BREXIT and beyond ....: REUTERS BREXIT HEADLINES - 18 Sep

Monday 30 September 2019

REUTERS BREXIT HEADLINES - 18 Sep - 24 Sep 2019

BREXIT HEADLINES

Resign for misleading Britain, Labour's Corbyn tells PM Johnson

Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday to resign, but said he would not press for a new election until he was sure Britain would not leave the European Union without a deal.

24 SEP 2019

Ireland's Varadkar says no Brexit agreement reached in meeting with PM Johnson

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Tuesday he had held a good meeting with Britain's Boris Johnson but they had not reached an agreement on how to resolve their differences over Brexit.

24 SEP 2019

PM Johnson spoke to Queen Elizabeth after Supreme Court ruling - official

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to Queen Elizabeth after the Supreme Court ruled he acted unlawfully when he advised her to suspend parliament just weeks before Brexit, a government official said on Tuesday.

24 SEP 2019

Canadian PM Trudeau says he deplores that Brexit interferes with UK leadership on world stage

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday that Britain's focus on Brexit is undermining the country's needed leadership in global affairs.

24 SEP 2019

Factbox - Key points of Supreme Court judgment that suspending parliament unlawful

The United Kingdom's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson acted unlawfully when he advised Queen Elizabeth to suspend parliament just weeks before Brexit and that therefore the legislature had not been prorogued.

24 SEP 2019

Factbox - Reaction to UK Supreme Court ruling suspension of parliament unlawful

The United Kingdom's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had acted unlawfully when he advised Queen Elizabeth to suspend parliament weeks before Brexit - and that therefore the suspension was void.

24 SEP 2019

PM Johnson's response to ruling he unlawfully suspended parliament

The United Kingdom Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's decision to shut down parliament in the run-up to Brexit was unlawful, a decision that thrusts Britain's exit from the European Union into deeper turmoil.

24 SEP 2019

UK Attorney General's office says suspending parliament was done in good faith

The office of the British government’s top lawyer said the decision to suspend parliament was made in good faith, after the Supreme Court ruled earlier that the move was unlawful.

24 SEP 2019

Labour will not support election until no-deal Brexit ruled out

Britain's opposition Labour Party will not support a general election until it is certain Prime Minister Boris Johnson will comply with a law requiring him to seek a delay to Brexit, a party spokesman said on Tuesday.

24 SEP 2019

Johnson says he will respect court's decision on suspending parliament

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday he would respect a UK court’s decision that he had unlawfully suspended parliament but pledged to move on with Brexit despite the ruling.

24 SEP 2019

PM Johnson will be held to account on Wednesday, says Labour's Corbyn

British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn promised on Tuesday to hold Boris Johnson's government to account when parliament returns on Wednesday, again calling for a man he described as "this unelected prime minister" to resign.

24 SEP 2019

DUP deputy leader concedes it's possible that UK will not leave EU on October 31

The deputy leader of the Northern Irish party that supports Prime Minister Boris Johnson's minority government on Tuesday said the supreme Court ruling must be respected and accepted it is possible the UK may not leave the European Union on Oct 31.

24 SEP 2019

No Brexit or 'loophole' Brexit: what happens next in the UK?

Britain's exit from the European Union was in disarray on Tuesday after the Supreme Court ruled that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had acted unlawfully by advising Queen Elizabeth to suspend parliament.

24 SEP 2019

PM Johnson says: 'we should have an election'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that Britain needed a general election.

24 SEP 2019

Top EU lawmaker says parliamentary scrutiny crucial to any Brexit deal

European Parliament head David Sassoli on Tuesday welcomed the UK Supreme Court ruling that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's suspension of the parliament was unlawful, saying lawmakers' scrutiny was essential to any Brexit deal.

24 SEP 2019

Markets wary after UK court rejects Johnson parliamentary suspension

Markets reacted with caution after Britain's Supreme Court ruled that Prime Minister Boris Johnson acted unlawfully when he suspended parliament a few weeks before Britain was scheduled to leave the European Union.

24 SEP 2019

House of Commons to sit on Wednesday - Speaker Bercow

Britain's lower house of parliament, the House of Commons, will sit on Wednesday after the Supreme Court ruled Prime Minister Boris Johnson's suspension of parliament was unlawful, Commons Speaker John Bercow said.

24 SEP 2019

Former PM Major says Johnson should apologise for suspending parliament

Former British Prime Minister John Major said Boris Johnson should apologise after his decision to shut down parliament was ruled unlawful and future prime ministers should avoid dragging the queen into constitutional issues.

