“David Davis and the EU slammed the door on any prospect of a “soft” Brexit as formal negotiations on leaving the EU finally got underway in Brussels. The Brexit Secretary confirmed Britain would be leaving the customs union and the single market, in a move designed to scupper any parliamentary plots to water down the terms of the UK’s withdrawal from Europe. His counterpart, Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, also confirmed that Britain would leave the single market and the customs union.” – Daily Telegraph
Comment:
Sketches:
>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: Davis and Barnier open the Brexit negotiations
“British negotiators have capitulated to key European demands for a phased approach to Brexit talks, agreeing to park discussions on free trade until they have thrashed out the cost of the multibillion-euro UK divorce settlement. Putting a brave face on a concession that may further strengthen the tactical dominance of the EU, the Brexit secretary, David Davis, insisted his initial retreat remained consistent with long-term government strategy. “It’s not how it starts, it’s how it finishes that matters,” Davis said in Brussels after the first day of formal talks. “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.”” – Guardian
Comment:
“Britain and Europe locked horns over the thorny issue of the so-called “Brexit bill” on day one of the talks to begin Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union. After initial pleasantries for the cameras at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, David Davis, the Brexit secretary and Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator and their teams were soon at loggerheads. One of the biggest disagreements in the coming talks came to the surface after UK negotiators questioned the legal rationale for the €100bn gross settlement that the 27 EU members states are demanding from the UK.” – Daily Telegraph
“The terror attack at a north London mosque overnight was yet another “sickening attempt to destroy freedoms” and was as insidious as recent Islamist atrocities, Theresa May said today. The prime minister said that the white suspect, who allegedly drove the van which was rammed into worshippers outside the Muslim Welfare House in Finsbury Park, is believed to have acted alone. He has been named locally as Darren Osborne, 47, of Cardiff. He was said to be a father of four.” – The Times (£)
Comment:
Editorials:
>Today: Andrew Gimson in Profiles: Finsbury Park Mosque – An extremist past, claims of Muslim Brotherhood influence, and an establishment present
“Labour, Liberal Democrat and SNP MPs are joining forces to try to bring down Theresa May’s Government by passing amendments in Wednesday’s Queen’s Speech. The Opposition parties only need seven MPs to change sides to overturn the Government’s 13-strong working majority which could trigger a no confidence motion in Parliament. The parties are looking at defeating the Government on amendments covering legal rights for tenants to demand protection from the risk of fire, easier access to the single market, a Brexit commission, hundreds of millions of pounds more for the NHS and an open Irish border after Brexit.” – Daily Telegraph
>Today: ToryDiary: Why a former Coalition Minister could draw more Tory than Labour voters as Liberal Democrat leader
“Dr Liam Fox has won a Cabinet battle to get a historic trade bill included in Wednesday’s Queen’s Speech, The Sun can reveal. The new law will enable Britain to take back control of trade policy from Brussels for the first time in decades and transfer the power to collect tariffs back to Westminster. … Dr Fox, the International Trade Secretary, fought against attempts to delay a trade bill amid fears Europhile Cabinet ministers are trying to soften Brexit. It was one of 13 planned Brexit contingency bills that Eurosceptics feared would be frozen as Remainers attempt to exploit the PM’s election disaster.” – The Sun
“Senior cabinet ministers Boris Johnson and Michael Gove have suggested that Theresa May should stay on as prime minister and deliver Brexit. Their backing came the day after Philip Hammond signalled Britain may remain temporarily. The leading Leave campaigners told the BBC that Mrs May has support across the Conservative Party, and that there is no public appetite for further political upheaval. The prime minister had her authority challenged after failing to secure an overall majority in the general election, and Brexit negotiations starting in Brussels today.” – The Times (£)
Comment:
>Today: Iain Duncan Smith’s column: My message to Tory colleagues. The Prime Minister stands between Britain and Corbyn. So let’s get behind her.
>Yesterday:
“Theresa May has pledged that the details of any deal for the Democratic Unionist Party to prop her up in power will be made public, as talks go down to the wire. No agreement has been finalised to guarantee the Conservatives a Commons majority – nine days after No 10 was forced, embarrassingly, to retract a claim that it had already been reached. … It is believed to have been caused by the DUP’s big financial demands, for both higher public spending in Northern Ireland and lucrative tax breaks.” – Independent
“Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, has told senior figures in local government that councils will be fully reimbursed for any building work carried out on tower blocks that could face a similar fire risk to that of Grenfell Tower. A letter sent by the Local Government Association chairman, Gary Porter, to council leaders in England and Wales and seen by the Guardian, claimed the minister made the promise in a private conversation. Lord Porter said he had “secured assurances that funding will be made available to those councils that need to conduct work”.” – Guardian
Comment:
>Today: Harry Phibbs in Local Government: With tower blocks, fixing one design flaw can create another
>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: May on the Finsbury Park attack. “There has been far too much tolerance of extremism…including Islamophobia”.
“…Perhaps it is this … that has spurred on certain elements in the Labour Party to encourage the support of the following motion at this year’s annual conference: “This CLP [Constituency Labour Party] believes that all members of the Labour Party should refrain from making negative public statements about other Labour Party members, Labour MP’s [sic] and the Party leader – public being on social media, in the press, during interviews and whilst representing the party – and such statements should be made ‘behind closed doors’ during meetings, and any official statements made should reflect the position of the membership/party only, and not individuals.”- Daily Telegraph