Category Archives: Brexit

Boris Johnson says the UK is 'better off' since Brexit

The UK left the EU on January 31, 2020, ending its 47-year membership, following the British people voting to Leave at the 2016 referendum. However, issues over Britains withdrawal from the European trading bloc remain, including the Northern Ireland Protocol, which governs Britains post-Brexit trade with the province. Boris Johnsons bid to sort out the controversial arrangement cleared its first hurdle on Monday as proposed new legislation passed its second reading in the House of Commons.

The Prime Minister has said the proposals, which include unilaterally overriding parts of the Protocol, could become law fairly rapidly, continuing his promise to get Brexit done.

As the Conservative Party leader remains determined in his efforts to deliver Brexit, Express.co.uk looks at how his promises about Britains post-EU future have played out.

This pledge was one of the core messages of Mr Johnsons successful campaign for the 2019 General Election, which he won in an historic landslide.

His promise has been literally achieved in the sense that he finally led the UK out of the EU, more than three years after the Brexit referendum.

The Prime Minister also prevailed where his predecessor Theresa May could not getting a trade deal with Brussels.

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The UK and the EU reached an agreement on Christmas Eve 2020 after years of tortuous negotiations.

A month after the trade deal was inked, the UK also exited the EUs single market and customs union.

However, in some areas, Brexit issues still need to be resolved, such as the ongoing situation with the Protocol.

Mr Johnson claimed in December 2019 ahead of the election that there would not be additional checks on goods moving from Britain to Northern Ireland or vice versa.

He told Sky News: The only checks that there would be, would be if something was coming from GB via Northern Ireland and was going on to the Republic.

Then there might be checks at the border into Northern Ireland.

Around the same time, the Prime Minister also claimed that Northern Irish businesses would not be hit with extra fees or paperwork.

He said: We will make sure that businesses face no extra costs and no checks for stuff being exported from NI to GB.

Mr Johnsons claims ran contrary to what the Government itself said at the time.

A leaked Treasury document warned of a range of bureaucratic measures hitting trade between Britain and Northern Ireland, including customs declarations and various checks.

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A Government risk assessment in October 2019 also said there would be checks and added administration for goods being sent along this trade route.

More than 157,000 inspections of food shipments and 7,400 inspections on live animals were conducted at Northern Irish ports between January 1, 2021, and March 20, 2022, according to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

Mr Johnson, Michael Gove and Vote Leave Campaign chief Gisela Stuart claimed that fuel bills will be lower for everyone after Britain left the EU.

In a joint article for The Sun in May 2016, just days before the referendum, they wrote: In 1993, VAT on household energy bills was imposed.

This makes gas and electricity much more expensive. EU rules mean we cannot take VAT off those bills.

They added: As long as we are in the EU, we are not allowed to cut this tax. When we vote Leave, we will be able to scrap this unfair and damaging tax.

It is true that while the UK was in the EU VAT area it was unable to reduce the tax on domestic electricity and gas below its current rate of five percent.

However, as the nation battles the ongoing cost of living crisis, Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who voted Leave, is still yet to slash the tax or scrap it altogether.

The energy price cap the maximum price suppliers can charge customers increased in April and is expected to increase again in October.

The Government has stepped in to help with 400 payments for all households and an additional 650 for people on benefits.

However, VAT on fuel bills in the UK is still charged at five percent.

Throughout the EU referendum campaign, Mr Johnson claimed that the UK would take back control of hundreds of millions of pounds the UK sent to the EU as a member of the bloc a promise that became one of the most contentious of the Leave vs Remain argument.

The former Foreign Secretary famously toured the country on Vote Leaves bright red Brexit battle bus, which was adorned with the phrase: We send the EU 350m a week, let's fund the NHS instead.

The senior Tory also repeated the claim in an article for the Daily Telegraph in September 2017.

He wrote that once we have settled our accounts, we will take back control of roughly 350m per week.

He added: It would be a fine thing, as many of us have pointed out, if a lot of that money went on the NHS.

However, due to a long-term EU rebate given to the UK, the total sum the Treasury sent to the EU each week totalled around 252.

Sir David Norgrove, the head of the UK Statistics Authority, wrote to Boris Johnson over the 350million claim, describing it as a clear misuse of official statistics.

He said he was disappointed in his repetition of the claim and that it confuses gross and net contributions.

This was one of Mr Johnsons more vague promises of the referendum campaign, with the Prime Minister pledging to take back control.

