Tag: Theresa May

Mental health experts are warning that these anxieties are indeed cause for concern. Listener accounts of Brexit anxiety were paired with expert “remedies” for coping with the “condition.” Among the experts was a GP, who urged that the best way to deal with Brexit anxiety was for people to take control of the things they can control, such as sleeping, eating, exercising, and limiting their exposure to social media. First, Brexit anxiety clearly has a political cause. Therapists and psychiatrists reached out to offer their advice on how to deal with Brexit anxiety. With anxiety comes action Negative emotions have a bad reputation, especially in politics. After all, we usually take political action because some perceived problem in the world has evoked negative emotions in us and we persist in our action partly because such emotions fuel us. But emotions can only play this role if we are able to channel them into political issues, such as Brexit. It implies that the negative emotions people feel about Brexit are potential mental health problems to be solved by a personal change, even though these emotions evidently have political causes and solutions. Recent weeks have shown us some of what is possible when people are able to channel their emotions politically. Expert warnings about the health risks of Brexit anxiety won’t stop protests like this from happening.

Talks between Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May will break down if Labour insists on putting any compromise deal to a confirmatory referendum, government sources have said. As part of the compromise, legislation will be proposed to lock in the bulk of the proposals on workers’ rights and environmental standards. A swashbuckling global Britain free to do its own trade deals? Senior cabinet ministers appear to be willing to accept a customs union as the price of a deal. It is seen as a red line that the government is not asked as part of the deal to tell its MPs to back a confirmatory referendum in the Commons. On the other hand, a deal in the next few days will preclude the need for Britain to hold European parliamentary elections – something both parties wish to avoid due to the unpredictable results, and charges of betrayal over Brexit. The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, is determined to prevent the economic damage of a no-deal Brexit. Watson insisted Labour had entered the talks with an open mind. But speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: “We went into the discussions with the idea that there would be a confirmatory ballot. We are genuinely in good faith trying to find a solution to this.” He also confirmed Labour had begun selecting candidates for European elections in May, which the UK would have to hold if an extension was agreed.

The government has not proposed any changes to the PM's Brexit deal during cross-party talks, says shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer. But Sir Keir said the government was not "countenancing any change" on the wording of the existing plan. The government was "prepared to pursue changes to the political declaration", a plan for the future relationship with the EU, to "deliver a deal that is acceptable to both sides", the spokesman said. Extension request Sir Keir said the government's approach was "disappointing", and it would not consider any changes the "actual wording" of the political declaration. Brexit: A really simple guide EU's Tusk 'suggests flexible Brexit delay' Sturgeon: Brexit delay not long enough Brexit explained in flowcharts The UK is currently due to leave the EU on 12 April and, as yet, no withdrawal deal has been approved by MPs. Perhaps that's no surprise. There appears to be disagreement over what the talks can achieve; changes to the political declaration on the UK's future relationship with the EU, or an additional document to what has already been agreed? If a deal is done, it may or may not fly. Plenty of Tory MPs are uneasy about working with Labour and the closer ties to the EU it may lead to. He insisted that "of course we are prepared to compromise" on the political declaration.

Aa Aa Brexit prerequisite European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's request for a short Brexit delay on Wednesday. May had asked the European Union for an additional extension for her Brexit plan on Monday night. With the UK scheduled to leave the European Union on April 12, this dismissal from Juncker places additional pressure on the UK prime minister. 'Unwavering ally' Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met in Dublin on Thursday to discuss the potential of a no-deal Brexit. The two were scheduled to discuss the latest developments between the UK and the European Union. Varadkar has described Merkel as "a strong and unwavering ally of Ireland", and said he looks forward to continuing to maintain a strong relationship with the EU member in light of Brexit pressure. Uniting the right Marine Le Pen, leader of France's far-right Rassemblement National party, is attempting to establish an alliance between nationalist parties in the European Parliament. In an interview with Euronews, Le Pen said she hopes that nationalist parties will work to protect their nations, stop unfair international competition and eliminate free trade agreements. Election projects from the EU have predicted that far-right, populist parties will gain seats in May's European elections.