24 SEP 2019

Labour spokesman declines to comment when asked about no confidence vote in PM

A spokesman for Britain's main opposition Labour Party declined to comment on Tuesday when asked if the party would move a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Boris Johnson after the Supreme Court ruled his suspension of parliament was unlawful.

24 SEP 2019

DUP leader Foster says Supreme Court decision 'has to be respected'

The leader of the Northern Ireland party whose 10 members of parliament support Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government on Tuesday said the judgment of the Supreme Court has to be respected.

24 SEP 2019

Labour leader to give conference speech earlier than planned

Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn will deliver his keynote speech to the party's annual conference on Tuesday afternoon instead of on Wednesday, a spokesman told reporters.

24 SEP 2019

EU executive declines comment after supreme court rules against PM Johnson

The European Commission declined to comment on "internal constitutional matters" of the United Kingdom after the Supreme Court there ruled Prime Minister Boris Johnson's suspension of parliament was unlawful.

24 SEP 2019

Johnson acting like a 'tin-pot dictator', says Labour's top lawyer

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has behaved like a "tin-pot dictator", the top legal adviser for the main opposition Labour Party said on Tuesday, after the country's Supreme Court ruled he had acted unlawfully by suspending parliament.

24 SEP 2019

EU's Barnier not optimistic about Irish 'backstop' solution

There is no reason to be optimistic that Britain and the European Union will find a solution to the question of the Irish "backstop", the bloc's Brexit negotiator said on Tuesday.

24 SEP 2019

Johnson says no to election pact with Brexit Party

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday his governing Conservative Party would not agree an election pact with Nigel Farage's Brexit Party, which has offered a deal if Johnson agrees to a clean break from the European Union.

24 SEP 2019

Corbyn gets Labour support for disputed Brexit strategy

British opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn won support for his Brexit strategy on Monday, fighting off a challenge by members who wanted him to immediately back remaining in the European Union before any election.

24 SEP 2019

Johnson - UK to 'roll out red carpet' to U.S. firms post Brexit

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will on Tuesday promise to "roll out the red carpet" for American businesses with the most competitive tax rates in the hemisphere after Britain leaves the European Union.

24 SEP 2019

Factbox: What is Britain's Supreme Court ruling all about?

Britain's Supreme Court will rule on Tuesday whether a decision by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to suspend parliament for five weeks in the run-up to Brexit was unlawful, potentially throwing his Brexit plans into further disarray.

24 SEP 2019

EU's Barnier says it's hard to see Brexit solution

The European Union's Brexit negotiator said on Monday it was difficult to see a way to break the Brexit impasse as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's demand to drop an insurance policy for the Irish border was unacceptable.

23 SEP 2019

UK has put forward detailed Brexit proposals, wants EU to engage seriously - UK official

Britain believes it has put forward detailed proposals on Brexit in replacing the Irish backstop and is looking for the European Union to engage seriously with these ideas, a UK government official said on Monday.

23 SEP 2019

PM Johnson: Don't expect Brexit breakthrough in New York

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson cautioned on Monday that there would be no Brexit breakthrough at talks with European leaders in New York as gaps remained, but said significant progress had been made on striking a deal.

23 SEP 2019

PM Johnson told Tusk EU needs to move to reach Brexit deal - UK government spokeswoman

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told European Council President Donald Tusk that movement and flexibility were needed from the European Union if a Brexit deal is to be reached, a British government spokeswoman said.

23 SEP 2019

Bid to force Labour to immediately back remaining in EU fails

Members of Britain's Labour Party voted against deciding to immediately campaign to stay in the European Union, a boost to leader Jeremy Corbyn who wants to first secure a national election and then determine Labour's stance.

23 SEP 2019

Labour votes in favour of Corbyn's Brexit stance

Members of Britain's Labour Party voted in favour of leader Jeremy Corbyn's Brexit stance on Monday, backing his bid to hold an election and then decide whether to campaign to remain in or leave the European Union in a new referendum.

23 SEP 2019

Labour Party would hold EU referendum within 6 months of election win

Britain's opposition Labour Party would hold a second Brexit referendum no later than six months after winning an election, Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer said on Monday.

23 SEP 2019

Any Brexit deal with EU must be without backstop - Stephen Barclay

Britain's Brexit minister Stephen Barclay reiterated a vow to reach a deal for Britain to leave the European Union without the so-called Irish backstop, saying his government needs an agreement parliament would pass.