Under the UKs Brexit deal with the EU, the blocs member states retained full access to British waters from 2021 to 2026.

At the time the deal was signed in 2020, Mr Johnson claimed that during this transition period, Britains share of its own fisheries will rise substantially from roughly half today to closer to two-thirds in five and a half years.

However, the rise the Government claimed the UK would see after Brexit is projected to be far less than expected.

The increase will only amount to 12.4 percent, according to a study published in February by the University of York, the New Economics Foundation, the University of Lincoln and marine consultancy service ABPmer.

There were also promises by the Government that waters up to 12 nautical miles from Britain would only be fished in by UK boats.

However, the Government has agreed to let boats from the EU continue to fish in waters between six and 12 miles from the coast.

Global Britains ability to strike trade deals with countries of its choosing was one of the ideas that attracted many people to Brexit.

The US would be first in line to strike an agreement with the UK after Brexit, Mr Johnson claimed in 2017.

However, a deal with Britains transatlantic partner is still non-existent.

The Government did ink a deal with Indiana last month, its first trade agreement with an individual US state.

But it remains unclear whether the US and UKs special relationship will bear fruit in terms of a trade deal between the two nations.

Mr Johnson was also warned by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month that Washington could not do a deal with London if it undermined the Northern Ireland protocol.

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Boris Johnsons SIX key Brexit promises and how theyve played out - Express

Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton are at opposite ends of the country geographically, socially and politically. But they have two features in common: both voted Leave heavily in 2016, and both turned against the Conservatives last week. Defeats on the same day in a northern red wall seat and a southern rural stronghold suggest that, six years on from the EU referendum, the Conservative majority Boris Johnson stitched together with a promise to get Brexit done is beginning to unravel.

For both opposition parties, the byelections have a distinctly 1990s flavour, with the return of a pattern from the Major years that has been largely absent in the past decade of Conservative government voters in both seats seemed determined to eject Tory incumbents and flocked to the local opposition candidate seen as best placed to do so. Tactical coordination among Labour and Liberal Democrats voters is back, and if replicated at a general election, it could put a lot of seemingly safe Conservative seats in play.

Labours first byelection gain since Ed Milibands 2012 win in Corby ticks a lot of boxes for party strategists a red wall seat recovered, on a healthy swing which if replicated across similar seats would put Labour on the brink of government. This is a big boost for Keir Starmer, whose leadership was plunged into crisis just a year ago after the loss of heavily Leave-voting Hartlepool.

The Liberal Democrats have now gained three safe Tory seats on huge swings in a year. A toxic government and a dull but unthreatening opposition have enabled the Lib Dems to finally escape the long shadow of coalition. The Lib Dems are once again able to act as an all-purpose vehicle of discontent for voters eager to vent their spleen at an unpopular government even if still sceptical of the Labour opposition.

Byelections are not, on their own, reliable indicators for the contest to come. Margaret Thatcher weathered many heavy swings in the mid-1980s before winning a landslide in 1987; John Major suffered a debilitating double whammy similar to last weeks result in 1991 and prevailed a year later, and David Cameron lost two seats to Ukip in autumn 2014, less than a year before securing a majority against the odds. Yet these past Tory leaders have been able to draw on advantages over Labour in leadership, the economy and the issue agenda to bounce back. The Johnson government looks more vulnerable on all three fronts.

While boring is the most common word used to describe Starmer in focus groups, this is better than voters verbal reactions to Boris Johnson, the politest of which include liar, buffoon and untrustworthy. The prime ministers approval ratings, which collapsed in the wake of the Partygate scandal, remain dismal. Starmer may not excite voters, but bland beats toxic, and Starmer is therefore the first Labour opposition leader since Tony Blair to regularly beat his Conservative rival on the best prime minister question.

Worryingly for Conservatives, Johnsons fall has been steepest with the Leave voters who form the bedrock of their new electoral coalition. The prime minister held stratospheric ratings with Brexit backers until last autumn. Partygate brought him crashing down to earth.

The economy has long been the Conservative trump card. Thatcher, Major and Cameron all played on doubts about Labours economic competence to rally wavering voters. This advantage, too, is fading fast under Johnson. The governments ratings on every aspect of economic management have slumped as inflation has soared and wages have fallen. Labour has taken the lead on many economic performance measures, again putting them in their best position since the heyday of Tony Blairs opposition. And with further strikes and energy price rises ahead, the worst may be still to come for the government.

