12th Mar 2019 https://nfind.uk/brexit_cliff_edge/index.php/newsletter=22 brexit_cliff_edge

Jobs at Risk

Financial Times https://www.ft.com/content/19543d8e-43e8-11e9-a965-23d669740bfb 11th Mar 2019

Jobs at Risk

The Guardian A nodeal Brexit would cost Japanese carmakers in Britain more than 1bn a year if 10 tariffs were imposed on trade between the UK and EU new analysis from Moodys indicates https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/mar/11/no-deal-brexit-could-cost-japanese-auto-makers-in-uk-1bn-a-year 11th Mar 2019

Jobs at Risk

The Telegraph Banks asset managers and insurers have already moved nearly 1 trillion of assets out of the UK and to other European countries ahead of Brexit with more likely to be shifted in coming months according to new research. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2019/03/11/new-research-lays-bare-900bn-city-brexodus/ 11th Mar 2019

Jobs at Risk

Business Insider Up to 1000 companies in the UK vehicle repair industry could collapse within two weeks of a nodeal Brexit with many more forced to close within a month according to leaked minutes from a meeting of leading industry figures seen by Business Insider. The UK vehicle crash repair industry which is comprised of around 3000 companies and employs an estimated 35000 people nationwide relies heavily on car parts imported through just in time supply chains. Repairers need to complete jobs quickly not just to keep their cashflow going but also to ensure they have enough courtesy cars for customers. Repairers effectively work to a one repair in one completed repair out system. https://www.businessinsider.com/vehicle-repair-companies-could-collapse-after-a-no-deal-brexit-2019-3?r=US&ampIR=T 11th Mar 2019

Economic Impact

Financial Times A disorderly Brexit could hit crude oil demand the International Energy Agency said marking the first warning from the body about how the UKs exit from the EU could reverberate across global energy markets. Consumption of oil depends on the strength of the world economy and the IEA said uncertainty stemming from trade spats as well as concerns about an ill managed Brexit were major factors dictating consumption patterns. Ongoing trade disputes between major powers and a disorderly Brexit could lead to a reduction in the rate of growth of international trade and oil demand the Parisbased intergovernmental organisation said on Monday. https://www.ft.com/content/00aabf38-43cf-11e9-a965-23d669740bfb 11th Mar 2019

Economic Impact

Financial Times Companies capital spending fell for four successive quarters last year the longest period of decline outside of a recession since 2003. Bank of Englands Mr Haskel said that whatever the final trade deal between the UK and the EU business investment was likely to be lower with the BoE forecasting that every form of Brexit will lead to lower economic growth. The longerterm question is whether business investment will eventually bounce back after Brexit uncertainty is resolved...At least for the next few years the prospect of low investment seems possible he said in a speech at Birmingham university. https://www.ft.com/content/24836ad8-43ff-11e9-a965-23d669740bfb 11th Mar 2019

Economic Impact

BBC The Financial Conduct Authority has plans in place for a financial war room to take action in the event of a nodeal Brexit. The war room will keep a close eye on the IT changes that will be required over the weekend following 29 March. It is understood that the regulator will keep in close contact with leading City firms to watch for potential disruption in the financial markets. The FCA will also liaise closely with Whitehall and Threadneedle Street. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47531355 11th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Daily Mail Medicines and raw materials to keep power stations going will have the top priority for space on crossChannel ferries if there is a nodeal Brexit ahead of food supplies the Government has revealed. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6796317/Medicines-power-station-supplies-priority-no-deal-Brexit-ferries-ahead-FOOD.html 11th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

The Guardian Airlines not majorityowned by EU nationals or companies risk losing ability to fly within bloc. So...British citizens who own shares in Ryanair will be barred from buying more stock voting on company resolutions or attending annual shareholder meetings if a nodeal Brexit goes ahead the Dublinbased carrier said on Monday. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/mar/11/no-deal-brexit-ryanair-to-ban-uk-citizens-from-buying-more-shares?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Tweet 11th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

