Category Archives: Brexit

The taunt came after Lord Frost announced the publication of an article stating the West must learn from lessons of the past when it comes to Russia. With Russian President Vladimir Putin invading Ukraine, and the international response to the crisis delivering mixed replies, Lord Frost suggests unity is key in defeating Putin.

Writing in The Telegraph, Lord Frost said: In the last fortnight, the lofty intellectual edifice of Western diplomacy and Western illusions about the world has suffered a similar catastrophe.

Sober handling and great statesmanship are now needed.

We are right to work closely with the EU and our Nato allies. We should keep sending defensive weapons, keep up the sanctions squeeze, and make the life of Russias elites as painful as possible but also be open to off-ramps and work to find ways to defuse the crisis.

Lord Frost ended by saying: The lesson we must take is the world is dangerous.

There are people who want to harm us. We must not pretend the world is something it is not and we must act accordingly.

However, Lord Adonis hit back.

Answering directly to Lord Frosts promotion of his article on Twitter, Lord Adonis simply said: The big lesson is how wrong you were on Brexit.

Several other sources have blamed Brexit for a host of issues, yet whilst the world calls for unity in the face of Moscow, remainer Lord Adonis has raised the issue once again.

A recent Tweet by Mr Adonis read: Even most Tory leaders now realise Ukraine shows Brexit to have been not merely an error but a catastrophe.

READ MORE:Lord Adonis upset over Brexiteers supporting Ukraines plea to join EU

With the Government currently on its fifth Brexit Minister in six years, the debate is still ongoing as to the success of leaving the European Union.

Yet, Britain still plays a fundamental part in the actions being taken against Russia when partnering with the EU.

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Earlier this week, the British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss played a pivotal role in talks with EU, NATO and G7 officials in Brussels.

This too received an array of comments as many asked why the EU had invited British officials into EU meetings.

Lord Frost has yet to reply to Lord Adonis tweet.

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'How wrong you were on Brexit' Adonis looks to spark bitter war of words with Frost attack - Express

After the UK left the EU Britons access to Spain changed in various ways, both for expats and those visiting the country. Since the Brexit transition period came to an end just over two years ago, UK travellers have only been permitted to stay in the Schengen Area for 90 days at a time during any 180-day period. For longer stays, UK nationals require a visa or a residence permit issued by the host country.

Not only have travellers to Spain been affected by the new restrictions, but also those who own property in the coastal state.

Non-resident UK nationals with property which they use themselves are now required to pay the IRNR tax.

The Spanish name for the tax is the Impuesto de la renta de no residentes, declaracin ordinaria.

This Spain-specific tax is charged at 24 percent for non-EU nationals and 19 percent for citizens from the bloc.

British councillor Bill Anderson, who moved to Spain nearly 20 years ago, told Express.co.uk that Spains restrictions on Britons post-Brexit may mean that British buyers will look elsewhere in Europe to snap up their dream home in the sun.

JUST IN:Ukraine army claims Russian troops 'ready to lay down weapons and surrender' in Chernihiv

Mr Anderson, a councillor for Spains PP party in Mijas on the Costa del Sol, suggested Cyprus and Malta could be more attractive to prospective real estate investors.

He said: People are saying, If Ive got all these restrictions why buy in Spain.

Portugal is giving tax breaks Ill buy in Cyprus, Ill buy in Malta.

I think from that perspective there are going to be those in the future that may not invest in Spain.

The councillor said he expected Britons, who have been expats in Spain for years, to remain in the country despite Brexit.

What we will see without a doubt is a change in the kind of profile of Brits that come to Spain in the future and buy in Spain in the future.

Those who own property in Spain to rent out are also facing post-Brexit implications, now required to pay the EUs non-resident income tax rate of 24 percent on their earnings from letting out their homes.

This is an increase on the 19 percent rate Britons were charged across the EU before Brexit.

British owners of property in Spain can no longer offset costs, such as cleaning and maintenance.