The broader agenda offers little comfort. The Conservatives two strongest issues in recent elections, Brexit and immigration, no longer exercise voters, and the governments efforts to revive them have fallen flat. Alongside the all-consuming cost-of-living crisis, voters rising concerns include the NHS, the environment and housing all stronger terrain for Labour than the government. And a quarter of voters now name lack of faith in politicians as one of their main concerns, unlikely to be a winning topic for any government headed by Boris Johnson. The government, then, is in a deep hole. It may yet get deeper. The present economic troubles divide a Conservative coalition held together by little beyond Brexit.

The interventionist instincts of new Conservative voters and MPs from depressed red wall seats put them perpetually at odds with the small-state instincts of the traditional home counties. Internal opposition has already forced government retreats on planning, transport, energy and much else besides.

A popular and strong prime minister could force MPs into line, but Johnson has neither popularity nor authority. Voters dislike him, colleagues distrust him, and four in 10 Conservative MPs have already voted to dispatch him. The Houdini of modern politics can never be fully counted out, but the escape act ahead looks daunting indeed.

Robert Ford is professor of political science at Manchester University and co-author of The British General Election of 2019

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Double defeat points to unwinding of Conservative Brexit coalition - The Guardian

The whole period since Brexit has been dominated by Covids disruption, now exacerbated by Putins rape of Ukraine; and even had neither occurred, surely at least four years actual data would be needed to give any valid comparison. Forecasts and estimates by various experts on many topics often prove inaccurate. Nor are economics the only rationale for Brexiteers any more than they are for SNP enthusiasts.

Both SNP and UK supporters, rather than always selecting their favourite betes-noires for condemnation, should accept that both governments spend vast taxpayers sums unwisely.

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Also, anent Scotlands democratic right to choose our own future, I trust Mr Grant acknowledges that, while the UK remains a single nation-state, it too has that right as it exercised by voting for Brexit (including more than one million Scots), albeit narrowly, due to the EUs thin gruel offerings to David Cameron and Angela Merkels unilateral invitation to a million refugees and economic migrants.

Finally, as The Scotsman reported on October 19, 2015, the SNP set a test of polls consistently showing at least 60 per cent support for independence, even with the then increasing possibility of the UK voting for Brexit, needed to justify another Indyref.

John Birkett, St Andrews, Fife

The First Ministers constant refrain about democracy seems to be based on a belief that an independent Scotland can impose its will on the rest of the UK.

Given that she wants more refugees, free movement and to rejoin the EU, why on earth would any UK Government agree to a Common Travel Area? The CTA with Eire was in the context of the 1920s-30s, it would never be repeated today. The UK would have every right to know what was entering and leaving its territory, and the same goes for goods. Checks on legitimate travellers might not be too onerous but the new requirements of the EU on UK travellers would be repeated. For once, FM, tell us the truth and PM spell it out now, not to frighten Scots but to reassure the rest of the UK.

Roger I Cartwright, Crieff, Perthshire

The Scottish Government has used the predictable furore of Nicola Sturgeon's proposed second independence referendum to obscure from sight the announcement that all its staff must now undergo compulsory indoctrination called the Trans Language Primer, and anyone refusing to do so can look for another job.This includes such rubbish as the new catch-all term for those who fall under the ever expanding LBGTQ+ umbrella quiltbags. Yes, really.

Still, it's better blowing millions on brainwashing pen-pushers with pseudo-scientific mumbo-jumbo than on silly old ferries, isn't it? Pack up your troubles in your old quiltbag and scream, scream, scream...

Mark Boyle, Johnstone, Renfrewshire

Its astounding that the First Minister should equate the future election of a block of SNP MPs with a mandate for independence. Evidently she doesnt understand the difference between an expression of the electorates disaffection for the Westminster government and a desire to see Scotland independent. Even accepting her ridiculous assertion, the SNP coalitions abysmal performance in a number of areas hardly recommends them as the guiding force for a very vulnerable new entity. The general electorate is more sensible and pragmatic than SNP diehards would care to admit.

R A Wallace, Kincardine, Fife

As the world watches on in horror, the atrocities in Ukraine are forcibly focusing attentions on national security. At a time of huge increase in desire to join Nato and to strengthen countries defensive alliances we have a First Minister who is determined to do the opposite. The pursuit of independence will completely undermine our defensive capability at a time when it's so critical.

