For once, some Brexit news which Theresa May can put under the Christmas tree. European leaders have given the green light for the Brexit negotiations to continue to their second stage. But at the Brussels summit, they warned that the next phase of talks would be more difficult than the first. And they said Britain…
Despite her first parliamentary defeat last night, Theresa May insisted today that her government is still on course to deliver Brexit. Tonight she is in Brussels having dinner with EU leaders. Tomorrow they are due to declare that negotiations can move on to stage two and begin discussion on our future trading arrangements. But will…
Gary Gibbon
As Theresa May fought to save her Brexit negotiations last week – it seems she was also fighting to save her job. So what was going on behind the scenes between the Government and the DUP?
Gary Gibbon
The full Cabinet meeting on 19 December will still, under current plans, be the first full Cabinet discussion on the future relationship between the UK and the EU.
Gary Gibbon
In a fast-moving plot, yet another twist. The Labour front bench has used the urgent question put down to ask David Davis about yesterday’s Brussels mess-up to announce a fundamental shift in its own policy.
“Talking the talk is all very well, but you also need to walk the walk” – the parting shot of the Chairman of the government’s Social Mobility Commission. Alan Milburn said he didn’t doubt the Prime Minister’s personal commitment to the issue, but he’d reluctantly concluded that Brexit is occupying much of her attention, to…
Britain’s Brexit divorce bill could be almost £50bn. Theresa May insisted today that negotiations are still going on, but it looks like that is what Britain could promise to pay the EU in order to move the talks on to the crucial question of future trading arrangements. The pressure is on for a deal to be…
We’ve heard a lot in recent weeks about Russia’s alleged involvement in the EU referendum. On Monday, Theresa May said Vladimir Putin’s government was trying to “undermine free societies” and was “planting fake stories” to “sow discord in the West”. Although on Wednesday, the Prime Minister appeared to soften her language. She told parliament: “if…
The Prime Minister may have solved one problem by promoting Penny Mordaunt to replace Priti Patel as International Development Secretary. But the criticism of her foreign secretary Boris Johnson has continued. On Tuesday Mr Johnson suggested Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is in prison in Iran, was “training journalists”. Her family say she was there on holiday. Overnight…
It was meant to be a meeting to show unity between Israel and the UK a hundred years on from the Balfour Declaration, which signalled British support for the creation of a Jewish homeland. But cracks were quickly apparent. Theresa May pointed to illegal Israeli settlements as a barrier to peace, while her Israeli counterpart…
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable discusses the Westminster harassment saga and the interest rate rise.
Theresa May is calling for a Commons review into how the culture at Westminster can change. One of her ministers has admitted asking his secretary to buy sex toys – the Cabinet Office will investigate whether international trade minister broke official rules.
Theresa May tried to thaw relations with EU leaders was to write an open message on social media today to EU citizens in the UK, all 3.2 million of them.
Europe’s leaders put on a show of friendship and support for Theresa May at the European summit in Brussels this afternoon. But underneath the bonhomie, the tough message remains the same – cough up.
Tomorrow Theresa May sets off for her second trip in a week to Brussels, where she will address EU leaders on Brexit. In the Commons today she insisted the option of walking away without a deal must remain on the table. But her visit comes as her government’s EU withdrawal bill, which transfers EU legislation…