Mr Anderson added: I think the profile of people that can now come and live in Spain has changed dramatically.

Because were subject to the same rules as any third nation.

I know a number of families over the last few years who have gone back theyve worked very hard to try and earn a living down here.

Especially on the Costa del Sol, where people think paying you 1,000 is a good salary, when it costs you 800 to rent an apartment.

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British expats tipped for Spanish exodus over Brexit red-tape: 'All these restrictions!' - Express

The Real Britain host questioned whether British production needed to be bolstered in the wake of supply chain disruptions from China during the pandemic and a potential energy crisis as a result of the Ukraine invasion. This comes as Brexiteers face more frustration as the triggering of Article 16 may be delayed due to the fraught situation in Europe.

Mr Grimes tweeted: We found out during the pandemic that were much too reliant upon Chinese supply chains.

Were now finding out that were much too dependent on others for our energy needs and even our food supply.

Is it time that we look to bolster Britains supply of such things?

He followed this tweet with another suggestion on the social media platform about how Britain could create its own energy.

However the close connections between the UK markets and European ones mean that any price increase over there could still affect us significantly.

European natural gas analyst Leon Izbicki from Energy Aspects told Reuters: The price move today is not based on fundamental changes to the European gas balances.

The main driver behind the sharp rise in the TTF (Title Transfer Facility) is a perceived increase in the risk of European sanctions targeting Russian energy exports.

The Title Transfer Facility is a Dutch virtual trading point for natural gas.

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Boris told to free Brexit Britain from shackles of China and Russia - Too reliant - Express

Irish businesses are seeking to reduce their dependency on the UK market amid concerns about the imposition of further Brexit-related checks or red-tape measures, according to Grant Thornton Irelands latest international business report.

The survey of 62 mid-size Irish businesses found that over a quarter (27 per cent) were endeavouring to reduce their exports to the UK while 21 per cent were trying to reduce their reliance on UK suppliers.

Since the UKs departure from the EU, imports from Britain into the Republic have slumped while there has been a pick-up in North-South trade, suggesting some firms here are using the North as a workaround.

Trade bodies are, however, warning that further post-Brexit border controls due to come into force in June could cause long delays at UK ports, further hampering trade.

With many Irish businesses reducing their exports to the UK, Ireland is looking towards the US, where it has identified the greatest market opportunity for the coming 12 months, highlighting a shift in priority from last year, where Irish businesses identified the UK as having the greatest market opportunity, Grant Thorntons report said.

Despite the additional challenges posed by Brexit, Irish businesses still identify the UK as the main territory for revenue growth over the coming year, which indicated that despite the red tape and additional paperwork associated with Brexit, the UK will still remain a key market for Irish businesses, the report.

Amid the current surge in inflation, almost two-thirds (63 per cent) of Irish businesses surveyed said they expected to increase selling prices over the coming 12 months.

While the results of the International Business Report reflect a consistent trend of concern for Irish businesses five years after the British referendum to leave the EU, many Irish businesses have employed additional resources to deal with the realities of Brexit, Jarlath OKeefe, head of indirect taxes at Grant Thornton Ireland, said.

Irish businesses are looking to explore alternative markets within the EU, United States and China as they look to decrease dependency on the UK market, he said.

While it is a challenging time for Irish businesses amid rising inflation, labour market shortages and Brexit bureaucracy, it is promising to see that 85 per cent of businesses are optimistic for the coming 12 months and are channelling resources into exploring alternative non-domestic markets for business growth, he said.

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Irish businesses seek to reduce dependency on UK ahead of more Brexit red tape - The Irish Times

Boris Johnson has been urged to get tough on Emmanuel Macron after the latter announced he was standing for re-election as French President. Mr Macron looks likely to win the election in April with recent polls putting him well ahead in the presidential race. English media personality Christine Hamilton told GB News that Britain had to accept Mr Macron will win the election and prepare to "get tough" on the French leader over Brexit tensions.

GB News host Mark Dolan asked whether "we can really face another four or five years of Macron".

