10th Apr 2019 https://nfind.uk/brexit_cliff_edge/index.php/newsletter=43 brexit_cliff_edge

Economic Impact

The Guardian The IMF said there were alternative nodeal scenarios in which the UK would be hit by trade barriers customs delays barriers to financial services firms and the loss of preferential access to nonEU countries under trade deals negotiated by Brussels. The impact of these would be enough to cause output to decline in 2019 and 2020. It stressed that a nodeal Brexit that severely disrupts supply chains and raises trade costs could potentially have large and longlasting negative impacts on the economies of the United Kingdom and the European Union. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/apr/09/imf-no-deal-brexit-risks-two-year-recession-uk-economic 9th Apr 2019

Economic Impact

Bloomberg Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said the U.S. financial system is preparing for the U.K. to crash out of the European Union without a deal and warned it would cause global disruptions. We need to be prepared for a hard Brexit as a very realistic outcome Mnuchin said Tuesday during a hearing before the House Financial Services Committee adding that the U.S. has encouraged the U.K. and the union to find a suitable resolution. Yet Britains exit from the EU looks set to be delayed by as long as a year in a blow for Theresa May that risks a destabilizing backlash at home. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-09/mnuchin-says-hard-brexit-a-realistic-outcome-urges-agreement 9th Apr 2019

Administrative Fall Out

The Guardian They believed they were in a welcoming country. Three hospital consultants discuss how their lives have been upended by Brexit https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/09/eu-doctors-brexit-dilemma-do-we-stay-or-do-we-go 9th Apr 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Express and Star Brexit has contributed to a shortage of some medicines at pharmacies in England as the number of indemand drugs subsidised by the Government reached a record high it is claimed. Supply issues partly blamed on Brexit planning and contingency have caused an official list of concession priced medicines to reach its longest since 2014 when it was first introduced. The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee PSNC which draws up the list said Britains exit from the EU coupled with manufacturers views of the country as a less attractive market had caused the significant problems https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2019/04/09/brexit-linked-to-significant-medicines-shortage-faced-by-pharmacists/ 9th Apr 2019

Administrative Fall Out

Belfast Live It is believed the gang responsible for some of the 12 robberies in Northern Ireland and the Republic since October has netted 603000. https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/atm-thefts-being-carried-out-16100364 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Reuters The European Union hopes crossparty talks in London will yield a majority in the House of Commons for the stalled Brexit deal and is willing to grant more time to achieve that the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier said. On the eve of an EU summit of national leaders due to decide whether to grant Britain another Brexit delay Barnier stressed that the length of any second postponement beyond the current date of April 12 would depend on the rationale presented by Prime Minister Theresa May. The duration of an extension it has got to be in line with the purpose of any such extension Barnier told a news conference on Tuesday. https://in.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-barnier-idINKCN1RL0ZF 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Telegraph Michel Barnier has urged Britain to join a customs union with the EU after Brexit before warning that a nodeal departure would be the UKs fault alone. He said that Britain could always cancel Brexit by revoking Article 50 to avoid a nodeal and warned that Brussels would not relax any of its red lines such as freedom of movement even if the prime minister did. We are not willing to compromise in any way the very foundations of the EU the EUs chief Brexit negotiator said. Mr Barnier said that if talks between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn were successful the EU would be ready to change the terms of the UKEU future relationship to allow for closer links with Brussels. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/politics/2019/04/09/TELEMMGLPICT000193763614_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bqg0QhGUrJBLC1cMiJLC7a75zDZoMesSKK_mHY2QV_wnA.jpeg?imwidth=1400 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Telegraph hilip Hammond raised the prospect that MPs will revoke Article 50 this week rather than allow Britain to leave without a deal if Brexit talks collapse. The Chancellor warned on Tuesday that the value of the pound could fall significantly if Theresa May fails to reach agreement on a Brexit delay with Brussels. He suggested that the impact of uncertainty on the markets could encourage MPs to vote to reverse Brexit by revoking Article 50. David Lidington the Minister for the Cabinet Office is said to have warned that the Government would no longer be in control and that Parliament and the Speaker would determine how to proceed https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/04/09/philip-hammond-suggests-mps-could-revoke-article-50-prevent/ 10th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Sky News Theresa May is facing the prospect of being offered a Brexit delay of up to a year at an emergency EU summit in Brussels. The prime minister has been pushing for a delay to the end of June with the possibility of Britain leaving at an earlier date if her Brexit deal is approved. But her hopes look set to be dashed having already been granted one short extension to the process. In a letter to the remaining 27 EU member states European Council President Donald Tusk said there was little reason to believe Mrs Mays deal which has already been defeated three times could be ratified by the end of June. https://news.sky.com/story/theresa-may-facing-prospect-of-longer-brexit-delay-at-eu-summit-11689263 10th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian It is understood May and her team have gone cool on the idea of MPs having more indicative votes which she had suggested would be binding if talks with Labour do not progress. However Labour is keener on bringing forward the withdrawal agreement bill to test support for amendments on various options. A Labour source said this had been discussed in the Cabinet Office on Tuesday but ruled out frontbench support for the plan at this stage. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/09/may-considers-plan-to-let-mps-to-thrash-out-brexit-deal-if-talks-fail 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Daily Mirror Boris Johnsons remained father Stanley has applied to stand in the EU elections. Mr Johnson Senior who appeared on Im A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here said he was worried the Tories would not make the most of the opportunity. He told LBC Radio I think the idea that we should be talking down these Euro elections is absurd. If were staying in we may as well do what is required and fight the elections. And if were going to fight the elections we might as well fight to win Im speaking as a Conservative. And as Conservatives I think we should have a really constructive role to play out there. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnsons-remainer-father-stanley-14271728 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Financial Times The repeated failure of the British political classes to settle the Brexit question is consuming ever larger amounts of EU time effort and attention just when European leaders need to focus on other pressing internal and external challenges. There were welcome signs late on Tuesday that EU leaders might be moving towards agreeing a long extension. To let the UK crash out on Friday or to arrange a very short extension would be no more in EU interests than in Londons. Though frustrated at British behaviour EU leaders should agree to extend the withdrawal process until at least the end of this year with appropriate conditions attached. https://www.ft.com/content/7e26958e-5abf-11e9-939a-341f5ada9d40 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

