17th Apr 2019 https://nfind.uk/brexit_cliff_edge/index.php/newsletter=48 brexit_cliff_edge

Jobs at Risk

Wales Online The Welsh automotive sector has suffered a further blow with Japanese firm Calsonic Kansei announcing redundancies at its Llanelli plant. The factory which supplies heat exchange air conditioning exhaust and electronic components to manufacturers globally has confirmed that 95 jobs are at risk following a significant drop in sales. Late last year the operation secured a 4.4m grant investment from the Welsh Government which it said would help create a further 88 jobs over the next five years with a focus on developing and producing electric vehicle technology. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/car-components-firm-calsonic-kansei-16138286 16th Apr 2019

Economic Impact

The Register Japanese telco and tech behemoth NTT Corporation has chosen London for its new global headquarters amid a massive reorg according to reports. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation the parent of Di Data Group is in the midst of a massive restructuring with final details due to be announced in July. But London has scored the global head office seemingly in spite of Brexit worries reported Nikkei Asian Review. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/04/16/japans_ntt_picks_london_for_euro_hq/ 16th Apr 2019

Economic Impact

Financial Times The UK government is to inject 200m into a staterun scheme designed to provide financing for business amid concerns over a reduction in funding from the EU after Brexit. The British Business Bank which works in partnership with other financial institutions to leverage private capital offers to share the risk of certain losses on a portfolio of new loans made to companies. The government has faced calls to encourage the publicly owned bank set up by the ConservativeLiberal Democrat coalition government in 2014 to invest in startups and help offset the impact that Brexit will have on funding for the tech sector. https://www.ft.com/content/a62c82f8-6052-11e9-b285-3acd5d43599e 16th Apr 2019

Economic Impact

Belfast Telegraph The Department for the Economys DfE Labour Market Report for December to February shows that the unemployment rate was 3 a 0.5 percentage point decrease over the quarter. This level is lower than the UK rate 3.95 the EU rate 6.5 and that in the Republic 5.3. While the amount for those out of work is at a record low the employment rate has also reached a record high 71.2. This is an increase of 1.8 percentage points over the year a statistically significant change according to the DfE. In the last year however there has been 2357 confirmed redundancies in Northern Ireland a 24 jump when compared to the previous 12 months. A DfE spokesperson said The improvements in the NI labour market since 2017 are consistent with the UK experience where unemployment and inactivity are joint lowest on record and employment is at a joint record high https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/northern-ireland-unemployment-rate-hits-record-low-38020850.html 16th Apr 2019

Economic Impact

Channel 4 News New figures show unemployment is at its lowest since 1974 with more people either in work or looking for work. Ministers say its a sign of the underlying resilience of the British economy. And wage growth is rising too. https://www.channel4.com/news/uk-unemployment-at-its-lowest-since-1974 16th Apr 2019

Economic Impact

Financial Times It seems that nothing can escape the clawlike grasp of Brexit it is now the turn of the European carbon market to be roiled by Britains stuttering attempts to leave the EU. Prices for the allowances traded under the EU Emissions Trading System hit a 10year high above 27 a tonne last week in a move partly attributed to the receding chance of the UK leaving the bloc under a nodeal Brexit. https://www.ft.com/content/0fa14de4-5f87-11e9-b285-3acd5d43599e 17th Apr 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Yorkshire Post The majority of UK SMEs are still completely in the dark over what to expect or how to better prepare for life after Brexit according to new research released today. According to a survey of 1200 SME owners across the UK commissioned by Simply Business three quarters of selfemployed people admit to feeling unsupported ahead of Brexit. A third have decided to delay growth plans and further investment in their business while 8 per cent stated that theyre having to make redundancies to cut costs. Bea Montoyaof Simply Business said There isnt a blueprint for what happens after Brexit. https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/smes-making-cuts-due-to-brexit-1-9715177 17th Apr 2019