23 SEP 2019

Varadkar and Tusk say no UK proposals yet that can replace backstop

Ireland's prime minister met European Council President Donald Tusk in New York on Monday for 45 minutes to take stock of the latest Brexit developments.

23 SEP 2019

Irish PM to meet Johnson Tuesday, 'won’t accept halfway house'

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar is to meet British counterpart Boris Johnson in New York on Tuesday, and said on Monday he would not accept "any halfway house" short of legally binding assurances on the Irish border, Irish media reported.

23 SEP 2019

Labour's McDonnell to set out plans for shorter working week - speech text

A government led by Britain's Labour Party would reduce the average full-time working week to 32 hours within the next decade, its finance policy chief John McDonnell will say on Monday, offering a shorter week with no loss of pay.

23 SEP 2019

Labour to vote on Brexit stance

Britain's Labour Party will on Monday decide between two possible Brexit policies: to campaign to remain in the European Union at a second referendum or defer a decision on what stance to take until after an election, a Labour source said on Sunday.

23 SEP 2019

The party will decide our Brexit position, says Corbyn

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Sunday his party would guide him on how to campaign in a second Brexit referendum, pledging to offer voters a choice between staying in the European Union and a "credible" deal.

23 SEP 2019

UK court will not rule on Monday morning on PM Johnson's suspension of parliament

The United Kingdom Supreme Court will not rule on Monday morning on Prime Minister Boris Johnson's suspension of parliament but will update on timings later on Monday, a court spokeswoman said on Sunday.

22 SEP 2019

Dozens of Britons march in southern Spain ahead of Brexit

Dozens of Britons marched through the southern Spanish city of Malaga on Sunday to register their concerns about their uncertain status as Britain prepares to leave the European Union.

22 SEP 2019

Let's decide our Brexit referendum stance now, says Labour's foreign policy chief

Britain's main opposition Labour Party should make a decision on what to campaign for in any second referendum now, the party's foreign affairs policy chief, Emily Thornberry, said on Sunday, putting herself at odds with leader Jeremy Corbyn.

22 SEP 2019

EU's Juncker says he is convinced Brexit will happen - Sky

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said he is convinced Brexit will happen, reiterating that if Britain left the European Union without a deal there would be a new border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

22 SEP 2019

Labour deputy leader survives bid to oust him over Brexit

The deputy leader of Britain's Labour Party survived an attempt to oust him over Brexit on Saturday after party chief Jeremy Corbyn moved to defuse a row that threatened to overshadow the party's bid to show it was ready for power.

22 SEP 2019

I will be guided by my Labour Party on Brexit, says leader Corbyn

British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Sunday he would be guided by his opposition party on how to campaign in a second Brexit referendum, pledging to offer voters a choice between staying in the European Union and a "credible" deal.

22 SEP 2019

Conservatives hold significant lead over Labour - poll

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative party has a 15 percentage-point lead over the opposition Labour Party, according to a poll published on Saturday, ahead of a possible national election aimed at breaking the impasse over Brexit.

21 SEP 2019

Labour Party would get Brexit sorted in six months - draft statement

A government run by Britain's main opposition Labour Party would secure a "sensible" deal to leave the European Union within three months and would hold a second referendum on the deal or staying in the bloc within six months, a draft statement said.

21 SEP 2019

Motion to oust Labour Party deputy leader withdrawn - lawmaker

A motion to abolish the position of deputy leader at Britain's main opposition Labour Party in a bid to oust Tom Watson, whose position on Brexit differs from leader Jeremy Corbyn, has been withdrawn, lawmaker Mary Creagh said on Saturday.

21 SEP 2019

Britain and EU spar over Brexit as clock ticks down

Britain said on Friday a Brexit deal with the European Union could be reached at a summit next month, but EU member Ireland said the sides were far from agreement and London had not yet made serious proposals.

20 SEP 2019

Dutch PM Rutte: Brexit deal by October 31 is still possible

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Friday he did not rule out a Brexit deal before the October 31 deadline but he still has not seen new solutions to the Irish border problem.

20 SEP 2019

EU's Tusk to meet Johnson at U.N. next Monday

European Council President Donald Tusk will meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the United Nations general assembly in New York on Monday, according to Tusk's published agenda.

20 SEP 2019

UK's Sajid Javid plans October giveaway Budget - FT

British Finance Minister Sajid Javid is planning a pre-election giveaway budget in the week of October 21 if the UK strikes a Brexit deal with the European Union and parliament votes for the accord, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

20 SEP 2019

Labour Party officials attempt to oust deputy leader over Brexit

Britain's opposition Labour Party was plunged into fresh turmoil over Brexit on Friday as a key ally of leader Jeremy Corbyn attempted to have his deputy leader sacked on the eve of the party's annual conference.