BuzzFeed News French president Emmanuel Macron is adamant that Brexit cannot be delayed beyond December 2019 and will ask the other 26 European Union leaders to impose compliance checks on the UK every three months during any extension according to diplomatic sources who have been privately briefed on his thinking ahead of this weeks emergency European Council summit of EU leaders. As Macron prepares to meet Theresa May in Paris on Tuesday ahead of Wednesdays meeting the sources told BuzzFeed News it was extremely unlikely that Macron would block an extension outright https://www.buzzfeed.com/albertonardelli/emmanuel-macron-brexit-delay-december 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

New Statesman The party can no longer be bound by the referendum of 2016 it must fight for a transformed Europe from within. https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/brexit/2019/04/new-brexit-extension-moment-labour-finally-champion-remain 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Business Insider Members of Parliament back Theresa Mays plan to delay Brexit until June 30. The prime minister will now travel to Brussels on Wednesday where she will seek the support of EU leaders for a delay. The European Council will decide on the length and conditions of any extension on Wednesday evening. EU leaders are reportedly in favour of a much longer delay to Brexit of up to one year. https://www.businessinsider.com/mps-vote-in-favour-of-theresa-may-request-to-delay-brexit-2019-4 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Huffington Post UK At first glance Boris Johnsons campaign website didnt come as that much of a surprise until you looked closer. Launched by antiBrexit campaign group Our Future Our Choice the fake Boris for Britain site imagines the former foreign secretarys bid for the countrys top job. https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/boris-johnson-spoof-campaign-website_uk_5cac6582e4b02084ce8f77a5 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Guardian There are worse things that could happen to a democracy than its citizens being given an opportunity to vote. The same goes for a referendum. And the alternative is a duff deal soaked in panic nobodys first choice bundled through parliament by a coalition of demoralised remainers and disingenuous leavers the former with heads bowed the latter with fingers crossed. That wouldnt be a durable compromise or even a truce. It would be MPs bailing themselves out borrowing a moment of respite for which the country would then pay in years of disappointment and bitterness. Even if a majority could be found for a Brexit settlement this parliament lacks the authority to validate it as a good deal in the public eye. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/09/brexit-worth-it-public-question-referendum 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Reuters UK Brexit will not be on Friday EU leaders will confirm when they meet Prime Minister Theresa May at another crisis summit on Wednesday but diplomats said they are still wrestling on how long it might be delayed and under what conditions. EU diplomats said there was no appetite around the table to drop the axe on Britain just yet. They said that talks which were to continue among national envoys in Brussels later on Tuesday were now focused on a proposal from summit chair Donald Tusk to give Britain up to a year longer to organise its withdrawal. People are tired and fed up but what to do one said. We wont be the ones pushing the UK off the cliff edge. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-summit/weary-eu-set-to-give-yet-more-time-for-brexit-idUKKCN1RL22Z 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Reuters British Prime Minister Theresa May outlined to German Chancellor Angela Merkel the steps she was taking to bring the Brexit process to a successful conclusion and on discussions with the opposition Labour Party a spokeswoman said on Tuesday. May in Germany as part of her charm offensive to secure a Brexit delay at an EU summit on Wednesday updated Chancellor Merkel on the ongoing discussions with the opposition the spokeswoman said in a statement. Ahead of EU Council tomorrow the leaders discussed the UKs request for an extension of Article 50 to June 30 with the option to bring this forward if a deal is ratified earlier. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-may-merkel/uk-pm-may-outlines-steps-to-secure-successful-brexit-with-germanys-merkel-idUSKCN1RL1IE 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Reuters The European Union must understand what Britain wants to achieve during its requested extension of the Brexit deadline and what role it wants to play in the EU during that time before the EU can grant the delay French EU minister Amlie de Montchalin said. Montchalin said however that such an extension would not be automatic. We want to understand what the UK needs this extension for she told reporters on entering a meeting of EU ministers in Luxembourg that is to prepare the Brexit summit on Wednesday. Then come the questions of the conditions what role the UK wants to play during this extension time in what kind of decisions it wants to take part she said. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-france-extension-idUSKCN1RL0P8 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

