Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
I've already got a Brexit driving licence.
Seriously - I got a new one recently and the UK written in an EU flag bit has been replaced by a union jack.
-
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Politics, politics, politics
- Thread starter markysimmo
- Start date
I've already got a Brexit driving licence.
Seriously - I got a new one recently and the UK written in an EU flag bit has been replaced by a union jack.
milo
Jack L. Jones
We can have blue passports within the EU. It was our choice, not the EU's to make them red.
milo
Jack L. Jones
AuroRaman
Chris Armstrong
Racist
milo
Jack L. Jones
When was it issued? I got a new one at the end of last year and it was like this
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/union-flags-now-feature-on-british-driving-licences
I can't see any news since then that they've changed it.
monkeybarry
Tom Huddlestone
You don't look like a Sarah
No, he looks like a Nancy.
SpurMeUp
Gary Stevens
Britain set to lose EU ‘crown jewels’ of banking and medicine agencies
Rival member states vie to attract prestigious agencies currently located in London as diplomats agree to block talks on future comprehensive trade deal
The EU is set to inflict a double humiliation on Theresa May, stripping Britain of its European agencies within weeks, while formally rejecting the prime minister’s calls for early trade talks.
The Observer has learned that EU diplomats agreed their uncompromising position at a crunch meeting on Tuesday, held to set out the union’s strategy in the talks due to start next month.
A beauty contest between member states who want the European banking and medicine agencies, currently located in London, will begin within two weeks, with selection criteria to be unveiled by the president of the European council, Donald Tusk.
The European Banking Authority and the European Medicines Agency employ about 1,000 people, many of them British, and provide a hub for businesses in the UK. It is understood that the EU’s chief negotiator hopes the agencies will know their new locations by June, although the process may take longer. Cities such as Frankfurt, Milan, Amsterdam and Paris are competing to take the agencies, which are regarded as among the EU’s crown jewels.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that Britain failed to secure the backing of any of the 27 countries for its case that trade talks should start early in the two years of negotiations allowed by article 50 of the Lisbon treaty. The position will be announced at a Brussels summit on 29 April.
Despite a recent whistlestop tour of EU capitals by the Brexit secretary, David Davis, diplomats concluded unanimously that the European commission was right to block any talks about a future comprehensive trade deal until the UK agrees to settle its divorce bill – which some estimate could be as high as €60bn – and comes to a settlement on the rights of EU citizens.
May will have hoped that draft European council guidelines, leaked last month, which took a tough line on the negotiations, including a clause ruling out a trade deal within two years, would have been softened during consultation with the member states. However, the lack of any questioning of the European commission’s position on the timeline surprised Brussels veterans, wearily used to displays of EU disunity.
threats of becoming a low-tax, low-regulation state unless it was given a good deal, had backfired. “However realistic the threats were, or not, they were noticed,” one senior EU source said. “The future prosperity of the single market was challenged. That had an impact – it pushed people together.”
Another senior diplomat said initial sympathy with Britain had fallen away in many capitals, due to the approach of Theresa May’s government. “Of course, we want to protect trade with Britain, but maintaining the single market, keeping trade flowing there, is the priority, and so we will work through [the EU’s chief negotiator] Michel Barnier,” the source said. “Britain used to be pragmatic. That doesn’t seem to be the case any more, and we need to protect our interests.”
It is understood that diplomats representing the right-wing Polish government voiced concerns about the rigid timetable for the talks in the private meeting on Tuesday, suggesting there were grounds for “flexibility”.
FacebookTwitterPinterest
Some have criticised Theresa May for adopting the ‘wrong tone’ on Brexit negotiations and leaving the UK at a disadvantage. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA
Even then the intervention fell far short of backing the UK’s position that there could be parallel negotiations on the terms of withdrawal and the future relationship. A senior EU source said: “No one questioned the phased approach.”
In a further sign of Britain’s isolation, Spain’s right of veto over any future EU-UK deal applying to Gibraltar was not discussed on Tuesday, despite the UK’s anger over the issue, EU sources said. The contentious position is set to be waved into the final EU negotiating position by consensus.
