Brexit news: EU leaders vow to block any trade deal if Boris Johnson breaches withdrawal agreement as Ireland accuses PM of ‘unprecedented provocation’
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European parliament leaders have vowed to block any future UK-EU trade deal if Boris Johnson goes ahead with a bill which would violate the Brexit withdrawal agreement, after the bloc’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said it was increasing its planning for a no-deal scenario.
The prime minister sought to fend off a looming revolt, reportedly telling some 250 Tory MPs that his planned breach was “necessary to stop a foreign power from breaking up our country” but that there was “no time for questions”, after Tory rebels tabled an amendment that would give parliament a veto on his Internal Market Bill.
It comes as Ireland’s Europe minister said the move to renege on last year’s deal was a “unilateral provocative act” that was “uniquely unprecedented” in history.
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PM ‘takes no questions’ from MPs during call to ease fears over withdrawal agreement violation
Boris Johnson has reportedly finished a meeting with Tory MPs without taking any questions, as he seeks to quell a backbench rebellion against his government’s plans to row back on aspects of the Brexit withdrawal agreement.
ITV’s Paul Brand reports that the prime minister - who last year retreated into a fridge to avoid a reporter’s questioning - told the roughly 250 Tory MPs on the call that the breach was “necessary to stop a foreign power from breaking up our country”, but that there was “no time for questions”.
Moments after the meeting concluded, leaders of the European Parliament issued a statement saying they would “under no circumstances” ratify a post-Brexit trade deal if Mr Johnson breaks international law.
ICYMI: EU will not 'be shy' in taking legal steps against UK and says Boris Johnson's draft bill endangers Irish peace deal
In a brutal assault on the prime minister’s plans to override elements of the Brexit withdrawal agreement, European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic said Johnson’s move had “seriously damaged trust” and endangered peace in Northern Ireland. He set a 20-day deadline for him to back down or face legal action, Andrew Woodcock reports.
With the latest round of talks on a post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and EU having ended in London with no sign of progress, chief negotiator Michel Barnier said Brussels was “intensifying preparations” for a disruptive no-deal outcome when the transition process ends on 31 December.
Talks will resume in Brussels next week, but Mr Barnier said the UK had failed to “engage” on key issues where “significant differences” remain between the two sides, such as state aid, fisheries and a level playing field on standards.
The European Commission said it would “not be shy” in taking legal action at the European Court of Justice, with potentially significant financial penalties for the UK if Mr Johnson sticks to his guns.
EU will not 'be shy' in taking legal steps against UK over Brexit draft bill
Trade talks to avert no-deal Brexit under threat as Gove says UK will not back down
Tory MP ‘sang Rule Britannia’ as line went down on prime minister’s call
Boris Johnson’s call with uneasy MPs is reported to have hit some technical difficulties - throwing up some extraordinary incidents.
Various reports suggest that former ERG chair Steve Baker offered to take over proceedings while the prime minister regained his connection - only to be batted down by Mr Johnson’s currently incensed predecessor Theresa May.
Michael Fabricant is then reported to have burst into a rendition of Rule Britannia, reading the words from a piece of paper.
PoliticsHome also reported that Ms May intervened when it was suggested that justice secretary Robert Buckland - who is facing calls to resign - explain why the government is deciding to breach international law, saying "he probably doesn't want to talk about that".
Tom Peck: Boris Johnson now faces four Brexit rebellions – including one from himself
“It’s unfortunate to have to do this as early as the very first sentence but just so you know, the forthcoming column is nominally a work of satire. It is my job to make fun of politicians, to point out the hypocrisy and absurdity of what they’re up to,” writes our political sketch writer Tom Peck.
"But oh my goodness – and not for the first time – there is almost nothing to distinguish the following from other straightforward news reports to be found elsewhere on this website.
"The prime minister, having called a general election to secure the backing of his party and his country for his “oven-ready deal” with the EU, having purged the Tory party of almost all its moderate voices, and having won an 80-seat majority for doing it, now faces four separate rebellions over the deal, one of which is his own.
“We ran out of hyperbole years ago. Those of us who write about Brexit for a living should arguably have held something back for now. Suddenly it’s clear that we’ve all been shouting along to “Livin’ On A Prayer” for four and a half years and now the final chorus is coming up, the key change has kicked in and we can’t get anywhere near it. British politics now exists in a realm where only dogs can hear it.”