iNews Government Minister David Gauke claimed Theresa May will tell European Union leaders that it is too early to say whether she has an agreement with the Labour Party to get a Brexit deal ratified by MPs despite a looming summit being just one days time. There are some areas of common ground but there are also wellknown areas of disagreement. But theres a lot of work thats going on at the moment in terms of identifying perhaps where we can move forward. https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/brexit-latest-cabinet-david-gauke-theresa-may-deal-negotiations-compromise-eu-leaders/ 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Sun Nigel Farage last night claimed his new Brexit Party will spark a political revolution at the European Elections and terrify the Tories. The exUKIP chief revealed will formally launch the party in Coventry this Friday and contest every region on May 23 to give voters the chance to fight back against the betrayal of democracy by Theresa May. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8828120/nigel-farage-brexit-party-revolution-tories/ 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Independent EU leaders will consider giving Theresa May a Brexit extension until the end of the year at a crunch summit in Brussels on Wednesday that could delay Britains departure from the bloc until after Christmas. Ahead of the crucial meeting the prime minister was warned that she needed a clear plan with credible political backing if she wanted the delay to avert no deal on Friday as she met with Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron to try and win their support. But there is still debate among the 27 EU countries about what sort of conditions any extension should come with with talks between ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday running over by an hour amid debate among countries. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-delay-christmas-eu-meeting-brussels-a8862141.html 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

@Alison1MackITV More from the barnstorming speech at the PeoplesVote rally by former West Bromwich MP Baroness Betty Boothroyd. If the politicians cant break the brexit deadlock leave it to the @peoplesvoteuk @ITVCentral https://twitter.com/Alison1mackITV/status/1115633678980460545 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Evening Standard Emmanuel Macron was today warned he risks blighting AngloFrench relations for years if he is seen to force Britain out of the EU against the wish of Parliament. Senior MPs stressed the danger of seeking shortterm victories and playing to a domestic audience to unwise lengths with stances which threaten to be severely damaging to ties between London and Paris. They spoke out after Mr Macron took a hard line against delaying Britains departure from the EU sparking suggestions he wants a De Gaulle moment similar to the then French presidents decision in the Sixties to veto the UK joining the European Economic Community. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/emmanuel-macron-warned-he-could-severely-damage-frenchuk-relations-with-brexit-stance-a4112001.html 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

The Telegraph Mrs Mays new slogan is effectivly no Brexit is better than no deal. Her difficulty is that this gives her no room to manoeuvre. In order to avoid no deal she must agree to whatever she is offered. She has no leverage at all to negotiate the length of extension she would prefer because she has nothing to threaten the EU with. Equally she has already committed to accept any Brexit arrangements passed by Parliament in a desperate rush to get this done. No deal or a longer extension are better than agreeing to a customs union. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2019/04/09/better-no-deal-long-article-50-extension-customs-union-cooked/ 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

