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| Brexit weekly briefing: May picks herself up after Salzburg bruising | Brexit weekly briefing: May picks herself up after Salzburg bruising |
| (4 months later) | |
| Welcome to the Guardian’s weekly Brexit briefing, bringing you the top stories of the past week in Brexitland arranged in a way that might – hopefully – allow you to make some sense of them. | Welcome to the Guardian’s weekly Brexit briefing, bringing you the top stories of the past week in Brexitland arranged in a way that might – hopefully – allow you to make some sense of them. |
| Talking of making sense of Brexit, this might help too – Brexit: the final deal, a Guardian Live event on 11 October featuring Alison McGovern, the Labour MP for Wirral South; Anand Menon, the director of UK in a Changing Europe; and Henry Newman, of Open Europe, and chaired by Heather Stewart, the Guardian’s joint political editor. You can book tickets here. | Talking of making sense of Brexit, this might help too – Brexit: the final deal, a Guardian Live event on 11 October featuring Alison McGovern, the Labour MP for Wirral South; Anand Menon, the director of UK in a Changing Europe; and Henry Newman, of Open Europe, and chaired by Heather Stewart, the Guardian’s joint political editor. You can book tickets here. |
| Meanwhile, if you’d like to receive the briefing as a weekly email, please sign up here. And you can catch up with our Politics Weekly podcast right here. | Meanwhile, if you’d like to receive the briefing as a weekly email, please sign up here. And you can catch up with our Politics Weekly podcast right here. |
| Finally, producing the Guardian’s independent, in-depth journalism takes time and money. We do it because we believe our perspective matters, and it may be yours, too. If you value our Brexit coverage, please become a Guardian supporter. Thank you. | Finally, producing the Guardian’s independent, in-depth journalism takes time and money. We do it because we believe our perspective matters, and it may be yours, too. If you value our Brexit coverage, please become a Guardian supporter. Thank you. |
| Top stories | Top stories |
| In the run-up to a challenging Conservative party conference, Theresa May was supposed to have left last week’s EU summit in Salzburg boosted by warm words on the acceptable bits of her Brexit plan (security) and a diplomatic silence on the rest (economic and trade relations). It didn’t quite work out like that. | In the run-up to a challenging Conservative party conference, Theresa May was supposed to have left last week’s EU summit in Salzburg boosted by warm words on the acceptable bits of her Brexit plan (security) and a diplomatic silence on the rest (economic and trade relations). It didn’t quite work out like that. |
| The prime minister angered her EU27 counterparts with an opinion piece in Die Welt and ill-judged comments at breakfast and dinner arguing, essentially, that Chequers was the only credible plan on the table and the bloc would just have to take it or leave it. They decided (or, to be accurate, confirmed) they would leave it. | The prime minister angered her EU27 counterparts with an opinion piece in Die Welt and ill-judged comments at breakfast and dinner arguing, essentially, that Chequers was the only credible plan on the table and the bloc would just have to take it or leave it. They decided (or, to be accurate, confirmed) they would leave it. |
| So May left what the British press called a “disastrous” summit roundly “humiliated” (the continental press preferred “sent packing”) as the EU27 publicly trashed her proposals. The European council president, Donald Tusk, said bluntly they “will not work”; the French president, Emmanuel Macron, called Brexiters “liars”. | So May left what the British press called a “disastrous” summit roundly “humiliated” (the continental press preferred “sent packing”) as the EU27 publicly trashed her proposals. The European council president, Donald Tusk, said bluntly they “will not work”; the French president, Emmanuel Macron, called Brexiters “liars”. |
| May said, of course, that the EU’s unusually harsh words were just another negotiating tactic and came out fighting the next day, saying in a combative televised address that the EU was to blame for the impasse and that she and her government deserved to be treated with respect. That went down as well, as you might imagine. | May said, of course, that the EU’s unusually harsh words were just another negotiating tactic and came out fighting the next day, saying in a combative televised address that the EU was to blame for the impasse and that she and her government deserved to be treated with respect. That went down as well, as you might imagine. |
| Loyalists insisted the plan, or a single market in goods and food but not services, was workable despite its rejection by the EU and much of May’s own party; Jeremy Hunt warned British politeness should not be mistaken for weakness; and Dominic Raab ruled out a snap election, saying the Salzburg debacle was only “a bump in the road”. | Loyalists insisted the plan, or a single market in goods and food but not services, was workable despite its rejection by the EU and much of May’s own party; Jeremy Hunt warned British politeness should not be mistaken for weakness; and Dominic Raab ruled out a snap election, saying the Salzburg debacle was only “a bump in the road”. |
