Brexit

Jeremy Corbyn has insisted the UK cannot be a member of the single market after Brexit, disappointing some of his pro-European Union MPs.

The Labour leader told colleagues that it was not possible to stay in the single market, as he set out his Brexit policy to the parliamentary party on Monday night.

Some within Labour have been increasing calls for Corbyn to listen to the party’s pro-EU membership and commit to staying in the trading bloc.

But Corbyn stressed that this was not an option, as he addressed the reasons why he would not attend a single market summit convened by the Scottish National party’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford.

A senior Labour source said: “The single market is not a membership club that can be joined so we seek through negotiation to retain the benefits of the single market.

“As he said in his letter back to Ian Blackford, the summit resets on the falsehood that the single market is a membership organisation which you can join, which it is not. Our approach for a jobs-first Brexit, which involves retaining the benefits of the single market, is through negotiation with the EU.”

His comments prompted frustration from some pro-EU MPs in the meeting, who believed that Corbyn had been persuaded to keep the door open to staying in the single market for longer than the transitional period after Brexit.

One Labour MP said: “The key thing is about keeping all the options on the table when it comes to the single market and customs union. It is clear from recent polling that an overwhelming majority of Labour members, supporters and voters believe this.”

Corbyn explained to his MPs and peers that Labour would now be embarking on a fresh push to prepare for government. His shadow ministers will have meetings to discuss policy and strategy over the next week and are not expected to be subjected to a reshuffle.

David Davis has consulted lawyers over the EU’s preparations for a no-deal Brexit, claiming Brussels’ planning is harming British business and breaching the UK’s rights as a member state. In a letter sent to Theresa May, UK prime minister, last month and seen by the Financial Times, the Brexit secretary pointed to EU “measures” that could jeopardise existing contracts or force British companies to decamp to the continent if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. Mr Davis said in the letter that he would ask the European Commission to revise its guidance to business so it highlights the potential for a future transition and trade deal.


Mr Davis said this treated the UK differently from other member states, even before it left the bloc, “in a way which is frequently damaging to UK interests”. “The EU has adopted a number of measures that put agreements or contracts at risk of being terminated in the event of a ‘no deal’ scenario and/or would require UK companies to relocate to another member state,” Mr Davis said. “The commission had issued similar unilateral statements on company law, civil justice and private international law, transport and the breeding, transportation and protection of live animals.”

"All indicators are now pointing to strong and sustainable growth in Ireland’s economy in 2017 and 2018 underpinned by business investment and strong consumer spending," the employers body stated.

It said that Irish households are clearly benefiting with real disposable incomes growing at over four times the euro zone average and per-capita income in working households now likely to have passed out its pre-crisis peak.

Hexx wrote:https://www.ft.com/content/7306b972-f49a-11e7-88f7-5465a6ce1a00

David Davis has consulted lawyers over the EU’s preparations for a no-deal Brexit, claiming Brussels’ planning is harming British business and breaching the UK’s rights as a member state. In a letter sent to Theresa May, UK prime minister, last month and seen by the Financial Times, the Brexit secretary pointed to EU “measures” that could jeopardise existing contracts or force British companies to decamp to the continent if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. Mr Davis said in the letter that he would ask the European Commission to revise its guidance to business so it highlights the potential for a future transition and trade deal.


Mr Davis said this treated the UK differently from other member states, even before it left the bloc, “in a way which is frequently damaging to UK interests”. “The EU has adopted a number of measures that put agreements or contracts at risk of being terminated in the event of a ‘no deal’ scenario and/or would require UK companies to relocate to another member state,” Mr Davis said. “The commission had issued similar unilateral statements on company law, civil justice and private international law, transport and the breeding, transportation and protection of live animals.”

Jesus

Squinty wrote:How dare they contingency plans. And how dare they wrap us up in regulations that we've been part of for strawberry floating years now.

Squinty wrote:How dare they contingency plans. And how dare they wrap us up in regulations that we've been part of for strawberry floating years now.

twitter.com/PickardJE/status/950501082903580672

twitter.com/statsguyuk/status/950725405710921729

twitter.com/guardian/status/950889153193005056

Philip Hammond and David Davis have made a direct appeal to German business leaders to help them forge a Brexit deal to secure the future of Britain’s financial services.

The chancellor and Brexit secretary travel to Germany on Wednesday on a charm offensive they hope will shift the EU’s implacable opposition to services being included in a final deal.

They said they were seeking a bespoke deal with the EU described as “the most ambitious in the world” that should “cover the length and breadth of our economies including the service industries — and financial services”.

They warned that a continued integrated approach to banking after the UK leaves the bloc was vital if Europe was to avoid a repeat of the 2008 financial “catastrophe” and the eurozone crisis that followed, prompting bailouts in Ireland, Portugal and Greece.

Squinty wrote:For strawberry float sake.

twitter.com/britainelects/status/951074986479050753

The Irish passport is one of the most valuable in the world according to a new study.

Henley Passport Index shows that it can gain visa-free access to 173 countries.

The figure is one up from last year and puts it alongside South Korea and the US.

German passports are the most powerful in the world and can gain visa-free access to 177 countries.