17th May 2019 https://nfind.uk/brexit_cliff_edge/index.php/newsletter=68 brexit_cliff_edge

Jobs at Risk

Daily Mirror News that the Government is drawing up contingency plans for a British Steel collapse will have come as a shock to thousands of workers who have worked against the odds to defend the companys future. Despite the sectors best efforts the Governments failure to support this vital industry has resulted in the pressures becoming too great to absorb. To compete in a postBrexit world we must support and encourage our manufacturing industries. The future could be bright for UK steel as the Governments own analysis identified a 3billion opportunity by 2030 sustaining good jobs in areas that need them most. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/gill-furniss-give-steel-industry-16158023 17th May 2019

Economic Impact

The Guardian Jaguar Land Rovers chief executive has denied the carmaker is in talks with Peugeot over a possible sale. The British companys Indian owner Tata Motors was last week forced to deny reports of advanced talks with Frances PSA Group which owns Peugeot Citron and Vauxhall. The Press Association reported a postsale integration document was passed around senior executives at the companies detailing the potential benefits of a tieup. Speaking on Wednesday JLRs chief executive Ralf Speth said he had met Carlos Tavares his PSA counterpart at the latest gathering of the European car industry lobby group but they did not discuss any deal. I didnt have any discussion about it with him at all Speth said at the FT future of the car summit in London. However he declined to comment on whether Tata Motors had engaged in talks. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/may/15/jaguar-land-rover-ceo-denies-talks-peugeot-sale-psa-group 15th May 2019

Administrative Fall Out

The Guardian The continuing political mess over Brexit is a crushing disaster for business in Britain with investor confidence at the lowest since the financial crash a decade ago the Confederation of British Industrys director general has said. Carolyn Fairbairn told business leaders in London that the paralysis in Westminster continuing every day without a deal is corrosive in its effect on Britains economy. She said the government and other political parties involved in the Brexit mess needed to sit up and pay attention to the realities in business and stop shirking their responsibilities to the country where business leaders are already being forced to cancel expansion because the prospect of a decision on Brexit seems further away than ever. From the heart of business to the heart of politics resolve this gridlock do whatever it takes and do it fast she said. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/16/brexit-political-mess-crushing-disaster-uk-business-cbi-chief-carolyn-fairbairn 16th May 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Huffington Post UK Troubled holiday giant Thomas Cook has slumped to a 1.5 billion halfyear loss as it warned Brexit uncertainty had seen Britons delay their summer holiday plans. The cashstrapped groups pretax losses widened from 303 million a year earlier and the firm warned challenging trading over the peak summer season was set to put the fullyear result under pressure. It now expects underlying earnings to fall over the second half as holiday firms cut prices to boost Brexithit demand and costs of fuel and hotels rise. Thomas Cook is planning further cost savings in the second half to offset tougher trading and higher fuel expenses following its decision in March to shut 21 stores and axe more than 300 retail roles. https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/thomas-cook_uk_5cdd175fe4b01571365c1e45 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Times The Liberal Democrats have overtaken Labour while the Tories are pushed to fifth place according to a poll for The Times before the European elections. The Lib Dems appear to be picking up support from Labour and Green voters after Sir Vince Cable argued that opponents of Brexit should vote for his party. YouGov interviewed 7192 British adults between Sunday and Thursday this week. When asked whom they would support in the European elections 35 per cent said the Brexit Party up 1 point on the week before. Lib Dems were on 16 per cent up 1 Labour on 15 per cent down 1 Greens on 10 per cent down 1 Conservatives on 9 per cent down 1 Change UK unchanged on 5 per cent and Ukip unchanged on 3 per cent. The decline of the Conservatives into single figures is likely to increase the panic in the partys high command with 62 per cent of Tory voters in the 2017 general election now saying that they will vote for the Brexit Party in the European elections. Only one in five who backed the party at the last general election is sticking with the Tories in the European elections. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/lib-dems-leapfrog-labour-as-tories-trail-in-euro-polls-pnclfvm7d 17th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

