Evaluation of UK’s international obligations
Victoria Atkins MP has reaffirmed the Government’s determination to end the sexual exploitation of children around the world by ratifying the Lanzarote Convention.
The British Institute of Human Rights has published an article arguing that the finding of the review into deaths at Gosport War Memorial Hospital raises concerns about the protection of older people’s human rights.
British and US officials have discussed a state visit to the UK by Donald Trump immediately after Brexit.
UK’s post-Brexit relationship with the EU
In the Financial Times, Bronwen Maddox has argued that, as Parliament bids for a say in Brexit, Theresa May’s skill in postponing a battle with MPs has reached its limit. Meanwhile George Parker has argued that the Commons vote next week will be tight as the Prime Minister will aim to quell the rebellion by pro-European MPs.
Theresa May has faced a Tory backlash over her promise of an extra £20bn for the NHS, as MPs have rejected the notion that a Brexit dividend will fund much of the windfall and have warned of politically unpopular tax rises. Meanwhile Tom Watson has reported the Prime Minister to the Advertising Standards Agency over claims that a huge cash boost for the NHS will be partly funded by a “Brexit dividend”.
For Brexit Central, David Jones MP has written an article arguing that the House of Lords must halt its obstruction of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill.
InFacts has published an article stating that Theresa May has lost the trust of pro-EU Tories having altered the amendment to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill suggested by Grieve so as to merely enable MPs to consider whatever statement the Government made at the end of the Brexit talks without being able to amend it, rather than having a meaningful vote. Therefore Theresa May is reportedly relying on Labour Brexiteers to help her defeat Tory rebels in a tense Commons showdown on the EU Withdrawal Bill.
EU leaders are set to warn that “no substantial progress” has been made on solving the row over the Irish border amid fears the UK is heading for a no deal Brexit.
Michel Barnier has given a speech in Vienna about the prospects for post-Brexit cooperation between Britain and Europe in justice and home affairs. The challenges facing Britain in this area have been set out by Camino Mortera-Martinez for the Centre for European Reform. Meanwhile the EU and UK have published a joint statement outlining the further progress made in art 50 negotiations.
Officials involved in the talks have suggested that the Brexit negotiations are unlikely to conclude until the end of the year because of the continuing deadlock between the UK and EU over the Irish border and the mounting political disarray at Westminster.
The final obstacle to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill has been overcome in the Commons as MPs voted against the last outstanding rebel Tory amendment, but only after an eleventh-hour concession on the power of backbenchers to hold the Government to account. Anna Sourbry MP published the email she sent to her constituents prior to the vote in the Commons on the issue of the ‘meaningful vote’. Following this, Tory chief whip Julian Smith has been contacting party activists in seats held by rebel MPs in a bid to stave off Government defeats on Brexit.
EU leaders are to call on Member States, companies and organisations to step up preparations for a no-deal Brexit amid concerns that the UK has made ‘no substantial progress’ on the Irish border.
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