The year in Brexit
20/12/2023
The past 12 months have been littered with grandiose claims about the benefits of Brexit and the ability of the UK to demand what it wants from the EU. But the sad and inescapable conclusion is that none of those benefits exist and that the UK has been forced into a number of embarrassing retreats and compromises.
UK Government attitude to Irish ‘returned to repellent’ during Brexit says Alistair Campbell
26/11/2023
The UK Government’s attitude to the Irish “returned a little to repellent” during Brexit, one of Tony Blair’s former top aides has said. / Alastair Campbell slammed an “almost arrogance” on the part of the current Conservative government towards Northern Ireland.
He said the move "hugely reduces" the risk of post-Brexit divergence on product standards between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Stormont’s political impasse is hindering Northern Ireland’s ability to benefit from its post-Brexit economic advantage, Micheal Martin has warned.
There will be no renegotiation of the Windsor Framework agreed between the UK Government and the EU, British foreign secretary James Cleverly has told peers.
Brussels and London’s failure to agree on post-Brexit arrangements endangers the European space programme, with the first victim possibly being the monitoring of the EU Green Deal, if no solution is found by mid-2024, EURACTIV has learnt.
UK scientists had been shut out of the multibillion-euro scheme amid drawn-out Brexit negotiations.
SNP MP John Nicolson said Scotland is the only country that hasn’t got what it wanted after the Northern Ireland Protocol was finalised as he slammed "porkies" told by the Tories about Brexit.
Remember When These Tories Said They Liked The Northern Ireland Protocol, Before Ripping It Up?
28/02/2023
But, it’s worth remembering that all of the Conservatives who are now praising the Windsor Framework (Sunak’s tweaked version of the Northern Ireland Protocol) once extended the same excitement to Johnson’s original deal in 2019...
Boris Johnson has hinted he may not support a proposed deal over the Northern Ireland protocol from Rishi Sunak, heaping pressure on the prime minister to revive a controversial bill that would unilaterally override parts of the Brexit treaty.
Former PM in four-letter tirade against Sunak’s new Brexit deal.
Northern Ireland Brexit deal: At-a-glance
27/02/2023
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen have announced they have reached a new deal, aimed at fixing post-Brexit problems in Northern Ireland.
RISHI Sunak has said that a new deal to replace Boris Johnson’s controversial Brexit agreement has removed “any sense of a border in the Irish Sea”.
Northern Ireland protocol: It is 'in national interest' to make progress and support new Brexit deal, says Starmer
27/02/2023
The European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is already visiting the UK for final talks with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about a new deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol.
It looks like the UK and EU are on the cusp of agreeing a new deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol. / We often hear about how any such agreement will need to satisfy the DUP's seven tests if it is to get Stormont's largest unionist party to agree to return to power sharing. ... That's the political stance from the DUP - but what do businesses say?
Fortum & Mason chief says it’s ‘almost impossible’ for food retailers to trade without Brexit deal over NI
21/02/2023
Without deal on post-Brexit trade rules in Northern Ireland, it is “almost impossible” for food retailers to export to the EU, says chief executive of Fortnum & Mason, Tom Athron,
The prime minister could be in for a battle with eurosceptic Tories, a report suggests.
Rishi Sunak has been warned that some of his ministers may resign over his post-Brexit deal with the EU if it jeopardises Northern Ireland’s place in the union.
‘Suicidal treachery’: Tory grandee’s stark warning to Boris Johnson allies over Brexit revolt
20/02/2023
Ex-Foreign Office minister says plotters will ‘push party into oblivion’.
The former Prime Minister has been accused of stirring up trouble with the Democratic Unionist Party and Tory backbenchers as claims mount over a pact with Brussels to end the stalemate.
The Prime Minister appeared to play down the prospect of an imminent agreement on the Northern Ireland Protocol, amid speculation one could be announced early next week.
Brexit deal: EU welcomes prospect of UK being ‘back at the table’ after years of tensions
17/02/2023
European MEPs have welcomed Rishi Sunak’s approach compared to Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, saying a deal on Northern Ireland could help ‘reset relations’ post-Brexit.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will meet EU chief Ursula Von Der Leyen and other European leaders at the Munich Security Conference following months of rows about the trading arrangements for Northern Ireland.
Politicians have hinted that there just might be a breakthrough with the Northern Ireland Protocol in the coming days.
Still no deal as new Science and Tech dept head claims Britain has 'global-facing alternative' in the wings.