| But with the Irish border question no closer to being resolved until the UK accepts some kind of special status for Northern Ireland (which May reiterated she would “never agree to”), many observers thought a no-deal Brexit was more likely. | But with the Irish border question no closer to being resolved until the UK accepts some kind of special status for Northern Ireland (which May reiterated she would “never agree to”), many observers thought a no-deal Brexit was more likely. |
| Meanwhile, the Labour party at its conference in Liverpool was set to commit to seeking a “people’s vote” on the final deal if it cannot get a general election – although senior figures disagree about what the question on the ballot paper should be. | Meanwhile, the Labour party at its conference in Liverpool was set to commit to seeking a “people’s vote” on the final deal if it cannot get a general election – although senior figures disagree about what the question on the ballot paper should be. |
| With polls showing 86% of party members want a second referendum and Labour having confirmed it will almost certainly vote against anything that resembles Chequers, an under-pressure Jeremy Corbyn agreed to “keep all options open”. | With polls showing 86% of party members want a second referendum and Labour having confirmed it will almost certainly vote against anything that resembles Chequers, an under-pressure Jeremy Corbyn agreed to “keep all options open”. |
| The shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, confirmed the party had not ruled out an option to remain in the EU, although the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, said any vote could only be on the deal itself. | The shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, confirmed the party had not ruled out an option to remain in the EU, although the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, said any vote could only be on the deal itself. |
| What next? | What next? |
| The Guardian political correspondent Jessica Elgot has a fine summary of where Salzburg leaves the various UK pro- and anti-Brexit clans. As far as Brussels and the EU27 are concerned, though, things are expected to get worse before they get better. | The Guardian political correspondent Jessica Elgot has a fine summary of where Salzburg leaves the various UK pro- and anti-Brexit clans. As far as Brussels and the EU27 are concerned, though, things are expected to get worse before they get better. |
| In one sense, of course, Salzburg did not change much: the EU27 have long said the key trade planks of Chequers will not work, while the Irish backstop will clearly remain the number one obstacle to any agreement until May drops her insistence that any solution must apply to the whole of the UK. | In one sense, of course, Salzburg did not change much: the EU27 have long said the key trade planks of Chequers will not work, while the Irish backstop will clearly remain the number one obstacle to any agreement until May drops her insistence that any solution must apply to the whole of the UK. |
| The bloc is counting on Britain rewriting its red lines when push really comes to shove and it is confronted with the imminent prospect of a no-deal Brexit. They could well be right and, as the Centre for European Reform’s John Springford and Sam Lowe write, there are ways for May to do that without “breaking up” the UK. | The bloc is counting on Britain rewriting its red lines when push really comes to shove and it is confronted with the imminent prospect of a no-deal Brexit. They could well be right and, as the Centre for European Reform’s John Springford and Sam Lowe write, there are ways for May to do that without “breaking up” the UK. |
| But what happened in Salzburg is a reminder of how badly things can go wrong when tone and messaging are off; relations seem to have soured further with May’s talk of “respect” last week; and negotiations could well drag on even beyond November. It also seems certain they will become more fraught, not less. | But what happened in Salzburg is a reminder of how badly things can go wrong when tone and messaging are off; relations seem to have soured further with May’s talk of “respect” last week; and negotiations could well drag on even beyond November. It also seems certain they will become more fraught, not less. |
| At least, however, the prime minister has won a temporary truce in her cabinet. There was no rebellion at a crunch meeting on Monday at which ministers agreed a post-Brexit immigration plan favouring skilled workers, with no preferential access to the UK labour market for EU citizens. Now she has to survive conference. | At least, however, the prime minister has won a temporary truce in her cabinet. There was no rebellion at a crunch meeting on Monday at which ministers agreed a post-Brexit immigration plan favouring skilled workers, with no preferential access to the UK labour market for EU citizens. Now she has to survive conference. |
| Best of the rest | Best of the rest |
| No-deal Brexit could hit UK-EU flights, says Whitehall, pets would need rabies tests and motorists an insurance green card. | No-deal Brexit could hit UK-EU flights, says Whitehall, pets would need rabies tests and motorists an insurance green card. |
| British media’s Brexit coverage sows division, says EU commissioner. | British media’s Brexit coverage sows division, says EU commissioner. |
| May’s plan to give Stormont a veto on border backstop enrages EU envoys. | May’s plan to give Stormont a veto on border backstop enrages EU envoys. |
| Fears of no-deal Brexit push British export orders close to year low. | Fears of no-deal Brexit push British export orders close to year low. |
| Pro-Brexit IEA thinktank: PM must drop Chequers in order to win “Brexit prize”. | Pro-Brexit IEA thinktank: PM must drop Chequers in order to win “Brexit prize”. |
