuesday. If the government is defeated MPs will vote on successive days on whether to block a nodeal Brexit and whether to extend the departure date. Meanwhile British SMEs try to plan for an uncertain future. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/07/how-five-smaller-uk-firms-are-preparing-no-deal-brexit-plan-uncertain-future 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Sky News In 2016 nearly 60 of voters in Derby opted to leave the European Union and there is very little evidence since then that Derby regrets that decision. It was divisive. It continues to be divisive. But issues like funding for the NHS council cuts immigration and a feeling of regaining sovereignty are still very strong amongst our readers says Oliver Astley digital content editor of the Derby Telegraph. And whilst in some areas of Britain there is some evidence to suggest a change of heart towards Brexit a recent poll carried out by the newspaper suggested that the result would remain the same if a second referendum was held. https://news.sky.com/story/brexit-why-derby-isnt-changing-its-mind-about-voting-leave-11657237 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

BBC The European Parliament has decided to retain an office in Scotland after Brexit. BBC Scotland understands the parliaments Edinburgh operation will stay open until at least the end of next year. MEPs said it would provide advice to EU citizens living in Scotland and Scottish organisations seeking to maintain EU links. The Scottish government said it hoped the office would become permanent. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-47477629 7th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Vox.com Id never stockpiled anything in my life until the likelihood of a nodeal Brexit loomed. No one knows what will happen if Britain crashes out of the EU in 24 days as of today there is no plan. I laughed at the Y2K preppers stockpiling canned goods and batteries in anticipation of computers failing to cope with the year 2000. But now Im starting to understand on March 29 at 11 am sharp we step off the cliff. https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/3/6/18253260/brexit-prepper-stockpiling-goods-eu 6th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Sky News Millions of UK holidaymakers have been warned they need to renew their passports by tomorrow or face being barred from entering several European countries under a nodeal Brexit. Up to 3.5 million people risk falling foul of rules for entering countries in the Schengen zone such as France Spain and Italy according to consumer group Which. The rules state that visitors from nonEU countries must have at least six months left on their passport before its expiry date on the day of travel. https://news.sky.com/story/brexit-millions-face-friday-deadline-to-renew-passports-in-case-of-no-deal-says-which-11657376?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Slugger O'Toole https://sluggerotoole.com/2019/03/06/panic-in-government-ranks-as-corbyn-opens-talks-with-soft-brexit-tories-about-taking-control-away-from-may-facing-defeat-next-week/comment-page-1/ 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian Jeremy Corbyn has met Conservative former ministers promoting a Norwaystyle Brexit raising the possibility that Labour could join a crossparty majority to force Theresa Mays hand. Former ministers Nick Boles and Oliver Letwin as well as Labour MPs Lucy Powell and Stephen Kinnock met Corbyn after prime ministers questions to discuss their common market 2.0 plan. Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer was not present. A Labour spokesman said they had met to discuss how to achieve a deal that would be good for jobs and could bring leave and remain voters together. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/06/common-market-20-jeremy-corbyn-talks-to-former-tory-ministers 6th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47481872 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/07/uk-should-offer-new-brexit-proposal-french-europe-minister-says 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47481872 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

BBC The PM is seeking legallyenforceable changes to the backstop an insurance policy designed to prevent physical checks on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland but there have been few visible signs of progress. MPs are due to vote for a second time on the Brexit deal next week. If they reject the deal again they will get to choose between leaving without a deal or deferring the UKs exit from the EU beyond the scheduled date of 29 March. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47476942 8th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