French diplomats instead spent part of the meeting warning member states to help companies on the continent prepare for a scenario in which the UK crashes out of the EU without any deal or even transitional arrangement in place for after the country leaves the bloc in 2019, leading to tariffs and customs checks.
Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, accused the government of wasting an opportunity where ministers should have been building bridges, as it approaches what have been billed as the most important negotiations the UK has ever faced.
He said: “It is deeply concerning that the prime minister is now so isolated from our EU partners. I have emphasised in parliament on a number of occasions that the tone adopted so far by the government is unlikely to get the talks off to a good start.
“The prime minister should have spent the last nine months building alliances across Europe, not pandering to those in her cabinet and her party who want to sever all links with the EU and retreat from our closest allies and most important trading partners.”
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: “April is set to be a humiliating month for May. Her choice to pursue a hard Brexit is starting to hit with reality and we are starting to see the impact that is going to have on Britain.”
The European commission said earlier this month that talks about a potential trade deal would occur only once “sufficient progress” had been made on Britain’s €60bn divorce bill and the position of EU citizens in the UK and British citizens on the continent.
It is understood diplomats representing the EU27 did discuss a definition of “sufficient progress”, but ultimately left it to the leaders to decide. An EU source said it was hoped that “scoping” talks on a deal, and a transitional arrangement on access to the single market, could start in the autumn.
The EU’s negotiating position detailed in the European council’s so-called draft guidelines will also be redrafted to include mention of the European parliament’s role, in a sign that MEPs are angling to play a greater part in shaping the talks.
Tusk’s team will “fine-tune” the guidelines ahead of a final meeting of diplomats on 24 April, an EU source said. A one-day summit of leaders will take place on 29 April in Brussels to sign off on the document.
Rival member states vie to attract prestigious agencies currently located in London as diplomats agree to block talks on future comprehensive trade deal
The EU is set to inflict a double humiliation on Theresa May, stripping Britain of its European agencies within weeks, while formally rejecting the prime minister’s calls for early trade talks.
The Observer has learned that EU diplomats agreed their uncompromising position at a crunch meeting on Tuesday, held to set out the union’s strategy in the talks due to start next month.
A beauty contest between member states who want the European banking and medicine agencies, currently located in London, will begin within two weeks, with selection criteria to be unveiled by the president of the European council, Donald Tusk.
The European Banking Authority and the European Medicines Agency employ about 1,000 people, many of them British, and provide a hub for businesses in the UK. It is understood that the EU’s chief negotiator hopes the agencies will know their new locations by June, although the process may take longer. Cities such as Frankfurt, Milan, Amsterdam and Paris are competing to take the agencies, which are regarded as among the EU’s crown jewels.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that Britain failed to secure the backing of any of the 27 countries for its case that trade talks should start early in the two years of negotiations allowed by article 50 of the Lisbon treaty. The position will be announced at a Brussels summit on 29 April.
Despite a recent whistlestop tour of EU capitals by the Brexit secretary, David Davis, diplomats concluded unanimously that the European commission was right to block any talks about a future comprehensive trade deal until the UK agrees to settle its divorce bill – which some estimate could be as high as €60bn – and comes to a settlement on the rights of EU citizens.
May will have hoped that draft European council guidelines, leaked last month, which took a tough line on the negotiations, including a clause ruling out a trade deal within two years, would have been softened during consultation with the member states. However, the lack of any questioning of the European commission’s position on the timeline surprised Brussels veterans, wearily used to displays of EU disunity.
threats of becoming a low-tax, low-regulation state unless it was given a good deal, had backfired. “However realistic the threats were, or not, they were noticed,” one senior EU source said. “The future prosperity of the single market was challenged. That had an impact – it pushed people together.”
Another senior diplomat said initial sympathy with Britain had fallen away in many capitals, due to the approach of Theresa May’s government. “Of course, we want to protect trade with Britain, but maintaining the single market, keeping trade flowing there, is the priority, and so we will work through [the EU’s chief negotiator] Michel Barnier,” the source said. “Britain used to be pragmatic. That doesn’t seem to be the case any more, and we need to protect our interests.”