Please can we focus on the outcome of such a move to improve awareness around this issue. We don't have to look far to see the devastating and far-reaching effects of complacency.

Who in their right mind would rush to give more power to someone who had made an absolute hash of things with the powers already to hand? When asked why Indy? SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon's only response is To make Scotland a better place. Well, forgive my being overcome by such jawdropping vision. The question is how to make it a better place?

We are already proud Scots. We already make our own decisions in life; which career path to follow; how to raise our family. W e can pursu e our own dreams, our sports, our ambitions. We can holiday where we please; socialise with whom and where we like what else does a person need? Lots more money, perhaps? Can she promise that? Beware of politicians bearing gifts.

Stan Hogarth, Strathaven, South Lanarkshire

I didnt study Latin so will have to look up the meaning of de facto as employed by the First Minister in her ludicrous wheeze to approach the next general election as a referendum. While Im at it, I may as well check for any translation for lost her marbles or aff her heidAlso, given John Swinneys shambolic flip flopping over over whether this faux referendum will be decided by a majority of seats or votes, what would Latin be for havering or blethering mince?

Andrew Kemp, Rosyth, Fife

As groundbreaking announcements go, the latest from the First Minister, with her plans for a second break-up-the-UK referendum, will not threaten any records.

It is at the damp squib end of the spectrum. Will Free by 23 now join that other slogan, Free by 93, in the annals of SNP history? Whats a generation among friends?

So we must continue with unwinnable court battles, tiresome and endless posturing, countless millions spent on civil servants for preparation for a non-event, more rancour, more division, put on for no other reason than to keep her clique in luxury and power and appease her lunatic fringe.

And, of course, create more grievance and unrest while not getting Nicola Sturgeon or her party an inch nearer the Holy Grail that the majority of Scots do not want. Any non-legally binding referendum should be ignored by any democratic-minded Scot and given the contempt it warrants.

Has no-one mentioned to these obsessed people that there is a world-wide cost of living crisis in full swing, a drug death crisis at home, or a war in Ukraine that is threatening to get out of hand? This is madness.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

How can the supposedly responsible leader of any country, at this point in time with monumental domestic and global situations to be negotiated through, saddle their population for at least the next year and a bit with the continual distraction of the constitutional question which will inevitably dominate everything? This, remember, is from the leader of a party that has now had an almost unprecedented, uninterrupted 15-year period in government that has only resulted in a litany of disastrous policies.

Nicola Sturgeon is now effectively saying that, with independence, all of a sudden, she can get everything spot on, guide us through the aforementioned current domestic and global problems as well as setting up a new, independent country that is going to see us into the promised land.

Come on. Get real, please.

Ian G Hogg, Melrose, Scottish Borders

A new Scottish Government initiative aims to attract more general practitioners to Scotland from other parts of the UK and elsewhere (your report, 30 June). If elsewhere means poaching them from the Commonwealth and countries that need them more then this is unethical.

The shortage of doctors and dentists could have been easily avoided with a bit of Scottish Government foresight.

For many years students who have lived in Scotland for three years have been entitled to have their university fees paid by the Scottish Government, aka the taxpayer. Students from England pay 9,250 per year. Thus Scottish-based students get the benefit of 37,000 or more of free education. There should have been a condition that those, including student doctors and dentists, getting this free education would have to work in Scotland for five years, or longer, to repay taxpayers' generosity.

Thus there would not be the present shortage of doctors, nurses and, dare I say it, NHS dentists who are scarcer than hen's teeth.

Clark Cross, Linlithgow, West Lothian

I see the content of the baby boxes has been modified to celebrate the fifth anniversary of their launch. Well, thats fine, but these desperate and blatant attempts by the SNP to bribe babies (or should that be emerging voters) in time for their next proposed Indyref2 in 2038 are getting ridiculous.

David Bone, Girvan, South Ayrshire

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Readers' Letters: It's far too soon to insist that Brexit has failed - The Scotsman

1. On Brexit Anniversary, Boris Johnson's Team Struggles to Say What's Better  Bloomberg
2. What Brexit Promised, and Boris Johnson Failed to Deliver  The Atlantic
3. The legacy of the Brexit referendum is a divided, confused Britain | John Rentoul  The Independent
4. On Sixth Anniversary of Brexit, Britain Yet to Seize All of Freedom's Opportunities  Heritage.org
5. The deafening silence over Brexit's economic fallout  Financial Times
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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On Brexit Anniversary, Boris Johnson's Team Struggles to Say What's Better - Bloomberg

The European Union and Union Jack flags are flown outside the Houses of Parliament, in London, Britain February 9, 2022. REUTERS/Tom Nicholson

Register

LONDON, June 23 (Reuters) - Dashed hopes, so far at least, that Brexit would tilt Britain's economy towards growth driven by trade and investment are threatening another of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's flagship policies: "levelling up" the regions outside of London.