CBC News A socalled meaningful vote in Parliament due Tuesday evening could help determine the fate of Theresa Mays Brexit deal and so too the fate of millions of British lambs being born right now. At the heart of the issue is a nodeal Brexit scenario that could put the brakes on the export of prized British lamb. As Brexit and lambing season converge an industry threatens to unravel in a costly unpalatable mess. About 20 million lambs are born in the U.K. every year. Theres way more domestic lamb than Brits actually consume so well over a third is exported and a full 90 per cent of those exports go to the European Union. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/absolutely-devastating-british-lamb-farmers-fear-impact-of-no-deal-brexit-1.5051205 12th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

iNews A nodeal Brexit could leave the UK vulnerable to food fraud as a result of suppliers cutting corners in an attempt to offset rising prices industry experts believe. One of the most highprofile instances of food fraud was the 2013 horsemeat scandal when it emerged multiple supermarkets were selling processed beef products that contained horsemeat. https://inews.co.uk/news/brexit/no-deal-brexit-food-fraud-another-horsemeat-scandal/ 11th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Express.co.uk Brexit sparked panic among British passport holders who flocked to renew their document on the website only to be met with an error message onscreen. The UK Passport offices official site crashed at the weekend as worried travellers sought to make sure theirs was fit for travel. Last month Express.co.uk reported how millions could potentially be rendered invalid in light of a no deal Brexit. Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit divorce deal will face a meaningful vote ahead of March 29 with further crucial House of Commons votes on the UKs departure from the EU due this week. https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/1098659/brexit-news-latest-uk-passport-office-website-crash-no-deal 11th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

BBC The BBC discuss 10 possible ways in which people might be affected by a No Deal Brexit https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47470864 11th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

The Guardian Billions of eggs produced by hens kept in battery cages could be back on the UK menu in the event of a nodeal Brexit unless the government acts to protect consumers the industry will warn this week. The British Egg Industry Council BEIC and the welfare group Compassion in World Farming CIWF have joined forces to seek assurances from ministers that consumers will not be exposed to eggs or egg products from nonEU countries such as the US Ukraine India and Argentina where animal welfare standards are significantly lower. https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/mar/10/brexit-egg-imports-return-welfare-farming-industry 11th Mar 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Edinburgh News We are also only a couple of weeks away from Brexit day. Due to the inept Conservative government we dont know even now after two years of dithering and procrastination whether we will leave with the awful deal negotiated by Mrs May a no deal which would damage Edinburgh significantly or a delayed deal. Why does this matter The business case for the new tram line relies on income from passengers. Those figures could change dramatically if numbers of passengers at Edinburgh Airport fall as a result of a no deal Brexit for example. The case also relies on a special dividend from our excellent Lothian bus company. https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinion/brexit-could-spell-disaster-for-edinburgh-tram-extension-robert-aldridge-1-4886204 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/03/11/brexit-latest-news-theresa-may-facing-threat-leadership-commons/ 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Belfast Telegraph https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/theresa-may-secures-legallybinding-changes-to-brexit-withdrawal-agreement-37903146.html 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

ITV News https://www.itv.com/news/2019-03-11/legally-binding-changes-to-brexit-deal-after-theresa-mays-dash-to-strasbourg/ 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Financial Times https://www.ft.com/content/16f3d25a-444e-11e9-b168-96a37d002cd3 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Daily Record https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/brexit-breakthrough-tories-claim-legally-14121212 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Politico https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-government-announces-legal-brexit-assurances/ 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

LBC https://www.lbc.co.uk/hot-topics/brexit/theresa-may-legally-binding-changes-brexit-deal/ 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