Boris Johnson now faces four Brexit rebellions – including one from himself | Tom Peck
The lunacy of our withdrawal from the EU has finally ascended to a place where only dogs can hear it
PM’s reassurances weren’t ‘anything new’, says unconvinced Tory MP tabling rebel bill
Following an appeal from the prime minister for Conservative MPs to back his controversial Brexit legislation, senior Tory backbencher Sir Bob Neill maintained that his mind remained unchanged.
Asked if he was reassured after hearing from Mr Johnson, Sir Bob - who is tabling an amendment to the Bill which he says would impose a "parliamentary lock” - told Channel 4 News: "No. It wasn't anything that was new. He set out his reasons why he thinks the Bill is necessary, fair enough.
"My view is that while much of the Bill is very worthwhile there are three clauses in it which give ministers the power to unilaterally break our international agreements, and therefore international law, which to my mind are objectionable.
"I believe it is potentially a harmful act for this country. It would damage our reputation and I think it will make it harder to strike trade deals going forward."
Government announces plan to end tax-free airport sales
The Treasury has announced a package of post-Brexit changes to airport retail rules, including extending duty-free shopping to British passengers travelling to the EU.
Passengers will be able to buy duty-free alcohol and tobacco products in British ports, airports, international train stations, and aboard ships, trains and planes.
But the Treasury also said that it will be ending tax-free sales in airports of goods such as electronics and clothing for passengers travelling to non-EU countries, amid concern the concession was not always passed on to customers and disadvantaged high street retailers.
Airport Operators Association chief executive Karen Dee said the move would “needlessly harm" the revenue of retailers and airports, adding: "Our industry is weathering the worst crisis in the history of civil aviation, it can scarcely afford another hammer blow like this.
"Many foreign visitors will now choose to go elsewhere, attracted by the beneficial tax and excise regimes of our European competitors. This will harm not only UK airports, but the high street stores that hugely benefit from tourists."
The UK Travel Retail Forum said the decision may be the "best gift" the UK could have given the EU and would lead to "significant" job losses.
Raab welcomes Israel-Bahrain normalisation
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has welcomed the normalisation of relations between Bahrain and Israel after an agreement was brokered by the US.
Find out more on the accord below:
Trump announces Bahrain will establish diplomatic ties with Israel
President calls himself a peace-maker, but analysts warn much work remains in Middle East
Project to cut teen pregnancy and sexual violence in Rwanda is axed as UK foreign aid cuts begin
A £12.5m project to cut teen pregnancy and sexual violence in Rwanda has been axed, as the UK begins huge foreign aid cuts – prompting criticism that promises to the world’s poorest children are being broken.
The programme – designed to help 200,000 vulnerable young people complete their schooling – is the first known to have been scrapped since £2.9bn of cuts were announced.
It had almost completed the procurement process and was due to begin early next year, the investigative news service SourceMaterial, which uncovered the decision, said.
Project to stop sexual violence in Rwanda is axed in UK foreign aid cuts
First known cut since abolition of Dfid attacked as breach of PM’s pledge to ‘stand up for the right of every girl to have 12 years of quality education’
Is the UK’s trade deal with Japan worth getting excited about?
Economics editor Ben Chu looks at the UK’s “first major trade deal as an independent trading nation”, as the Department for International Trade described the deal with Japan announced this morning.
Is it a vindication of the economic merits of Brexit and a symbol of the clout of “global Britain”? The short answer is no.
Is the UK’s new trade deal with Japan really something to get excited about?
Is it a vindication of the economic merits of Brexit and a symbol of the clout of ‘global Britain’? The short answer is no, says Ben Chu
PM claims EU could ‘carve up UK’
Boris Johnson has written an article for The Daily Telegraph defending his attempt change parts of his own Brexit deal.
He claims it is necessary to pass the controversial UK Internal Market Bill to stop the EU trying to “carve up our country” and impose a trade ‘blockade’ in the Irish sea.
The prime minister writes: "We are now hearing that unless we agree to the EU's terms, the EU will use an extreme interpretation of the Northern Ireland protocol to impose a full-scale trade border down the Irish sea.
"We are being told that the EU will not only impose tariffs on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, but that they might actually stop the transport of food products from GB to NI.
"I have to say that we never seriously believed that the EU would be willing to use a Treaty, negotiated in good faith, to blockade one part of the UK, to cut it off; or that they would actually threaten to destroy the economic and territorial integrity of the UK."
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