Six years on from the vote to leave the European Union, the classic low-productivity British model of growth driven by consumption, supported in part by rising house prices, looks as strong as ever.

Britain has missed out on much of the global recovery in goods exports as economies re-opened from COVID-19 lockdowns, leaving it bottom among Group of Seven rich industrialised nations by this measure over the last 12 months.

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The Resolution Foundation think tank this week said that lacklustre performance reflects a more closed economy since Brexit. read more

It also represents a missed opportunity for Johnson's levelling-up agenda, which aims to reduce regional inequalities.

Had British goods exports grown in line with the average among the other six countries in the G7, they would have been worth around 38 billion pounds ($47 billion) more during the year to April 2022, based on a simple extrapolation.

This represents several billions of pounds of lost revenue for British factories and by extension the regions outside of London, since around 95% of manufacturing output takes place outside the capital, according to 2017 official data.

Manufacturing comprises only about 10% of British economic output overall.

But it is a key driver of growth and investment in many of the parts of England and Wales that voted heavily to leave the EU in 2016, such as the East Midlands and North East regions.

Unless Britain can meaningfully improve its trade performance, it could mean more missed opportunities to level up.

"The regions that probably asked for Brexit are the most likely to have seen the biggest impact negative impact from trade," said Flaheen Khan, senior economist from the Make UK manufacturing trade group.

On Wednesday the Resolution Foundation said Brexit was unlikely to result in a big restructuring of the main sectors of Britain's economy - but it would have consequences for levelling-up.

"Our assessment finds that the North East, one of the poorest regions in the UK, will be one of the hardest hit, and that Brexit will increase its existing - and large - productivity and income gaps," the think tank said.

Estimates of regional economic growth hint at the scale of the opportunity already lost.

In the first quarter of 2022, London's economy - dominated by services firms - was 2.6% larger than its level of late 2019, before the onset of COVID-19.

By comparison, no other regional economy in the United Kingdom except for Northern Ireland had fully recovered its pre-pandemic size.

Proponents of Brexit say it is a long-term project that cannot be judged over the space of a few years, before the benefits of an independent trade and regulatory policy become fully apparent.

"Regurgitations of Project Fear don't seem to get anyone anywhere," said Britain's minister for Brexit opportunities, Jacob Rees-Mogg, of this week's Resolution Foundation report. read more

Britain's government wants to boost exports of goods and services to reach 1 trillion pounds per year in current prices by the end of the decade, up from their pre-pandemic level of 700 billion pounds.

The highest rate of inflation in the G7 is likely to be a big driver behind meeting that goal but an improved underlying trade performance would go a long way to boosting economic activity across the United Kingdom.

Businesses, however, need more help to get there, the British Chambers of Commerce said.

It pointed to five practical measures that would boost trade with the EU which accounts for more than 40% of British exports, ranging from less red tape for food exports and a sales tax deal for small businesses trading digitally with the EU to arrangements for markings and testing of industrial goods.

"Businesses in the UK and EU still have good relationships and trust each other. We need decision-makers to follow our lead and negotiate practical improvements to the Brexit trade deal," said William Bain, head of trade policy at the BCC.

Khan from Make UK said part of the problem for policymakers was that manufacturers had different needs in different parts of the country, with companies in the south of England seeking more spending on digital infrastructure, while those in the north were demanding better transport links.

One thing that is shared across the country is an acceptance that Brexit is now an economic reality, for better or worse.

"In an ideal world, trade would be frictionless, but they've accepted that's not going to happen and most businesses, despite the impact, are getting on with it," Khan said.

($1 = 0.8148 pounds)

Register

Reporting by Andy Bruce; Editing by Toby Chopra

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Analysis: UK's Brexit woes threaten another flagship policy: levelling-up - Reuters.com

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks at a news conference during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) at Lemigo Hotel, in Kigali, Rwanda June 24, 2022. Dan Kitwood/Pool via REUTERS/Pool via REUTERS

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KIGALI, June 24 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the reaction to his government's plan to scrap some trade rules governing post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland has been "muted" and denied the move was an attempt to appeal to his lawmakers.

