Tag: United Kingdom

Bookmakers have made ‘Sexy Brexit’ the red-hot favourite to be the most popular costume this Halloween after Theresa May secured a Brexit extension until October 31st. Britain is now scheduled to leave the EU on October 31st, the same day as Halloween. This has led to costume manufactures moving swiftly to create a ‘Sexy Brexit’ costume for the most topical Halloween get-up imaginable. ‘We expect the “Sexy Brexit” to be very popular for both men and women this Halloween. The outfit contains a pair of dull trousers and jacket, to be worn without a shirt to give it that sexy vibe. ‘You’ll also receive a pair of rose-tinted glasses and some gammon-coloured rouge for your face. We suggest pairing the costume with an almost empty bottle of alcohol and making your hair as dishevelled as possible,’ said designer Al Owens. The only drawback to the costume is that it limits your range of motion. ‘Freedom of movement is a problem,’ admitted Mr Owens.

But she at least knew she could avoid mass resignations from her cabinet. She could be confident enough about the consequences at home of tabling such a request again. UK risks losing European commissioner role over Brexit delay Read more But with the EU now appearing likely to reject her plea and deliver an extension of up to a year, ending either on 31 December or at the end of March 2020, the consequences are far from obvious this time – both domestically, given the potential shock in her party, and with regard to the EU-UK relationship and future trade negotiations. Article 126 of the withdrawal agreement lays out a clear end date for the transition, a period of time in which the UK effectively remains a member of the EU but without representation in any of the bloc’s decision-making institutions. Brexit secretary confirms plan to let MPs thrash out deal in Commons Read more The 21-month duration of the transition period was not a UK government choice. It was decided on by the commission to tally with the end of the EU’s seven-year multi-annual financial framework (MFF). It made for a neat fit. A Brexit delay until the end of March would leave the UK with a transition period of only nine months – hardly enough to negotiate much if the last two-and-a-bit years of onerous talks is anything to go by. If the UK wanted to extend the transition “by up to one or two years” as foreseen in the withdrawal agreement, a decision would need to be taken in July 2020 – four months into the transition period – by the joint committee overseeing the implementation and application of the withdrawal agreement. From 1 January 2021, the EU and the UK would share a single customs territory, and Northern Ireland would stay in much of the EU’s single market acquis.

Theresa May has signalled that she would accept the EU’s likely offer of a lengthy Brexit delay at a summit of leaders as the UK would still be able to leave when the withdrawal agreement is approved. May is expected to have her request for a limited extension to 30 June rejected by the EU27 in favour of a longer potential delay to Brexit of up to a year. But May told reporters in Brussels that the UK would still be able to leave the bloc under the EU’s likely offer – once parliament had approved the 585-page withdrawal agreement and 26-page political declaration on the future. “What matters, I think, is I have asked for an extension to June 30 but what is important is that any extension enables us to leave at the point at which we ratify a withdrawal agreement. “I am willing to offer it personally, but the big question is if there is any added value to a long extension. Speaking in the Bundestag in Berlin, Merkel said the outcome of the special summit “may well be a longer extension than the one the British prime minister asked for”. “But we will shape this extension in such a way that whenever Britain has approved the withdrawal agreement, Britain can then complete its orderly withdrawal very shortly after,” she said. We know that such talks across parliamentary groups require compromise and time, so I and the government are of the opinion that we should offer both parties a reasonable amount of time, because an orderly exit is only possible in cooperation with the UK.” “We understand from the British prime minister’s letter that the UK is willing to prepare for participating in the European election,” she said. “There is a doubt about whether the UK is going to participate in the European elections or not,” the diplomat said, adding that any failure to elect MEPs would mean an exit date in June. The European elections are a European vote, where the elections in the UK concern us all.”

The Troika (the UK, US and Norway) on Tuesday released a joint statement on the current unrest in Sudan, urging the Sudanese authorities to respond to the demand from peaceful protesters for a transition to a political system that is “inclusive and has greater legitimacy.” The Troika urged a “credible plan for this political transition”, warning that failing to do so would risk “causing greater instability.” The Troika also called on the Sudanese authorities to “release all political detainees, stop the use of violence against peaceful protestors, remove all restrictions to freedoms, lift the state of emergency and allow for a credible political dialogue in a conducive environment with all key Sudanese actors that has as its basis the goal of a political and economic transition to a new type of Sudan.” The protests in Sudan began in December 2018, due to economic deterioration, such as a currency crisis, tripled bread prices and continued fuel shortage. Protesters also demand that president Omar al-Bashir steps down.

Aa Aa More time, please? UK Prime Minister Theresa May visited heads of state in Germany and France on Tuesday, seeking support for another Brexit delay ahead of Wednesday’s EU summit. The United Kingdom is currently scheduled to exit the EU on April 12 but Mrs May is pushing for an extension to June 30. Trade threat The US is threatening to impose tariffs on $11 billion worth of goods from the European Union in response to European aircraft subsidies. Products targeted in a list released by the US Trade Representative on Monday are largely traditional European products — including cheese, seafood and wine. The US claims that by providing "launch aid" to Airbus, the EU is causing American rival Boeing to lose global market share. Moscow welcome Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated on Monday that he will go ahead with the controversial purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile system. During Erdogan’s third visit to Russia this year, the Turkish leader vowed to strengthen military cooperation between the two countries despite warnings from US Vice President Mike Pence last week. Pence urged Turkey to back out of the deal, arguing that their NATO membership would be at risk if the transaction is completed.