Politics Home The negotiations which have been going on since the end of March could break down as early as Friday. Senior Labour sources said on Thursday that they were not going to walk away imminently leaving the door open to the party pulling the plug at some point in the next few days. Labour negotiators had also insisted that any deal agreed with the Government which they also wanted to contain guarantees on workers rights and environmental standards must contain provisions preventing a future Tory leader from being able to tear them up. Meanwhile BBC Newsnights Nick Watt also reported that Tory whips believe a deal with Labour was not possible. https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/foreign-affairs/brexit/news/103932/brexit-talks-between-government-and-labour-set-collapse 17th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

ITV News Is the Brexit party the enemy or friend of the Tory Party Is Nigel Farage its destroyer or could he turn into its redeemer This is not as crazy a question as it may sound even though right now Farages new venture is set to humiliate the Conservatives in the forthcoming EU parliamentary elections. The answer is contingent on other events and in particular who wins the power struggle within the Conservative Party after Theresa May stands down which every Tory MP I ask believes will be before the June 15 extraordinary vote by Tory local association chairs and grassroots officials on whether she is fit to remain in office strikingly Bridgen and Vaizey from the polar opposite wings of the party endorsed that scenario on my show last night https://www.itv.com/news/2019-05-16/could-nigel-farage-end-up-rescuing-or-even-owning-the-tory-party/ 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

Politics.co.uk It is hard to fully describe the wastefulness of this debacle. Probation is the system that monitors offenders when they leave jail and tries to ensure that they do not reoffend. It is the harsh and unloved wing of public services. It isnt exciting like the armed forces. It doesnt win public sympathy like schools or hospitals. Most people dont even really know what it is. But when it goes wrong we all suffer because we all become less safe. There is a direct causal line between someone stealing your phone on the street and this service. Grayling shattered the system then tried to rebuild it according to the profit motive. He split low medium and high risk cases and put the former two in the private sector with the latter retained in the public sector. Then 21 seperate companies were given the contracts. The end result is clear. The National Audit Office found that probation companies had much lower business volumes than the Ministry of Justice had modelled underinvested in their clients and didnt meet performance targets. They failed to work with charities or develop appropriate supply chains or provide innovative changes to the service or meet contractual commitments or help offenders with accomodation employment finance mental health or drug problems. In repeated checks they were found to be inadequate particularly in the area of public protection. After the reform there was a 22 overall increase in the number of proven reoffences per reoffender. http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2019/05/16/probation-privatisation-debacle-crazed-obsession-with-the-ma 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Sun Theresa Mays Brexit distress was sent around the world yesterday as bungling Brit officials appeared to fly the Union flag upside down. Eagleeyed readers pointed out TV footage from Wednesday evening which showed the flag on the PMs official car in Paris fluttering the wrong way round as she met President Emmanuel Macron for talks. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9093320/union-flag-upside-down-theresa-may-car-distress/ 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

BBC But the paragraph tucked into the short formal letter from Sir Graham Brady to Tory MPs all but marks the end of Theresa Mays premiership and the beginning of the official hunt for the next leader of the country. After the lines in the short note restate the prime ministers determination to get Brexit done it confirms in black and white that after the next big vote in the first week of June the prime minister will make plans with the party for choosing a successor. Right now the expectation is that vote will be lost although it is not impossible of course that Number 10 could turn it round. And the conversation thats been arranged wont just be a gentle chat about what to do next. Senior sources have told me that means even though the letter doesnt spell it out that if her Brexit plan is defeated again Mrs May will announce she is going. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48301127 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

Yahoo! Brexit talks between Prime Minister Theresa Mays Conservatives and the opposition Labour Party will soon draw to a close after the ruling party gave up on finding a compromise to break the Brexit impasse a BBC reporter said on Thursday. May opened crossparty talks with the Labour Party more than a month ago after parliament rejected her European Union withdrawal deal three times leaving Britain in political limbo. Nicholas Watt political editor of the BBC Newsnight programme said he understood that the crossparty search for a solution would end soon after Conservative officials gave up on the phase of the talks. They are looking to pack the EU withdrawal legislation with goodies for Brexiteers he said on Twitter. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/britains-cross-party-brexit-talks-due-end-soon-202321643--business.html 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