Britain published plans this month to unilaterally stop some checks on goods moving to Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom and challenged the role played by the European Union's court in a new clash with Brussels.

The European Commission in response launched two new legal proceedings against Britain and some of the bloc's officials have warned it could launch a trade war.

Register

Johnson pointed to the breakdown of a power-sharing administration in Northern Ireland as a reason for drafting the legislation, the first step in what could be a months-long process before the bill becomes law.

The Democratic Unionist Party has said it will only move to restore Northern Ireland's regional parliament if the law is passed and complained the checks on goods are too onerous for businesses.

"Generally speaking, I think it's quite interesting that the reaction around the table amongst our friends has been much more muted than I think people were expecting," Johnson told reporters on the way to Rwanda where he is attending a Commonwealth summit.

"That's because, you know, in the end, we don't want to fall out over this. We want a solution."

The new legislation is designed to simplify the rules but has drawn sharp criticism in Brussels and Washington where it is seen by many as an inflammatory move that violates an international treaty.

European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic said last week the legislation appeared to be driven by Johnson's attempt to win support with his lawmakers after he narrowly won a confidence vote this month.

"No, no, no, do you really think so? Do you really think that most Conservative MPs or most people in the country are thinking about this problem? They're not," Johnson said.

"This is an issue that is entirely to do with the balance of the political situation in Northern Ireland. And we have to respect that."

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Reporting by Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Nick Macfie

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Boris Johnson sees 'muted' reaction to rewriting Brexit deal - Reuters UK

On Monday the House of Commons will vote on the Government's Bill to override aspects of the Northern Ireland Protocol. It would give ministers the right to scrap elements of the international agreement unilaterally without permission from the EU.

The Bill is likely to pit Brexiteer MPs against their more pro-EU colleagues in what risks turning into the most bitter debate of legislation since the UK finally broke free of Brussels' orbit.

The Government's controversial legislation has already been criticised by Labour and some Conservative backbenchers, who have accused ministers of intending to breach international law with the plans.

Ms Truss unveiled the legislation in the House of Commons earlier this month saying she had been left with no choice but to introduce the legislation after a breakdown in negotiations with Brussels.

Talks have been held between the Government and the European Commission on easing frictions caused by the Protocol since October with little progress.

READ MORE ON OUR BREXIT LIVE BLOG

Unionists argue the EU's heavy-handed implementation of the Protocol, agreed as part of the 2019 Brexit withdrawal agreement, is undermining the integrity of the United Kingdom.

Ministers intend to scrap checks on goods and animal and plant products travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland imposed by Brussels and instead only carry out customs controls on those set to head to the Republic of Ireland in the south.

Stringent fines would be imposed on those exploiting the system to smuggle goods into the EU single market.

Boris Johnson's sizeable majority in the House of Commons means the Government is likely to be able to push the Bill through the lower chamber.

However, peers in the House of Lords are already vowing to amend the legislation to frustrate the Government and force it to be revoted on by MPs. Their interventions could delay the Bill by as long as a year.

Ashfield MP Lee Anderson told Express.co.uk: "I suspect that if the unelected Remainer Lords had to face general elections like us MPs then they might actually be more in touch with the British public or be out of a job.

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"We are answerable to the public unlike our Lords can basically vote whichever way they want."

Ms Truss has said the Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement is currently under threat from the Protocol and the legislation is needed to maintain peace.

The Foreign Secretary told MPs in the Commons earlier this week: "Our priority as the UK Government is the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and we know that the Northern Ireland Protocol is undermining that agreement.

"We havent seen the institutions in Northern Ireland functioning since February and we know that the issues caused are baked into the Protocol, namely the customs provisions and the VAT provisions, so we do need to change that."

The DUP, the largest Unionist political party in Northern Ireland, has long opposed the protocol and is refusing to enter the power-sharing institutions at Stormont until issues with the post-Brexit settlement for the region are addressed.

It means there is currently no functioning devolved government in the province.

Leader of the DUP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson praised the Government for announcing a vote on the legislation would take place next week.

He said: "It is important that this bill now progresses rapidly through its legislative stages in the Commons before the summer recess and we will want to see that not only does the bill receive substantial support at Westminster, but that it is not subject to either wrecking amendments or indeed other amendments that would dilute the framework and impact of the bill."

