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EU summit: 'English lunch' delayed until tea time – live | EU summit: 'English lunch' delayed until tea time – live |
(35 minutes later) | |
2.17pm GMT | |
14:17 | |
The office of Poland’s prime minister Beata Szydło confirms that Cameron’s proposed welfare restrictions remain a “particularly difficult” issue. | |
Minister Szymański on current stage of #EUCO negoatiations: social benefits' issue is particularly difficult. pic.twitter.com/rL1ZJUZHnX | |
PM @BeataSzydlo & @David_Cameron at #EUCO on #UKinEU pic.twitter.com/Thx8P2K5kT | |
2.13pm GMT | |
14:13 | |
Ben Quinn | |
Back in the UK, the Church of Scotland has intervened in discussions over the forthcoming referendum by calling for a “positive debate” about the EU’s role in promoting international peace and cooperation. | |
Rev Dr Richard Frazer, vice convener of the Church of Scotland’s church and society council, said: | |
“Since last year’s general election, we have known that there will be a referendum on the UK’s continued membership of the European Union. There is likely to be a very short timescale to discuss such an important set of issues. It will be a decision which will shape our country, our communities and our lives for generations to come.” | |
With memories, perhaps, of some of the more robust aspects of the Scottish referendum campaign, he added: “It is vital that there is now a respectful, engaging, but above all positive debate which will focus on important issues.” | |
2.08pm GMT | |
14:08 | |
Poland says close to a deal | |
Poland’s Europe minister, Konrad Szymański, has told journalists that some progress has been made, but more guarantees are needed after Cameron held talks with his Polish counterpart. | |
Szymańsk is quoted as saying that he is not sure if a deal will be made today. The key sticking point is the indexation of child benefits, but agreement could have been reached on the timing of the Cameron’s emergency brake. | |
Polish minister: We are close, we've managed to find many compromises, but we still need more guarantees to get something satisfactory | |
Polish Europe Minister suggests duration of 'emergency brake' now settled, but won't reveal number of years. #EUCO https://t.co/AWE5fuMh89 | |
Polish Europe Minister says indexation of child benefits needs more work. Not sure deal will be struck today. #EUCO https://t.co/YeBD0fi5b8 | |
Polish Minister exits #EUCO marathon with update "we are close" More on @SkyNews with @faisalislam @adamboultonSKY pic.twitter.com/c6TIXObSmd | |
Britain proposed that child benefit be capped at the level appropriate to the standard of living in the member state where the child resides. But it is unclear how the measure would apply to EU nationals already working abroad and sending benefits to their home country. | |
Poland and other eastern European nations fear the measure could set a precedent for other countries or for restricting other benefits. The latter is now addressed directly in the documents. A new sentence inserted in the draft proposal specifically excludes future proposals to index other types of exportable benefits, such as pensions: | |
“The Commission does not intend to propose that the future system of optional indexation of child benefits be extended to other types of exportable benefits, such as old-age pensions.” | |
Updated | |
at 2.11pm GMT | |
1.52pm GMT | |
13:52 | |
AFP has more on Greece’s threat to block Cameron’s deal if it doesn’t get an EU border pledge. | |
Greece wants its EU peers to pledge to keep their borders open to refugees until March or it will refuse to adopt an accord keeping Britain in the bloc at marathon talks on Friday, a government source said. | |
“We are asking for a unanimous decision that until (an EU-Turkey summit planned for) 6 March, no state will unilaterally close its borders... if not, the Greek government will not approve the conclusion text” at the so-called Brexit summit, the source told AFP. | |
The arrival of over a million refugees and migrants in Europe last year has caused a chain reaction of border closures and restrictions among several EU member states. | |
As the main gateway into Europe, Greece is particularly worried that scores of thousands of refugees and migrants will become trapped on its territory. | |
Austria earlier Friday announced it would only accept a maximum of 80 asylum applications per day, and also limited the daily number of people transiting through to seek asylum in a neighbouring state to 3,200. | |
“If Austria closes its borders there will be a domino effect towards us,” the Greek government source added. | |
“(German Chancellor Angela) Merkel has pledged that Germany’s position will not change (until 6 March). We are asking the remaining member states to do the same,” the official said. | |
Updated | |
at 1.52pm GMT | |
1.38pm GMT | 1.38pm GMT |
13:38 | 13:38 |
Cue English lunch gags: | Cue English lunch gags: |
