Brexit News

Members of the European Parliament have overwhelmingly backed the terms of the UK's departure from the EU. MEPs ratified the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement by 621 votes to 49 following an emotional debate in Brussels. After the vote, MEPs marked the UK's exit by singing Auld Lang Syne. Several British MEPs said they hoped the UK would return one day although Eurosceptics, including the Brexit Party's Nigel Farage, used their final […]

An independent report into the options for UK's future immigration policy has recommended that the government cut the salary threshold for skilled migrants. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has said it should be reduced from £30,000 to £25,600 for those coming to the UK with a job offer. "No perfect system exists" and "difficult trade-offs" will be unavoidable, the committee warns. It comes as ministers prepare to publish a new […]

New checks on goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain are an 'indispensable' consequence of the Brexit deal, Michel Barnier has said. Last week the prime minister suggested GB-NI trade would remain 'unfettered.' But the EU's chief negotiator said the UK's choices make frictionless trade 'impossible.' The Brexit deal means Northern Ireland will follow EU rules on agricultural and manufactured goods - the rest of the UK will not. Additionally, the […]

A multi-million pound publicity blitz to prepare the public for leaving the EU appears to have had little impact, a spending watchdog has said. The National Audit Office said £46m was spent on the "Get ready for Brexit" campaign ahead of the UK's expected departure at the end of last October. But the campaign was halted three days before the UK was supposed to leave after the EU granted another […]

A UK minister has attended a European Union meeting for the final time before the country leaves the bloc on Friday. Speaking after the General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, Foreign Office Minister Chris Pincher said the UK was "looking forward to the next chapter" in its relations with the EU. The UK and the EU's 27 remaining countries would "continue to defend shared values" after Brexit, he said. The […]

The Government has announced that a fast-track visa will open next month to attract the world's leading scientists. The visas will have no cap on the numbers of suitably qualified people able to come to the UK. The announcement follows a pledge last year by the PM to turn the UK into a "supercharged magnet to attract scientists like iron filings". Researchers remain concerned about the uncertainty of the UK's role […]

Downing Street has insisted the UK will be "taking back control" of its fishing stocks, as a "fish for finance" trade-off emerged as the likely nature of the next round of Brexit negotiations. Both London and Brussels are currently gearing up for talks on a future EU-UK trade relationship, which will follow the UK's official departure from the bloc on Friday night. EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier revealed he […]

It's only six weeks since Boris Johnson stormed to victory in the general election - winning with an 80-strong majority - but the honeymoon is over and the new prime minister now has serious government business to attend to. The coming few weeks demand some big decisions from Mr Johnson and his cabinet. So what are they - and what does the BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith think are […]