BBC When I asked Tony Blair whether he took the ThorningSchmidt line or that of Angela Merkel the German chancellor who ruled out any possible deal with the AfD he gave a nuanced answer. It depends on what youre being asked to trade in terms of policy in order to go into that coalition Mr Blair explained. If for example you know going into coalition with a rightwing party means youre going to adopt policies that are completely contrary to your principles then you shouldnt do it. If on the other hand by forming that coalition youre keeping out a more destructive right wing coalition then you might do. Unsurprisingly he castigates the current Labour leadership and they reject his blueprint. But the Blair formula involves creating a compelling narrative for a future where the dizzying changes engendered by artificial intelligence big data and robotics need to be channelled to create hope rather than insecurity. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-48300161 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

BBC Boris Johnson has said he will run for the Conservative Party leadership after Theresa May stands down. Asked at a business event in Manchester if he would be a candidate the former foreign secretary replied Of course Im going to go for it. Mrs May has said she will resign once MPs back her Brexit deal. A decision on her exit timetable will now take place after the House of Commons votes on her Brexit bill early next month. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48299424 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

Daily Mirror Theresa May looks set to agree her resignation timetable in just over two weeks time after a showdown with Tory MPs. Cabinet ministers and the PMs allies now believe therell be a fullblown Tory leadership contest before the summer holiday after her twohour meeting with the 1922 Committee. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-theresa-agree-resignation-timetable-16156072 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian Theresa May has agreed to set a timetable for her departure as prime minister in the first week of June leading MPs to believe she will trigger a leadership contest before the summer. Sir Graham Brady the chair of the 1922 Committee of backbenchers said she would agree a timetable for the election of a new leader after her Brexit legislation returned to parliament for a final attempt in the week of 3 June. Another member of the 1922 Committee told the Guardian that May understood she would have to name a quick date for her departure if the withdrawal bill is voted down with a leadership contest before the summer. The MP said some Brexit supporters on the committee were disappointed that the prime minister was not forced to announce her departure immediately but this represented a fair compromise. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/16/may-averts-tory-mutiny-by-agreeing-to-set-her-exit-date-after-brexit-bill-vote 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian Momentum the grassroots group set up to support Jeremy Corbyn is directing its campaigning muscle into urging Labour to adopt a series of radical and transformational pledges in its next manifesto including a green new deal and the fourday week. With Westminster politicians deadlocked over Brexit which has divided Labour activists Momentum wants to use its 40000strong membership to influence the direction of policy on other issues. It also hopes to act as a bulwark against the influence of MPs from the social democratic wing of the Labour party. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/16/momentum-urges-labour-to-adopt-radical-pledges-in-next-manifesto 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

Channel 4 News Channel 4 News investigation reveals how millionaire Arron Banks spent approximately 450000 on Nigel Farage to fund lavish lifestyle the year following the EU referendum in summer 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5qxehLbHiQ&ampfeature=youtu.be 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian Change UK is dying before it even learned to walk. Its MPs know it. Its candidates know it. The public knows it. Change UK never really wanted to change anything. What it wanted most of all was for things to stay the same. For the UK to remain in the EU and for the extremes of both the Tory and Labour parties to shut up and go away. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/16/change-uk-is-dying-before-it-even-learned-to-walk?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Tweet 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Sun Rebel Tory MP Philip Lee is to face a no confidence vote by local party Brexiteers trying to oust him The Sun can reveal. The outspoken MP for Bracknell resigned as a justice minister last year to back a second referendum. He is the latest in a series of proEU Tories to face deselection attempts. The vote will be held on June 1 after 53 members signed a petition calling for one. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9092111/philip-lee-no-confidence-vote/ 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Telegraph A proJeremy Corbyn campaign group will try to force the Labour Party to adopt a fourday working week as official policy ahead of the next general election. Momentum will use its 40000strong activist base to campaign in the run up to Labours annual party conference in September to push through radical and transformational pledges. Those pledges will also include a much tougher position on combating climate change by requiring the UK to become carbon neutral by 2030. That would go much further than the partys current position of achieving net zero emissions before 2050. But the Tories said the proposals would weaken the UKs economy and put jobs at risk. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/05/16/momentum-try-force-jeremy-corbyn-adopt-four-day-working-week/ 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian Why is Labour making such a historic mistake To judge from public statements the leadership believes that Labours poor showing in this months local elections proves simply that the public wants us to get a deal done on Brexit the leadership also argues that their ambiguous approach to Brexit in the 2017 election helped them win voters. Actually Labours 2017 success depended on people believing that it was fundamentally a remain party despite tactical ambiguity on Brexit. And regardless of the suggestion that the public simply want the political class to get on with Brexit polling shows that a large portion of the public now wants to stop Brexit. There are of course hardcore voters who want to leave no matter what but they have mostly already shifted to Farage and his Brexit party. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/16/labour-brexit-party-european-elections-nigel-farage 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