Ms Hamilton responded: "It is going to happen but we just need to grab the Brexit dividend and ignore all the threats from Macron.

"We have started on that after we appointed Jacob Rees-Mogg as minister for Brexit opportunities, finally getting us out of Europe properly.

"We need to call their bluff. We just did a deal with New Zealand. We don't need French cheese, we don't need French wine."

She called President Macron's ambition of an EU army "another one of his vanity projects"

JUST IN:Sky News crew attacked and shot by Russians in Ukraine

She also described him as "an egomaniac with a Napoleon complex".

Ms Hamilton continued: "We need to get tough. So far we have done absolutely nothing. We have allowed ourselves to be walked over by Macron, it seems.

Mark Dolan said that President Macron "is an arch-Remainer who will do anything to punish us for Brexit," adding "I think he wants us back in".

Ms Hamilton replied: "I'm perfectly certain he does, anyone would want us back in the club, but all this Government has got to do is go for that Brexit dividends.

"No wonder we are afraid of Macron. Too many people in the political class in this country agree with him, that we should crawl back and say we made a terrible mistake."

Despite Ms Hamilton's demands, it appears as if the Russian invasion into Ukraine could provide space for cooperation between the two sides, rather than hostility.

Joo Vale de Almeida, the European Unions ambassador to Britain, said: "In the two years I have been here, I dont think I have seen such intensity and quality in our relationship as I have in the last two weeks."

He said that Liz Trusss recent attendance to Brussels to discuss the Russian-Ukraine conflict was very meaningful and symbolic".

A spokesman for Boris Johnson said that the attendance showed that Britain was working very closely with European partners.

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'Stop getting walked over' Boris urged to 'get tough' with Macron after French election - Express

Date Published: 08/03/2022

This arrangement lasted successfully for decades, with Gibraltar sending 30,000 tons of rubbish to the Los Barrios landfill every year. But since the beginning of 2022 piles of trash have had to be stored on the Rock because the UKs exit from the European Union has meant the waste could not be brought across the border.

The Government of Gibraltar has been forced to use crushing machinery to compact the waste in order to make more space and to try and prevent it falling in the sea and causing an environmental disaster.

However, this solution has been provisional, as has the authorisation of the Spanish Ministry of the Environment, necessary for the transfer of the 6,000 tons of MSW, which was already beginning to be packed last week.

Now, though, the Government of Spain has given the green light to permits for the transport and disposal of garbage in the Southern Europe Environmental Complex once again, and Gibraltar will have to make up for the backlog and clear over two months worth of trash.

Image: Archive

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Mounds Of Trash Stranded On Gibraltar Because Of Brexit - Murcia Today

Not a single close ally of Vladimir Putin has been hit by economic measures yet, despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson announcing sanctions last week. MPs are growing impatient at the delay, accusing the UK of being slower to take action against the Russian President's cronies than other countries.

Officials are eager to ensure that oligarchs set to be hit the measures being introduced have no chance of challenging the economic penalties in the courts.

It has been claimed the UKs sanctions regime became significantly more complex to implement after leaving the EU due to amendments made to legislation in the House of Lords.

Express.co.uk understands ministers are considering emergency legislation to help speed up the implementation of sanctions.

This website can also reveal the Foreign Office is hiring extra sanctions policy advisers in a bid to help roll out sanctions as quickly as possible.

READ MORE ON OUR BREXIT LIVE BLOG

In 2018 when EU legislation was being rolled over onto the statue book in preparation for Brexit, Theresa May's Government accepted amendments put forward by senior lawyer Lord David Pannick.

The peer wanted to make sure outside the EU that British legislation "provided for procedural fairness" for those being sanctioned.

He also wanted to include provisions stating that sanctions imposed on individuals were done in a "proportional manner" and in accordance with "human rights principles".

Government minister Tariq Ahmad at the time said the amendments would help ensure Britain's sanctions safeguards stronger than the EUs.

According to the news website Politico, Westminster insiders are blaming the amendments on the current slow progress.

