Perfidious Albion

Polish EPP MEP Danuta Hübner, a former EU commissioner, issued the following statement on Thursday. “As Chair of the AFCO Monitoring group on the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, I am deeply concerned by the proposed measures of the UK government. We are in the process of negotiating the most important agreement on our future…

Rosbif et Brexit

The British Meat Processors Association has urged the UK government to address its concerns about the current Brexit talks. On Wednesday, its CEO Nick Allen said, “Despite reassurances from our PM last week that “we’re ready for any eventuality”, the reality is that many key issues remain unresolved. Brexit contingency preparations are proceeding at a snail’s pace and…

UK Security Report on Russian Links Published

After a delay of 10 months sitting on the British Prime Minister’s desk, the Intelligence and Security Committee’s Report on Russian interference in the UK is now available for the general public to read. Speaking in the Commons today Leader of the Opposition Sir Keir Starmer asked Boris Johnson why he had sat for so…

EU-UK Trade: Festina Lente

By Denis MacShane One of the biggest red herrings in this year’s Brexit threnody has been the endless words wasted on the question of an extension at the end of June. A completely artificial argument has been created by supporters of Dominic Cummings’s hard / no-deal Brexit coterie, and those like Ed Davey and Caroline…

The Withdrawal Agreement is leaving Britons abroad behind

By Jayne Adye Chief Brexit Negotiator for the European Union, Michel Barnier, constantly talks about the Withdrawal Agreement’s obligations not being fulfilled by the United Kingdom, as well as implications the UK is not taking the Brexit negotiations seriously enough to secure a Deal. One of the main themes of Barnier’s argument is the matter of ‘EU…

Rags to Rags in 3 Generations

So it was today when the EU approved the withdrawal of Britain from the EU. The Presidents of the European Commission and the European Council – Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel – have signed the Withdrawal Agreement, paving the way for its ratification by the European Parliament. The Parliament will meet on 29…

UK Election Campaign

UK party leaders have defended their Brexit policies ahead of the UK election in December. The first televised debates between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn took place. Brexit dominated the first half of  the debate and the two leaders each had important messages to get across on the vexed topic. David Shiels, of the leading UK based…

EU Launches Infringement Proceedings Against UK

The EU has started legal action against the UK for not putting forward a new commissioner. A commission statement said, “As the Guardian of the Treaties, the European Commission has today sent a letter of formal notice to the United Kingdom for breaching its EU Treaty obligations by not suggesting a candidate for the post of…

EU Fisheries post-Brexit

Europe’s regions have outlined “key” messages that they say should be a baseline for the forthcoming negotiations between the EU and the UK on a post-Brexit fisheries agreement.  They set out the demands on 14 November, on the occasion of the 30th General Assembly of the Atlantic Arc Commission (AAC). Regions of the Atlantic Arc adopted a…