It is understood that diplomats representing the right-wing Polish government voiced concerns about the rigid timetable for the talks in the private meeting on Tuesday, suggesting there were grounds for “flexibility”.
FacebookTwitterPinterest
Some have criticised Theresa May for adopting the ‘wrong tone’ on Brexit negotiations and leaving the UK at a disadvantage. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA
Even then the intervention fell far short of backing the UK’s position that there could be parallel negotiations on the terms of withdrawal and the future relationship. A senior EU source said: “No one questioned the phased approach.”
In a further sign of Britain’s isolation, Spain’s right of veto over any future EU-UK deal applying to Gibraltar was not discussed on Tuesday, despite the UK’s anger over the issue, EU sources said. The contentious position is set to be waved into the final EU negotiating position by consensus.
French diplomats instead spent part of the meeting warning member states to help companies on the continent prepare for a scenario in which the UK crashes out of the EU without any deal or even transitional arrangement in place for after the country leaves the bloc in 2019, leading to tariffs and customs checks.
Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, accused the government of wasting an opportunity where ministers should have been building bridges, as it approaches what have been billed as the most important negotiations the UK has ever faced.
He said: “It is deeply concerning that the prime minister is now so isolated from our EU partners. I have emphasised in parliament on a number of occasions that the tone adopted so far by the government is unlikely to get the talks off to a good start.
“The prime minister should have spent the last nine months building alliances across Europe, not pandering to those in her cabinet and her party who want to sever all links with the EU and retreat from our closest allies and most important trading partners.”
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: “April is set to be a humiliating month for May. Her choice to pursue a hard Brexit is starting to hit with reality and we are starting to see the impact that is going to have on Britain.”
The European commission said earlier this month that talks about a potential trade deal would occur only once “sufficient progress” had been made on Britain’s €60bn divorce bill and the position of EU citizens in the UK and British citizens on the continent.
It is understood diplomats representing the EU27 did discuss a definition of “sufficient progress”, but ultimately left it to the leaders to decide. An EU source said it was hoped that “scoping” talks on a deal, and a transitional arrangement on access to the single market, could start in the autumn.
The EU’s negotiating position detailed in the European council’s so-called draft guidelines will also be redrafted to include mention of the European parliament’s role, in a sign that MEPs are angling to play a greater part in shaping the talks.
Tusk’s team will “fine-tune” the guidelines ahead of a final meeting of diplomats on 24 April, an EU source said. A one-day summit of leaders will take place on 29 April in Brussels to sign off on the document.
I actually think it's the right thing, because of Brexit. All parties can set out how they will approach it, the public can vote and the winner can get on with it.
Labour would have to agree to the early election right? she cant just call one without 2/3 votes and they only have half.
I know they are doing everything they can to fudge up their party but surely the line has to be "We do not feel we can adequately set out our agenda in the limited time available, we will not agree to the election date but will to a date in 2018"
I know they are doing everything they can to fudge up their party but surely the line has to be "We do not feel we can adequately set out our agenda in the limited time available, we will not agree to the election date but will to a date in 2018"
Baleforce
Les Bennett
yes, it has to be voted in parliament
milo
Jack L. Jones
It's pure politics. She could have taken that stance at any time since she was elected but took the opposite.
The only crumb of comfort i can take from this is that a larger majority will make her less reliant on her headbanger back benchers and might give her the freedom to take a more pragmatic approach to our future relationship to the EU.
I don't think she's doing it for the right reasons, but I do think it is right to have a general election in light of brexit.
milo
Jack L. Jones
If she loses the FTPA vote she can call a vote of no confidence in the government that she only needs to win by one vote. After winning that there is a 14 day gap and then a general election would be called.
Besides, Corbyn is too stupid to realise that he is walking into a trap.
I agree with this in principle - but as "my side" will get trounced hope that she doesn't get the 2 thirds majority in parliament.
milo
Jack L. Jones
The problem will be that this election will deny us a vote on the final deal.