People’s Vote DEAD ‘Sorry end’ as plot to re-join EU finally on its knees – Daily Express

Boris Johnson outlines plans to hit net zero

Meanwhile Britain is bouncing back from the ravages of the pandemic and flexing its muscles with the EU shackles removed, data published today has indicated - with the economy growing four times faster than France and three times faster than Germany, one expert pointed out. Roland Rudd, the group's former chairman, and Richard Reed, both confirmed their decisions to quit today. One former staffer said:This is a sorry end to a promising campaign which held the government to account for a shoddy Brexit deal.

[THIS LIVE BLOG IS NOW FINISHED: FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS CLICK HERE]

Labour peer Andrew Adonis has insisted the prospect of rejoining the EU remains alive thanks to the European Movement group which he chairs, which he said has record number of members and more than 100 local groups which are growing steadily.

In other news, he UK economy grew by 4.8 percent in the second quarter of 2021 as lockdowns lifted, getting people back into pubs, the Office for National Statistics figures showed.

The country's gross domestic product (GDP) increased by a further one percent in June, creating five consecutive months of growth.

The economy also speeded up from 0.6 percent growth in May, the ONS said.

Lockdown restrictions slowly eased through much of the quarter.

Outdoor dining opened again in April, the first month the quarterly data includes, and further restrictions were lifted in May.

ONS deputy national statistician for economic statistics Jonathan Athow said: "GDP is still around two percentage points below its pre-pandemic peak."

JUST IN:Meghan video shows she and Harry are out of touch, says royal expert

Economists at Pantheon Macroeconomics had expected GDP to grow by 0.6 percent in June, and 4.7 percent across the quarter.

The news will come as a major boost to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, with 75 percent of Britons now fully jabbed.

On Tuesday Johnson tweeted: Our incredible vaccine rollout has now provided protection to 3/4 of UK adults.

We should be proud of this huge national achievement.

Its vital those who havent been vaccinated book their jab to protect themselves, their loved ones and allow us to enjoy our freedoms safely.

Sam Fuller, Director of Financial Markets Online, commented: The pace of the UKs vaccination programme which has successfully delivered two Covid jabs into the arms of 75% of the adult population is an important factor and may explain why UK growth has soared to treble that of Germany and four times that of its European neighbour France."

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7.53am update: This blog is finished. Click here for the latest updates

4.51am update:Finally free from EU! Brexit Britain takes landmark leap as new powers used for first time

Iconic Gower Salt Marsh Lamb has been given protected status in a landmark moment, as ministers used Brexit powers for the first time to protect British products.

The meat is the first item to have been granted the status since the UK left the EU transitional period at the start of the year.

After cutting ties with the bloc, the Government launched its independent Geographical Indication (GI) schemes, which aim to ensure popular and traditional products from across the country can obtain special status to mark out their authenticity and origin.

3.10am update:Daniel Hannan says 'honest reporting' of Brexit economics was 'prejudiced' by Remainers

Brexiteer Hannan slammed experts who could not "bring themselves to admit" that "anything was going right" with Brexit.

Speaking to the US-based economics showBoom and BustMr Hannan took aim at economic experts who he claimed "made mistakes" with their understanding ofBrexit'simpact on the UK economy.

In a scathing attack the former Tory MEP branded "Remain-leaning" experts and media outlets for theirprejudiced attitudes for not wanting Brexit to be a success.

He went on toclaim thatBritain has outperformed theEUeconomically for four years running since the Brexit referendum in 2016 adding that was "hard" for economic experts "to admit that".

His comments come despitethe Office for Budget Responsibility saying Brexit as a whole is expected to leave the UK's economy four percent smaller than it would otherwise have been inside the EU.

0.38am update:Celebrate our success, Boris! Brits left 'in the dark' on brilliant new Brexit trade deals

Britons feel "left in the dark" about the benefits of the UK's brilliant new Brexit trade deals, a survey has found.

Details of deals struck by International Trade Secretary Liz Truss continue to be a mystery, according to the findings.

A poll for the consumer choice group Which? found 67 percent felt the public receives too little information from ministers about trade deals.

Ms Truss has signed deals covering 67 countries in the past two years.

Most of the pacts are roll over deals mirroring the terms of agreements in place from when the UK was a member of the EU.

But fresh agreements with Japan and Australia have been signed since Britain quit the bloc.

11.15pm update:Payback for Brexit Nigel Farage calls out Emmanuel Macron and demands UK tows boats back

Nigel Farage claims French President Emmanuel Macron is looking to give "payback for Brexit" over the migrant crossing crisis as he calls for the UK Government to "tow" the boats back to Calais.

The Godfather of Brexit, Nigel Farage, appeared on Dan Woottons GB News show to talk about the ongoing influx of Channel crossing migrants.

Mr Farage, 57, accused Emmanuel Macron of not doing enough to stop migrants after the decision taken by the British electorate in 2016 when voters opted to leave the European Union.

Isabella Marsans is taking over fromKris Boratyn.

10pm update:'Bad news for Remainiacs!' Britons hit out at Brexit doom-mongers as UK takes huge leap

Brexiteers have brutally mocked Remainers over their continued doom mongering after ministers used Brexit powers for the first time to protect British products.

Following the end of the Brexit transition period, the Government introduced its independent Geographical Indication (GI) schemes in trying to ensure popular and traditional products from across the country can obtain special status to mark out their authenticity and origin.

But these GI schemes do not yet apply to Northern Ireland, which remains covered by the bloc's equivalent under the terms of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.

When Britain was a European Union member state, Brussels was in charge of deciding which products received special status.

