Daily Archives: October 3, 2021

The Prime Minister visited the White House in September and held discussions with Joe Biden over a free trade agreement.Mr Johnson suffered a setback after he was told the US was not focusing on striking deals at this present time.

Julian Jessop, Economics Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs, has acknowledged there is little appetite in Washington for a wider Brexit deal, but insisted there could be an opportunity to strike mini-deals.

During his trip across the Atlantic, the Prime Minister also refused to commit to whether a trade deal could be finalised with the US before the next general election, which is set to take place in 2024.

But the independent economist was not concerned by the timeline and insisted any agreement would be completed quicker than if the UK was still a member of the European Union.

Mr Jessop toldExpress.co.uk: The US appears to be in no hurry to do a major trade deal with the UK.

However, it should still be possible to do a series of mini-deals in less sensitive sectors.

The EU is also notoriously slow at doing trade deals itself, and these are unlikely to prioritise the interests of the UK.

So even it takes a while longer than hoped for the UK to do a deal with the US, it is still likely to be a quicker and better than the UK could get as a member of the EU.

READ MORE:Brexit to 'devastate' UK fishing as report reveals 300m loss

British beef produce are back on the menu in the States after a ban was put in place in 1996 following an outbreak of Mad Cow Disease

Ministers said the US market will be worth 66million to the UK over five years.

The Prime Minister said: I can tell you today that what we're going to get from the United States now is a lifting of the decades-old ban, totally unjustified, discriminating on British farmers and British lamb.

"It's about time too. And what we're wanting to do is make solid incremental steps in trade.

"The Biden administration is not doing free trade deals around the world right now but I've got absolutely every confidence that a great deal is there to be done.

"And there are plenty of people in that building behind me who certainly want a deal."

See original here:

Boris Johnson given renewed hope of Brexit trade deal with US - Daily Express

Five candidates are competing to lead the governments new Brexit Opportunities Unit, but the Cabinet Office declined to say how many minority ethnic candidates have been included in the shortlist, it has been revealed.

The shortlist comes after a total of 76 people have applied for the role but the government declined to reveal how diverse their top five are, citing data protection laws, Financial News has revealed.

The new department will help Brexit minister David Frost to find benefits from leaving the European Union, and its new leader will be paid up to 120,000 per year from taxpayers money.

The successful candidate will oversee the development of the governments strategy for regulatory change, while driving forward policy development on new opportunities across Whitehall, according to the governments job posting.

It added the candidate will engage effectively with ministers, including the prime minister, to make sure that they are given succinct and clear advice on a variety of policies and will contribute to a convincing public narrative on successful delivery of the benefits of Brexit.

Last month, Brexit minister David Frost said the UK is embarked on a great voyage as he highlighted changes the government intends to make outside the EU.

Frost said the government intends to create a pro-growth trusted data rights regime which would replace the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

He claimed the new regime would be more proportionate and less burdensome.

Frost also said the government intends to review EUs approach to genetically modified organisms, which the UK government thinks is too restrictive and not based on sound science and is thus set to reform it.

Brexit is now a fact. This country is now embarked on a great voyage, Frost said.

He added: We each have the opportunity to make this new journey a success. To make us as a country more contented, more prosperous, more united and I hope everyone will join us in doing so.

But upon Baroness Wheatcroft asking Frost at what cost the Brexit freedom praised by the government has been bought for, Frost said he did not think it was bought at any cost.

He immediately added: I dont make any apologies for standing up for freedom, for free enterprise and freedom to think and debate things.

I think it is axiomatic that free debate, free enterprise, free economies and the ability to change your government will always benefit the countries that have those things.

But a Goldman study published in 2019 suggested Brexit costs the UK 600m per week, a much bigger sum than the 350m a week sum which the Leave campaign promised for the NHS before the Brexit vote, claiming it was money sent by the UK to the EU.

Related: Brexit minister says the UK is embarked on a great voyage

UK-EU relations worsen following Brexit ministers comments

Here is the original post:

Five candidates fight for 120k government role at Brexit Opportunities Unit - The London Economic

The party announced last week that they had held a good first round of talks with the Liberal Free Democrats (FDP) and plan to meet them again as they look to draw up a coalition. This comes after the Social Democrats (SPD) won the election by a narrow margin, and they are now seeking partners to form a majority with.