@EUCOPresident There are times when you need to give time time. My letter to EU leaders ahead of tomorrows EUCO httpseuropa.euWb76Jq Brexit https://twitter.com/eucopresident/status/1115660118882947072 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

@TamCohen Liam Fox letter to Tory MPs pulverises Labours customs union we would be stuck in the worst of all worlds https://twitter.com/tamcohen/status/1115550069632262144 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

Financial Times France has signalled the UK could remain in the EU for almost another year but will have to meet strict conditions as the blocs leaders prepare to decide on whether and by how long to delay Brexit. Speaking as Donald Tusk the president of the European Council of EU member states called for a long flexible extension of the Brexit deadline a senior French official said the UK would have to limit its decisionmaking abilities about issues such as the EU budget and the appointment of the European Commissions next president. The longer the period is the stronger the guarantee needs to be the official said adding that in terms of the extension a year seems to us too long. But he indicated that a delay up to March next year could be acceptable if it was accompanied by conditions. https://www.ft.com/content/cb7ad47a-5abb-11e9-9dde-7aedca0a081a?desktop=true&ampsegmentId=d8d3e364-5197-20eb-17cf-2437841d178a 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

ITV News I was told by those involved in preparations for the emergency Brexit summit on Wednesday that the most likely outcome of the special summit is another kicking of the Brexit can down the road but only till a bit after the elections for the European Parliament at the end of May. The big problem with a long delay for France and its President in particular was that it would give the UK too much power in their view to vandalise the EU till EU leaders felt cowed into tearing up the Northern Ireland backstop hated by Tory Brexiters and DUP. EU leaders trust Theresa May to abide by the convention that all EU members including Brexiting ones should engage with each other in a spirit of sincere cooperation but do not trust she will be PM much longer. https://www.itv.com/news/2019-04-09/eu-to-offer-short-final-final-brexit-delay/ 9th Apr 2019

Political Shenanigans

ITV News Is the de facto Brexit default now revoking Article 50 this week rather than a nodeal Brexit on 12 April I ask because the PM is now explicitly saying the choice is a binary one between some version of her negotiated deal and not leaving at all that is what she said in her sofa chat on Sunday. The point is that she has no power to prevent a nodeal Brexit on 12 April by delaying Brexit for a delay she needs the unanimous agreement of the EUs 27 leaders. But she does have the unilateral power to prevent a nodeal by cancelling Brexit altogether by revoking the Article 50 application to leave the EU. So have she and Whitehall who are persuaded rightly or wrongly that nodeal on April 12 would be a catastrophe especially for the integrity of UK made a huge emotional leap to prepare for the political if not economic explosion of cancelling Brexit this week in that there remains a serious risk that the EU will not grant the UK an extension or an extension on acceptable terms. https://www.itv.com/news/2019-04-08/is-cancelling-brexit-the-prime-ministers-new-default/ 8th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

BBC It is painful to watch the prime minister pleading with EU leaders to grant another extension to the Brexit date Arlene Foster has said. The DUP leader told the BBC she found it humiliating that we are having to go and beg so that we can leave. On Wednesday a special EU summit will take place as leaders consider Theresa Mays request. The UK is still scheduled to leave the EU on 12 April unless a delay is agreed. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-47872685 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

BBC A Tory MP has quit the Eurosceptic European Research Group claiming a hardcore element of Unicorn dreamers were endangering Brexit. Daniel Kawczynski voted against Theresa Mays Brexit deal twice before deciding to back her withdrawal agreement last month. The Shropshire MP accused the backbench Conservative group of preventing the deal from passing in the Commons. But the ERGs deputy chairman stood by their opposition to the PMs deal. Mark Francois told BBC Newsnight The withdrawal agreement keeps us in the European Union thats why weve always been so against it. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47864701 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

BBC The publics dissatisfaction with how government is working is at a 15year high an influential study of political engagement suggests. Levels of unhappiness are now greater than in the wake of the MPs expenses scandal the Hansard Society found. More than half of the 1200 people questioned thought the UK was in decline and needed a strong leader who is willing to break the rules. And more than 40 said they could support new parties with radical ideas. The Hansard Societys 16th Audit of Political Engagement was carried out in early December before the extent of the current Commons deadlock over Brexit became apparent. But it found that MPs were less trusted to handle Brexit than judges and civil servants while banks were more trusted to act in the public interest than MPs ministers or political parties. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47852394 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