Administrative Fall Out

The Irish Times A new report called Brexit The Good FridayBelfast Agreement and the Environment Issues Arising and Possible Solutions was launched in Leinster House on Tuesday. A disorderly exit could cause a major environmental headache on the island of Ireland in the absence of a clear common rulebook regarding species emissions water quality and hazardous waste. It is likely that Brexit in any form will interfere with Good FridayBelfast Agreement crossborder cooperation and place obstacles in its way in general but in particular in the area of environmental cooperation it says. A hard border or a customs border would represent a potential physical obstacle to crossborder environmental projects potentially causing innumerable problems from movement of staff on projects and goods necessary for the carrying out of projects to the more abstract problems cause by regulatory divergence and governance changes as a result of Brexit. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/no-deal-brexit-threatens-innumerable-problems-for-environmental-projects-1.3862862 16th Apr 2019

Administrative Fall Out

BBC A paper by Dr Ciara Brennan from Newcastle University and Dr Mary Dobbs from Queens University points out that where big infrastructure projects affect protected sites Daera will be responsible for advising on whether there is an overriding public interest in proceeding. That would replace the role currently undertaken by the European Commission. The academics suggest planning officials in infrastructure would be asking approval from colleagues in Daera a situation which they claim could lead to conflicts of interest where the government is seeking approval from itself. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-47913640 16th Apr 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Financial Times Foreign customers of UK businesses are raising their demand for goods and services in advance of a no Deal Brexit exit but such a surge is unlikely to last businesses are saying https://www.ft.com/content/70a630e4-5d04-11e9-939a-341f5ada9d40 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian A formal alliance or preelection joint lists between clear antiBrexit parties the Liberal Democrats Greens the Independent GroupChange UK Scottish National party in Scotland and Plaid Cymru in Wales wont happen. But they could stop namecalling each other as indeed could Labour its erstwhile colleagues. I remember the pleasure Labour MPs and activists got in calling the Social Democratic party renegades every name under the sun after their 1981 split from Labour. It didnt help. Labour lost the next three elections. Similarly TIG should drop its jejune insults when it will be Labour MPs with the help of some Tories who rescue the nation from the Brexit isolationist fanatics. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/16/european-elections-and-a-second-brexit-vote 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian Change UK has been formally registered as a political party allowing the centrist movement founded by former Labour and Tory MPs to field candidates for the European elections. The group led by the former Conservative Heidi Allen has received more than 3700 expressions of interest in being a candidate in the elections and is polling about 47 for the contest meaning it could get MEPs. Change UKs registration was accepted by the Electoral Commission but the body rejected its proposed emblem. A spokeswoman for the commission said The emblem contained a hashtag and we cannot assess the material linked to a hashtag which will change over time against the legal tests. The emblem also contained the acronym TIG which we were not satisfied was sufficiently well known. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/16/change-uk-independent-group-registers-as-political-party-ahead-of-european-elections 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian It is a Conservative implosion that has been years in the making. Having seen her Brexit deal defeated three times in parliament Theresa May finally admitted that as things stand I cant see MPs accepting it. Just days later Tory MPs delivered their own verdict. Only a minority of Mays party 133 out of 314 voted in favour of the prime ministers request for a delay. She was effectively governing on the back of opposition votes. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/16/how-may-miscalculated-the-brexit-numbers-game 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Independent If we decided to stay in a Final Say referendum there might be a heavy price to pay in the short run for the betrayal of the 2016 vote but it would be the only way to allow the EU as a whole to move on to more important things. It is not up to EU leaders to tell us how to run our affairs but Tusk is right that they should give us the time and every encouragement to hold another referendum to put an end to the deadlock. https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-deal-donald-tusk-referendum-eu-final-say-a8872231.html 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Evening Standard EU citizens living in the UK have to undergo a twostep process to register to vote in the elections a system which was blamed in 2014 for what they said was a steep drop in the number of EU nationals eligible to vote. Now it emerges that despite promising in 2014 to act on this the Electoral Commission has not made any changes to the system risking the same problem. In 2014 the Electoral Commission promised it would identify what can be done to simplify the system and remove unnecessary administrative barriers to participation at the next European Parliament elections in 2019. Today a commission spokesman explained that it was not something we looked at after the Government told it following the 2016 referendum that the UK would not be participating in the European elections. Axel Antoni a spokesman for the3Million campaigning group of EU citizens blasted both the Government and the Electoral Commission. Its disappointing that the UK makes it so hard for EU citizens to register he said but added it was a bit disingenuous of the Electoral Commission to blame Brexit. Between 2014 and 2016 what did they do to make it better Nothing. EU citizens must register to vote as normal and for the European elections also complete a form stating they are not voting elsewhere in Europe. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/the-londoner-eu-citizens-face-a-voting-headache-a4119256.html 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Politics Home Dozens of Labour allies from across the EU have piled pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to include a promise to overturn Brexit in his upcoming European Parliament manifesto. The socialist MEPs representing 10 nations urged the Labour leader to run a strong confident proEuropean campaign to help prevent the rise of populism and help shape a better future for an entire continent. They said The British Labour party must participate in the European elections and help change the balance of power in Europe. Labour would do well in European elections and could command a large coalition of internationalists who want to see vast social change. A Labour party leading the socialist group in coalition with the other European left parties could reform the EU into a project for social and environmental justice across borders. They said pro and antiEU figures on the left should put aside our differences to fight the far right forces that are gaining traction across Europe in Hungary Italy Holland France and elsewhere. https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/jeremy-corbyn/news/103283/excl-labour-allies-across-eu-pile 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Financial Times People with direct knowledge of his plans said James Murdoch wanted to distance himself from the conservative media outlets controlled for decades by his father but had yet to decide how exactly he would invest in the news media. His options range from a liberal news website to a digital magazine focused on culture society and lifestyle they said adding that no final decision had been taken as the new venture was at an early stage. https://www.ft.com/content/dd557542-6065-11e9-b285-3acd5d43599e 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Sky News https://news.sky.com/story/amber-rudd-keeping-door-slightly-ajar-on-leadership-bid-to-succeed-theresa-may-11695484 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Telegraph Amber Rudd said it is entirely possible she will run to be the next Tory leader as she reentered the race to succeed Theresa May. The Work and Pensions Secretary gave the strongest hint yet of any potential Conservative leadership contender that she could put herself forward to be prime minister as she said she was keeping the door slightly ajar to the possibility. Ms Rudd was believed to have ruled herself out of the contest partially because of her 346 vote majority in her Hastings and Rye constituency. Mrs May has said she will make way for a new Tory leader after the terms of the UKs divorce from the European Union have been agreed. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/04/16/amber-rudd-back-tory-leadership-race-says-entirely-possible/ 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian The UCL analysis shows that in every region of the UK the majority of voters who put a cross next to Labour in the general election of 2017 but say they wont vote Labour next time are switching to a party they see as more proEuropean. In London where Labour dominated in 2017 a third of Labour voters who know how they intend to vote now say they will vote for another party but voters switching to a party seen as more proremain outnumber those switching to a more proleave party by five to one. In the north of England the number switching is fewer at just 20 but again the number switching to a more proremain party outnumber those switching to the Tories or Ukip by four to one. In the Midlands where a quarter of Labour voters say they are switching remainers outnumber leavers by five to one. Starkest of all is Scotland where Labour must win 23 of those 80 seats to form a government. There 48 of our 2017 voters now say they plan to defect 45 to a more proremain party just 3 the other way a ratio of 15 to one. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/15/numbers-labour-back-peoples-vote-election-party 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Belfast Telegraph The EU has nothing to gain from the disruption a nodeal Brexit would bring to the UK European Commission president JeanClaude Juncker has said. Mr Juncker said the EU had adopted the necessary contingency measures but said only those who seek to undermine the global legal order would benefit from such an exit. We have adopted the necessary contingency measures and we are ready for a nodeal Brexit he told MEPs. But our union has nothing to gain from great disruption in the United Kingdom. The only ones who would benefit are those who resent multilateralism and seek to undermine the global legal order. Mr Juncker made the comments as he addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg on last weeks European Council summit at which Theresa May was offered a sixmonth Brexit delay. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/eu-has-nothing-to-gain-from-nodeal-brexit-says-juncker-38020466.html 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Daily Mirror Fedup local Tory chairmen are plotting to force out Theresa May sooner than planned by using little known powers in the party rule book. An emergency meeting of the Conservatives National Convention which represents the partys grassroots can be called if 65 local association chairmen agree paving the way for a no confidence vote in the Tory leader. The signatures are already being gathered with Brexitleaning grassroots Tories furious at the Prime Ministers handling of the UKs departure from the EU. One Tory chairman involved in the campaign told the Mirror If she doesnt go before the European elections well be hammered. The problem lies not just with her Brexit deal but her poor leadership. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/grassroots-tories-hatch-fresh-plot-14382839 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