Voicing frustration at the slow progress in implementing sanctions, veteran Tory MP Sir Roger Gale demanded the UK move "hard and fast".

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He said: "It does seem to me that you don't say we are going to punish you and give people however many days it is to move their assets.

"If you are going to do a drugs raid, you do a drugs raid. You go in the middle of the night and smash the door in, you don't say we're going to raid your house in 12 hours."

Tom Tugendhat, the chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee added: "We should be looking immediately to seize those assets linked to those who are profiting from Putin's war machine, holding it in trust and returning it to the Russian people as soon as possible."

Meanwhile, senior Tory MP Tobias Ellwood warned there will be "increasing public anger that we're not doing enough to help our fellow Ukrainians in their hour of need".

The Prime Minister's official spokesman admitted earlier today that "we do have laws that we need to abide by" when applying sanctions.

"When it comes to individuals it is the case that we need to do the preparatory work, the requisite work, to make sure it is legally sound before introduction," the said.

In a tacit acceptance that the current legislation may not be fit for purpose, he added: "We will keep that under review and if there are ways to further speed it up then we will."

This afternoon, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said threats of legal action would not deter her from imposing economic restrictions.

She said: "I'm very clear that legal threats will have no impact on our ability to sanction oligarchs and we will continue to work through our list, we will continue to sanction oligarchs and there is nowhere for any of Putin's cronies to hide."

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Brexit blamed again! 'Leaving EU and Lords' at fault for catastrophic flop Putin sanctions - Express

FTSE 250 company Babock has won a key contract which will see it supplying the EU country with three new warships.The contract is worth 1.4billion.But more than the monetary value, the deal has been touted by the Telegraphs Industry Editor as a vote of confidence in Britain's defence industry after Brexit.

Babcock will provide Poland with three new frigates.

These will be based on the Royal Navys Type 31 design.

Despite being designed by Babcock, they will not, however, be built in Britain, but rather in Polands shipyards.

The frigates will also feature combat equipment from French company Thales and anti-aircraft firepower from MBDA, which is headquartered in France but is part owned by Britains BAE Systems, according to the Telegraph.

But David Lockwood, Chief Executive of Babcock, saw reason to be optimistic.

He, quoted in the paper, said: Its adaptability and capability mean we can tailor the design to suit the needs of the Polish Navy.

Driven by innovation and backed by heritage, the Arrowhead 140 frigate has British ingenuity and engineering at its core.

Jeremy Quin, UK Defence Procurement Minister, also celebrated the news, noting: Poland is one of our oldest and closest allies, and we continue to strengthen our partnership to help deter future threats.

READ MORE: Britons furiously defend Truss after staggering attack

They, quoted in the Telegraph, added it will make a significant contribution of the Republic of Poland within the framework of the North Atlantic Alliance.

Many countries around Europe and in NATO are currently declaring they will spend more on their militaries.

The decision has, of course, followed Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on ongoing events yesterday, on Friday: Alongside our NATO Allies, we are deploying troops and assets on land, sea and air to bolster European defences in response to the build-up of Russian military forces on the border of Ukraine.

NATO and our allies have been clear that an invasion of Ukraine will be met with severe consequences.

De-escalation and diplomacy remain the only path out of this situation.

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Brexit boon as UK beats Germany to 1.4BILLION contract - Poland turns to British warships - Express

The Northern Ireland Protocol has cast a "long shadow" over political arrangements at Stormont, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson,DUP leader,has said.

Speaking at a plenary meeting of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (Bipa), Sir Jeffrey said the Stormont Executive would only be restored when issues surrounding the protocol were resolved.

But John Finucane,Sinn Fein MP,said he thought the protocol was a result of the DUP championing of the "hardest possibleBrexit".

Northern Ireland's powersharing Executive collapsed earlier this month when the DUP's Paul Givan resigned as first minister in protest at the protocol.