BuzzFeed News Tuesdays meeting is described in the note as negative. It states that Cox who is leading the talks for the UK side presented the idea of an arbitration panel that would determine if the two sides were acting in good faith and were being reasonable in their efforts to identify alternative arrangements to the backstop the insurance policy that guarantees that there can be no hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in all circumstances. Cox also proposed the concept of a new mini backstop that would limit the mechanism to only cover elements that relate to border infrastructure. Both ideas were rejected by Barnier. Barnier requested fresh drafting the note read. https://www.buzzfeed.com/albertonardelli/here-are-the-two-new-ideas-geoffrey-cox-has-presented-to 8th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Reuters UK Britains government should of course deny a request for a new referendum on Scottish independence if one is made foreign minister Jeremy Hunt said on Thursday wading into a row about secession fuelled by Brexit. Speaking at the University of Glasgow Hunt said British Prime Minister Theresa May would reject any request by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for a fresh vote on secession something nationalist activists are pushing for because of unhappiness about Brexit. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-scotland/deputy-snp-leader-says-new-scottish-independence-vote-could-happen-without-uk-blessing-idUKKCN1QO1AL 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Reuters Germany and its customs authority are prepared for all Brexit scenarios including Britain crashing out of the European Union without a divorce deal setting out future relations Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said on Thursday. All necessary precautions have been taken Scholz said during a visit to a logistics hub at an airport in the eastern city of Leipzig adding that the government had already agreed to hire 900 additional customs officers. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-germany-scholz/germany-is-prepared-for-all-brexit-scenarios-finance-minister-scholz-idUKKCN1QO1Z5?feedType=RSS&ampfeedName=topNews&amprpc=921 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Local Government Chronicle Senior councillors have voiced concerns that the postBrexit shared prosperity fund will be allocated to local enterprise partnerships LEPs rather than councils. During meetings today of both the Local Government Associations councillors forum and executive some councillors said they had been led to believe by Ministry of Housing Community Local Government officials or their local LEP that the fund would not be distributed through councils. https://www.lgcplus.com/politics/devolution-and-economic-growth/fears-post-brexit-prosperity-fund-could-go-to-leps/7028140.article 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The New European A maximum extension period with it possible for the UK to leave at any point short of its termination is a wholly different proposition. It doesnt matter if May says she definitely doesnt want more than two or three months. The EU response would be Fine if you can agree the present deal by the end of June but since we are not convinced on past form that you can do so we are giving you a longer period too without the need for any further crisis negotiation this year. https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/andrew-adonis-brexit-21-month-extension-1-5923248 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-news-live-updates-no-deal-theresa-may-corbyn-vote-a8811646.html 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Irish Times UK continues to push for changes to Border backstop. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/uk/brexit-eu-rejects-latest-british-proposals-and-says-come-back-tomorrow-1.3817507 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Express.co.uk Cabinet ministers Geoffrey Cox and Stephen Barclay returned from Brussels yesterday without any sign of a breakthrough in the wrangle after EU chief negotiator as Michel Barnier rebuffed their demands for changes to the socalled backstop measures. Their failure to make progress left Theresa May facing a fresh crushing Commons defeat over her Withdrawal Agreement at Westminster next Tuesday. While EU and UK officials were continued the talks angry Brexiteer MPs blamed the hardline Tory Remainers pressing the Prime Minister to rule out a nodeal departure for the impasse. https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1096611/brexit-news-latest-theresa-may-deal-latest-ERG-jacob-rees-mogg-no-deal-eu 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Express.co.uk Two problems will arise when Attorney General Geoffrey Cox brings a Brexit deal back to the House of Commons predicts Mark Francois. The Brexiteer MP pointed out the Attorney General will not be able to give a legal opinion on the agreement as he is involved in the negotiations and secondly Theresa May has not secured a clear mandate on replacing the Brexit backstop. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1096672/brexit-news-latest-theresa-may-deal-vote-parliament-vote-date-geoffrey-cox-today-uk-eu 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Telegraph Polands UK ambassador Arkady Rzegocki writes for readers of the Daily Telegraph. He argues that Brexit is not going to impact on the UKPolish relationship an desire to work together which has remained strong over time https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/03/07/britain-polands-relationship-will-continue-thrive-brexit/ 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian May will breathe a sigh of relief if her deal manages to squeak over the line on Tuesday but not for long. She will probably still have to obtain a short technical extension of article 50 from Brussels to pass the legislation that needs to be in place for Brexit Day. At that point having achieved a departure from the EU that pleases neither Brexiters nor remainers she would have to decide whether to try to limp on as prime minister or announce a timetable for standing down to avoid being pushed out by her party. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/07/what-happens-if-mays-brexit-deal-is-voted-down-and-if-it-passes 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Financial Times Theresa May is making contingency plans for a crushing defeat of her Brexit deal next week amid fears in Downing Street that her authority will be swept away in a series of humiliating Commons reverses. Mrs May is expected to make a dash to Brussels on Sunday or even at dawn on Monday as she tries to extract lastminute concessions from the EU that might turn parliamentary opinion in favour of her Brexit deal. https://www.ft.com/content/cc519ab0-40f7-11e9-b896-fe36ec32aece 7th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Financial Times In a sharp illustration of tensions within the Scottish party Mr Leonards predecessor as Scottish party leader this week accused him of censoring antiBrexit opponents. In a leaked letter Kezia Dugdale formally complained to Mr Leonard about wholly inappropriate changes to a statement by departing Scottish Labour members of the European Parliament that was published in the official conference guide. https://www.ft.com/content/8d146afa-40d2-11e9-b896-fe36ec32aece 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The Guardian Geoffrey Cox said unless the Irish backstop could be shown to be a temporary arrangement it risked breaching protocol 1 article 3 of the Human Rights Convention which protects the rights of people to vote in order to choose their legislature. In what appeared to be a curve ball Cox told the EU that Northern Irish citizens would be unrepresented in the EUs decisionmaking institutions including the European parliament thereby diminishing their rights. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/07/attorney-general-geoffrey-cox-rejects-eu-brexit-deadlock-complaints 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The Irish Times The poll finds that Northern voters are deeply dissatisfied with the management of Brexit by the UK government and most significantly with the Democratic Unionist Party with more than threequarters of all voters saying they are dissatisfied with the UK government. Twothirds of all voters 67 per cent say the DUP is doing a bad job of representing Northern Ireland at Westminster while 69 per cent of people including 57 per cent of those from a Protestant background are dissatisfied with DUP leader Arlene Foster. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/irish-times-poll-majority-in-north-unhappy-with-handling-of-brexit-by-may-and-dup-1.3818264 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The Independent Sources close to the Labour leadership confirmed that the party is not advocating a referendum on anything other than a damaging Tory Brexit and will not support one if Britain leaves the EU on terms that Labour backs. The Independent has learnt that the issue was the subject of a row between Mr Corbyns shadow ministers that pitted Keir Starmer and Emily Thornberry against Brexitbacking frontbenchers led by Jon Trickett. As it dawned on Labour Remainers today a prominent MP who backs the Peoples Vote campaign warned that a failure of the party to follow through on the pledge to back a new referendum would be seen as a betrayal. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-brexit-eu-referendum-members-deal-jeremy-corbyn-theresa-may-a8813041.html 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The New European Led By Donkeys together with For our Futures Sake today hired the exact same van used by Farage to launch his referendum poster showing a queue of mostly nonwhite migrants and refugees with the slogan Breaking point the EU has failed us all and drove it to Westminsters Smith Square the same place he launched it. But they gave it a redesign replacing the migrants with Brexiteers such as Boris Johnson Liam Fox David Davis and Farage himself and tagging it The UK is being swamped by a tide of incompetents. The campaigners said By taking the exact same ad van that Nigel Farage used to launch his vile poster in 2016 and replacing it with our own version we hope to go a little way towards cleansing our country of that noxious moment. https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/poster-showing-the-real-threats-to-the-country-1-5924466 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The Scotsman Brexit should be delayed for up to a year to prevent an impending national disaster and allow proper consideration of the UKs future relationship with Brussels Gordon Brown said. The former prime minister said an extension to Article 50 was inescapable to avoid chaos on the scheduled March 29 departure date from the European Union. He said that extending the period by 12 months would allow MPs to listen to the public through a citizens consultation on the detail of current Brexit proposals and the alternative options. https://www.scotsman.com/news/delay-brexit-for-year-to-prevent-impending-national-disaster-urges-gordon-brown-1-4885625 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Financial Times The prime ministers team fears another defeat on Wednesday when MPs are likely to vote on whether to allow Britain to leave without a deal an option Mrs May says the UK should retain for negotiating purposes. A third vote could take place on Thursday next week on whether to extend the Article 50 exit process from the EU. Mrs Mays team says that the votes on delay and nodeal could be held backtoback on Wednesday to avoid a cascade of humiliations for Mrs May through the week even if there would no disguising the scale of the defeat. https://www.ft.com/content/cc519ab0-40f7-11e9-b896-fe36ec32aece 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Portsmouth News Former Brexit minister Suella Braverman has insisted the citys port will function just as effectively after Britain leaves the European Union. Hampshires local resilience forum has drawn up contingency plans for a nodeal