Daily Mail Millionaire insurance tycoon Arron Banks spent close to half a million pounds funding Nigel Farages lavish lifestyle according to the findings of a Channel 4 News investigation. The investigation to be broadcast tonight reports that Rock Services Ltd a company owned by Mr Banks leased a 4.4m 3bedroom Chelsea home with garage for Mr Farage at an estimated rent of 13000 a month in the summer of 2016. It is claimed Mr Banks also fitted and furnished the house buying crockery chairs and bathroom accessories and even a shower curtain for Mr Farage. Former UKIP leader Farage who now fronts the Brexit Party was also said to have been handed a Land Rover Discovery valued at 32300 for his personal use. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7037651/Arron-Banks-spent-450k-Nigel-Farage-including-4-4m-home-Land-Rover-utility-bills.html 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

iNews The tycoon Arron Banks spent 450000 bankrolling Nigel Farages lavish lifestyle including the rent of an exclusive home in Chelsea according to a Channel 4 News investigation. Mr Banks bought furniture and fittings for the house including crockery chairs and bathroom accessories even a shower curtain. He also paid for a car and security trained driver and leased a private office for Mr Farage who now leads the Brexit Party Channel 4 reported. Its investigation claimed that Rock Services Ltd which is owned by Mr Banks leased the 4.4m 3bedroom house at an estimated rent of 13000 a month in summer 2016. Mr Farage was provided with a Land Rover Discovery valued at 32300 for his use and Mr Banks paid 20000 for a close protection driver https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/millionaire-arron-banks-spent-450000-bankrolling-nigel-farages-lavish-lifestyle/ 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian Nigel Farage was lavishly funded by Arron Banks in the year after the Brexit referendum Channel 4 News has alleged with the insurance tycoon providing him with a furnished Chelsea home a car and driver and money to promote him in America. According to invoices emails and other documents Banks who regularly bankrolled Farages former party Ukip spent about 450000 in the year after the referendum when Farage had quit as Ukip leader the programme said. It said the money some provided via Rock Services Ltd a company owned by Banks was used to rent a Chelsea home for 13000 a month with Banks purchasing furniture and fittings including crockery and a shower curtain. Farage was also provided with a Land Rover Discovery and a driver and Banks sought to raise an extra 130000 from supporters to cover security. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/16/arron-banks-allegedly-gave-450000-funding-to-nigel-farage-after-brexit-vote?CMP=share_btn_tw 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