BBC The prime minister has secured legally binding changes to her Brexit deal a day ahead of MPs voting on it says the Cabinet Office minister. David Lidington said the changes will mean the EU cannot try to trap the UK in the Irish backstop indefinitely. But he said further negotiations are taking place as the PM is still meeting EU officials in Strasbourg. Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer questioned whether any changes had been made to the withdrawal agreement. Replying to Mr Lidingtons statement in the Commons he said People will be disappointed when they look at the detail. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47533164?ns_linkname=news_central&ampns_campaign=bbc_politics&ampns_source=twitter&ampns_mchannel=social 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Sun At a joint press conference with Mr Juncker she said a joint instrument with comparable legal weight to the Withdrawal Agreement will guarantee that the EU cannot act with the intent of applying the backstop indefinitely. And if they do it can be challenged through arbitration and if they are found to be in breach the UK can suspend the backstop. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/brexit/8608650/brexit-deal-vote-house-of-commons-theresa-may/ 12th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Reuters European Commission head JeanClaude Juncker said on Monday he agreed an updated Brexit deal with British Prime Minister Theresa May to make the agreement more palatable to MPs but warned they would not get a third chance to endorse it. There will be no third chance. There will be no further interpretations of the interpretations no further assurances of the reassurances if the meaningful vote tomorrow fails Juncker said. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-eal-juncker/eus-juncker-says-agrees-last-chance-brexit-package-update-with-uk-idUKKBN1QS2T0?feedType=RSS&ampfeedName=domesticNews 12th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian Theresa May has made an 11thhour dash to meet EU leaders in Strasbourg as the government insisted the meaningful vote on her Brexit deal would go ahead on Tuesday as planned. May was greeted in Strasbourg by JeanClaude Juncker and Michel Barnier as she arrived in pursuit of a Brexit compromise late on Monday after a phone call with the European commission president earlier in the day. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/11/brexit-meaningful-vote-will-go-ahead-theresa-may-says 12th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Independent Theresa May will fly to Strasbourg this evening to try to salvage her Brexit deal ahead of a vote in the Commons tomorrow the Irish government says. But Simon Coveney the deputy prime minister played down any talk of a breakthrough saying Ms May would try to finalise an agreement if thats possible. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-news-latest-theresa-may-vote-strasbourg-eu-negotiations-a8817666.html 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The National Scottish voters would rather have independence than any kind of Brexit a new poll has revealed. The Panelbase survey carried out for the Wings Over Scotland blog also indicated that support for staying in the EU has skyrocketed to 66 up from the 62 who backed remaining in 2016s vote. When given a straight choice between Scottish independence and a nodeal Brexit voters chose independence 52 to 48. https://www.thenational.scot/news/17492233.poll-reveals-scots-ready-to-back-independence-over-any-type-of-brexit/ 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Spectator There are mutterings that the Donald TuskJeanClaude Juncker letters to the UK delegation of early January could be turned into some kind of legal basis for a declaration on the Irish backstop that may win the support of Theresa Mays eurosceptic MPs https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2019/03/there-may-be-a-brexit-breakthrough-on-the-backstop/ 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The National The health and social care system will face damaging and lasting consequences if the UK Government does not rule out a nodeal Brexit it has been claimed. Scotlands Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick also described the lack of guarantees over medical supplies in the event of a nodeal as completely unacceptable. https://www.thenational.scot/news/17490604.joe-fitzpatrick-brexit-medical-supply-fears-are-unacceptable/ 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/11/unions-attack-mays-brexit-pledge-on-workers-rights 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Politics Home Theresa Mays halfhearted promise to protect workers rights after Brexit cannot be enforced Labour MPs have been warned. The scathing verdict comes in a legal opinion sent to all Labour MPs by two trade unions ahead of Tuesdays crunch Commons vote on the Prime Ministers Brexit deal. In a bid to win Labour backing for her embattled agreement Mrs May last week unveiled a string of pledges designed to protect workers rights after Britain leaves the EU. https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/news/102416/labour-mps-warned-theresa-mays-worker-rights-vow 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Express.co.uk If this cannot be achieved then the default position is that the UK leaves without a deal. Some MPs say that they could never agree to this but many of them voted for the Article 50 Act that sets out the timetable and then stood on a Conservative manifesto which stated clearly that no deal is better than a bad deal. If such people were to use Parliamentary prestidigitation to delay in the hope of preventing Brexit the honour and trustworthiness of politicians would fall to a new low. https://www.express.co.uk/comment/expresscomment/1098146/brexit-negotiations-withdrawal-agreement-jacob-rees-mogg 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

BBC The prime minister will try again this week to get her plans for Brexit through parliament. The clock is ticking to 29 March when the UK is due to officially leave the EU but if MPs vote against the deal there could still be a last minute twist as political correspondent Jonathan Blake explains. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-47485289/big-brexit-moment-will-mps-back-or-bin-the-pm-s-deal 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