Lisa Badum, a Greens member of the Bundestag since 2017, toldExpress.co.ukthat she hopes to enter collaborative talks with the UK to facilitate international cooperation on climate change when powers will meet at COP26, the climate summit that will be held in Glasgow in November.

She said: We have to work together and the UK is hosting the COP this year so there will be a lot of discussion about the UKs approach to energy politics and travel politics.

I appreciate the proposal also to end fossil cars earlier which is one of the targets of the UK, which has a target of 2030 and I really support that.

Ms Badum also praised the UKs ambitious climate goals, particularly the UKs plan to completely phase out coal from 1 October 2024.

She said: I think its a great step for the UK, it is very important to block coal.

Energy and Climate Change Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan announced the move back in June 2021 that is part of a wider plan to phase out fossil fuels and decarbonise the power sector to help Britain reach net zero carbon emissions by their 2050 target.

Ms Trevelyan said: Coal powered the industrial revolution 200 years ago, but now is the time for radical action to completely eliminate this dirty fuel from our energy system.

But Germanys deadline set by current Chancellor Angela Merkel to eliminate coal from its power system is far less ambitious than the UKs target.

READ MORE:Ex Google exec warns AI researchers are 'creating God'

View original post here:

German Greens vow to strike fresh relations with Brexit Britain as they edge towards power - Daily Express

The bloc-wide scheme commits all participating nations to arrest and transfer a criminal suspect or sentenced person to the issuing state once a warrant has been issued. However, Jayne Adye, director of the pro-Brexit campaign group Get Britain Out, said the UK's decision to remain a signatory came with a heavy price - because under the requirements of the EAW, any EU prosecutor can order a UK judge to have anyone in Britain arrested and extradited for lengthy detention in the country where a crime is alleged to have been committed - with little or no evidence being revealed, often for many months or years.

She explained: If a country allows a foreign authority to target anyone on its territory - and have them forcibly transported to a prison outside its national jurisdiction, with no questions asked - then that country is not an independent sovereign state, but a colony.

The European Arrest Warrant paves the way for a direct threat to UK sovereignty as an independent nation, with our judges and legal system treated as a doormat, to be walked all over by foreign courts.

If we have really Taken Back Control then this should not be the case.

It was not a question of ending cooperation between legal authorities, but rather of protecting the rights of UK citizens who ran the risk of being unreasonably extradited for detention outside of the UK, based on minimal evidence, Ms Adye stressed.

She added: If serious crimes have been committed and evidence can be provided, then there should be no reason why traditional extradition orders cannot be used.

Referring to events in 2018, Ms Adye said: We have already seen the European Arrest Warrant used to send political messages within the EU, following the arrest of the former President of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont on charges of sedition, in his attempts to hold a referendum on the independence of the region from Spain.

JUST IN:France asks EU to hit UK with tariffs over Brexit fishing war

The European Arrest Warrant is a prime example of an area where there is an excellent opportunity to deliver meaningful changes which will back up the Governments promises to Get Brexit Done.

She further pointed out that Mr Raab had direct experience of the issues created by the EAW with a constituent of his - Colin Dines, a retired Judge - being arrested by British Police acting on a European Arrest Warrant.

She added: Mr Dines faced months of imprisonment abroad on flimsy evidence in a case against him which eventually collapsed he only avoided extradition because of a heart condition which worsened at the time.

Mr Raab campaigned firmly against the EAW and the extradition back in 2010 and in the years which have followed, saying the case stuck not only in my memory, but in my throat.

Indeed, Mr Raab felt sufficiently strongly on the issue to pen an op-ed for the Mail on Sunday four years after that headlined: UK must opt out of this Kafkaesque web of injustice.

Ms Adye said: So, will he now do something to bring about change to make sure no other UK citizen faces the same threat?

Or were his earlier words all just hot air?

"How is it any UK Government is willing to allow a foreign court the right to summon and detain its own citizens, with minimal legal protections or safeguards?

We see the USA oppose signing up to foreign courts for this very reason, and they are exactly right to do so.

Read more:

Brexit fury as Boris' deal an 'insult to UK sovereignty' - Britain at mercy of EU courts - Daily Express

Greg Wise returns to screens tonight alongside dance partner Karen Hauer in BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing at 6:45pm.This week the pressure mounts on the celebrity contestants as viewers are given the chance to vote for their favourite couples for the first time. After the results are announced this evening, one pairing will become the first duo eliminated from the 2021 season of Strictly.