iNews https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/huw-merriman-tory-mp-brexit-peoples-vote-rally-theresa-may-sacked/ 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Daily Mirror A Tory MP has publicly dared Theresa May to sack him from his government role in a bombshell interview over Brexit . Huw Merriman who is an aide to the Chancellor announced he will speak at a rally in support of a second referendum at lunchtime today in Westminster. And he warned Tory chiefs will have to sack him from the government if they dont like it. The Parliamentary Private Secretary said he had backed a socalled Peoples Vote in a free vote last week only to be told it was not government policy. He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme If I cant speak freely and explain how I voted on a free vote...I didnt give up my career to come into Parliament for that its absolutely ridiculous. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-brexit-huw-merriman-mp-14267300 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

The Guardian Theresa Mays request for a short Brexit delay has been torn up putting the EU on track to instead extend Britains membership until 2020. Despite the prime ministers desperate dash to Paris and Berlin to convince leaders of her plan to break the Brexit impasse the European council president Donald Tusk signalled EU politicians lack of faith in her crossparty talks. Against a backdrop of growing support among the EU27 for a lengthy Brexit delay Tusk picked apart Mays appeal for a shorter delay to 30 June in a letter to the leaders inviting them to Wednesdays summit where they will agree the new end date. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/09/conditions-for-short-brexit-delay-have-not-been-met-says-berlin 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Daily Record The message was pushed despite loud warnings that cutting the number of people coming to Britain will have a major impact on vital public services such as the NHS. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scapegoating-immigrant-workers-lowest-point-14266956 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

The Independent The EU is open to granting Theresa May another delay to Brexit talks but only if she produces a workable plan in time for a summit on Wednesday evening EU member states have warned. Ministers from the 27 remaining countries met in Luxembourg on Tuesday morning to lay the groundwork for the leaders meeting in Brussels the next day. Discussions overran by an hour amid debate between the countries about the way to proceed. The prolongation of the Article 50 deadline is an instrument and not an objective in itself. The British side must outline a clear plan with credible political backing to justify the decision of the European Council in favour of the extension George Ciamba the Romanian EU minister chairing the meeting said at a press conference afterwards. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-delay-theresa-may-article-50-eu-extension-barnier-a8861256.html 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

The Sun Theresa May will be told to keep Britain in the EU until March 2020 by Brussels it was claimed. In a humiliation for the PM sources confirmed EU leaders will tomorrow demand an extension of up to a year because of her failure to pass a Brexit deal through the Commons. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/brexit/8819834/eu-brexit-delay-2020/ 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

The Independent The prime minister has at last acknowledged that she had no majority for her deal. Her options will have narrowed to two no deal or revoke and now she will have to choose https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-news-article-50-revoke-theresa-may-eu-merkel-deal-a8861191.html 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Daily Mirror Boris Johnson is to be hauled in for a dressing down after he broke rules on financial interests again. The exForeign Secretary has been savaged for his lack of respect after he fell foul of regulations aimed at cleaning up politics for the second time in less than a year. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-boris-johnson-savaged-breaching-14252267 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

BBC Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom said it would be fantastic if Angela Merkel will try to support a proper UK Brexit by agreeing to reopen the withdrawal agreement. Ms Leadsom added there had been rumours that senior members of the German government would be willing to do that. The withdrawal agreement sets out how the UK will leave the EU including details of a divorce bill and citizens rights. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-47866471/andrea-leadsom-merkel-should-reopen-withdrawal-deal 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

The Guardian This is not 2016. Brexit is not the clearcut will of the people. A majority of voters now oppose it as do a large majority of Labour supporters. Delivering Brexit means setting yourself against a mass movement a million of whom have marched and 6 million of whom have petitioned for the outright revocation of article 50. Labour cannot expect to demoralise its activist base by choosing to implement a policy they regard as a fundamental affront to their values and then just talk about school funding instead. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/09/corbyn-tories-brexit-labour-voters 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Daily Mirror Brussels chief Donald Tusk says theres little reason to believe we can sort out Brexit by the end of June. It came just minutes after MPs approved Theresa Mays plan to seek a delay until June 30. But inviting EU leaders to a crunch summit in Brussels tomorrow the European Council President said In reality granting such an extension would increase the risk of a rolling series of short extensions and emergency summits creating new cliffedge dates. This in turn would almost certainly overshadow the business of the EU27 in the months ahead. The continued uncertainty would also be bad for our businesses and citizens. Finally if we failed to agree on any next extension there would be a risk of an accidental nodeal Brexit. This is why I believe we should also discuss an alternative longer extension. One possibility would be a flexible extension which would last only as long as necessary and no longer than one year as beyond that date we will need to decide unanimously on some key European projects. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/donald-tusk-says-theres-little-14271328 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