At this rate #EUCO won't be an English lunch, or tea. It'll be an English Friday night in a former industrial town after too many alcopops! | At this rate #EUCO won't be an English lunch, or tea. It'll be an English Friday night in a former industrial town after too many alcopops! |
BREAKING: The English Lunch will now be a Dog's Dinner | BREAKING: The English Lunch will now be a Dog's Dinner |
Three non-meals in one day - English breakfast turns into afternoon tea;https://t.co/7hWfnPb1KO | Three non-meals in one day - English breakfast turns into afternoon tea;https://t.co/7hWfnPb1KO |
English breakfast --> Brexit brunch --> Leave Lunch --> and now a Ta ra Tea | English breakfast --> Brexit brunch --> Leave Lunch --> and now a Ta ra Tea |
1.35pm GMT | 1.35pm GMT |
13:35 | 13:35 |
Some cabinet ministers are now assuming that the meeting which David Cameron had been expected to call on his return with a deal will now take place tomorrow, according to Sam Coates of the Times. | Some cabinet ministers are now assuming that the meeting which David Cameron had been expected to call on his return with a deal will now take place tomorrow, according to Sam Coates of the Times. |
Some Cabinet ministers now assuming meeting will be tomorrow not tonight | Some Cabinet ministers now assuming meeting will be tomorrow not tonight |
Adam Afriyie, the Tory eurosceptic MP, has been providing some ..er.. interesting metaphors for the negotiations and the UK’s relationship with the EU | Adam Afriyie, the Tory eurosceptic MP, has been providing some ..er.. interesting metaphors for the negotiations and the UK’s relationship with the EU |
“I sometimes think of it as if the UK is incarcerated, unfairly of course. It’s like the prison wardens saying you should really stay and we’ll give you an extra bowel of gruel.” | “I sometimes think of it as if the UK is incarcerated, unfairly of course. It’s like the prison wardens saying you should really stay and we’ll give you an extra bowel of gruel.” |
Updated | |
at 2.13pm GMT | |
1.33pm GMT | 1.33pm GMT |
13:33 | 13:33 |
English lunch delayed until tea time | English lunch delayed until tea time |
“English lunch” has been put back yet another hour until tea time. | “English lunch” has been put back yet another hour until tea time. |
Late "English lunch" now at 15h30 (14h30 GMT). Bilateral consultations continue. #euco | Late "English lunch" now at 15h30 (14h30 GMT). Bilateral consultations continue. #euco |
"English lunch" now scheduled for 14h30. Tusk @eucopresident & @JunckerEU continue second round of bilateral consultations on #UKinEU | "English lunch" now scheduled for 14h30. Tusk @eucopresident & @JunckerEU continue second round of bilateral consultations on #UKinEU |
What was originally supposed to be an “English breakfast” meeting, then became “English brunch”, then “English lunch” and has now been put back till early teatime. | What was originally supposed to be an “English breakfast” meeting, then became “English brunch”, then “English lunch” and has now been put back till early teatime. |
No wonder some delegations are reported to have extending hotel bookings. | No wonder some delegations are reported to have extending hotel bookings. |
Some national delegations have extended hotel bookings for tonight acc to EU source. Eek, basically. #EUCO #Brexit | Some national delegations have extended hotel bookings for tonight acc to EU source. Eek, basically. #EUCO #Brexit |
1.19pm GMT | 1.19pm GMT |
13:19 | 13:19 |
There’s been more confirmation that Greece is threatening to scupper the whole summit over border pledges. | There’s been more confirmation that Greece is threatening to scupper the whole summit over border pledges. |
#BREAKING Greece wants EU open border pledge till March or will block Brexit accord: govt source | #BREAKING Greece wants EU open border pledge till March or will block Brexit accord: govt source |
BBC Newsnight’s diplomatic editor says the threat could wreck the summit. | BBC Newsnight’s diplomatic editor says the threat could wreck the summit. |
This could wreck the entire summit - not least because EU can't give that guarantee. It's down to Macedonia & V4 https://t.co/PNdPJ1Oyos | This could wreck the entire summit - not least because EU can't give that guarantee. It's down to Macedonia & V4 https://t.co/PNdPJ1Oyos |
1.09pm GMT | 1.09pm GMT |
13:09 | 13:09 |
Crunch time. David Cameron is been holding talks with Poland’s prime minister Beata Szydło. | Crunch time. David Cameron is been holding talks with Poland’s prime minister Beata Szydło. |
PM @BeataSzydlo & @David_Cameron at #EUCO on #UKinEU pic.twitter.com/Thx8P2K5kT | PM @BeataSzydlo & @David_Cameron at #EUCO on #UKinEU pic.twitter.com/Thx8P2K5kT |