Kate and Gerry McCann will be given full custody of Brexit after PM Theresa May called them both a ‘safe pair of hands’, citing their previous experience dealing with European authorities. After the Prime Minister conceded that her negotiations were going nowhere, she sought out the best that Britain has to offer. ‘To some, Brexit is like a child. It needs to be treated with care and nurtured. And I can think of no-one better than Kate and Gerry McCann,’ she told the press. The couple will be handed all the Brexit papers built up so far and are already hard at work to protect the process. ‘We’re going out for a meal to do a brainstorming session. All the papers have been left in our hotel room where I’m sure they’ll be safe and sound,’ said Gerry. Despite a dubious past, the McCanns are still thought to be more competent than anyone in the Conservative or Labour Party.

EU citizens will face problems renting properties in the UK because of Brexit, private landlords have said. The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) said the confusion over Brexit meant some landlords were likely to refuse EU citizens as future tenants because the government had failed to give them clear instructions over the settled status scheme introduced last week. Under the right-to-rent rules introduced three years ago, landlords face fines of up to £5,000 per adult tenant if they are found to be renting out a property to an illegal immigrant. This and Brexit was having a “chilling effect” on the rental market, the RLA said. A judge ruled that the right-to-rent rules in sections 20-37 of the Immigration Act 2014 were racially discriminatory. Some may not even know what countries are in the European Union,” said Smith. The RLA is concerned that the settled status system will prove discriminatory in practice in the same way as the high court judge concluded last month. The high court found that by requiring landlords to check the immigration status of prospective tenants, the government caused landlords to discriminate against those who had a right to rent. JCWI told the court that 51% of landlords it surveyed stated they were now less likely to consider letting to foreign nationals from outside the EU, and almost a fifth (18%) were less likely to rent to EU nationals. The RLA is also concerned about the Home Office’s decision not to issue cards for EU citizens to present to landlords as evidence of their right to live in the country.

At least 200 people have applied to stand as candidates for the new Independent Group if the UK takes part in European elections next month – amid growing signs that the contest could turn into a “proxy referendum” on whether to leave or remain in the EU. The Independent Group’s team of eight former Labour and three former Tory MPs – all strongly pro-Remain and in favour of a second referendum – have applied to the Electoral Commission to register as a party and take part in the elections under the name Change UK – The Independent Group. They believe the May elections across the EU could serve as an ideal and timely electoral launchpad for their fledgling party, and plan to use the slogan #rulemakersnotruletakers. The 11 independent MPs will begin selecting candidates this week. All but four have said they want to carry on. The leader of the Labour MEPs, Richard Corbett, who has put himself forward again, said the elections would be seen as a big opportunity by smaller UK parties from both sides of the Brexit divide. Equally, from the pro-Brexit wing, Ukip and Nigel Farage’s new Brexit party would be hoping to mobile anti-EU feeling and a sense of betrayal that Brexit had not been delivered. Tusk, meanwhile, wants EU leaders to offer at a summit next Wednesday what he has described as a “flextension” in which the UK would be given a year-long extension with an option to come out early if and when a Brexit deal is ratified. Government sources said this could mean that the UK parties take part in campaigning for the European election, but could then pull out as late as 22 May, if parliament were to have agreed a Brexit deal. The Government is determined to work constructively to deliver the Brexit people voted for, and avoid participation in the European Parliamentary elections.”

In the face of moves from elsewhere in the EU to insist on a longer delay to Britain’s departure, Merkel is keeping all options on the table ahead of this week’s EU summit and is said to be willing to back 30 June as an exit date. The thinking in Berlin will be a boon to the prime minister, who on Friday proposed the 30 June extension, with the promise that the UK would hold European elections if it had not ratified the withdrawal agreement by 22 May. Tusk, as president of the European council, suggested on the same day that his “flextension” would put the onus on the British government to decide its own fate while freeing Brussels from repeatedly revisiting the issue. But Merkel is said to understand May’s anxiety that this idea would lift pressure on the Commons to ratify the withdrawal agreement. Diplomats from other EU capitals have suggested that, given the divisions between leaders, a compromise position could be a summer-end date, with a commitment to hold European elections. During a meeting of EU27 ambassadors, the French ambassador suggested that, without a clear plan on how an extension would be used by the time a crunch summit of leaders is held on Wednesday this week, the bloc might offer only a two-week extension beyond 12 April to prepare the markets ahead of a no-deal exit. “I understand EU colleagues are somewhat fed up that the process has taken as long as it has. We’re also fed up that we haven’t been able to complete this earlier, but I’m very confident we will get it done.” “I am optimistic that we will reach some form of agreement with Labour later,” Hammond had added of the ongoing cross-party talks. They were continuing last night, we are expected to exchange more text with the Labour party today.” Asked whether a second referendum could be agreed with Labour, the chancellor said the government had approached the talks without any “red lines”. I am not sure that is where my government is at this stage.” The German ambassador is said to have counselled the other EU diplomats not to make a “hasty decision that we rue afterwards”, and to have pointed to the ongoing talks with Labour as a hopeful sign.

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.