Last week Mr Wise, who is famous for playing Lord Louis Mountbatten in The Crown and John Willoughby in 1995 film Sense and Sensibility, danced the American Smooth to Frank Sinatras Thats Life.

Mr Wise and Ms Thompson met on the set of Sense and Sensibility and married in 2003.

The couple have long been ardent and vocal Remainers while they moved to Venice in February 2020 in a decision reportedly spurred on by Brexit.

They bought a house in the Italian city and reportedly took on extensive Italian lessons before the move.

Speaking in Italian upon signing the formal documents to become an Italian citizen Ms Thompson said it was the realisation of a dream she had cherished for years.

Deputy mayor Simone Venturini added: They wanted to be resident citizens to come and live in Venice.

They bought in the historic centre, not a second home.

"We are truly happy and proud to have Emma Thompson and Greg Wise as our fellow citizens, for what they represent and for the love they show for Venice.

However, they left Italy due to coronavirus and went to isolate with family on the bank of Loch Eck in Argyll, Scotland.

Italy was one of the worst affected European countries at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ms Thompson told the BBC she was speaking from her "mum's place" in Scotland, and stressed her connection to the holiday home.

She said: Ive played on its banks, picnicked on its beaches, swum in its chilly, unsalted depths, cycled round it, drunk it, kissed in boats on it, married near it, never wearied it.

Don't Miss:Prince Harrys memoir set to unveil explosive details[INSIGHT]Meghan and Harry 'likely filming for Netflix deal' on New York trip[ANALYSIS]Britney Spears fianc spoke out on singers father: 'Total d***'[OPINION]

The Love Actually actress claimed in February 2016 that Brexit was madness and that she would vote Remain.

While speaking at the Berlin International Film Festival Ms Thompson described Britain as: A tiny little cloud-bolted, rainy corner of sort-of Europe, a cake-filled misery-laden grey old island.

She added: I feel European even though I live in Great Britain and in Scotland.

So of course Im going to vote to stay in Europe oh my God, it would be madness not to.

It would be a crazy idea not to.

We should be taking down borders, not putting them up.

Ms Thompsons husband Mr Wise, is also a vocal Remainer, yet in the build up to the 2016 referendum, accused both sides of scaremongering.

He added, in an interview with Press Association: Weve got huge problems in our country and I don't think the EU is one of them, I really don't.

Upon being announced on the 19th series of Strictly Mr Wise paid an emotional tribute to his late sister, Clare Wise who died from cancer in 2016.

He said: My beautiful sister was a huge disco queen.

She left our world almost exactly five years ago in a glitter ball coffin this is for her.

My gorgeous Diva sis, who would have been insane with excitement that her little bro was doing this.

Watch Strictly Come Dancing at 6:45pm on BBC One.

Originally posted here:

Emma Thompson and Greg Wise's short-lived EU dream after Brexit: Back at 'mum's place' - Daily Express

Senior Fellow at the think tank, UK in a changing Europe, Professor Nicola McEwen reflected on what challenges would occur for an independent Scotland rejoining the EU. During an interview with Express.co.uk, Professor McEwen said Brexit may have made the process easier for Scotland. She insisted that a Scotland that is no longer part of the United Kingdom would be different from the Spanish and Catalonia situation.

She added, EU member states in support of Scotland joining would make this point if Spain argued against it.

Professor McEwen said: "There would have to be unanimity from all the European Union member states.

"I don't necessarily foresee that as a problem.

"I think Brexit, in some ways, has made that a little bit easier.

DON'T MISS:Lord Frost on brink of triggering Article 16 fears Labour

"This is because it makes Scotland look a little bit different from Catalonia, in terms of the Spanish challenges.

"This is because it is outside, it could give a bit of cover for other member states to say that Scotland is different.

"There are other issues like the kind of European state an independent Scotland would be.

"And ensuring that they can maintain and secure the consent and support from all of the member states."

"This can also be said about Brexit.

"I think there is a lot that we can learn from the Brexit process about how Scotland could theoretically become independent and what that would mean in terms of negotiating with the rest of the UK in the first instance.

"You can use the language of Brexit if you like, a withdrawal agreement and a future relationship."

Continued here:

Brexit may have made Scotland rejoining the EU easier as Spain's argument dismantled - Daily Express

Brexit has been defended as a "good thing" for Britain's HGV driving industry amid attempts to link the EU referendum result with supplies chain problems and shortages at petrol stations.Andrew Eburne, managing director of J Coates HGV Services Ltd, has told GB News that, far from the lorry driver shortage being a result of the UK leaving the bloc, Britons are "incentivised" to apply for driver jobs as pay has increased.

