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| New Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab vows to 'intensify' talks | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The UK's new Brexit secretary vowed to "intensify" talks in Brussels after his first meeting with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier. | |
| Mr Raab took over from David Davis, who resigned in protest at Theresa May's post-Brexit trade plans. | |
| He said it was "vital" make progress on the proposals in Mrs May's White Paper. | |
| The MP - who was a leading figure in the 2016 campaign to leave the EU - vowed to tackle talks with "renewed energy, vigour and vim". | |
| Mr Barnier said it was a "matter of urgency" to agree on a "backstop" plan to prevent a hard border in Northern Ireland if no deal is agreed - and said a "close partnership" on security was "more important than ever given the geopolitical context". | |
| Their meeting comes as the European Commission is instructing other EU states to prepare for a no-deal Brexit. | Their meeting comes as the European Commission is instructing other EU states to prepare for a no-deal Brexit. |
| The commission paper warns that failure to reach a deal would have a considerable impact on European business and citizens. | The commission paper warns that failure to reach a deal would have a considerable impact on European business and citizens. |
| Possible consequences, the paper says, include disruption to the aviation industry and goods from the UK being subject to custom checks. | Possible consequences, the paper says, include disruption to the aviation industry and goods from the UK being subject to custom checks. |
| Acting Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill told MPs: "We wouldn't want any of our European partners to think that we aren't well prepared enough that it becomes a negotiating card on their side of the table." | |
| Speaking to MPs before setting off for Brussels, Mr Raab said he hoped Mr Barnier would "fully support" the proposals for post-Brexit trade with the EU in the government's White Paper. | Speaking to MPs before setting off for Brussels, Mr Raab said he hoped Mr Barnier would "fully support" the proposals for post-Brexit trade with the EU in the government's White Paper. |
| But he added the UK was stepping up preparations for a "no deal" Brexit and would shortly be publishing advice for businesses on how to cope with it to minimise "disruption". | But he added the UK was stepping up preparations for a "no deal" Brexit and would shortly be publishing advice for businesses on how to cope with it to minimise "disruption". |
| Labour's shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer challenged Mr Raab to say whether he would "face down" Conservative MPs threatening to block a deal which does not meet their demands. | |
| Mr Raab sidestepped the question and insisted his focus was on "narrowing the differences" and securing a "win-win deal" which was good for both the UK and European countries. | |
| Acting Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill told a committee of MPs the civil service had "confidence" in its "no deal" planning. | |
| "We wouldn't want any of our European partners to think that we aren't well prepared enough that it becomes a negotiating card on their side of the table," he added. | |
| Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar has said his government is also making contingency plans for "the unlikely event of a no-deal hard Brexit". | Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar has said his government is also making contingency plans for "the unlikely event of a no-deal hard Brexit". |
| Mr Varadkar said that - even if there is a deal - Ireland will need 1,000 new customs officers and veterinary inspectors to deal with changes in trade rules with the UK. | Mr Varadkar said that - even if there is a deal - Ireland will need 1,000 new customs officers and veterinary inspectors to deal with changes in trade rules with the UK. |
| In the UK, the government has advised all its departments to have fully planned contingencies in place in the event of the UK withdrawing from the EU without an agreement. | In the UK, the government has advised all its departments to have fully planned contingencies in place in the event of the UK withdrawing from the EU without an agreement. |
| However the government watchdog, the National Audit Office, has warned that, in the case of one department, there is "still much to do". | However the government watchdog, the National Audit Office, has warned that, in the case of one department, there is "still much to do". |
| On Thursday, Theresa May will be making her first visit to the Irish border since the Brexit referendum. | On Thursday, Theresa May will be making her first visit to the Irish border since the Brexit referendum. |
| No 10 says the visit will "reaffirm her commitment to a Brexit that avoids a hard border and protects the Belfast Agreement". | No 10 says the visit will "reaffirm her commitment to a Brexit that avoids a hard border and protects the Belfast Agreement". |
| The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March 2019. | The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March 2019. |
| But the two sides have yet to agree how their final relationship will work, with key issues around cross-border trade unresolved. | But the two sides have yet to agree how their final relationship will work, with key issues around cross-border trade unresolved. |
| Mr Raab's trip to Brussels comes with debate raging within the Conservative Party about what Brexit should look like. | Mr Raab's trip to Brussels comes with debate raging within the Conservative Party about what Brexit should look like. |
| A baptism of fire | A baptism of fire |
| By Katya Adler, the BBC's Europe Editor | By Katya Adler, the BBC's Europe Editor |
| It will be quite a baptism of fire for the new Brexit secretary. | It will be quite a baptism of fire for the new Brexit secretary. |
| He will be greeted here in Brussels with a barrage of questions. | He will be greeted here in Brussels with a barrage of questions. |
| First and foremost amid all the political turmoil in Westminster: What exactly is the UK's Brexit negotiating position now? | First and foremost amid all the political turmoil in Westminster: What exactly is the UK's Brexit negotiating position now? |
| The EU also has a strong message for Dominic Raab. | The EU also has a strong message for Dominic Raab. |
| Work with us, they will say, to finish the UK's exit deal - the so-called Withdrawal Agreement - otherwise the chances are rising of the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal come March next year. | Work with us, they will say, to finish the UK's exit deal - the so-called Withdrawal Agreement - otherwise the chances are rising of the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal come March next year. |
| On Wednesday, former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson - who also quit over the proposals presented to the cabinet at Chequers - used his resignation speech to accuse Theresa May of "dithering" over the UK's strategy for leaving the EU. | On Wednesday, former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson - who also quit over the proposals presented to the cabinet at Chequers - used his resignation speech to accuse Theresa May of "dithering" over the UK's strategy for leaving the EU. |
| "It is not too late to save Brexit", he said, calling for the government to "change tack". | "It is not too late to save Brexit", he said, calling for the government to "change tack". |
| Former Remain supporters, on the other hand, were furious when the government changed its Customs Bill this week to comply with the demands of a Eurosceptic group of Tory MPs. | Former Remain supporters, on the other hand, were furious when the government changed its Customs Bill this week to comply with the demands of a Eurosceptic group of Tory MPs. |
| The EU says it will analyse the Chequers proposals, which were set out in full in a White Paper, before coming up with a response. | The EU says it will analyse the Chequers proposals, which were set out in full in a White Paper, before coming up with a response. |