Channel 4 News Channel 4 News investigation reveals how millionaire Arron Banks spent approximately 450000 on Nigel Farage to fund lavish lifestyle the year following the EU referendum in summer 2016. Millionaire insurance tycoon Arron Banks spent close to half a million pounds funding Nigel Farage who is now the Brexit Party leader. Mr Banks is currently under investigation by the National Crime Agency over the source of his funding for the Brexit campaign. However Nigel Farage claims Mr Banks has never funded The Brexit Party which was founded in February this year. An investigation by Channel 4 News reveals Mr Banks through one of his companies rented exclusive 4.4m Chelsea home for Mr Farage Gifts included furniture council tax water and electricity bills Banks provided a 30k car and 20k for a driver Banks also leased private office for 1500 a month and paid Mr Farages personal assistant Hundreds of thousands of pounds were spent promoting Brand Farage in America A company owned by Mr Banks called Rock Services Ltd leased a 4.4m threebedroom Chelsea home with a garage for Mr Farage at an estimated rent of 13000 a month in summer 2016. https://www.channel4.com/news/nigel-farages-funding-secrets-revealed 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Telegraph Boris Johnson has confirmed he will run to replace Theresa May as leader of the Conservative Party claiming he has a boundless appetite to try to get it right. Speaking at a private event in Manchester alongside the BBC presenter Huw Edwards Mr Johnson told those in attendance of course Im going for it. I dont think that is any particular secret to anybody he added. But you know there is no vacancy at present. It marks the first time that the former foreign secretary has publicly stated his intention to run. Mr Johnson is the Grassroots favourite to succeed Mrs May topping every leadership poll published in recent months. He is expected to run as the candidate offering a clean Brexit https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/05/16/boris-johnson-confirms-will-course-run-succeed-theresa-may/?hootPostID=3f0fbc0a60e611a4dcbf879da6a76a55 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Sun Two rising star Tory MPs have launched leadership bids after being urged to take on failing Cabinet big beasts. Housing minister Kit Malthouse and Brexit minister James Cleverly are discreetly setting up campaign teams to challenge for the nations top job The Sun can reveal. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9092774/tory-mps-launch-leadership-bids-kit-malthouse/ 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

Politics Home Amber Rudd has warned that the Conservatives must occupy the centre ground if they are to defeat the extremists currently dominating British politics. Amid a surge in support for Nigel Farages new Brexit Party the Cabinet minister told Tory activists that the Conservatives were now in the fight of our lives to push back against populists. A spate of recent polls have suggested that the Brexit Party which is pushing for a nodeal exit from the EU will come out on top at the EU elections on 23 May. https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/conservative-party/news/103886/amber-rudd-warns-tories-not-give-and-let 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Telegraph In the latest part of our new series on the leadership contest awaiting the Conservatives Harry Hodges explains why Michael Gove is the man who can deliver on the promise of Brexit https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/05/16/tory-revival-can-truly-see-populism-need-gove/ 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Spectator If you have heard of Alexander Nix you probably think hes a villain. He is the former head of Cambridge Analytica the data analytics company that helped Donald Trump win the presidential election. Nix and his colleagues have been accused of all sorts of other dastardly deeds conniving with the Kremlin to hack democracy dark messaging people with racist ads on Facebook in the runup to Brexit and more and worse. Nix lost his job after a Channel 4 investigation into Cambridge Analytica in March last year the expos won a Bafta last weekend. By May Cambridge Analytica and its parent company SCL had gone into administration and Nix had been widely condemned as a Machiavellian crook. https://www.spectator.co.uk/2019/05/meet-the-real-alexander-nix-an-interview-with-the-notorious-former-head-of-cambridge-analytica/ 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian With the SNP presenting itself as the logical proEU option north of the border where 62 voted to remain in the 2016 referendum the party leader Nicola Sturgeon urged voters to treat both Labour and the Conservatives as proBrexit parties when she launched her European election campaign last week. Curtice said the polling evidence suggested Labours vote in Scotland was more proleave than the rest of the UK yet like the Tories its support at this election had been eroding leaving it likely to lose one of its two European seats. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/14/anti-brexit-feeling-help-snp-european-elections 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