Mr Eburne told GB News: "Brexit is a good thing for the industry or a good thing for the country as regards to the driver situation.

"Before Brexit, the industry was relying on cheap labour coming in from Europe. No doubt about that.

"Which then prevented or it did not incentivise UKcitizens to do those jobs because they didn't feel that it was paid enough.

"Now the wages are going through the roof we get inundated with phone calls with people wanting to be drivers."

JUST IN:Nigel Farage hit by a van while on hunt for petrol

Mr Eburne continued: "We are seeing on a daily basis a lot of older drivers coming back to the industry because the wages are going up.

"They have gone away done something else and come back.

"There's guys who just want to do part-time work, it gives you such a wide variety of work.

"There is always going to be a need for drivers."

Almost 200 military personnel - including 100 drivers - have been undertaking training at haulier sites and will start deliveries to help relieve the situation at petrol stations, which ministers insist is stabilising.

The Government also announced that a temporary visa scheme for nearly 5,000 foreign food haulage drivers that was due to expire on December 24 will now be extended to the end of February, following criticism of its attractiveness to drivers.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay said: "The Government has taken decisive action to tackle the short-term disruption to our supply chains, and in particular the flow of fuel to forecourts.

"We are now seeing the impact of these interventions with more fuel being delivered to forecourts than sold and, if people continue to revert to their normal buying patterns, we will see smaller queues and prevent petrol stations closing."

DON'T MISSCouzens sick nickname was KNOWN to Met - Cressida Dick urged to resign[UK]Gloating Michel Barnier says Brexit was ALWAYS going to cripple UK[POLITICS]Paying by phone at McDonalds could land drivers with 200 fine[CARS]

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng added: "UK forecourt stock levels are trending up, deliveries of fuel to forecourts are above normal levels, and fuel demand is stabilising.

"It's important to stress there is no national shortage of fuel in the UK, and people should continue to buy fuel as normal."

The Government has said there is no national fuel shortage, but Chancellor Rishi Sunak told the Daily Mail that there is global disruption to supply chains in other industries.

He told the paper: "These shortages are very real", adding: "We're seeing real disruptions in supply chains in different sectors, not just here but around the world. We are determined to do what we can to try to mitigate as much of this as we can."

The rest is here:

HGV driver shortage sees UK haulage boss defend EU referendum 'Brexit is a good thing!' - Daily Express

Its wonderful that we now have control of our borders and are preventing the mass arrival of illegal immigrants (Ill pause a little longer but stay on your seat).

And how about that new post-Brexit trade agreement with the United States? Did you see the way President Joe Biden could hardly wait to get his signature on that one? (Ok, get off the floor please)

And good job too for our filling stations and supermarkets that we no longer employ HGV drivers from the EU. I mean, who needs them? (Hold that laughter a big U-turn is under way)

Boris Johnson kept saying he was going to get Brexit done but forgot to tell us we were all being done.

Let us hope that his governments reneging on the Northern Ireland protocol will not bring more fines on top of those imposed by the Electoral Commission for the fraudulent funding of the Leave.EU and the (official) Vote Leave campaigns.

And let us hope that some of the present generation will live to see the day when Britain re-joins the European trading family of nations. At the age of 74, I dont think it will be my privilege but I hope my grandchildren live to see it. For their sakes for all our sakes.

Phil Cram,Wigton

Continue reading here:

'Brexit chickens are coming home to roost' | News and Star - News & Star

28 September 2021

Part of the reason the UK is experiencing such high gas prices right now is because of Brexit, and the UK leaving the Internal Energy Market.

There is not evidence that this is a significant factor in higher wholesale gas prices in the UK at the moment.

Weve seen a number of claims on Facebook that high gas prices in the UK are in large part down to Brexit, and namely the fact that the UK has left the EUs Internal Energy Market.

One says that in its coverage the BBC forget to mention that prices increased as a result of brexit, and the UK is no longer in the EUs internal energy market, which has kept prices in the EU low as prices in the UK soar, while another claims its because the EU have an internal energy market which subsidies wholesale energy rises, keeping prices low. Something we are no longer a part of because of Brexit.

There is no evidence that leaving the EU is a major reason behind price increases felt in the UK.

