Corbyn quite right to call out May's customs proposal in #PMQs. Why would the EU outsource its customs competencies to a third country? He should have pressed her on the VAT alignment amendment, though. That amendment could have very serious implications for the Irish border.
May: "while I was agreeing on the future of NATO with Trump..."
*howls of laughter*
May: "while I was negotiating our future security, he was renegotiating the definition of anti-Semitism"
*cries of "shame!*
Sums it up, really. Both parties are a mess #PMQs.
May tells the SNP's Ian Blackford she won't extend Article 50, which you might soon be able to put in the same box as "there won't be an early election," I suspect #PMQs
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So a design flaw in the Conservative party’s conference app means users have access to the mobile numbers of Cabinet ministers, MPs and prominent journalists. This is really, really bad.
Labour response: “How can we trust this Tory Government with our country's security when they can't even build a conference app that keeps the data of their members, MPs and others attending safe and secure?”
Exclusive: Liam Fox is plotting to scrap EU food standards using controversial Henry the 8th powers, multiple sources have said. uk.businessinsider.com/liam-fox-trade…
Michael Gove's DEFRA is pushing back against Fox's plans to do away with European food standards. "DEFRA and DIT are not pals... DEFRA have a big trade team now which sees its mandate as stopping DIT from doing silly things," one source said. uk.businessinsider.com/liam-fox-trade…
As we reported 3 weeks ago, Sir Vince Cable will today make a major speech on the future of the Lib Dems. Two senior sources and WhatsApp messages said he would use today’s speech to announce his plan to resign in 2019. uk.businessinsider.com/vince-cable-se…
I’m here at the National Liberal Club where Sir Vince Cable will deliver his major speech in the next few minutes. A-Ha — Take On Me currently being blasted.
Sir Vince Cable cites France, Canada and Ireland as countries with “encouraging” political movements. Cable is currently being advised by Tom Pitfield, who worked for both Trudeau and Macron.
The way in which Boles' "Better Brexit" is being treated a hassle-free panacea of sorts is alarming. EFTA-EEA is sensible & has many advantages. But: 1) UK can only submit EFTA application after it has left the EU & accession could take up to a year. What do we do until then? 1/3
2) EFTA-EEA states have been pretty positive about the prospect of UK membership (see remarks from Norway's PM; delegate to EFTA/EEA) — but would they be as keen on temporary UK membership? 3) Boles proposal is based on binning current WA. Would that fly in Brussels? 2/3
3/3 Temporary EFTA-EEA would probably(?) command an emergency Commons majority. It's also a relatively deliverable, off-the-shelf model. But to convince the EU to scrap months of work on the WA and join EFTA by March = huge ask. A thoughtful and encouraging intervention, though.
I wonder how Theresa May feels about Suelle Braverman — a serving DExEU minister — supporting the Farage-backed Leave Means Leave campaign which claims Chequers is a "massive fraud," "totally unacceptable," and "a sell-out" express.co.uk/news/politics/… …
Suella*
Update: DExEU tells me Suella Braverman’s inclusion on the Leave Means Leave website is an “administrative oversight” which will be “rectified”