ITV News Todays joint statement by the 1922 Committee and the PM may seem opaque but it means something very simple and unambiguous the Tories will have a new leader and we will have a new prime minister by August. That is what a majority of Tory MPs want. But for reasons of decorum they have not spelled out the exact timetable ahead of the European Union parliamentary elections which take place on Thursday or before the fourth and final attempt to have the PMs Brexit deal ratified in the week beginning June 3. Theresa May is being allowed the flimsiest fig leaf of control over her destiny. But sources tell me that a majority of the 1922 executive committee want the new leadership contest done and dusted by the time the Commons rises for the summer at the end of July to give a new leader the opportunity to shape a Brexit path with a few months to spare before the new deadline of 31 October. https://www.itv.com/news/2019-05-16/the-end-of-theresa-may-politics-brexit-conservatives-prime-minister/ 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

BBC Brexit talks between the Conservatives and Labour are about to close without an agreement the BBC has learned. Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn will now move to a second phase aimed at agreeing on a process for Parliamentary votes designed to find a consensus. It comes after Mrs May promised to set a timetable for leaving Downing Street following the next Brexit vote in June. ExForeign Secretary Boris Johnson has said he will stand in the Conservative leadership election that will follow. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48304867 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

Deutsche Welle Regulators in the European Union have levied a hefty fine on Barclays Royal Bank of Scotland Citigroup JPMorgan and Japans MUFG over collusion in currency trading. The European Commission on Thursday fined five major banks 1.07 billion 1.2 billion for collusion in the foreign currency market. The fines would normally have been 10 higher but they were reduced after the banks admitted their involvement. https://www.dw.com/en/eu-fines-major-banks-1-billion-over-currency-cartels/a-48759642 16th May 2019

Political Shenanigans

Financial Times Sara Hagemann associate professor in European politics at the London School of Economics argues the election may determine whether Mr Orban will remain something the EPP has to deal with internally. Handling him as an external opponent could be easier for the party. But there are downsides losing Mr Orbans seats could bring the Socialists close to the top spot in the European Parliament. The Hungarian could also act as a rallying point for the right in Europe narrowing the appeal of the EPP much as they feared Mr Berlusconi would in 1998. With the EPP divided over Mr Orbans fate some observers see the Hungarian as having the upper hand. He can gamble on the EPP being unwilling to expel him later this year while making the case for the EPP working with nationalist and antiimmigrant politicians such as Mr Salvini. I have the impression that the identity battle for Europes right is a fight Orban is winning not losing says Mr Valle. He is pulling the EPP and in reality the entire European political structure to the right. https://www.ft.com/content/dbebc290-7589-11e9-be7d-6d846537acab 15th May 2019

Political Setbacks

The Telegraph When the moment she had been dreading finally came Theresa May raged against the dying of the light. The Conservative Partys most powerful backbenchers had just made it clear that her premiership was at its end but the Prime Minister pleaded with them to be given more time. Tears welled in her eyes as she made her argument for just a little longer in Downing Street. She dabbed at her nose with a handkerchief. Yet the sympathy and patience of the 1922 Committee had run out. She voiced her view about Brexit which she regards as a debt of honour said one of those present. She was emotional a lot more emotional than I have ever seen her before. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/05/16/men-grey-suits-called-time-theresa-mays-premiership/ 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

The Telegraph The Boris Bus Brexit slogan that Britain sends 350m to Brussels a week that could be spent on the NHS is a lie JeanClaude Juncker has said. The president of the European Commission made the accusation as his deputy said British politics after Brexit was like Game of Thrones on steroids. Mr Juncker who is reaching the end of his five year term said he was wrong not to attack Vote Leaves 2016 referendum claim which was famously emblazoned on the side of a red bus. So many lies were told and so many of the consequences resulting from a no were misrepresented that we as the commission should have spoken out he told Austrias Der Standard newspaper. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/05/16/350m-brexit-bus-slogan-lie-says-jean-claude-juncker/ 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