The Internal Energy Market (IEM) allows free movement of gas and electricity without restrictions or tariffs across borders between EU member states, often through physical cables, or interconnectors. The IEM is essentially a subset of the EU single market.

The UK was a member of the IEM until the end of the Brexit transition period, which stopped on 31 December 2020. Northern Ireland continues to be part of the Single Electricity Market with the Republic of Ireland, meaning all electricity on the island is bought via a single pool and some EU regulations still apply.

Tom Edwards, a senior modeller at the energy market consultancy Cornwall Insight, told Full Fact: Leaving the EU/Internal Energy Market is unlikely to be a significant factor in the high wholesale gas and power prices we are experiencing at the moment.

A key feature of the IEM is something called implicit allocation, which is where both energy and interconnector cable capacity are bought at the same time, so are sold together in a single process. Having left the IEM, we now do explicit allocation, which is where the capacity of the interconnector cable and the energy itself are bought separately, which can lead to less efficient trade and increased prices.

Mr Edwards added: Moving from implicit allocation to explicit allocation has caused some price divergence in both directions, meaning the difference between prices here and in Europe fluctuates.

Great Britain is constrained in how much it can import from the EU. So, more fundamental factors such as proximity to continental gas markets, storage levels, wind speeds, and interconnector availability (which would have been the same with or without the UK leaving the EU) are the most significant drivers of difference between prices.

As well as this, gas prices in European markets are similarly high. The high prices are generally driven by international (and some regional) factors.

On the reason for the UK price rises, Oil & Gas UK states: The causes are global European gas stocks are down, supplies from Russia have declined and there is strong demand for liquefied natural gas from Asia.

The UK has reportedly suffered reduced wind, and several nuclear units are offline. Governments in other European countries are reportedly considering measures to help consumers cope with increased costs of gas and electricity.

Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, told parliament in a speech on 20 September that high demand in Asia for a particular type of liquified natural gas meant less was reaching Europe and weather in the US had affected exports to Europe. Bloomberg reports this was because freezing temperatures in winter meant this type of gas went to Asia where sellers could get the best rates.

This article is part of our work fact checking potentially false pictures, videos and stories on Facebook. You can read more about thisand find out how to report Facebook contenthere. For the purposes of that scheme, weve rated this claim as missing context because there isnt evidence that Brexit and leaving the Internal Energy Market is the driving force behind increased gas prices.

Visit link:

Has Brexit caused higher gas prices? - Full Fact

A report published by Gary Taylor, a former Defra official and fisheries negotiator, has estimated the UK fishing industry will make a 300million loss by 2026 rather than a gain of 146million forecast by the Government.Brexiteer June Mummery has said the Prime Minister has sold out British fishermen in the Brexit deal signed in December 2020, which saw the UK cut EU fishing quotas by just 25 percent over the next five years.

The former Brexit Party MEP toldExpress.co.uk: The truth is there, we are worse off, it is a joke.

"I have been saying it all along, we have been sold out."

She added: "It is devastating, I am completely devastated, I was devastated when we did not take back full control of our waters and resources.

"The industry is on its knees."

In his damning findings, Mr Taylor forecasts the UK fishing industry will lose 64million each year by 2026.

After June 2026, Britain can cut EU catches further but officials in Brussels will be able to slap tariffs on fishing products.

Barrie Deas, CEO of the National Federation of Fishermens Organisations (NFFO), said there are very few winners and a great many losers of the Brexit fishing deal.

He added: These figures suggest that the bulk of the UK fishing fleet is on a trajectory to incur losses amounting to 64million or more per year over the timeframe of this analysis, meaning that, unless changes are secured through international fisheries negotiations, the industry will have lost in excess of 300 million by 2026.

READ MORE:Brexit LIVE: Smug Barnier tells Boris to be careful 'it is too late'

It added the average mean increase in fishing quotas was nine percentage points for each of the species.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has dismissed the report published by Mr Taylor and said fishing opportunities had risen to 333million.

It has also pointed towards the 100million of funding made available to the industry at the start of the year.

A Defra spokesperson said: Now we have left the EU, we have taken back control of our waters.

We have greater shares of fishing quota, and the total value of UK-EU fishing opportunities for the UK in 2021 is approximately 333million an increase of 27 million on last year.

We have agreed a quota exchange mechanism and recently announced the first investment from our 100million UK Seafood Fund to boost science and innovation in the industry.

Continued here:

'Sold out!' Brexit to 'devastate' fishing industry as bombshell report reveals 300m loss - Daily Express