Heather Stewart is joined by Lisa O’Carroll, Zoe Williams and Henry Newman to assess the chances of Corbyn and May burying the hatchet to reach a cross-party consensus on Brexit. Plus: we meet one of the environmental protesters who invaded parliament this week. And is Brexit bad for our mental health? After three years of turmoil, billions of pounds spent, and three failed attempts at getting her deal through parliament, Theresa May stopped trying to exit the EU with Tory and DUP votes and turned instead to Jeremy Corbyn. But have two political leaders ever been more ill-suited to finding a cross-party consensus? Joining Heather Stewart to discuss this are Zoe Williams and Lisa O’Carroll from the Guardian, and Henry Newman from Open Europe. Also this week: we talk to Will Brooks, one of the Extinction Rebellion activists who disrobed in parliament on Monday to protest about climate change. And … what toll is Brexit taking on the nation’s mental health?

The bill, spearheaded by Labour’s Yvette Cooper and the Conservative Sir Oliver Letwin, passed late into the night, with MPs defeating a number of obstructive amendments from both Brexiters and the government. It finally passed its third reading about half an hour before midnight by just one vote – 313 ayes to 312 noes – and must now pass the House of Lords. The bill was almost scuppered during a frenzied day in parliament after MPs initially voted by a majority of just one – 312 to 311 – to let the snap bill proceed. Cooper and Letwin then had six hours to pass the bill’s second reading, committee stage and third reading through the House of Commons. Bercow said it was precedent for the Speaker to vote with the government, which had opposed the motion and the amendments. The government opposed both the Cooper-Letwin motion and Benn’s amendment. Speaking in the debate, Letwin said the government’s plan to seek an extension was an “enormously welcome development” and he did not have doubts that they would seek to avoid a no-deal Brexit, but there was still a need to pass legislation. “It is right she puts that forward, and then the house will decide.” Labour and the SNP whipped in support of the motion. MPs voted through the second stage of the bill at 7pm and after voting on a long series of amendments passed it around 11.30pm. The newly passed legislation could be debated in the Lords as soon as Friday or Monday, where it is likely to encounter attempts to frustrate its progress by Eurosceptic peers.

Jeremy Corbyn will resume Brexit talks with the prime minister on Thursday, after Labour tensions over a second referendum burst into the open, with the shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, writing to colleagues to insist any pact must be put to a public vote. Thornberry wrote to colleagues to say that she was unable to attend for personal reasons – but would have insisted any deal must be subject to a public vote. “What I would have said is that if we look like reaching any other decision than confirmatory vote that would be in breach of the decision made unanimously by conference in Liverpool and overwhelmingly supported by our members and it needs to be put to a vote? by the shadow cabinet,” the letter said. She said the cabinet had held a vote on Tuesday and the shadow cabinet should adopt the same procedure. If it did, she said, “can I – in writing – confirm that my votes are that yes, any deal agreed by parliament must be subject to a confirmatory public vote, and, yes, the other option on the ballot must be remain”. April 3, 2019 That is the careful formulation used by the leadership since Labour shifted its position towards support for a referendum in February – and falls short of Thornberry’s position that any deal should be subject to a public vote. Speaking in favour of the referendum option in the indicative votes process, he told the House of Commons: “At this late stage it is clear that any Brexit deal agreed in this parliament will need further democratic approval.” The Scottish National party, which commands 35 votes in the Commons, has strengthened its demands for a confirmatory referendum on any Brexit deal agreed after May’s cross-party talks, although it has not yet made that a precondition for its support of a new soft Brexit proposal. Starmer, who is one of the more vocal advocates for a referendum in the shadow cabinet, accompanied Corbyn at the meeting, together with Labour’s chief whip, Nick Brown, and strategy and communications director Seumas Milne. Play Video 1:52 But, unlike in previous meetings with the prime minister, Corbyn took the shadow business secretary, Rebecca Long-Bailey, who has expressed scepticism about a referendum. If May cannot secure Labour’s backing for a compromise deal, she hopes to win Corbyn’s sign-up for a binding process in the Commons to decide what form of Brexit is acceptable.