Daily Express Richard Leonard a member of the Scottish Parliament claimed voters should back Labour to stop a nodeal Brexit. The UK will take part in European Parliament elections next Thursday with polls suggesting the Brexit Party will come out on top. Theresa Mays Conservatives look set to struggle and are likely to be pushed into third or fourth place. Addressing the audience Mr Leonard said Weve had three years since the referendum two years of failed negotiation and one bad deal presented by Theresa May. The test next Thursday is whether people are prepared to countenance a nodeal Brexit or not. The choice will be between an insurgent Brexit Party or defeating them and defeating what they stand for. Now my view is the best way to do that is to vote Labour next week. At this point a section of the Question Time audience began laughing. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1128285/Brexit-news-EU-exit-Labour-Party-BBC-Question-Time-European-Parliament-Theresa-May 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

@ByDonkeys Brexit Party leader @NigelFarage hasnt written a manifesto so weve done it for him based on statements by him and his candidates. Billboards going up across the country this week. See more at httpTheBrexitParty.com location Radford Rd Coventry https://twitter.com/ByDonkeys/status/1128946811400589312 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

Open Democracy Brexit department claims Chris HeatonHarris wasnt acting in a ministerial capacity but he discussed Brexit with the controversial farright Vox party prompting calls for an investigation. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-money-investigations/revealed-former-brexit-minister-accused-breaching-ministerial-code-meeting-spanish-far-right/ 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

The Independent Support for the European Union among citizens in its member states is at a record high but at the same time so is the belief the bloc will have disintegrated within 20 years polling ahead of this months election shows. The survey by the European Council on Foreign Relations ECFR shows Slovakian voters have a particularly pessimistic view regarding the future of the union with 66 per cent saying they thought it was realistic to say the EU will fall apart in 10 20 years. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/european-elections-2019-eu-collapse-war-20-years-ecfr-survey-a8916616.html 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

The Guardian In the case of Labours strategy towards next weeks European parliament elections one central fact is now beyond dispute. The recent slump in the partys support has been caused by the desertion of voters who want the UK to stay in the European Union not partially caused or possibly caused but totally. This is clear from a detailed analysis of recent YouGov surveys by its political team. In common with other pollsters it has picked up a sharp reduction in Labours support from 21 in late April to 16 last week. Uniquely YouGov can link its data to how people voted in the 2016 referendum and the 2017 general election relying not on voters sometimes fallible memories but how they told YouGov they voted at the time of both contests. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/16/labour-brexit-remain-voters-european-elections 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

Express.co.uk Conservative MPs will be forced to reconsider their political futures if the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum in which 17.4 million Britons voted Leave was to be ignored Tory MP Philip Hollobone has warned. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1128186/Brexit-news-Nigel-Farage-Brexit-Party-latest-EU-UK-Philip-Hollobone-Theresa-May-resign 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

Huffington Post Nigel Farage failed to spell out what Brexit will offer when repeatedly asked by a BBC journalist. The Brexit Party leader was challenged by the broadcasters Wales political correspondent Arwyn Jones eight times to set out what leaving the bloc would deliver for south Wales. Farage whose party has the sole policy of crashing out of the EU without a deal was in Merthyr Tydfil for a campaign rally ahead of the European elections on May 23. Jones said the nation was a net beneficiary of EU funding to the tune of 250m a year and asked Farage what Brexit would deliver if Welsh agriculture was damaged by Brexit. Farage noted for his confident media performances appeared to flounder before suggesting the UK would be in charge of the steel industry. https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/nigel-farage-fails-5-times-to-say-what-brexit-offers-in-car-crash-bbc-interview_uk_5cdd384fe4b0b4728ba38dd2?ncid=other_twitter_cooo9wqtham&amputm_campaign=share_twitter 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

BBC One of the Brexit Partys new AMs has called farright activist Tommy Robinson a courageous character. David Rowlands said the exEnglish Defence League EDL leader reflects the views of a great many people. The comments contrast with those of Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage who has called Robinson whose real name is Stephen YaxleyLennon a thug. The Brexit Party said Mr Rowlands was giving a personal view that did not in any way reflect the partys position. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-48295617 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

This is Local London https://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/national/17645342.billboards-take-aim-at-nigel-farage-and-his-brexit-party/ 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