Brexit including preparing land and a triage system near the port at Tipner West. Planners fear any delay at the border would lead to the backingup of lorries on the M275 rapidly spreading to the M27 within minutes. https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/politics/former-brexit-minister-suella-braverman-insists-portsmouth-port-will-work-just-as-effectively-after-britain-leaves-european-union-1-8838514 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The Independent Theresa May has been urged by more than a dozen major charities to safeguard food supplies for vulnerable people in the event of a nodeal Brexit. The Trussell Trust Church Action on Poverty and FareShare were among 15 organisations to write to the prime minister calling for a hardship fund which would be used to help those worst hit if Britain crashes out of the European Union without a deal. They warned that services like meals on wheels and free school dinners as well as supplies to food banks homeless hostels and refuges could be adversely hit if food prices increase. These services feed millions of people every day. Children the elderly hospital patients and lowincome families could all be affected the charities said. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-no-deal-theresa-may-food-shortage-supply-poverty-a8811836.html 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The New European Arron Banks is not letting a National Crime Agency investigation dampen his ardour for Better for the Country. New accounts just in at Companies House reveal that Banks has continued to bankroll the controversial outfit with 2 million in loans but for all his largesse its now 3.3m in the red. The multimillionpound admin expenses were reported in the 2017 accounts for Better for the Country at at 611184 for 2017 plus 12.4m for 2016. There are no new figures for Leave EU which was 6.17m in the red at September 30 2017. Officially the NCA investigation concerns the entities Better for the Country and Leave.EU as well as Banks Elizabeth Bilney and other individuals. https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/mandrake-diary-on-arron-banks-s-brexit-campaign-1-5923731 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The Atlantic If the U.K. exits the EU warrant system it will have to stand up its ownand if that new system does not pass muster with EU courts Irish police might not be allowed to extradite wanted criminals. The harder border will militarize. Over the past three days as Ive had many conversations with Irish politicians and officials both with those still serving and even more with those who are retired the word that recurred most often in discussions of Brexit was betrayal. They imagined that they had at last awoken from Joyces nightmare. Now it has returned scarier than ever. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/03/brexit-could-reawaken-northern-irelands-troubles/584338/ 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The Guardian Brexit is a huge help to Irish republicanism and will fuel violent resistance to British rule in Northern Ireland a dissident republican leader has claimed. The UKs departure from the European Union has refocused attention on the border and the colonialist partition of Ireland boosting efforts to politicise a new generation of Irish nationalists Brian Kenna chairman of the political party Saoradh told the Guardian. Brexit has been a small pilot light in reigniting that side of physical force to British occupation he said. Kenna spoke in an interview before three improvised explosive devices were found at separate transport hubs in London on Tuesday. At least two of the packages bore Irish stamps and postmarks. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/06/brexit-is-a-huge-help-to-irish-republicanism-says-dissident-leader 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The Irish Times The tortuous talks on Brexit which are now entering a critical stage contain uncanny echoes of the events of a century ago that reshaped the continent of Europe. One of the threads that links past and present is the Irish Border which had its origins in the great political controversy over Home Rule that dominated politics in Ireland and Britain on the eve of the first World War. Back in the summer of 1914 in an effort to avert a political crisis that threatened to unleash a civil war across the United Kingdom King George V convened a conference of British and Irish political leaders at Buckingham Palace. One of the big issues was whether some counties of Ulster should be excluded on a temporary basis from the remit of an Irish parliament and if so which ones. https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/brexit-talks-contain-uncanny-echoes-of-events-a-century-ago-1.3816641 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Daily Mirror Up to 200 active members have signed up to Republican terror groups amid anger over Brexit a source has claimed https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/new-ira-has-recruited-dozens-14093143 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-news-philip-rycroft-retire-theresa-may-olly-robbins-a8812166.html 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Politics Home ProEU campaigners have blasted the Government after it emerged the top civil servant in the Brexit department will quit the day the UK leaves the EU. Philip Rycroft will retire as permanent secretary at the Department for Exiting the European Union on 29 March after just over a year in the role. It means the office will soon be on its third boss in less than three years after former permanent secretary Olly Robins was moved to the Cabinet Office in 2018. Labour MP and Peoples Vote campaigner Jo Stevens said the personnel moves at the top of the department were a reflection of the whole Brexit process shambolic and doomed to fail. https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/foreign-affairs/brexit/news/102350/government-chaos%E2%80%99-brexit-department-boss-quit-eu 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