@ITVNews Theresa May arrives in Berlin for Brexit talks with German leader Angela Merkel but no one is there to greet her httpsbit.ly2FXX3uU https://twitter.com/itvnews/status/1115575691272171520 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Evening Times Theresa May is hiding from taking action on claims of electoral fraud against the Vote Leave Brexit campaign according to a Glasgow MP. Stewart McDonald Glasgow South SNP MP had written to the Prime Minister seeking a judge led inquiry to investigate the allegations of fraud. The Prime Minister said she has passed the question on to the Cabinet Office leaving the MP to conclude she doesnt want to take responsibility for initiating action. Mr McDonald asked in a written question if the Prime Minister had plans to set up a judge led inquiry to investigate alleged fraud in the EU referendum. https://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/17561816.theresa-may-is-hiding-form-vote-leave-brexit-campaign-fraud-claims-says-snp-mp/ 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

@Doozy_45 Q. Would you be happy with nodeal Hoey Wed cope A. Burt Im from agricultural constituency 20 of business would collapse Brexit https://twitter.com/Doozy_45/status/1115548310981500928 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

@alexwickham Tory grassroots revolt this draft motion of no confidence in Theresa May is doing the rounds among Conservative associations https://twitter.com/alexwickham/status/1115529411162513408 9th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

Byline Times It was inevitable one Labour adviser remarked after shadow cabinet members openly defied a threeline whip to abstain on a crucial indicative vote on a second referendum last week. The left always eats itself. Its no surprise discipline has broken down. Byline Times has interviewed more than half a dozen senior Labour party figures and advisers in the wake of the unprecedented frontbench rebellion by the party chairman Ian Lavery and shadow leader of the house John Trickett. These sources have spoken on condition of anonymity as Labour strives to preserve party unity. Most are on the left of the party or from the grassroots Momentum movement. https://bylinetimes.com/2019/04/08/losing-momentum-can-jeremy-corbyn-survive-a-split-from-his-base/ 8th Apr 2019

Political Setbacks

@Jacob_rees_mogg If a long extension leaves us stuck in the EU we should be as difficult as possible. We could veto any increase in the budget obstruct the putative EU army and block Mr Macrons integrationist schemes. https://twitter.com/Jacob_Rees_Mogg/status/1114086264024727554 5th Apr 2019

Trade Deals/Negotiations

The Telegraph A customs union where the UK was obliged to implement the common customs tariff would allow the EU to negotiate access to UK markets as part of EU trade policy irrespective of the interests or wishes of the UK. It will be able to offer full access to the worlds fifth biggest market as part of any EU offer without the need to balance this access by negotiating on key UK offensive interests. He said that countries that negotiate new free trade agreements with the EU will have automatic access to the UK market with the UK having no reciprocal access. The key question is that if a trading partner already had access to the UK for no cost why would it be interested in negotiating a further bilateral agreement https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/04/09/exclusiveliam-fox-tells-tory-mps-customs-union-will-worst-worlds/ 9th Apr 2019

Trade Deals/Negotiations

New Statesman The Commonwealth does about a sixth of the trade with the UK that the EU does and has neither the capacity nor the desire to be turned into a significant trading bloc. We understand the UK wants to come to us as the Commonwealth in the fullness of time to present some postBrexit bigger deeper agreement that they would want to negotiate with us he says. We would meet them after three years or something assess the situation and take stock. Being put on the backburner like this doesnt sound like the Global Britain promised by the Breexiteers where the UK rids itself of the shackles of Europe and spreads its wings to seek global markets across the oceans. https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2019/04/brexiteers-need-realise-commonwealth-not-coming-save-them 9th Apr 2019

Trade Deals/Negotiations

The Spectator It makes almost no sense for the Brexit debacle to have come down to the issue of an independent British trade policy. Trade was not a central issue at the referendum and remains wildly misunderstood by public and politicians alike. But we are where we are. If we end up crashing out by accident or the May government tears itself apart it will be on the pretext that significant numbers of Tory MPs want that independent trade policy and cannot stomach the restrictions that a customs union would put on Britains freedom over trade. https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2019/04/the-myth-of-the-great-british-brexit-trade-policy/ 9th Apr 2019