ITV News One of their number told me that even if a proper Brexiter became PM in short order and they are by no means confident of that they simply dont see how they would ever get out of the backstop short of reneging on the Withdrawal Agreement after it has been ratified. We are not in the business of ripping up international treaties he said. Weve thought about it but it is not a good look for this country. So burying the backstop is all that matters to them. https://www.itv.com/news/2019-03-11/why-the-pms-brexit-would-not-be-saved-by-her-martyrdom/ 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Financial Times Scottish Labour has formally backed calls for a second referendum on Brexit but echoing the UK leadership done little to reassure Remainers that the party is ready to mount a serious push for such a vote. Ahead of a crucial week of Westminster votes on Brexit Scottish Labour leaders used their spring conference to focus attention more on longterm socialist policy proposals such as a new wealth tax and free bus travel. https://www.ft.com/content/a3c6ff1a-4334-11e9-b168-96a37d002cd3 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

Reuters Reuters detailed the exact wording of the Parliamentary motion that lawmakers will vote upon in deciding whether to support or oppose Theresa Mays Brexit deal https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-motion/brexit-motion-to-be-voted-on-by-parliament-on-tuesday-idUKKBN1QS2UD?feedType=RSS&ampfeedName=domesticNews 11th Mar 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Independent Ahead of a Commons showdown on Ms Mays Brexit deal top QC Aidan ONeill has drafted a damning assessment of the prime ministers proposals to protect workers rights which were unveiled last week in an attempt to win over Labour MPs. The EU law expert who was commissioned by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain IWGB and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association TSSA argued that Ms Mays offer provides no guarantee that future EU standards will be matched when the UK leaves the bloc. In a 47page dossier sent to all Labour MPs Mr ONeill warned that future parliaments could rip up Ms Mays pledges and even if parliament did implement all new EU standards workers could still lose out on key protections under EU laws. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/may-offer-workers-rights-labour-a8817611.html 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Open Democracy The UK Information Commissioner rules that Brexit department must release names of European Research Group MPs following an openDemocracy Freedom of Information appeal. The names and parliament email addresses of the MPs MEPs and Lords redacted from the emails disclosed should be provided the ICO ruled. The ICO added that ERG members names are constantly placed in the public domain and they frequently use publicly accessible Twitter accounts to provide their views. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/government-ordered-to-end-secrecy-over-jacob-rees-moggs-hard-brexit-erg-lobby-group/ 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Daily Mirror Officials have been accused of trying to cover up the cost of Boris Johnsons trip to Afghanistan the day of a controversial vote. The former foreign secretary blew more than 20000 of taxpayers cash on a visit to Kabul which allowed him to miss a crunch vote on Heathrow expansion in June last year. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/officials-accused-cover-up-over-14119585 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Evening Standard . https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/activist-behind-probrexit-movie-faces-prison-after-admitting-to-fraud-a4087981.html 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Court News UK The producer of Brexit The Movie is facing jail after admitting he faked his earnings to secure a half a million pound investment for a business venture. Tory activist David Shipley 36 convinced Resourcing Capital Ventures he could begin his own financial recruitment company after photoshopping wage receipts for business presentations. The corporate finance executive admitted a single count of fraud by false representation at Southwark Crown Court. Shipley used the fake invoices to secure 519000 for his corporate finance http://courtnewsuk.co.uk/brexit-movie-producer-admits-500000-scam/ 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Evening Standard Nigel Farage urged Donald Trump to back a nodeal Brexit when they met in Washington earlier this month. Former Ukip leader Mr Farage told the US leader to support the idea that Britain should walk away if a bad agreement was on offer. President Trump and Mr Farage became friends during his campaign when the former Ukip leader dubbed Mr Brexit was greeted at a rally in Mississippi before the 2016 election. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/nigel-farage-met-donald-trump-and-urged-him-to-back-nodeal-deal-brexit-a4088886.html 12th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

BuzzFeed News In revelations that cast fresh doubt on Tory Party boss Brandon Lewis claim to have a zero tolerance policy on Islamophobia the leaked emails show he was first made aware of the allegation in September 2018 but neither he nor the partys complaints unit responded despite repeated requests for answers. When Theresa May was informed in January this year that the two association chairs had resigned saying their complaints had been ignored she asked her senior adviser David Beckingham to respond. In his letter to Jagota he apologised and said he had obtained assurances from CCHQ the complaint was being investigated the leaked correspondence shows. https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexwickham/number-10-apology-conservative-hq-islamophobia 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Huffington Post Theres been no plan B no flexibility on red lines no reaching out the Prime Minister should focus on getting agreement on what kind of Brexit people want to see https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/yvette-cooper-brexit_uk_5c865861e4b08d5b7863b762 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