BBC Facebook has removed more than 130 accounts pages and groups it says were part of a UKbased misinformation network. The company said it was the first time it had taken down a UKbased group targeting messages at British citizens. The same group set up pages posing both as farright outlets and antifascist activists. Facebook said it had shared its discovery with law enforcement and the government. The group was able to gain followers by setting up innocentlooking pages and groups. It later renamed them and started posting politicallymotivated content. MP Damian Collins who chairs a committee investigating fake news said it was the tip of the iceberg. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-47482145 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The Telegraph The pressure on proBrexit opponents of Mays deal continues. This morning Chancellor Philip Hammond threatened that if Parliament does not pass Mays deal the UK will not leave on March 29th as scheduled and the delay will be used by opponents of Brexit to achieve a much softer postBrexit deal. This argument is confused and unconvincing. It is confused in that the main objections to Mays deal are not how soft a Brexit it implies. The main objections are that it makes the EU not the UK sovereign over the key economic laws of Ireland in violation of the Belfast Agreement and that it involves paying 40bn we dont owe the EU for nothing in return https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/03/07/political-plot-engineer-soft-brexit-doomed-fail-spectacularly/?li_source=LI&ampli_medium=li-recommendation-widget 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Financial Times Freeenterprise Brexiters railing against supposedly excessive EU red tape have never understood the relationship between common rules and open markets. Liberalising trade across national frontiers requires shared standards to ensure a level playing field. The single market has had great success in promoting trade because the EU has been able to harmonise the rules. They are wrong. The simple fact is that in todays global economy rulemaking is the property of the most powerful players. If you are one of the worlds biggest importers you can insist others meet your standards. Likewise if you have a serious grip on a particular industry you can set sectorwide norms. The EU the US and to varying degrees China Japan and India all fit this bill. Britain is not big enough. Within the EU it has been at once a rulemaker and a ruletaker. Outside its only real choice will be between whether it should accept rules from Brussels or elsewhere. https://www.ft.com/content/67701b76-4007-11e9-9bee-efab61506f44?__twitter_impression=true 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Indy100 There are no two ways about it James OBrien has an excellent skill for cutting through obfuscating Brexiteers arguments and getting to the truth of the matter. Now the longsuffering Remainer and LBC radio host has turned his ire on politicians historical claims about Brexit and proved them to be complete and utter hogwash. With only 23 days to go before Brexit and no deal with the EU in sight his frustration at the situation is getting more and more palpable as he tears those responsible for this shambles to shreds. https://www.indy100.com/article/james-obrien-lbc-brexit-promises-theresa-may-jacob-rees-mogg-boris-johnson-leave-8810116 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Financial Times Few of the 17.4 million who voted Leave in 2016 ever wanted any of that. Most of them come from a different place than Boris Johnson or Jacob ReesMogg. Ive tried to understand Leave voters partly by going through surveys with help from Matthew Goodwin of the University of Kent. Ive also consulted my private hotline to a subcategory of Leavers several hundred FT readers who have emailed me since 2016 in response to my outoftouch elitist Remoaning. The vast majority of Leave voters know what they voted for still believe it and are unmoved by the latest Remainer arguments. Thats because the threeyear dialogue of the deaf between the two Britains continues Remainers talk economics while most Leavers talk culture. https://www.ft.com/content/ebaeebcc-3f9b-11e9-9bee-efab61506f44?segmentId=080b04f5-af92-ae6f-0513-095d44fb3577 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