| Rees-Mogg: PM likely to know Chequers doesn’t have much support. | Rees-Mogg: PM likely to know Chequers doesn’t have much support. |
| Ministers warn harder Brexit risks breaking up Britain. | Ministers warn harder Brexit risks breaking up Britain. |
| Cabinet at war after May’s humiliation in Salzburg. | Cabinet at war after May’s humiliation in Salzburg. |
| DUP cannot have veto on Brexit border deal, says Ireland. | DUP cannot have veto on Brexit border deal, says Ireland. |
| Rotterdam prepared for worst when Britain crashes out of EU. | Rotterdam prepared for worst when Britain crashes out of EU. |
| Where is our rights guarantee, Britons living in EU ask May. | Where is our rights guarantee, Britons living in EU ask May. |
| Legal action to revoke article 50 referred to European court of justice. | Legal action to revoke article 50 referred to European court of justice. |
| No-deal Brexit could hit UK-EU flights, says Whitehall, pets would need rabies tests and motorists an insurance green card. | No-deal Brexit could hit UK-EU flights, says Whitehall, pets would need rabies tests and motorists an insurance green card. |
| British media’s Brexit coverage sows division, says EU commissioner. | British media’s Brexit coverage sows division, says EU commissioner. |
| May’s plan to give Stormont a veto on border backstop enrages EU envoys. | May’s plan to give Stormont a veto on border backstop enrages EU envoys. |
| Fears of no-deal Brexit push British export orders close to year low. | Fears of no-deal Brexit push British export orders close to year low. |
| Pro-Brexit IEA thinktank: PM must drop Chequers in order to win “Brexit prize”. | Pro-Brexit IEA thinktank: PM must drop Chequers in order to win “Brexit prize”. |
| Rees-Mogg: PM likely to know Chequers doesn’t have much support. | Rees-Mogg: PM likely to know Chequers doesn’t have much support. |
| Ministers warn harder Brexit risks breaking up Britain. | Ministers warn harder Brexit risks breaking up Britain. |
| Cabinet at war after May’s humiliation in Salzburg. | Cabinet at war after May’s humiliation in Salzburg. |
| DUP cannot have veto on Brexit border deal, says Ireland. | DUP cannot have veto on Brexit border deal, says Ireland. |
| Rotterdam prepared for worst when Britain crashes out of EU. | Rotterdam prepared for worst when Britain crashes out of EU. |
| Where is our rights guarantee, Britons living in EU ask May. | Where is our rights guarantee, Britons living in EU ask May. |
| Legal action to revoke article 50 referred to European court of justice. | Legal action to revoke article 50 referred to European court of justice. |
| Top comment | Top comment |
| In the Guardian, British Influence’s Jonathan Lis argues that the rejection of the Chequers plan at Salzburg was no surprise – the EU will never accept a fudge on the Irish border: | In the Guardian, British Influence’s Jonathan Lis argues that the rejection of the Chequers plan at Salzburg was no surprise – the EU will never accept a fudge on the Irish border: |
| The EU knows it holds all the cards and recognises the danger of giving ground. Its priority is to accommodate Dublin, not London. The British government has never understood the Brexit process. It expects the EU to treat the UK both as an equally powerful third country, and as a member state still deserving the EU’s protection. It is neither. And so in a battle of red lines, the UK will lose. | The EU knows it holds all the cards and recognises the danger of giving ground. Its priority is to accommodate Dublin, not London. The British government has never understood the Brexit process. It expects the EU to treat the UK both as an equally powerful third country, and as a member state still deserving the EU’s protection. It is neither. And so in a battle of red lines, the UK will lose. |
| And Pauline Bock says that for her and millions like her, Brexit will turn home turf into a foreign land: | And Pauline Bock says that for her and millions like her, Brexit will turn home turf into a foreign land: |
| On 29 March 2019, 3.7 million Europeans will officially join the ranks of the “foreign” living in Britain. Post-Brexit Britain will in a way be egalitarian: a hostile environment for everyone who isn’t British. Maybe it’s only fair that Europeans discover what being treated as a “migrant” in western democracies feels like. Yet Brexit is unique: what used to be home for European citizens has ceased to be. | On 29 March 2019, 3.7 million Europeans will officially join the ranks of the “foreign” living in Britain. Post-Brexit Britain will in a way be egalitarian: a hostile environment for everyone who isn’t British. Maybe it’s only fair that Europeans discover what being treated as a “migrant” in western democracies feels like. Yet Brexit is unique: what used to be home for European citizens has ceased to be. |
| Top tweet | Top tweet |
| A view from Berlin … | A view from Berlin … |
| British politics:1. You don‘t understand the basic rules of club you‘re a member of2. You decide to leave club3. You ask club to change basic rules so leaving won‘t hurt so much4. You blame club for not changing its rules.5. You blame club for the consequences of leaving it. | British politics:1. You don‘t understand the basic rules of club you‘re a member of2. You decide to leave club3. You ask club to change basic rules so leaving won‘t hurt so much4. You blame club for not changing its rules.5. You blame club for the consequences of leaving it. |
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