BuzzFeed News BuzzFeed News has learned that under a proposal drawn up by Mays team and discussed with MPs and ministers over the last 48 hours the government could publish a unilateral statement saying it would consider it bad faith on the part of the EU for the UK to be kept in the backstop for more than a period of up to five years. And that is what will be sold as the guarantee that the EU will not control the matter to opponents https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexwickham/brexit-unilateral-statement-backstop?utm_source=dynamic&amputm_campaign=bfsharetwitter 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The National It is just 15 months since Richard Leonard took over the leadership of Scottish Labour. While his claim that the party was back on the road to power seemed pretty farfetched to most people myself included I expected that they would recover at least some of the ground lost under Jim Murphy and Kezia Dugdale. After all how could things possibly get worse But get worse they did. And if the Wings Over ScotlandPanelbase poll released last week is accurate Labour is now on course for its worst General Election result since 1910 before the introduction of universal male suffrage. That surely explains the air of desperation about Richard Leonards evermore extravagant promises. https://www.thenational.scot/news/17490571.labour-disaster-poll-also-brings-a-warning-for-the-snp/?ref=mr&amplp=2 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Buzzfeed News An investigation revealed Britains Future is Britains biggest political spender of Facebook advertising purchasing more than 350000 of ads targeting users to contact their MPs. On Monday morning Facebooks ad archive showed Britains Future was not currently advertising on the platform. But hours later the group had 43 new ads targeting Facebook users displayed on the platforms ad archive tool. Its unclear whether the group stopped its advertising campaign as part of a scheduled or strategic decision or whether this came as a result of recent media coverage of the group. https://www.buzzfeed.com/markdistefano/britains-future-facebook-ad-campaign 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

@Channel4News Theresa May has allowed hardliners in the ERG group to hijack the government and hijack the country. Labours Yvette Cooper says that instead of reaching out Theresa May has allowed Conservative Eurosceptics to set the Brexit agenda. https://twitter.com/Channel4News/status/1105158575532503040 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Politics.co.uk The deal hasnt just gone down badly because it will genuinely hurt future generations. Leavers hate it because its the first time an actual picture has been painted from the referendum result. And when all of the lies and rhetoric and misinformation are scrubbed away whats left is bleak expensive and nothing like what was advertised. Ever since the question was decided the UK has fallen victim to a debate between fantasy and reality. And as long as the government is allowed to pursue this blank cheque Brexit whose terms are utterly divorced from what was on the ballot paper we continue to risk monumental harm. http://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2019/03/11/doublethink-how-brexit-arguments-lost-all-meaning 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Reuters UK Prime Minister Theresa May agreed a withdrawal treaty last year under which Britain would pay the European Union close to 50 billion euros 43.4 billion pounds over the coming years to meet commitments made while a member. But the British parliament has rejected the deal and the treaty will be void if nothing changes by March 29. In the event of a nodeal exit likely to cause economic disruption the EU would insist on Britain committing to settle those bills a significant part of the EU budget before any resumption of talks on how to manage future trading relations. Imagine all the bad blood and acrimony should we end up with a nodeal after two years of negotiations an envoy who follows Brexit for one EU member state told Reuters. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-condition/eu-eyes-cash-demands-as-brexit-talks-turn-sour-idUKKBN1QS1B1 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The Irish Times Mr Varadkar told reporters. Were two and half years if not three years since the referendum. It is far too late for the United Kingdom to tell us what they want. The withdrawal agreement requires a compromise and this withdrawal agreement is already a compromise. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/brexit-it-s-far-too-late-for-uk-to-say-what-it-wants-says-varadkar-1.3821626 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Sky News Theresa May has been accused of making a dogs dinner of Brexit by second referendum campaigners and their pooches. The prime minister was hounded by pupowners who gathered in Westminster to condemn the diabolical situation just 19 days from Brexit. https://news.sky.com/story/dog-owners-hound-theresa-may-in-call-for-brexit-referendum-11661306 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Daily Mirror Labours Keir Starmer tonight savaged Theresa Mays Brexit deal in a fiery House of Commons statement. The former Director of Public Prosecutions swept into full lawyer mode as he held aloft hundreds of pages of documents in a furious attack. Sir Keir shot down Mr Lidingtons argument by saying Theresa May had promised to change the Brexit deal itself and achieved no such thing. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/brexit-keir-starmer-savages-theresa-14121263 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

