Parliament vote no deal brexit

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday (Sep 14) a bill that would break international law by breaching parts of the Brexit divorce deal was needed because the European Union had not taken a "revolver off the table" in trade talks. Johnson accuses the EU of threatening to use the withdrawal treaty agreed in January to put up trade barriers between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland, and even to impose a food blockade, the latest brinkmanship of a four-year saga since Britain voted narrowly to leave the bloc. The EU says Johnson's plan would wreck trade talks and propel the United Kingdom towards a messy Brexit. A derivatives industry source said on Monday the European Commission had delayed a decision on euro clearing, ramping up the pressure. READ: EU warns Britain its international credibility is at stake in Brexit row As Britain's House of Commons began debating the Internal Market Bill, which the EU has demanded London scraps by the end of … [Read more...] about Johnson lashes out at EU as he clears first hurdle for Brexit treaty breach

LONDON: Prime Minister Boris Johnson rejected on Wednesday (Jul 22) any suggestion that Britain's vote to leave the European Union had been influenced by Russian interference. A day after a report by parliament's intelligence and security committee said the government had failed to try to find out whether Russia had meddled in the Brexit vote, Johnson's government doubled down on its refusal to launch a review. Instead, the government said it had taken measures since the review, which was completed in March last year, and would bring forward legislation to counter "hostile state activity" to deal more effectively with the espionage threat. "The people of this country didn't vote to leave the EU because of pressure from Russia or Russian interference - they voted because they wanted to take back control," Johnson told parliament, describing the criticism as being led by those lawmakers who voted to stay in the EU at the 2016 referendum. "It is the UK that leads the world in … [Read more...] about PM Johnson says Britain was not influenced by Russia in Brexit vote

LONDON: Britain demanded "more realism" from the European Union on Monday (Sep 7) ahead of crucial post-Brexit trade talks, but the mood was soured by reports that London was looking to rewrite an agreement the two sides had already signed. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's chief negotiator, David Frost, said "we must make progress this week" if an agreement is to be reached by the end of a post-Brexit transition period in December. For that, "we need to see more realism from the EU about our status as an independent country", he said ahead of Tuesday's talks with the EU's Michel Barnier in London. "If they can't do that in the very limited time we have left, then we will be trading on terms like those the EU has with Australia, and we are ramping up our preparations for the end of the year." Talks have been deadlocked for months over issues such as the extent of EU access to UK fishing waters, state aid and fair competition rules. Both sides say a deal must be agreed by a … [Read more...] about UK urges ‘more realism’ in crunch EU trade talks

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s renegotiation of its relationship with the European Union is less pressing than some other issues the bloc is facing but the country still hopes to reach a deal in February, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Tuesday. Prime Minister David Cameron, who has promised to reform Britain’s EU ties ahead of a membership referendum due by the end of 2017, has said he hopes to get an agreement at a Feb. 18-19 meeting of EU leaders but could wait longer in order to clinch the “right deal”. “Unfortunately some of the other things are very much real-time challenges for the European Union whereas this agenda is one that can be dealt with in slightly slower time,” Hammond told a committee of lawmakers from parliament’s upper house. “I think it would be inappropriate of us, and it would also be unwise, of us to try and push our agenda ahead of other things which the other EU member states will see as being pressingly urgent.” Hammond did not specify which … [Read more...] about UK Foreign Secretary Admits David Cameron’s ‘Renegotiation’ Is Not A Priority For Brussels

Cameron's rise to power was surefooted and controlled, but his political downfall has been swift and crushing. Having enjoyed a childhood within a relatively wealthy family — his father was a stockbroker — he was sent to Eton College. From Eton, he went up to Oxford University to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics and where he met the future mayor of London Boris Johnson. They were both in the posh Bullingdon club, whose wealthy members enjoyed lavish and boisterous dinners. © AFP 2021 / Will Oliver British Prime Minister David Cameron (R) and London Mayor Boris Johnson (L) pointing at each other on August 24, 2012. Cameron then worked his way up the political ladder, doing work in the Conservative Research Department, later becoming Special Adviser to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and then to the Home Secretary. In all these roles, Cameron rubbed shoulders with to top echelons of the Conservative Party. He won a seat in parliament at the 2001 election, … [Read more...] about The Rise and Fall of David Cameron: Eton, Power, Delusion, Defeat