Brexit today - as it happened: Guy Verhofstadt hopes to 'conclude' citizens rights issue in coming weeks after Theresa May meeting

Guy Verhofstadt: Confirming citizen's rights is a priority

Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s chief Brexit negotiator, has said he hopes the issue of citizens' rights after Brexit can be concluded in the coming weeks.

His comments came after a meeting with senior ministers and Theresa May in Downing Street on Tuesday, in which “useful” progress had been made.

Mr Verhofstadt also said the UK economy will benefit from sticking as closely as possible to EU rules after Brexit.

He told reporters outside Downing Street: “I think it's possible that in the coming days and weeks we make progress on this [citizens' rights] we can conclude.”

But he warned that the European Parliament will not accept any deal on citizens’ rights that involves discrimination against people who come to the UK during the transition period.

Earlier on Tuesday, the French economy minister Bruno Le Marie said there had to be a “good deal” with the UK, but the City of London and the financial sector would have to rely on an equivalence regime.

Key Points

• EU's Irish border plan is 'not fair', says Democratic Unionist Party
• Munroe Bergdorf stands down from Labour Party role
• Crime bosses who operate from prison cells to be placed in high security jails, says Justice Secretary

[6 March 2018 13:51 · Kristin Hugo]

Boris Johnson told the Commons a few minutes ago it would be "difficult to imagine that UK representation" at this summer's World Cup in Russia will go ahead if it is found that Moscow was involved in the suspected poisoning of a former spy in Salisbury.

The comment was widely interpreted as a threat to pull the England football team out of the tournament, but the Foreign Secretary's spokesman has clarified that he was talking about government representation at the event.

[6 March 2018 14:18 · Kristin Hugo]

Environment minister Therese Coffey is now giving a statement on disruption to water services as a result of the cold weather. Speaker John Bercow introduces it as "Coffey on water". The minister replies by promising her response "will not be diluted"...

[6 March 2018 14:24 · Kristin Hugo]

Labour MP Toby Perkins has raised a point of order asking Boris Johnson to return to the Commons immediately and explain what he meant when he suggested "UK representation" might be withdrawn from this summer's World Cup in Russia if it is proved that Moscow was involved in the suspected poisoning in Salisbury.

The comment was thought to refer to the England football team but the Foreign Office has since clarified that Mr Johnson was referring solely to government representation.

[6 March 2018 14:40 · Ashley Cowburn]

[6 March 2018 14:54 · Ashley Cowburn]

[6 March 2018 15:13 · Ashley Cowburn]

Over in the Commons, minister Therese Coffey has announced a review into how water companies handled last week's bad weather after thousands of homes were left without their water supply. 

She said regulator Ofwat would be encouraged to take action "to ensure water companies up their game". 

Making a statement, she added: "Once the situation is restored to normal, we expect Ofwat to formally review the performance of the companies during this period.

"This will be a thorough review and as well as identifying problems, I also want to see excellent examples of practice and preparation shared across the sector.

"The Government will consider any recommendations from the review, and act decisively to address any shortcoming exposed.

"As part of this review, Ofwat will decide whether statutory compensation should be paid, of course, and I've already discussed this with the chief executives this morning.

"Water companies will want to consider how they can compensate customers on a discretionary basis."

[6 March 2018 15:15 · Ashley Cowburn]

The Independent's deputy political editor Rob Merrick has been following David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, as he is questioned by MPs in the Exiting the European Select Committee in Westminster. Here are some highlights from him:

[6 March 2018 15:59 · Ashley Cowburn]

This is more on Arlene Foster's visit to Brussels to meet with Michel Barnier, from the Press Association: 

DUP leader Arlene Foster has claimed that the draft EU Brexit text is not "faithful" to the deal reached in December.

The former Stormont first minister said she told EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier during a "constructive" meeting in Brussels on Tuesday that the text on future customs arrangements between the EU and UK was "unacceptable".

She also said she had advised Mr Barnier that he had "overreached" in suggesting Northern Ireland could stay in the customs union after Brexit.

Mrs Foster was speaking following a meeting with Mr Barnier in the European Commission. She was accompanied by party colleagues MP Nigel Dodds, Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson and MEP Diane Dodds.

"We stressed again the need to respect the constitutional position of Northern Ireland and of course the economic integrity of the single market of the UK as well.

"In that context we made the point that we felt that the current draft EU legal text was not a faithful or fair translation of the joint report from December," said Mrs Foster.

She added: "I also said to him I felt we had made significant progress in December and there was a recognition that we needed to have a frictionless border on the island of Ireland. But there was also a recognition that we needed to protect that market which is so critical for the NI economy, and is so key for us, the UK market.

"We feel that the current draft legal text has omissions in it. It also overreaches in other areas."

[6 March 2018 16:07 · Ashley Cowburn]

This is from the Russian Embassy in the UK on Sergey Skripal.

The situation regarding the hospitalisation of Sergey Skripal and another person on 4 March, as described by the British media, causes serious concern. As of today, the police or other British authorities have not provided the Embassy with any official information regarding this incident. The Foreign Office has not given any notifications either. However, the media are swiftly launching a new phase of the anti-Russian campaign ongoing in the UK. Readers are offered various speculations which ultimately lead to a vilification of Russia. Although UK law enforcement agencies have not given any substantive comments on this incident, media reports create an impression of a planned operation by the Russian special services, which is completely untrue. We believe that the British authorities and law enforcement bodies should step in immediately and inform the Embassy and the British society about the actual circumstances of this incident, so as to end the demonisation of Russia. With this in mind, the Embassy has turned to the Foreign Office for clarifications.

[6 March 2018 16:31 · Ashley Cowburn]