20 SEP 2019

PM Johnson to meet European leaders in New York in push for Brexit deal

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will hold talks with European leaders on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) in New York next week as part of his push to secure a Brexit deal by the end of October.

20 SEP 2019

No-deal Brexit would force Japanese investors to reassess 40-year bet on UK

Japanese companies and investors would be forced to reassess their four-decade bet on the United Kingdom if there is a disorderly exit from the European Union that shattered supply chains and cut off access to the bloc, Japan's ambassador said.

20 SEP 2019

UK negotiator says Brexit deal is possible, Johnson to meet Tusk at UN

Britain's Brexit negotiator Stephen Barclay on Friday expressed optimism on reaching a Brexit deal with the European Union after he met the EU top negotiator Michel Barnier.

20 SEP 2019

EU Commission says Brexit deal must include workable solution

The European Commission on Friday reiterated that a deal with Britain regarding its exit from the European Union must include "a fully workable and legally operational solution".

20 SEP 2019

UK can get Brexit deal and leave by October 31 - junior minister

Britain and the European Union have moved a lot in the seven weeks that Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been in office and the two sides can still agree a deal to secure Brexit by Oct. 31, junior Brexit minister Kwasi Kwarteng said on Friday.

20 SEP 2019

'Smokescreen' or solutions? Britain lays out Brexit ideas

Britain said on Thursday it had shared documents with Brussels setting out ideas for a Brexit deal, but an EU diplomat described them as a "smokescreen" that would not prevent a disorderly exit on the Oct. 31 divorce date.

20 SEP 2019

EU's Juncker says on Brexit: 'I think we can have a deal'

A Brexit deal is possible, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Thursday, adding that if the Irish border backstop which the British government wants removed could be replaced with alternatives, it would not be needed.

20 SEP 2019

UK appeals for public help in setting post-Brexit trade with Japan

The British government said on Friday it wanted to hear from businesses and members of the public what their priorities were for a post-Brexit trade deal with Japan.

20 SEP 2019

EU wary of Brexit crash landing at high-stakes October summit

Britain finally put some documents on the table on Thursday to break an impasse in its Brexit talks with the EU, but the bloc is worried that London is banking too much on a meeting of the 28 national leaders next month to get a deal across the line.

20 SEP 2019

Outgoing Speaker Bercow: would not rule out second Brexit referendum

Outgoing speaker of the British House of Commons John Bercow would not rule out a second referendum to solve the country's Brexit impasse, he told an audience in Zurich on Thursday.

19 SEP 2019

PM Johnson says some progress being made in Brexit talks

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday some progress was being made in Brexit talks but that Britain should still prepare to leave the European Union on Oct. 31 without a deal.

19 SEP 2019

Ireland says no Brexit breakthrough as EU needs credible proposals

Ireland said on Thursday that the United Kingdom had failed to supply credible Brexit proposals, adding that there had been no breakthrough at talks last night with the Northern Irish party which props up Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government.

19 SEP 2019

Irish PM says hopes to meet Johnson in New York next week

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and his British counterpart Boris Johnson hope to meet next week in New York, an Irish government spokesman said on Thursday.

19 SEP 2019

Be flexible, creative and we will too, Brexit Minister urges EU

Britain's Brexit minister on Thursday urged the European Union to show flexibility and creativity in striking a deal, although he stuck to his country's position that the contentious Irish backstop arrangement must go.

19 SEP 2019

EU sees no Brexit proposal deadline, but sees summit 'milestone'

The European Commission has no firm deadline for when Britain should make a formal proposal to break the deadlock over Brexit, but says it should be presented before a "milestone" EU summit on Oct. 17-18.

19 SEP 2019

UK shares technical papers with EU on Brexit deal proposals

Britain has shared technical papers with the European Union setting out the changes it is seeking to a Brexit deal with the bloc and will put forward formal proposals when it is ready, the government said on Thursday.

19 SEP 2019

EU executive says Britain sent in 'documents' with Brexit ideas

Britain has submitted some proposals in writing of how it would like the stalled Brexit deal to be amended, a spokeswoman for the European Union's executive Commission said on Thursday, confirming an earlier Reuters report.

