UK in Strasbourg
The ECHR has ruled an application in admissible in K2 v United Kingdom (app no. 42387/13), ruling that depriving a suspected terrorist of his citizenship does not violate art 8 and is not discriminatory.
Evaluation of UK’s international obligations
The European anti-fraud office, Olaf, has recommended the UK pay €1.98bn to the EU budget to compensate for lost customs duties, as its investigators have said that the negligence of the British Government has allowed criminal gangs to flood European black markets with illegal Chinese goods.
UK’s post-Brexit relationship with the EU
Following the House of Lords’ amendment to the Brexit bill relating to the rights of EU citizens, Theresa May faces the prospect of a Commons rebellion. Indeed, a cross-party group of MPs have stated that the UK should make a unilateral decision to safeguard the rights of EU nationals living in the UK. The House of Commons Exiting the EU Committee has published a report considering the Government’s negotiating objectives as regards the rights of UK and EU citizens.
Minister for Exiting the European Union David Jones and Minister for Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin took part in a roundtable with the UK’s defence business leaders to discuss topics such as tariffs and customs.
There is strong opinion in the House of Lords that an amendment giving MPs a ‘meaningful vote’ on the Brexit deal is necessary, but Theresa May considers that this will give the EU an incentive to offer the UK bad terms. Nonetheless, the amendment was made, the Lords defeating the Government by 366 to 268, and Lord Heseltine has been sacked from his role advising the Government due to his rebellion.
Joint talks on Brexit with devolved legislatures has resulted in agreement on areas of common concern on Brexit: free movement of people, replacement of European funding, and intergovernmental relations. The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee is accepting written submissions for its Brexit and devolution inquiry.
Lord Hague has suggested that Theresa May call an early general election, as she needs a bigger Commons majority to implement Brexit. However Downing Street has rejected this.
Spain is keen for the UK deal with the EU not to be punitive, and is anxious to maintain strong ties with the UK, as nearly 300,000 Spaniards live in Britain, and 17% of Spain’s investment goes to the UK.
According to Politico, Britain’s EU partners are quietly preparing for the possibility that the UK Government may walk out of negotiations on divorce from the EU within one year, once Barnier presents a huge exit bill and refuses to discuss future trade terms until it’s paid.
The Financial Times has published an article discussing the difficulties in constructing the terms of exit under art 50 as it was never intended to be used, concluding that it is divorce, rather than contract, lawyers that are needed.
In Donald Tusk’s remarks following the tripartite social summit he has discussed the upcoming complexity of negotiations that will ensue following the UK’s triggering of Brexit.
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