But now Gower Salt Marsh Lamb has been given protected status in a landmark moment.

7:30pm update: David Cameron blurted out 'Blitzkrieg' to Angela Merkel: 'Don't mention the war!

David Cameron evoked Nazi war tactics in a risque joke during a meeting with Angela Merkel, blurting out "Blitzkrieg", a former Government insider told a documentary.

The outgoing German Chancellor, 67, is preparing to step down in 2021, having said she will not stand for a fifth term in office in Germanys September 26 elections.

In recent years, Mrs Merkel has seen her grasp on her Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) party slip away and has been hit by political controversies, including the countrys refugee crisis.

The Chancellors critics have accused her of being too soft on immigration, and an unearthed interview reveals how she once urged Britains former Prime Minister David Cameron to lessen his immigration demands.

7pm update:EUs Brexit worries that bloc would be poor without Britain

EU leaders admitted that the EU "would be poor" after Britain left the trading bloc, an unearthed account shows.

The former head of the EUs executive discussed his interactions with former Prime Minister David Cameron.

Mr Cameron had tabled a series of demands, which he told EU bosses were essential if he was going to achieve his aim of keeping Britain in the EU.

One key proposal was the Prime Ministers so-called emergency brake which would have curbed EU migrants access to benefits in the UK.

Mr Juncker said: He used all kinds of arguments, reason by numbers, showing that the migration in the direction of Britain was higher than expected.

6:30pm: Lord Moylan calls for UK 'vigilance' with EU to 'preserve our status' in future

Lord Moylan has expressed concern over the leverage the EU continues to have over the UK.

Lord Moylan called for vigilance in future dealings with the bloc to ensure any co-operation preserves the UK as an "independent nation".

The Conservative peer also raised concerns about EU influence on "economic disruption in Northern Ireland and diversion of trade".

6pm update:Embarrassing U-turn for Merkel on her calls for tough EU rules to stop migrant crisis

Germany has performed a screeching U-turn and stopped deportations of Afghan migrants as the Taliban continue their advance in the country.

Separately, the Netherlands also joined the reverse ferret move amid Afghanistans deteriorating security situation.

It comes after both Berlin and the Hague joined a number of EU governments in calling for forced repatriations of Afghan migrants should be allowed if their asylum applications failed.

They were also backed by Belgium, Denmark, Greece and Austria in their effort to harden the blocs rules over fears of a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis.

5:30pm update:Brussels launches new power grab in fury at Poland's media blackout crackdown

Brussels has launched its latest power grab in fury over Poland's perceived crackdown on media freedoms.

The European Commission has raised the prospect of EU-wide legislation to protect the bloc against perceived attacks on freedom of speech and media pluralism.

It comes after eurocrats accused Poland of flouting EU values after its parliament passed a controversial bill that could force the sale of the countrys main independent broadcaster.

The legislation, put forward by the ruling Law and Justice party, would stop companies from outside the European Economic Area owning a majority in Polish media firms.

5pm update:Macron's right-hand man boasts of French vaccine victory after copying UK's roll-out plan

Clement Beaune has hailed the rapid rollout of coronavirus vaccines in France - despite once criticising Britain's single-dose strategy as "risky".

The Europe minister claimed 10 million people have received at least one vaccine dose since his close ally President Emmanuel Macron urged French citizens to get jabbed in July.

In a social media post, Mr Beaune celebrated the sudden rush by people to get vaccinated. He boasted that France is now beating both Germany and the United States in the vaccination race.

4:30pm update:'Petty in the extreme' Brexiteer fury as UK drivers face huge fines when visiting Europe

"Petty" EU rules requiring UK drivers to sport a sticker on their vehicle whenever they drive in Europe underline the bloc's desire to "cause difficulties rather than assist", a Brexiteer has said.

Prior to quitting the bloc, British motorists on the continent have been able to do quite straightforwardly. However, since severing ties with Brussels, the situation has become rather more complex.

In addition, if a vehicle has an EU, England, Scotland, or Wales flag alongside a GB mark on the number plate, it was also need a GB sticker, or the driver could himself or herself liable to a fine by the local authorities - and in addition, such stickers will become invalid in any case next month.

4pm update:Greece warns European Union is not fit to cope with looming 'major migration crisis'

Greece has warned the European Union is not in a position to handle a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis.

Its migration minister said the bloc must attempt to stop people from fleeing the conflict in Afghanistan to stem the flow of would-be asylum seekers.

Notis Mitarachi ramped up his calls to follow through with the deportations of Afghan migrants that have failed with asylum bids.

The Greek was amongst a group of ministers from five other EU nations that said ending returns would send the wrong message.

3:30pm update:Boris Johnson warned he must not surrender to Joe Biden as US trade deal on brink

Boris Johnson must not "surrender" Britain's hard-won, newly reclaimed sovereignty to Joe Biden's USA, a Brexiteer has warned, stressing: "Take back control is about more than Brexit".

Jayne Adye, director of grassroots pro-Brexit campaign group Get Britain Out, was commenting on Britains decision to sign up for Mr Bidens plan for a global minimum rate of corporate tax earlier this year - something she claimed was one of the last things we should be doing.

In addition, she highlighted the case of UK Aerospace specialist Meggitt, which has contracts with the Ministry of Defence and produces key components for Boeing, Airbus and BAE Systems.

Kris Boratyn takes over live reporting from Ciaran McGrath

2.10pm update: Ministers plot to cut civil service jobs as a result of Brexit

Ministers are drawing up plans to cut thousands of civil service jobs as part of a three-year review of government spending.

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People's Vote DEAD 'Sorry end' as plot to re-join EU finally on its knees - Daily Express