‘The prime minister has promised to speak “frankly and openly” to Angela Merkel about Brexit when the two women meet today for the first time. Theresa May is expected to underline that she is in no hurry to trigger the two-year exit talks, despite claims from other EU leaders that invoking Article 50 is a prerequisite for negotiations. She made clear before the meeting with the German chancellor in Berlin that she wanted to discuss some of the key issues immediately. “I do not underestimate the challenge of negotiating our exit from the European Union,” she said. “I firmly believe that being able to talk frankly and openly about the issues we face will be an important part of a successful negotiation.” Mrs Merkel will tell Mrs May that she wants to keep trade and travel links with Britain as close as possible while resisting entering informal talks.’ – The Times (£)
Comment:
>Today:
>Yesterday:
‘And this was the thing: Boris brought that old sausage Kerry to life. When Mr Kerry started lolloping through praise for Boris – ‘very smart and capable’ – Boris chipped in a cheery ‘I can live with that! You’d better stop there.’ Laughter. Mr Kerry leaned over to him, gave a joshing dig of the elbow, and drawled: ‘This is called diplomacy, Boris.’ – Quentin Letts, Daily Mail
Comment:
`The cabinet was divided last night over the pledge to bring net migration below 100,000 after Boris Johnson said that it should avoid setting a number because it would “disappoint people again”. The foreign secretary said that Amber Rudd, the home secretary, was right when she declined yesterday to put a figure on the government’s aim of reducing net migration to sustainable levels. Ms Rudd had refused to commit to the previous promise by David Cameron and Theresa May to reduce net migration — the difference between those coming and those leaving the UK for more than year — to less than 100,000 by 2020. The Conservatives made the pledge in 2010 but the latest figure is more than three times that target at 333,000. Last night Downing Street insisted that the prime minister still wanted to reduce net migration to the “tens of thousands”. – The Times (£)
Comment:
>Today:
‘Where will the road to Brexit end? Theresa May, Britain’s new prime minister, travels to Berlin on Wednesday to meet Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, in the first leg of a political journey whose final destination remains uncertain. There are plenty of package solutions, ranging from Norway to Canada and even tiny Albania. The problem is that senior Whitehall and Brussels officials are unconvinced any will work. Brexit is likely to end with a one-of-a-kind result.’ The search has begun for “the British model’ – FT
Economics
Legalities
The Union
New representatives
Trade
>Today:
Henry Hill’s Column: Jones tries to lay down Brexit ‘red lines’ to May
>Yesterday:
‘Mr Smith, the former shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, emerged as the sole challenger after he and Ms Eagle struck a deal under which the one with the most support among Labour MPs and MEPs would oppose Mr Corbyn, and the other would stand aside. If they had both run, it would have split the anti-Corbyn vote. Mr Smith was nominated by 88 MPs and two MEPs, a total of about 20 more than Ms Eagle, the former shadow Business Secretary.’ – Independent
Editorial: |
Comment: |
>Today:
’When Donald Trump won the Republican nomination on Tuesday night, disco lights shone, the music was “New York, New York” and a big sign shouted: “OVER THE TOP!” Which is exactly what it was. Later, we were addressed by his son – unusually, for the Trumps, an actual conservative – his daughter, family friend Chris Christie and, believe it or not, the head manager of Trump Winery. Is this a convention or an investment opportunity? I cannot tell anymore.’ – Tim Stanley, Daily Telegraph
Trump and the growing backlash against income stagnancy – FT
>Yesterday:
Lord Ashcroft on Comment: Lord Ashcroft’s Republican Convention Diary. Day One: Trump begins as he means to go on