iNews Former Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine said he sees a chilling similarity between the present day and the runup to the Second World War as he agreed with some of the points made by Labour MP David Lammy who compared hardline Brexiteers to Nazis. Mr Lammy who is the MP for Tottenham told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show on Sunday that he had not been strong enough in his comparison of senior Brexiteers such as Jacob ReesMogg and Boris Johnson to the German Nazi party of the 1930s. The Tory peer said that he did not like people discussing the extremes of yesteryear but said he did agree there were similarities in the economic situation that means that antiimmigrant and antielite politics have basic chilling appeal for people. https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/david-lammy-brexit-nazis-comparison-michael-heseltine/ 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Political Shenanigans In an unmissable talk journalist Carole Cadwalladr digs into one of the most perplexing events in recent times the UKs superclose 2016 vote to leave the European Union. Tracking the result to a barrage of misleading Facebook ads targeted at vulnerable Brexit swing voters and linking the same players and tactics to the 2016 US presidential election Cadwalladr calls out the gods of Silicon Valley for being on the wrong side of history and asks Are free and fair elections a thing of the past https://www.ted.com/talks/carole_cadwalladr_facebook_s_role_in_brexit_and_the_threat_to_democracy 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian Jeremy Corbyn has said Brexit talks with the government are stalling because of a Tory desire for postwithdrawal deregulation including as part of a US trade deal. Corbyn said Labour had been putting forward a robust case for a customs union during the talks over the past week but suggested he feared the two sides would not find common ground. There has to be access to European markets and above all there has to be a dynamic relationship to protect the conditions and rights that weve got for environment and consumer workplace rights he said. Weve put those cases very robustly to the government and theres no agreement as yet. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/16/brexit-talks-with-government-have-stalled-says-corbyn 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Financial Times Tories are the most concerned with senior figures predicting the party could suffer an electoral meltdown as voters protest against Theresa May and the failure to deliver Brexit because of MPs rejection of her withdrawal agreement. Conservative politicians in Westminster and Brussels believe that if she is still prime minister by the time of the poll the party will lose most of its 18 existing MEPs. https://www.ft.com/content/528ce492-5f91-11e9-b285-3acd5d43599e 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

BBC The latest delay to Brexit has energised those campaigning for another EU referendum. The extension to 31 October gives them more time to make the case for a socalled Peoples Vote. But if a referendum is to be held between now and then they need to win the argument fast. Within a few weeks the Halloween deadline already challenging would become a nightmare to meet. That is not to say there cannot be another referendum just that such a vote may require more time. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-47937629 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Scotsman Scotlands Constitutional Relations Secretary has said a second Brexit referendum including an option to remain should be held even if agreement is reached on the Prime Ministers deal. Mike Russell said if a compromise is found enabling a deal to pass people across the UK should be given the chance to vote on it. https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/general-election/mike-russell-second-eu-vote-needed-even-if-brexit-deal-reached-1-4908100 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Irish Times Tnaiste Simon Coveney has confirmed the Government will cover the estimated 4 million cost of EU health insurance for Northern Ireland citizens after Brexit if necessary. The European Health Insurance Card EHIC entitles EU citizens to stateprovided medical treatment if they are injured or become ill in another member state or Free Trade Economic Association country Norway Iceland Liechtenstein and Switzerland. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal Britishissued health insurance cards will no longer be valid. Mr Coveney said it would pose challenges to extend the cover to people in the North because they would no longer be resident in the EU and legislation would be necessary. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/government-will-pay-ni-s-4m-health-insurance-post-brexit-tánaiste-1.3862738 16th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Sun A fresh plot is underway to force through a soft Brexit to end the Commons deadlock it was revealed today. Veteran MPs Frank Field and Ken Clarke are teaming up to force another vote on a customs union in weeks in a hope they can push through a soft exit. But Independent MP Mr Field told the Evening Standard that bringing it back again could get both party leaders off the hook and they wont have to sign a formal Brexit deal. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/brexit/8874989/new-soft-brexit-plot-unveiled-in-move-to-end-deadlock/ 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Milton Keynes Citizen If people are angry about Brexit they might vote UKIP but I get the feeling that the people most upset are those who believe that any delay has been wrong and they are disproportionately Conservatives. Cllr Douglas McCall the Lib Dem leader believes any Brexit effect on the doorstep wont hit the Lib Dems as much as the other parties especially the Conservatives. The Tories gained seats that they did not expect to in 2015 when the local elections took place at the same time as the General Election he said. Four years later they are really unpopular and I expect they will lose seats to Labour and the Lib Dems. https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/politics/local-election-candidates-feel-wrath-of-brexit-on-the-doorsteps-of-milton-keynes-1-8892653 17th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Financial Times The first warning signs of the toll that Brexit might impose on national wellbeing manifested themselves in Europeans resident in Britain says Emmy van Deurzen. A consultant psychoanalyst and professor at an offshoot of Middlesex University Ms van Deurzen says that in the immediate aftermath of the 2016 referendum on Britains membership of the EU Europeans living in London suddenly felt less than welcome and worried about whether they could still call the UK home. Some of her patients said they began losing their appetites and struggling to sleep. This year the same symptoms of anxiety and worse have started spreading to UK citizens she says. Extreme mood swings. Exhaustion and loss of hope. Delusional outbursts. An inability to carry out everyday tasks. https://www.ft.com/content/356e0f12-5faa-11e9-a27a-fdd51850994c 17th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

