“Boris Johnson has declared that EU citizens living in the UK will have their rights protected “whatever happens” after Brexit. The Foreign Secretary went significantly further than the Prime Minister as he suggested the UK will guarantee citizen’s rights even if the UK leaves without a deal. The Prime Minister has said that the UK will protect the rights of EU citizens in exchange for the EU offering similar guarantees to British citizens living in Europe. Mr Johnson made the apparent unilateral offer in an address to the Belvedere Forum on Polish-UK relations on Tuesday evening last week.” – Daily Telegraph
“The European Union is likely to offer Theresa May a transition period after Brexit of just 20 months, according to senior sources in Brussels. In her speech in Florence the prime minister formally requested what she had described as an implementation period of “about two years” to cushion Britain’s exit from the EU in March 2019, during which the UK would stay in the single market and customs union. The Irish government has publicly called for a longer period, of up to five years, to allow businesses to prepare for changes in customs procedures, a proposal that has the support of many in the UK. However, senior EU officials believe the most likely outcome will involve any withdrawal agreement stipulating 31 December 2020 as the date when the country leaves the bloc’s legal structures.” – Guardian
>Today: ToryDiary: One of the main dangers for Brexit is the German preference for going on talking indefinitely
“The European Union has secretly begun preparing for Britain to leave without a deal, a senior adviser to Michel Barnier has admitted. Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, said earlier this month that EU leaders are not working on a “no-deal” scenario and are negotiating in “good faith”. Emmanual Macon, the French President, last week accused Britain of “bluffing” by threatening to leave the EU without a deal. However Stefaan de Rynck, an adviser to Mr Barnier – the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator – conceded that preparations are underway.” – Daily Telegraph
“Conservative rebels have warned the Brexit secretary, David Davis, that they are “deadly serious” about forcing concessions from the government on the EU withdrawal bill. As the leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, announced that the key piece of Brexit legislation would come back to the Commons on 14 November, former education secretary Nicky Morgan warned Davis not to expect an easy ride. More than 300 amendments to the government’s key piece of Brexit legislation have been tabled, and Tory MPs hope to force concessions on key issues including parliament’s right to vote on any final deal.” – Guardian
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>Today: Andrew Green in Comment: Even the cautious ONS is now forecasting vast population growth driven by immigration
“Theresa May is planning to bring in the head of the Brexit referendum campaign to overhaul the Tory machine and reassure Leave-supporting MPs and activists. Matthew Elliott, former chief executive of Vote Leave, is in advanced negotiations over a senior role at Conservative Campaign Headquarters, The Times has learnt. The appointment, most probably as party vice-chairman, is part of changes called for after the Tories’ shambolic election and conference.” – The Times
>Yesterday: MPsEtc: CCHQ looks to bring Elliott inside the tent – but in what capacity?
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“There are, in the future of agriculture, serious choices to be made, as there are in every field of policy. At education, Mr Gove the radical fell out with the teachers. At the justice ministry he was ejected just before a major scrap with the legal profession broke out. A clever tactician always tries to keep the allegiance of a profession that will be charged with implementing the reform but conflict is an inevitable concomitant of change. Reform takes power or money from some groups and gives it to others and it always upsets people. If everyone is happy you can usually be sure that nothing much is really going on. Mr Gove will not fulfil his early promise in his new job if he does not, sooner or later, fall out with the farmers.” – The Times
“The mayor of London has accused property developers of constructing “too many luxury penthouses that only the very wealthiest investors can afford” and insisted the rate of affordable house building has to significantly increase. In a new assessment of housing need, Sadiq Khan said the pace of construction should increase from 29,000 homes a year to 66,000, insisting that 65% of these homes needed to be affordable, far higher than the current rate of 38%. “The housing crisis is a major factor in the high cost of living in the capital, as well as putting home ownership out of the reach of many young Londoners who fear they will never get a foot on the property ladder,” Khan told the Guardian.” – Guardian
“Labour accused Theresa May of a “great stitch-up” after the government announced that ministers would be given 12 weeks to respond when they are defeated on motions raised by the opposition. Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the House of Commons, said on Thursday she would take up a proposal made by the veteran Eurosceptic MP Peter Bone for a minister to be obliged to issue a response within 12 weeks whenever the government lost an opposition day debate. “Where a motion tabled by an opposition party has been approved by the house, the relevant minister will respond to the resolution of the house by making a statement no more than 12 weeks after the debate,” she said in a written statement to parliament.” – Guardian
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“Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan leader, stepped back from holding snap elections after a day of political crisis in the wealthy northeastern region. In a televised address this afternoon, Mr Puigdemont claimed that the Spanish government in Madrid had given him insufficient guarantees over the imposition of direct rule. He said it was now up to the regional parliament to decide the next move, opening the door to a unilateral declaration of independence from Spain. “I was ready to call an election if guarantees were given. There is no guarantee that justifies calling an election today,” Mr Puigdemont said.” – The Times
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