@JolyonMaugham Before elevating Cummings to sainthood remember he made the tactical choice to allow Brexit to mean different things to different people. That was the only way he could get a mandate. There was no way then and is no way now to resolve the contradictions. Thats the problem. https://twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1103296914693541888 7th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

QZ.com The UK is in a Brexit dead end and Mays deal satisfies no one. I dont see any way out other than allowing voters the final say https://share.qz.com/news/2316845?ref=user_370630&ampu=r83ohb&ampfrom=twitter 6th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The Telegraph Theresa Mays Cabinet is resigned to her Brexit deal being defeated by up to 100 votes next week after talks in Brussels collapsed without progress on Wednesday. Downing Street is already making plans for a third meaningful vote on the deal on the assumption that Tuesdays vote is lost and Mrs May is considering making a major speech on Friday to plead for support from MPs. One minister said it appeared certain that the Commons vote on the Brexit deal will be lost and that Mrs Mays next move would depend on the scale of the defeat. Meanwhile the Chief Whip Julian Smith has warned MPs their Easter break could be cancelled if Brexit is delayed https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/03/06/brexit-deal-will-defeated-100-votes-ministers-believe-talks/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_tw 6th Mar 2019

Trade Deals/Negotiations

Financial Times Fewer than half of Britains deals with nonEU countries will have been rolled over by the countrys scheduled date of departure from the European bloc the UK government has said. The Department of Exiting the European Union said that it had identified 161 agreements with nonEU countries including trade and aviation deals that would need to be updated after Brexit. Of those 64 are certain or highly likely to be replicated by March 29 or shortly after 64 may or may not be and 33 definitely wont be. https://www.ft.com/content/3da34950-40ff-11e9-b896-fe36ec32aece 7th Mar 2019

Trade Deals/Negotiations

The Guardian Brexit secretary confirms only 43 of 161 agreements seen as essential have been rolled over https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/07/most-treaties-not-ready-for-uk-being-outside-eu-admits-brexit-minister 7th Mar 2019

Trade Deals/Negotiations

Financial Times Turkey and the UK have a strong political relationship and have spent the three years since the Brexit vote informally discussing the outline of a future free trade agreement. But Theresa Mays government made clear last month that an AnkaraLondon deal would not be in place in time for Britains scheduled exit date of March 29. Turkeys status as a customs union partner but a nonEU state means that its hands are tied until the EU has itself struck a deal with the UK experts said. https://www.ft.com/content/1db2bcf4-3eaf-11e9-b896-fe36ec32aece 7th Mar 2019

Trade Deals/Negotiations

BBC As Britain prepares to leave the European Union workers in Kenyas flower industry are closely monitoring developments. Flowers are big business in Kenya and earnings from exports have doubled in the past five years. A key export destination is the UK which most of the flowers enter after being auctioned in the Netherlands. Growers and exporters in Kenya are asking the same question what impact will Brexit have on the flower trade https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-47400859 7th Mar 2019