Sir Jeffrey continued:"Those who claim that the Northern Ireland Protocol is designed to protect the Good Friday Agreement and the political institutions that were created by it surely must now recognise that the three sets of relationships covered by the agreement have been damaged since the protocol was implemented.

"The continued imposition of the protocol upon Northern Ireland has cast its long shadow over our political arrangements at Stormont, as well as on a north-south and east-west basis and the everyday lives of our people.

"The genuine objections to it cannot be wished away, nor simply ignored."

Sir Jeffrey added: "As the leader of Northern Ireland's largest party, I must stress that the problems of the protocol are not confined to unionists, but affect the everyday lives and livelihoods of everyone in Northern Ireland.

"The long shadow of the Irish Sea border must be removed from our politics. It is holding us back."

Mr Finucane said the DUP boycott of the Executive and the North South Ministerial Council amounts to "an assault on the Good Friday Agreement itself."

He said it is a direct result of the "political fallout" between the Tories and the DUP.

He continued: "Both championed the hardest possibleBrexityet take no responsibility for its consequences."

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Brexit: Bitter EU threatens to AXE deal as Britain builds ties with Australia and US - Express

Kenneth Clarkes description of Theresa May as a bloody difficult woman may still be vividly, and excruciatingly, remembered by many of us. It was caught on camera in a TV studio in 2016 just before May made the move from home secretary to prime minister.

That unflattering epithet gives Tim Walkers debut drama its ironic title, though it is not only in reference to May but also to Gina Miller, the businesswoman who took the government to court over its authority to trigger article 50 without parliamentary approval after the Brexit vote.

The drama depicts how May (Jessica Turner) hoped to bypass the Commons vote and how Miller (Amara Karan) stepped in. Process matters, Miller says to her husband, Alan (Edmund Kingsley), and that sentiment resounds across other threatened processes since, from the proroguing of parliament to the police investigation of No 10 over partygate. As Miller says, If those who govern us dont stick to the rules, no one will.

Miller is shown as a reluctant defender, stepping into the breach when no one else is prepared to put their hand up and all the more heroic for it, given the media hostility and death threats she received. May, for her part, is navigating her way through a hostile political system and trying to keep the manipulative tentacles of the rightwing press at bay.

In Stephen Unwins snappy production, both women offer occasional monologues to hammer home the point that they are operating inside a deeply misogynistic system. But while the plays gender politics are in the right place it feels slight. We wish for more insight, and sharper humour, than it gives us, even though it has the promising look and feel of a James Graham play: a slick photographic backdrop of Whitehall and its surroundings (set design by Nicky Shaw) with News at Ten-style music to match (sound design by John Leonard) along with short, punchy scenes.

But there is not the accompanying detail or complexity, and it ends up resembling an episode of Yes, Prime Minister. Miller sounds off to her husband and May does the same with a senior adviser (Graham Seed); her rock of a husband never makes an appearance. There are some pointed foreign secretary gags with Boris Johnson drawn as a political Lord Voldemort he who must never be named in Mays office. This humour carries its own dismal irony but seems a little obvious.

The Daily Mails former editor, Paul Dacre (Andrew Woodall), is given a central role and controls the narrative around the two women demonising Miller and manipulating May even while professing to support her. Dacre is portrayed here as a charmless megalomaniac but his bad language (a machine-gun welter of swearwords) is a dully repeated joke. His newsroom assistant, meanwhile, speaks in old-fashioned cockney rhyming slang. If Walker a journalist himself intends for humour here, his character comes off as a throwback tabloid cliche.

Both Karan and Turner are strong performers but not all the cast was as smooth at a preview show I attended. The highlight comes in the final scene, which brings us to the present day, and a confrontation between the women in which sparks begin to fly.

After Clarkes comment became headline news, May observed: If standing up for what you believe to be right makes you bloody difficult, then so be it. This play proves her point but simultaneously reveals the potholes that leave it so much harder for women, even those as indomitable as May and Miller, to make that stand.

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Bloody Difficult Women review Brexit foes who faced the same prejudice - The Guardian