Brexit News

Putting the lead back in paint, the sewage back on beaches and enhancing the lethality of children’s toys. These are just some of the “opportunities” for deregulation offered in Sajid Javid’s call for the public to propose ways to diverge from the EU rulebook. Slashing European regulation has long been an article of faith for the Tory party, fulfilling both its Thatcherite and Europhobic instincts. No matter that recent history – from […]

Emmanuel Macron is leading demands for the UK to be forced to commit to mirroring EU rules on employment and the environment forever if it wants a post-Brexit free trade deal with the bloc. The French president has reportedly instructed the European Commission to tell Britain that the price of a deal will be a cast iron guarantee from Downing Street that when the EU upgrades its rules the UK […]

Dominic Raab has said the UK will be "energetic champions of free and open trade" now it has left the EU. Writing in the Australian Financial Review while on tour in the country, he said the UK was "ready to reinvigorate our ties with old friends". He met his Australian counterpart Marise Payne on Thursday, calling Australia "a natural partner". The UK is hoping for early trade deals with Australia, […]

A north-east council is no longer under Brexit Party control after several members returned to their previous political groups. Ten independent councillors on Hartlepool Council had joined the party in September. However, council leader Shane Moore has rejoined the Independent Union along with a number of his colleagues. Councillor Moore said it was "job done" after Prime Minister Boris Johnson "delivered Brexit". The Independent Union and Conservative Group leads the […]

Boris Johnson has nominated two men he kicked out of the Tories in the Commons for opposing him on Brexit for seats in the Lords, the BBC has learned. Former Chancellors Ken Clarke and Philip Hammond had the Conservative whip withdrawn last year for attempting to block a no-deal Brexit. They have now stood down as MPs but have continued to be critical of the prime minister's policies. The nomination […]

The UK will "drive a hard bargain" as it seeks trade deals with the US and other countries that benefit consumers and businesses while maintaining standards, International Trade Secretary Liz Truss has said. Ms Truss set out the government's broad negotiating aims for talks with the US, Japan, Australia and New Zealand in coming months over post-Brexit deals. It has launched a consultation on plans which will see tariff rates […]

Australia is ready to begin talks on an "ambitious" free trade deal with Britain "as soon as possible", the foreign secretary has said. Dominic Raab was speaking after meeting his Australian counterpart at the start of a four-country tour of Asia and the Pacific. It is his first foreign trip since Britain left the EU last week. As a result of Brexit, the UK will be able to strike its own trade agreements with […]

Stormont officials working on Brexit have said there is real concern consumers in Northern Ireland will face reduced choice and higher prices when the withdrawal deal is implemented. Some goods entering NI from GB will face new checks and controls. "There are significant consequences of not landing this properly," senior official Paul Grocott told the economy committee. The nature and extent of checks will have to be agreed by the […]

Britain is today bolstering the ranks of its fishing police force ahead of a potential showdown with the European Union over post-Brexit access to UK waters. Fishing rights have already emerged as one of the key battlegrounds in future partnership talks between the UK and the EU. Brussels is adamant that there must be 'reciprocal access' on fishing so that existing arrangements which allow European trawlers to fish near the UK can continue. […]