The Scotsman Theresa May has been accused of blundering through Brexit by creating an unsustainable split between government departments while her secretive approach to the withdrawal negotiations fuelled division in her own Cabinet. In a highly critical report the respected think tank the Institute for Government IfG blamed Mrs May for creating a divide in responsibilities between No.10 and the Department for Exiting the European Union Dexeu. Tim Durrant lead author of the IfG report said It is vital that the government uses the next months to develop a better understanding of how the EU will approach the next phase. The time available for negotiations is short and the government must not waste time by failing to prepare. https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/theresa-may-s-secretive-brexit-approach-led-to-blunders-says-report-1-4907984 17th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Express and Star Nobody should pretend that the damage of Brexit can be fully mitigated according to Nicola Sturgeon. The First Minister will speak at the STUC conference in Dundee on Wednesday and is expected to warn that any form of Brexit would harm living standards and risk jobs. An extension to Article 50 was granted earlier this month meaning that the UK will not leave the European Union until October 31 unless a deal can be agreed in Parliament sooner. https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2019/04/16/damaging-impact-of-brexit-cannot-be-fully-mitigated-warns-sturgeon/ 17th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Business Green Brexit talks between Labour and Conservatives have stalled in part because the Tories are unwilling to reject the option of slashing workers rights and environmental protections in order to secure a US trade deal postBrexit Jeremy Corbyn has said. The Labour leader told the Guardian newspaper on Tuesday that the government doesnt appear to be shifting its red lines because parts of the Tory party actually wants to turn this country into a deregulated lowtax society which will do a deal with Trump. https://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/3074270/environmental-regulations-proving-sticking-point-in-cross-party-brexit-talks-labour-claims 17th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Irish Independent The DUP arranged for a major party donor who bankrolled its Brexit campaign to discuss investment opportunities with public bodies in Northern Ireland. Richard Cook a former vice chairman of the Scottish Conservatives chairs the Constitutional Research Council CRC a prounion business group that donated 435000 to the DUP during the EU referendum campaign. He was involved in a series of senior meetings with Invest NI Belfast City Council and a Stormont department in the months following the EU referendum The Irish News has learned. The meetings were to discuss potential investment opportunities in Northern Ireland. Invest NI and Belfast council said nothing materialised from these engagements. https://www.irishnews.com/news/brexit/2019/04/16/news/dup-arranged-investment-meetings-for-brexit-campaign-donor-1598608/ 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

The Guardian A leading Ukip MEP made a speech to a proapartheid club of expat South Africans that has farright links and calls Nelson Mandela a terrorist it has emerged. Stuart Agnew who is top of one of the partys regional lists for reelection if European elections take place in the UK in May addressed a recent meeting of the Springbok Club which is led by a former activist in the farright National Front NF and has links to the murderer of Jo Cox. The organisation has the apartheidera South African flag as an emblem and has called for the return of civilised European rule to the continent. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/16/ukip-mep-stuart-agnew-addresses-pro-apartheid-club 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Evening Standard Nigel Farage has warned Theresa May that Brexiteer anger will explode if she strikes a pact with Jeremy Corbyn to keep the UK closely tied to the European Union. The Brexit Party leader has claimed the UKs democracy is under threat as he sought to build momentum for his movement ahead of the European elections. His comments came after Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned that Mrs May could struggle to hang on to power if she cannot get her Brexit deal through Parliament before the May 23 European poll. Mr Hunt said the total focus of ministers was to ensure the country did not have to vote in the elections to the European Parliament on May 23. Speaking during a visit to Japan he acknowledged that the Government would be facing a very serious situation if it failed to do so. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/nigel-farage-says-brexiteer-anger-will-explode-if-theresa-may-strikes-deal-with-jeremy-corbyn-a4118641.html 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

