Her disappointments with the Blair years, while fun to pick over, will be pretty familiar to anyone else who lived through them (ratcheting up prison sentences, Tory-lite posturing over crime and defence, kowtowing to the tabloids). What I’m interested in is Charter 88. It was all quite slow-burning stuff: House of Lords reform, devolution, civil liberties, alignment with Europe over human rights. These were not barricades you could imagine anyone joyously manning and yet it generated a lot of civic energy, as well as a shift in the Labour party while it was in opposition. So I wonder whether there are lessons there for how to tackle Brexit, which carries the same air of stasis and impermeability that the democratic deficit once did, with the same possibilities for an opposition prepared to take it on. … [Read more...] about Helena Kennedy: ‘Brexit is a disaster for women’
Eu brexit
Bank of England tells banks to prepare for no-deal Brexit as UK hits 6 month countdown
"In performing that role, the governor meets the leadership of UK banks on a very regular basis. As we have said previously, the possibility that negotiations between the UK and EU over a future trading relationship might not conclude in a deal is one of a number of outcomes that UK banks need to prepare for over the coming months." … [Read more...] about Bank of England tells banks to prepare for no-deal Brexit as UK hits 6 month countdown
Brexit: No deal would be ‘hugely damaging’ to car industry
'Damage limitation'The committee said it was "unrealistic" to think new trade deals could offset the damage of a "hard Brexit", whereby Britain left the single market and the customs union and began trading with the EU as if it were any other country, based on World Trade Organization rules. … [Read more...] about Brexit: No deal would be ‘hugely damaging’ to car industry
Jeremy Corbyn backs permanent customs union after Brexit
Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer has not ruled out continuing with free movement of people between the UK and the EU in some form after Brexit, under Labour's plans, but he told BBC News it would have to be negotiated - as would any financial contribution the UK would make. … [Read more...] about Jeremy Corbyn backs permanent customs union after Brexit
Airbus warns it may need to stockpile parts against Brexit
Separately, the company issued a statement on Monday saying it would meet European works council members later in the week to talk about the possible impact on jobs from a falling production rates of the A380 and A400M planes. … [Read more...] about Airbus warns it may need to stockpile parts against Brexit