Somerset Live AntiBrexit campaigners have put up a series of billboards taking aim at Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party by highlighting past statements he and his candidates gave made. Photos show the billboards in place at locations including Taunton in Somerset Coventry and Neath in South Wales with slogans such as attack the NHS and less maternity pay next to comments attributed to Brexit Party members. The billboard in Coventry cites a quote Mr Farage gave during a speech where he said We need to move to an insurancebased system of healthcare. They all feature the Brexit Party branding and logo. The group Led by Donkeys wrote on Twitter Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage hasnt written a manifesto so weve done it for him based on statements by him and his candidates. Billboards going up across the country this week. https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/anti-brexit-campaigners-put-up-2877403?utm_source=twitter.com&amputm_medium=social&amputm_campaign=sharebar 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

The Independent A secretive think tank which called for the NHS to be scrapped while its heads pour millions into the Conservative Party and its MPs coffers is being funded by big tobacco an investigation has found. British American Tobacco is one of the groups funding the Institute of Economic Affairs IEA a free market think tank which is notoriously closelipped about its donors. The IEA has been an outspoken critic of public health measures for tackling smoking obesity and harmful drinking and past funders include organisations affiliated with gambling alcohol sugar and soft drinks industries. Health experts said the findings in the British Medical Journal BMJ raise the prospect of a future Conservative leader aligning with big business at the expense of the publics health. The IEA has dubbed the NHS one of the most inefficient and overrated health systems in the world and a 2016 report argued for a private health insurance model in the UK with topup payments. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/big-tobacco-funding-conservatives-nhs-hancock-raab-davis-a8916561.html 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

Daily Mirror MPs will launch a probe into dark money in elections after the Mirror revealed online loopholes could let millions in foreign cash pour into British politics. A Mirror investigation yesterday found it was possible to join Nigel Farages Brexit Party as a supporter under the name Vladimir Putin and the address of the Kremlin. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/mps-probe-dark-money-after-16156850 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

Oxford Mail https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/national/17645342.billboards-take-aim-at-nigel-farage-and-his-brexit-party/ 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

The New European AntiBrexit campaigners Led by Donkeys are putting up a new set of billboards and this time theyve decided to use them to release Nigel Farages partys manifesto. Nigel Farage has refused to publish one ahead of the elections so weve done it for him based on his own words and the statements and policies of his Brexit Party candidates said Led by Donkeys on their website adding that they think its important to hold Farage and his candidates to account. https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/led-by-donkeys-brexit-party-campaign-1-6053529 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

The Guardian There is no party manifesto. No launch event. No speech by the leader. Barely any money is being spent. And officials are struggling to find enough activists to even stuff envelopes let alone knock on doors. This is the Conservative Partys European election effort an all but invisible campaign that will probably lead to their worst showing in a nationwide election in at least a century. Inside Conservative campaign headquarters the strategy is that minimum exertion will give Theresa May an excuse for doing so badly after the results of the polls come in on 26 May. Centrally the party is resigned to losing half their MEPs and possibly coming fifth. The candidates picked by the party are a mixed bag from both the leave and remain wings. Many of them are not even bothering to tweet or update their websites about the European elections let alone engage in pounding the streets. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/16/inside-tory-european-election-campaign-brexit-mep-candidates 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

Express & Star Carl Benjamin the Ukip MEP candidate who joked online about raping her. Mr Benjamin who is standing for for the party in South West England appeared on the BBCs Victoria Derbyshire programme to defend his jokes accusing the BBC of killing off comedy. He also said he had spoken to rape survivors who had applauded his comments https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2019/05/16/jess-phillips-sick-at-interview-with-ukip-candidate-who-joked-about-raping-her/ 16th May 2019

Political Setbacks

Politics Home In December the AllParty Parliamentary Group APPG on British Muslims called on the Government to accept guidelines on antiIslamic abuse which states Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness. In a Commons debate on Thursday however ministers will say that unlike the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliances IHRA definition on antisemitism which it supports the proposal on Islamophobia has not been broadly accepted. https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/home-affairs/news/103893/tory-ministers-condemned-rejecting-mps%E2%80%99-definition-islamophobia 15th May 2019