European union

Downing Street expects the European elections to go ahead next month despite continuing talks with Labour to break the Brexit deadlock. Senior Government figures believe that cross-party negotiations will break down leaving the UK faced with no choice but to take part. Both sides remained downbeat about the chances of a breakthrough after talks resumed yesterday - although Labour sources suggested ministers had appeared more open to compromise than before. However, senior Tories were unconvinced the talks would result in a Brexit compromise deal in time - so the May 22 would go ahead.  One No 10 insider said: “If we get to the end of this week and nothing is resolved on Brexit, it makes it feel very, very likely.” But other Tory sources claimed their “new goal” was to make sure that no MEPs who were elected ever took their seat. They would do this by passing the withdrawal agreement bill (WAB) by June 30 or tabling more indicative votes so they don’t … [Read more...] about Downing Street expects European elections to go ahead next month despite talks

Labour accused Theresa May of betraying the party's trust on crunch Brexit talks as they prepared for a fresh round of negotiations on Tuesday. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said he did not trust the Prime Minister after details of potential compromises emerged. He hit out after the Prime Minister issued a desperate last-ditch plea to Jeremy Corbyn for help in delivering Brexit. The Tories are expected to cave into Labour demands for a customs union, as long as it is called something else. A temporary customs arrangement would last until the next general election when parties can put forward their alternatives. Ministers and their Labour counterparts have held meetings over the past month aimed at thrashing out a deal which can pass the Commons. Accusing the Tory leader of breaking confidentiality and “an act of bad faith”, Mr McDonnell stormed: “She's jeopardised the negotiations for her own personal protection.” Asked on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show if he … [Read more...] about John McDonnell accuses Theresa May of betraying Brexit negotiations

Nigel Farage has returned to the seaside town where Ukip had its first MP elected five years ago, promising at a rally in Clacton-on-Sea that his new Brexit party will use the momentum of European elections to oust a “remain parliament”. Railing against a “political class” who he said had betrayed the people of Britain, Farage claimed to more than a thousand supporters on Clacton pier that what was at stake was not just Brexit, but whether or not Britain was a democratic country. “Can you imagine in an African country if an election was overturned? There would be uproar and they would be calling for the UN to be sent in … and yet it’s happening in our own country,” said Farage, who was introduced as “the godfather, the ‘guvnor’ of Brexit”. On his latest visit to the Essex town, which has neighbourhoods with some of the highest levels of deprivation in Britain, Farage described it as the most patriotic and … [Read more...] about Farage: Brexit party will use EU poll to oust ‘remain parliament’

Suddenly, Vladimir Putin has some useful friends in the west. As he looks to improve relations with Europe, at a new low since the March nerve-agent attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, the Russian president knows he can count on the backing of at least two capitals. Both Austria and Italy’s new governments, formed late last year and last month, include populist, far-right parties that make little secret of their sympathy for Moscow – and have even signed cooperation agreements with Putin’s ruling United Russia party. Italy’s new prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, used his maiden speech in Rome on Tuesday to promise his government would be “advocates of an opening towards Russia – a Russia that has consolidated its international role in recent years”. Conte heads a populist coalition of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and the far-right League that, according to its programme, sees Russia not as “a … [Read more...] about Rise of far-right in Italy and Austria gives Putin some friends in the west

Hard Brexiteer Tories were 'optimistic' as they left Number 10 after lengthy talks with Boris Johnson's team. Brexit hardman Steve Baker, who chairs the European Research Group (ERG), said talks with the Government had been "very constructive" - but that his group would not sign off on any deal until he had seen it. He said: "I am optimistic that it is possible to reach a tolerable deal that I am able to vote for.” The ERG's Mark Francois said: "There'll be further chats to have." And fellow Tory Bill Cash said they were "really making some progress on identifying the bottom line." MPs were in Number 10 for more than an hour, and it's not thought they met with Mr Johnson personally. But it's understood they were given a relatively detailed outline on the blueprint for Britain's route out of the EU. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith told reporters outside the gates to Downing Street he had "nothing to say'' after leaving a meeting in Downing Street. Read More Brexit news and … [Read more...] about Hard Brexiteer Tories ‘optimistic’ after lengthy talks in Number 10