Consensus will not be reached unless the hundreds of thousands of Poles already living in the UK are allowed to retain their access to in-work benefits and child benefit, a foreign policy advisor to the Polish president told the Guardian’s Patrick Wintour on Thursday. | Consensus will not be reached unless the hundreds of thousands of Poles already living in the UK are allowed to retain their access to in-work benefits and child benefit, a foreign policy advisor to the Polish president told the Guardian’s Patrick Wintour on Thursday. |
Krzysztof Szczerski said Warsaw would block any move to hit the benefits of up to 600,000 Poles resident in Britain. “We cannot accept retrospective legislation,” he said. “Those that are in the system and part of the system cannot have their rights taken away.” | Krzysztof Szczerski said Warsaw would block any move to hit the benefits of up to 600,000 Poles resident in Britain. “We cannot accept retrospective legislation,” he said. “Those that are in the system and part of the system cannot have their rights taken away.” |
Poland has accepted the principle of a minimum four-year emergency brake on in work benefits, but their refusal to accept a cut in benefits that applies to Poles already working in the UK shows how tough negotiations have been and how a deal might have a limited impact on migration. | Poland has accepted the principle of a minimum four-year emergency brake on in work benefits, but their refusal to accept a cut in benefits that applies to Poles already working in the UK shows how tough negotiations have been and how a deal might have a limited impact on migration. |
Szczerski said his government, led by the rightwing Law and Justice party, was prepared to accept that new Polish child benefit claimants working in the UK should not be able to claim benefits at UK rates for its children still in Poland, as long as issues of indexation were resolved. | Szczerski said his government, led by the rightwing Law and Justice party, was prepared to accept that new Polish child benefit claimants working in the UK should not be able to claim benefits at UK rates for its children still in Poland, as long as issues of indexation were resolved. |
The talks in Brussels may well focus on whether the so-called British emergency brake temporarily depriving EU migrants of access to in-work benefits is seen as an effective way of controlling migration in to the UK. | The talks in Brussels may well focus on whether the so-called British emergency brake temporarily depriving EU migrants of access to in-work benefits is seen as an effective way of controlling migration in to the UK. |
1.07pm GMT | 1.07pm GMT |
13:07 | 13:07 |
It’s the inter-linking of issues that negotiators in Brussels would not want - more on that reported threat of a Greek veto: | It’s the inter-linking of issues that negotiators in Brussels would not want - more on that reported threat of a Greek veto: |
Brexit meet Grexit: Greece wants EU open-border pledge till March or will block UK accord - AFP in Athens quoting govt source | Brexit meet Grexit: Greece wants EU open-border pledge till March or will block UK accord - AFP in Athens quoting govt source |
Faisal Islam of Sky News also reports that ‘senior sources’ in the Greek government confirmed that a threat to veto the negotiations was made, although Athens does not have a problem ‘pers se’ with the British proposals. | Faisal Islam of Sky News also reports that ‘senior sources’ in the Greek government confirmed that a threat to veto the negotiations was made, although Athens does not have a problem ‘pers se’ with the British proposals. |
Updated | Updated |
at 1.07pm GMT | at 1.07pm GMT |
1.02pm GMT | 1.02pm GMT |
13:02 | 13:02 |
The chances of UK voters opting to remain in the European Union in a referendum are at 67%, according to a betting barometer being run by Ladbrokes, which is based on live odds. | The chances of UK voters opting to remain in the European Union in a referendum are at 67%, according to a betting barometer being run by Ladbrokes, which is based on live odds. |
It’s a slight rise towards that outcome from a few days ago. | It’s a slight rise towards that outcome from a few days ago. |
12.59pm GMT | 12.59pm GMT |
12:59 | 12:59 |
The lawyers are still at it, EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas assures us. | The lawyers are still at it, EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas assures us. |
Sleepless @EU_Commission lawyers still going strong in our #EUCO engine room. #UKinEU pic.twitter.com/sc8MXvCsYm | Sleepless @EU_Commission lawyers still going strong in our #EUCO engine room. #UKinEU pic.twitter.com/sc8MXvCsYm |
12.56pm GMT | 12.56pm GMT |
12:56 | 12:56 |
Eurosceptic MEP Danniel Hannan has seized on that comment by Lithuania’s president about a “facing saving” deal. | Eurosceptic MEP Danniel Hannan has seized on that comment by Lithuania’s president about a “facing saving” deal. |
Other EU leaders are openly laughing at the idea that the changes are other than cosmetic. #EUCO @vote_leave https://t.co/SprcHtoCXc | Other EU leaders are openly laughing at the idea that the changes are other than cosmetic. #EUCO @vote_leave https://t.co/SprcHtoCXc |