The Independent Theresa May has no chance of passing her Brexit deal in time to pull the UK out of the European parliament elections and avoid a likely devastating defeat experts have concluded. Time has already effectively run out on attempts to ratify the agreement by 22 May they say despite the prime minister insisting talks with Labour can still deliver a compromise before the deadline. The verdict puts the Conservatives on course to lose most of their MEPs polls suggest as Leave voters protest at the failure to deliver Brexit a disastrous result that would trigger huge pressure on Ms May to resign. The staging of the elections will also be a personal humiliation for the prime minister who repeatedly told MPs they should not take place three years after the Brexit referendum https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-deal-theresa-may-european-parliament-elections-a8873056.html 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Huffington Post UK All the main parties are currently fasttracking selection of potential candidates for the Strasbourg elections which will go ahead on May 23 if the UK parliament fails to approve a Brexit deal beforehand. While the Tory party is facing a serious threat from Nigel Farages Brexit Party and UKIP polls show that Labour is on course to gain seats in the Euro elections and the battle has begun in selection races across the country. https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/key-corbyn-supporters-in-battle-for-labours-plum-euro-parliament-seats_uk_5cb370dde4b0ffefe3b20444 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Byline Times The outright lies and failure to deal adequately with policy details will go down in history as the Leave sides most prominent sore. Leaving the European Union is a mammoth legal technical and constitutional task which cannot be orchestrated according to the whims of the political sloganeering we saw in the 2016 referendum. The jaws of reality it turns out cannot be avoided indefinitely. To some extent I should have had greater foresight and viewed the withdrawal issues through a more critical lens. But then again this could be said of almost anybody invested in Brexit. Farages grotesque simplifications parroted by individuals uninterested in complexity and the almost religious evasion of detail were never going to prepare us for our departure. It is here where history will truly judge him. https://bylinetimes.com/2019/04/16/farage-should-fix-himself-brexit-party-boss-busted/ 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Sky News A top EU figure has said he fears Britain will waste its latest Brexit reprieve and run down the clock once again. European Parliament Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt told the European Parliament that the blocs decision to grant a delay until the end of October risked prolonging the uncertainty. He said the sixmonth extension to Article 50 is too near for a substantial rethink of Brexit and at the same time too far away to prompt any action. https://news.sky.com/story/their-first-decision-was-to-go-on-holiday-eu-fears-uk-will-waste-brexit-delay-11695220 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

BBC The UK will take part in Mays European elections and British MEPs could sit for months or even longer European Council President Donald Tusk has said. Mr Tusk said the decision to delay Brexit to 31 October meant British voters would be going to the polls. But Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt said the sixmonth extension was too short for change and too far away to prompt action. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47946256 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Politics Home Most voters have become even more sure that they voted the right way in the 2016 Brexit referendum despite three years of furious campaigning on both sides a new poll has revealed. A fresh study by YouGov finds that 64 of Remain voters and 57 of Leave voters are more sure than I was that I voted the right way in the nationwide referendum held almost three years ago. A further 22 of Remain voters and 25 of Leave voters told the polling firm that they were about as sure as they were in 2016 that they had cast their ballot in the right direction. https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/foreign-affairs/brexit/news/103289/voters-now-more-sure-they-voted-right-way-2016-brexit 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Channel 4 News Peoplesmuggling across the Channel. Migrants attacking women in dark alleys. All designed to fuel fears about immigration perhaps the defining issue of the EU referendum. Tonight Channel 4 News reveals disturbing new evidence of fakery produced for Arron Bankss Leave.EU and pumped out on social media in the run up to the vote in 2016. And at the heart of it a secretive security company owned by Mr Banks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_YUtWMlMMA&ampfeature=youtu.be 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