The Lagan Valley MP added: "We want to see the Northern Ireland Assembly and executive restored and that can be achieved when there is a sustainable basis for doing so.

"We will continue to be condition and not calendar led as we look forward to this bill now making rapid progress."

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Huge Brexit battle to erupt: MPs in major clash as Truss' masterplan to be voted on - Express

Brexit rules have caused major shock to Britains trading landscape in the last two years. But despite voting to leave the bloc, trade is back on the up with the EU afteraconsiderable decline.

The LSE Centre for Economic Performance found that the number of trading relationships Britain has with the bloc has declined due to red tape curbing the ability of smaller firms to export.

Whats more, last month the Office for Budget Responsibility, the Government spending watchdog, warned that UK trade had missed out on much of the recovery in global trade and was lagging behind every other G7 nation.

But despite Brexit, it turns out that trade with the EU is back on the up, and trade with non-EU countries has declined.

READ MORE:POLL: Should Boris call a General Election after by-election defeat?

According to the Office for National Statistics, in April 2022, the total import of goods (excluding precious metals) increased by 0.7 percent, or 0.4 billion compared with March.

There was a 4.2 percent, or 1.1 billion rise in imports from the EU, but imports from countries outside the EU fell by 0.7 billion, or 2.6 percent.

The same can be said with exports to EU countries, which increased by 8.1 percent, or 1.2 billion in April this year.

Elsewhere, base metals and plastic and rubber both account for five percent of EU imports to the UK.

In terms of UK exports to the EU, the picture is very similar.

Like the EU, the bulk of UK exports are machinery and appliances (21 percent) and chemical products (15 percent).

Transport equipment accounts for 14 percent of trade, and mineral products and base metals make up 12 and six percent of trade respectively.

Food, beverages and tobacco is five percent of all UK exports to the bloc.

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UK exports to EU in full: Trade with EU on the up despite Brexit - Express

Joe Biden's administration in Washington has put pressure on Boris Johnson not to take measures to unilaterally axe elements of Ulster's post-Brexit arrangements. Liz Truss, who replaced Lord David Frost as the UK's Brexit negotiator in December, unveiled measures to use domestic law to override aspects of the Northern Ireland Protocol last month.

According to the Government website, the Protocol Bill ensures the delicate balance of the Belfast Agreement, introduces durable solutions to fix the four key issues with the Protocol and remove[s] unnecessary costs and paperwork for businesses.

However, the Guardian has claimed Washington has issued a new warning for Brexit Britain.

A senior administration official said: Its fair to say that the administration has concerns about the legislation.

The administration does not believe that unilateral steps are going to be the most effective way to address the challenges facing the implementation of the Protocol, and that our strong desire remains to see the UK and the EU return to talks and find a negotiated agreement.

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The White House also addressed remarks made by a spokesperson last week which suggested there was no link between the UK's response to the Northern Ireland Protocol and negotiations with America.

The insider claimed: It is true that there is no formal linkage between the Protocol and a free trade agreement but the current situation does not create a conducive environment.

The UK has previously been issued with threats from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Last month, she even claimed Congress would not support a trade deal between the UK and US if the Government discarded the Northern Ireland Protocol.

READ MORE:Wanted! A Brexiteer outside Cabinet to replace Boris Johnson... is David Davis the answer?

Northern Ireland Minister Conor Burns visited Washington last week in a bid to convince staff in the White House that concerns over violence in Ulster remain as a consequence of the Protocol.

During his visit, the Eurosceptic Bournemouth West MP said: We're bringing forward primary legislation to try and resolve the challenges around the Protocol.

Essentially, to make good on our promise to the people of Northern Ireland that they would be integral within the UK's internal market, whilst at the same time protecting the EU's legitimate ambition to protect their Single Market.

Mr Burns added: We're very clear, however, that we still would like to resolve this in a negotiated way with the EU.

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But until they can broaden and deepen the mandate of negotiations they have, we have an obligation to move forward with primary legislation to protect the institutions of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, restore devolved Government to Northern Ireland and let the new Government in Northern Ireland have access to the some 430million available to them.

Brexit-backing MPs in Westminster are also adamant that concerns about the Northern Ireland Protocol should not torpedo any transatlantic trade negotiations.

European Research Group chairman Mark Francois, who described a UK-US deal as the great prize, toldExpress.co.uklast month: We absolutely have to address this in order to uphold and maintain the Good Friday Agreement and thats an argument that I think we need to explain to our partners in the United States.

