Spain wants to start post-Brexit trade talks with Britain as soon as possible – defying the EU January 26, 2017 Spanish government officials want to start negotiating a trade deal with the UK to take effect after Brexit, going against the official position of key negotiators in Brussels. In an interview with the Financial Times, Spain's foreign minister Alfonso Dastis said that he believes starting trade talks before the full terms of Brexit are agreed [...]
Jeremy Corbyn confirms he will order Labour MPs to back Article 50 Bill January 26, 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has confirmed that he will order his MPs to support the recently published bill granting Prime Minister Theresa May the power to launch Brexit talks. Corbyn has previously suggested he would "ask" Labour MPs to support the legislation, but he has now gone one step further, making clear that voting against [...]
READ: The whole text of Theresa May’s Article 50 Bill January 26, 2017 Ministers have published the text of a new bill designed to grant Theresa May the power to begin divorce negotiations with Europe. Brexit secretary David Davis had promised a "straight-forward" piece of legislation, and the Bill is certainly minimal. The entire text is below, running to an absolutely massive 132 words. Read More: May backs down over plans [...]
Article 50: MPs will get five days to debate Brexit bill January 26, 2017 Legislation granting Prime Minister Theresa May power to launch Brexit talks has been formally unveiled today. House of Commons leader David Lidington said MPs will have five days to debate Article 50, starting from next Tuesday. It means that the House of Commons will vote on the legislation on 8 February. MPs challenged the amount of [...]
Donald Trump has come at just the right time for Theresa May January 26, 2017 Tomorrow, Theresa May will become the first world leader to meet President Donald Trump. It is unlikely to be a meeting of minds, but it will certainly be a meeting of huge significance. Both the President and the PM have spoken in recent weeks about the importance of the special relationship and of their desire [...]
Politics dictates a quick-fire Brexit – but a compromise is more likely than you think January 26, 2017 Let's show some ambition and optimism! There really is a deal to be done with the EU27 that works in our mutual interest as we head for the exit. Not that this will be easy. I have been struck by the unity of purpose expressed at the highest level by our continental counterparties. Michel Barnier, [...]
Business needs more leaders like George Soros – to fearlessly speak out against Trump’s bullying January 26, 2017 There was something odd about the World Economic Forum’s annual gathering in Davos this year, and it wasn’t only that the typical Davos-attendee (pro-trade, pro-global) felt he was under attack because of the wave of populism that crashed through the US and the UK in 2016. There was also the odd moment when the President [...]
Government to consult on ways to make sure new mothers have “sufficient protection” from redundancy January 26, 2017 The government has pledged to protect working mothers from redundancy in its response to a report on maternity discrimination. A report carried out by the Women and Equalities Select Committee last year, found the number of new mothers forced to leave their jobs had almost doubled to 54,000 since 2005. It recommended protections similar to [...]
Whitehall looks for private sector bidder to give civil servants lessons in international trade lingo ahead of Brexit negotiations January 26, 2017 Civil servants will be given a crash course in the language of international trade ahead of the UK’s departure from the European Union. Whitehall officials are looking for a private sector bidder to deliver training across government on “the key areas and terminology of international trade policy”, according to a new tender document published this [...]
Is the Department for Transport preparing to take control of Southern Rail trains? January 25, 2017 The Department for Transport is reportedly considering seizing control of the controversial rail franchise including Southern Rail as one of a range of options to improve service. A report from Rail Business Intelligence magazine had suggested that Whitehall officials were preparing a number of plans, including splitting off Southern from Govia Thameslink Railway, as well [...]