The Telegraph I know it may not feel much like it at the moment but some day soon we are going to get out. Unless we MPs have taken leave of our senses we will honour the wishes of the people. Unless the PM has some secret plan to stifle Brexit with a series of ever more ludicrous delays it seems to me all but inevitable that we will eventually respect the result of the 2016 referendum and leave the European Union. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/04/14/proper-brexit-can-spare-us-toxic-polarisation/ 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

The Independent ProBrexit campaign group Leave.EU has been accused of faking a viral video of illegal migrants and forging images purporting to show immigrants committing violent crimes. The group which is led by businessman and former Ukip donor Arron Banks staged a video that it claimed showed how easy it was for migrants to cross to Britain illegally according to Channel 4 News. The video was released in the weeks before the 2016 EU referendum and was watched hundreds of thousands of times. But Channel 4 said satellite data showed that the boat had never left UK waters and footage appearing to show the migrants entering the country was filmed before they left UK shores. It also reported that Leave.EU had staged images that the group said showed a migrant attacking a young woman in Tottenham north London. The photos appearing to show the violent attack were reportedly sent by a special forces veteran who works for Mr Banks to Andy Wigmore Leave.EUs head of communications. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-leave-eu-faking-forging-videos-images-illegal-migrants-violent-crime-aaron-banks-a8873461.html 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Evening Express Nobody should pretend that the damage of Brexit can be fully mitigated according to Nicola Sturgeon. The First Minister will speak at the STUC conference in Dundee on Wednesday and is expected to warn that any form of Brexit would harm living standards https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/news/scotland/damaging-impact-of-brexit-cannot-be-fully-mitigated-warns-sturgeon/ 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Shropshire Star Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski has called for a vote of confidence in the Government to ensure Britain leaves the EU. The Conservative MP said he wanted the Prime Minister to bring her withdrawal agreement back before the Commons for a fourth time but ... https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/politics/2019/04/16/shrewsbury-mp-daniel-kawczynski-calls-for-vote-of-confidence-to-break-brexit-deadlock/ 16th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Byline Times While BBC journalists working around the world in terribly difficult circumstances still meet the highest ideals I have to say with an extremely heavy heart that I have changed my view of the BBC. I am an Unashamed Remainer to use John Humphrys phrase and have been uneasy for some time about the corporations Brexit coverage and publicly critical of it. But I still managed to believe that the BBC was trying to do the right thing and that it was ultimately a force for good. That finally changed with the way it covered the launch of Nigel Farages new party and in particular his speech in which he said he wanted to put the fear of God into MPs. https://bylinetimes.com/2019/04/15/brexit-breaking-point-how-one-veteran-believes-bbc-coverage-of-farages-new-party-facilitates-fascism/ 15th Apr 2019

Trade Deals/Negotiations

Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6927449/Nancy-Pelosi-UK-trade-deal-non-starter-Brexit-damages-peace-Northern-Ireland.html 16th Apr 2019

Trade Deals/Negotiations

BBC US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has begun an official visit to the Republic of Ireland. Speaking on the eve of her visit she said there would be no chance whatsoever of a postBrexit trade deal between the US and UK if there were any weakening of the Good Friday Agreement. Ms Pelosi is expected to meet Taoiseach Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on Tuesday evening. It is understood Brexit will be one of the main topics of discussion. She will be accompanied by a delegation of Democrat and Republican congressmen and women. The delegation is expected to visit Northern Ireland later this week. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-47936624 16th Apr 2019

Trade Deals/Negotiations

@Channel4News https://twitter.com/Channel4News/status/1118176610715353088 16th Apr 2019

EU Funding Benefits

BBC The European Parliament has approved new EU rules to protect workers in the socalled gig economy. The law sets minimum rights and demands increased transparency for those in ondemand jobs such as at Uber or Deliveroo. It proposes more predictable hours and compensation for cancelled work and an end to abusive practices around casual contracts. Member states will now have at most three years to enforce the new rules. The European Parliament says the new legislation will apply to the most vulnerable employees on atypical contracts and in nonstandard jobs including those on zerohour contracts. Employees in EU member states already enjoy a wide range of protections to working hours minimum breaks and holiday entitlement. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47947220 16th Apr 2019