19 SEP 2019

EU Council will be too late to negotiate Brexit deal: French source

Time to agree a Brexit deal is running out and it will be too late for European leaders to iron out a deal at a European Council meeting in Brussels in mid-October, a French diplomatic source said on Thursday.

19 SEP 2019

Britain submitted written proposals to EU to change Brexit deal - sources

Britain has sent in some written proposals to the European Union to change the stalled Brexit agreement, according to diplomatic sources dealing with the matter in the bloc's hub Brussels.

19 SEP 2019

British negotiator Barclay to hold Brexit talks in Brussels on Friday - spox

Britain's Brexit negotiator Stephen Barclay will hold talks with the EU side in Brussels on Friday, a UK government spokeswoman said.

19 SEP 2019

Britain's Barclay urges EU to be flexible, creative over Brexit

Britain's Brexit minister Stephen Barclay urged the European Union to show flexibility and creativity over Brexit on Thursday, saying the Irish backstop arrangement "has to go" and that Britain was prepared to leave without a deal if needed.

19 SEP 2019

Barclay says British government will abide by Supreme Court ruling on parliament suspension

British Brexit minister Stephen Barclay said on Thursday the conservative government will abide by the upcoming Supreme Court ruling on the parliament suspension ordered by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

19 SEP 2019

EU warns Britain heading for a no-deal Brexit

The European Union warned on Wednesday that Britain was headed for a damaging no-deal Brexit, with London's ideas for solving the contentious issue of the Irish border still unlikely to unlock a deal just six weeks before Britain is due to leave.

19 SEP 2019

German Finance Minister warns no-deal Brexit would disrupt trade

Germans face trade bottlenecks if Britain leaves the European Union without a deal due to the effect of new tariffs and extra customs checks, German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz warned on Thursday.

19 SEP 2019

Northern Ireland's DUP sees Brexit deal if both sides 'flexible'

The Northern Ireland party whose support is crucial to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government said on Wednesday it believed a deal could be secured for an orderly British exit from the European Union if flexibility is shown by all sides.

18 SEP 2019

DUP leader meets Irish PM in Dublin to discuss backstop

The leader of the Northern Ireland party whose support is crucial to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government met with the Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar in Dublin on Wednesday evening, national broadcaster RTE reported.

18 SEP 2019

Northern Ireland's DUP calls for Brexit 'refit' of 1998 peace accord

Northern Ireland's largest party, the Democratic Unionist Party, on Wednesday called for a "refit" of the British province's 1998 peace deal "to take account of any new Brexit deal."

18 SEP 2019

EU's Tusk, Johnson to discuss Brexit next week

European Council President Donald Tusk and Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson are due to hold bilateral talks on Brexit on the sidelines of a U.N. session in New York next week, according to an official with the bloc.

18 SEP 2019

Johnson says EU's Juncker shares determination to avoid no-deal Brexit

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker have a "shared determination" to reach a deal over Brexit, Johnson's office said in a statement on Wednesday after the two leaders spoke by telephone.

18 SEP 2019

JPMorgan says UK unlikely to get a Brexit deal at October summit

U.S. investment bank JPMorgan said on Wednesday it was negative about the prospects of Prime Minister Boris Johnson striking a Brexit deal at the Oct. 17-18 EU summit.

18 SEP 2019

EU should only agree to Brexit extension if London has a plan - BDI

The European Union should not agree to another Brexit extension unless Britain underpins such a request with a proposal on how to unlock a domestic deadlock and avoid a no-deal Brexit, Germany's powerful BDI industry association said on Wednesday.

18 SEP 2019

No deal Brexit 'a big significant risk' - Scotland's Sturgeon

There is still a big risk of Britain crashing out of the European Union without reaching a deal with the bloc, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Wednesday.

18 SEP 2019

Finnish minister says no-deal Brexit is quite likely

It is quite likely that Britain will leave the European Union without a deal at the end of October, Finland's minister for European affairs told EU lawmakers on Wednesday.

18 SEP 2019

Lib Dems face huge fight to stop Brexit - Swinson

The Lib Dems face the fight of their lives to rescue the country from the negative effects of leaving the EU, party leader Jo Swinson said on Tuesday, outlining the battle for hearts and minds in the next few weeks.

18 SEP 2019

PM Johnson could recall parliament if suspension ruled unlawful

Boris Johnson could recall parliament if Britain's highest court rules he unlawfully suspended it, a government lawyer said on Tuesday, after judges heard the prime minister wanted a shutdown because it was an obstacle to his Brexit plans.

18 SEP 2019

https://uk.reuters.com/news/archive/RCOMUK_Brexit