BBC How can we move forward with the UK another EU diplomat spluttered in frustration. We held talks this weekend yes. But with whom UK civil servants representing whom Theresa May only How can the EU conduct negotiations when the other side the UK doesnt have one position but many And they keep changing and contradicting. The mood in the EU I can assure you is not one of a bloc that is poised to blink at the last moment. And there is huge irritation in EU circles that UK government fingers of blame are pointing at Brussels for what they see as EU intransigence. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47523611?ns_campaign=bbc_politics&ampns_linkname=news_central&ampns_source=twitter&ampns_mchannel=social 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The Guardian Rudd a former chair of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group noted that while Australia Canada and New Zealand would remain supportive of a postBrexit UK their combined population of about 65 million people does not come within a bulls roar of Britains adjacent market of 450 million Europeans. And he cast serious doubt on suggestions the UK could quickly come to a free trade agreement FTA with India pointing out that talks he began with the nation on behalf of Australia a decade ago are still going on. A substantive IndiaUK FTA is the ultimate mirage constructed by the Brexiteers. Its as credible as the ad they plastered on the side of that big red bus about the 350m Britain was allegedly paying to Brussels each week. Not. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/11/former-australian-pm-kevin-rudd-calls-brexit-trade-plan-utter-bollocks 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

@C4Dispatches The amount I receive is not for public disclosure. Dispatches reveals that Brexiteer and Tory MP Jacob ReesMogg may have earned at least 7 million since the 2016 EU referendum from an investment firm he partly owns which has seen its profits increase since the vote. https://twitter.com/C4Dispatches/status/1105108677768417280 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

The Spectator The May deal is the only one the table right now and the only one that is ever going to be on the table. As MPs should have known since at least November parliament has only three options deal no deal no Brexit. A decision is long overdue. Rejecting the deal at this stage in the process isnt brave or principled and it certainly isnt leadership. Its rolling a dice with Britains politics and economy because you cant bring yourself to take responsibility and face up to the complexities and compromises of real life. https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2019/03/mps-have-failed-on-a-grand-scale-over-brexit/ 11th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Daily Mirror Our onceproud democracy has been turned into an idiocracy run by inept fools thanks to Theresa May s woeful amateurhour negotiating and the grandstanding puffedup Tory Brextremists who still scream their dogmatic lies. If Parliament adopts the PMs bad deal or worse a nodeal exit our nations decline into irrelevancy and intolerance will be accelerated. If MPs do the right thing and go into extra time there might be a chance to ask people if they really want to wreck Britain https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/brexit-most-expensive-ruinous-divorce-14116846?utm_source=twitter.com&amputm_medium=social&amputm_campaign=sharebar 10th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

BBC A nodeal Brexit is better than a bad deal and Theresa Mays is a bad deal according to hotel tycoon Sir Rocco Forte. Ahead of a series of Brexit votes in parliament this week Sir Rocco is urging MPs to reject both the prime ministers deal and the option of delaying Brexit. Theres no point delaying Europe has said the deal is the deal its on the table and were not going to change it so what do we do Are we going to delay Whats it going to do if we take no deal off the table were finished. We have no negotiating position he says. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47513846 10th Mar 2019

Political Setbacks

Byline Times On Tuesday Channel 4 repeated claims of Banks business dealings with Russia in 2015 and provided evidence that a finance company substantially owned by him pitched a gold mine merger to a Kremlin linked oligarch just prior to the EU referendum. The destabilisation of the UK and the EU is a key objective of Putins regime and any links between a major player in the Brexit process and actors in that state should be a source of serious unease but Banks responded to all of the Channel 4 allegations with his usual bluster. The idea that there can be trust in politics when grifters like Banks can subvert elections and not reveal the source of his funding is frankly laughable. With the clock ticking down to 29 March serious and immediate questions need to be asked as to who actually funded Brexit and Arron Banks urgently needs to be held to account. https://bylinetimes.com/2019/03/08/the-great-indifference-brexit-wrongdoing-swept-under-the-carpet/ 8th Mar 2019