Original post:

Washington warns unilateral action on hated Brexit deal 'not conducive' to UK-US talks - Express

For many, this summer will be the first time they have visited Europe since Brexit, and with airports in disarray, driving via ferry or Eurotunnel is an increasingly appealing option.

If you plan to drive your car to France or further afield within the EU, there are several points to consider to ensure your vehicle is compliant with post-Brexit rules.

All drivers must carry their UK driving licence while driving in the EU. If it is a photocard licence (the most common type), you do not need to request an international driving permit (IDP) to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein.

However, if you have an older-style paper driving licence or a driving licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man, you may need an IDP. Check with the embassy of the country you are visiting.

There are three types of IDP (1926, 1949, 1968) if one is required, you can apply at a Post Office for 5.50.

Displaying a UK sticker on the rear of your vehicle is required by law if you are driving in some countries (replacing older GB stickers since September 2021), such as Spain, Cyprus and Malta.

You must also display a UK sticker if your number plate has any of the following:

However, if your number plate includes the UK identifier with the Union flag, you do not need a UK sticker to drive in many countries, such as France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Portugal. Again, check with the relevant embassy for requirements.

You also need to take your log book (V5C) showing your most recent/current UK address and your insurance certificate.

Some hire and lease companies do not allow their vehicles to be driven outside the UK check permissions before planning a trip abroad.

If they do allow the car to be driven outside the UK, youll need a VE103 certificate to prove that you have permission. This can be applied from through RAC Motoring Services and British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association and cost beteween 8-15.

Your vehicle must be taxed in the UK, have a valid MOT and be insured in the UK, including minimum third party cover to drive in the EU (including Ireland). You do not need a Green Card to prove your insurance, just your original insurance certificate.

Road rules vary by country, so check the laws of your destination, from speed limits to overtaking and parking. Both the AA and RAC list up-to-date requirements.

France requires all occupants of the car to carry their passport, as well as taking a reflective jacket which must be accessible without exiting the car. A warning triangle is also compulsory for anything bigger than a motorcycle.

Certain areas of France require vehicles to display a CritAir vignette a clean air windscreen sticker to identify the cars emissions and potentially restrict access. Lower emission cars are sometimes given preferential parking and driving conditions check the area in which you plan to drive.

Devices such as Sat Navs that can detect and alert drivers to speed cameras are illegal in France and drivers can face a fine of up to 1,500 for possession, even if not in use.

It is illegal to use headphones, ear buds or Bluetooth devices while driving, but completely hands-free mobile phone usage is allowed.

The maximum legal blood alcohol level for drivers in France is 0.05 per cent, compared to 0.08 per cent in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is no longer a legal requirement to carry a disposable breathalyser in the car.

Dogs must be secured by a harness or kept in a cage when being transported by car.

Many European motorways are toll roads. You can either choose lanes that allow you to pay with coins or cards (although not all foreign cards are accepted so have a supply of cash), or automated lanes that require a tag in your vehicle.

Emovis tags have a 10 application fee, 8 annual fee, 5 monthly service fee and refundable 20 security deposit, plus toll fees. They provide automatic payment for toll roads in France, Spain and Portugal. Discounts are sometimes available through providers such as Eurotunnel.

The AA advises using a hire company thats a member of the European car rental conciliation service scheme.

It is recommended to print your driving licence record and get a code valid for 21 days from the DVLAs share driving licence service to give the hire company access to your driving licence record.

Watch out for charges for crossing an international border.

If you are involved in a road traffic accident involving your own car in Europe, you should first contact your insurer, even if you dont want to make a claim.

Contact the police and ask for a copy of the report, and a translator if necessary. As with an accident in the UK, take photographs of the incident, including details of the other vehicles involved, exchange insurance details, take names and addresses of witnesses and dont admit liability.

In the event of an accident in a rental car you must inform the hire car supplier and local authorities within 24 hours. Its important to understand your insurance policy and whether it covers road traffic accidents involving a vehicle, and legal costs.

Your insurance company might give you a European Accident Statement form to get an agreed statement of facts. Only sign it when youre sure that you understand the situation and ask for a copy of the accident statement.

Do you have a question about travel? Email asktravel@inews.co.uk

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Driving in Europe after Brexit: A checklist for UK drivers this summer, from stickers to the correct permits - iNews