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Brexit deal: Tory ministers meet to decide fate of agreement – Politics live Brexit deal: Tory ministers meet to decide fate of agreement – Politics live
(35 minutes later)
While most of the focus today will be on that 2pm cabinet meeting. Here’s what else is on the agenda for today. 11:30: Cabinet Office questions
12:00: Prime Minister’s Questions
1pm: A Humble Address relating to the Prince of Wales’s 70th birthday in the House of Commons (the House of Lords will do theirs at 3pm)
4pm: Westminster Hall event on future cost of Hinkley Point
Here is the Politico Europe round-up of this morning’s political news and here is the PoliticsHome’s list of today’s top reads.
If you have questions, so does Andrew Sparrow, who has written this guide to six key questions about May’s deal that must be – but may not be – answered soon.
“Finally, after months of procrastination, the government and parliament are reaching the point where choices about Brexit that ministers and MPs have been avoiding since the summer of 2016 can no longer be put off,” he writes.
They include:
Can Theresa May win the backing of her entire cabinet?
What will the text of the withdrawal agreement say about the Irish backstop?
Can May persuade Labour to vote for the deal?
And looking abroad, Brexit is also front-page news in Ireland, Germany and France.
The Irish Times’s website looks ahead to Thursday, with the headline: “May to chair crunch cabinet meeting to discuss draft UK departure deal.” Also prominent is their chat with former Brexit minister Steve Baker, who is marshalling the rejection of May’s deal. The News Letter in Belfast leads online with DUP leader Arlene Foster saying both sides of the Commons will vote with her party to reject any deal that weakens the UK. The Belfast Telegraph gets plenty in its main web headline: “Brexit breakthrough: UK handcuffed to EU with Brussels holding the keys and NI dependent on Dublin, says DUP’s Arlene Foster”.
Across the Channel the news also made the front of German papers. Süddeutsche Zeitung splashes on “London reports agreement for Brexit draft”, while Die Zeit’s website headlines their story on the ominous: “Things are far from under control”.
Der Spiegel proclaims “The final has begun”, while Die Welt sizes up May’s chances and concludes: “Opposition against May’s fragile Brexit deal is huge”.
In France, where most of the front pages are preoccupied with Donald Trump’s attacks on Emmanuel Macron, Les Echos said: “May puts everything on her divorce project”.
Read our full wrap of how the papers covered Brexit.
EU ambassadors are meeting in Brussels today. They were meant to be discussing the European commission’s no-deal preparations, but the agenda was amended after news emerged of the tentative deal. The agenda for that meeting is here:
Here's the agenda for today's meeting of EU27 ambassadors where they'll discuss the latest on #Brexit... for people who like to collectors these documents. https://t.co/KcsOPOlnvh pic.twitter.com/hEdXGmnSgY
Unsurprisingly, the front pages of the papers today are dominated by May’s Brexit deal.Unsurprisingly, the front pages of the papers today are dominated by May’s Brexit deal.
The Guardian’s splash is “Brexit: May tells her cabinet, this is the deal – now back me”. The Daily Mail calls it “Judgment Day”. The Daily Telegraph says “May faces ‘moment of truth’ on Brexit deal”. The FT has a similar headline: “May faces moment of truth in cabinet clash over Brexit draft”.The Guardian’s splash is “Brexit: May tells her cabinet, this is the deal – now back me”. The Daily Mail calls it “Judgment Day”. The Daily Telegraph says “May faces ‘moment of truth’ on Brexit deal”. The FT has a similar headline: “May faces moment of truth in cabinet clash over Brexit draft”.
The Times is unhappy, writing “May accused of betrayal as she unveils Brexit deal” and the i writes “Deal done”, though then acknowledges how far the deal has to go before Brexit has happened.The Times is unhappy, writing “May accused of betrayal as she unveils Brexit deal” and the i writes “Deal done”, though then acknowledges how far the deal has to go before Brexit has happened.
The Daily Express, however, is loving the deal: “This Brexit deal is best for Britain”, runs their headline.The Daily Express, however, is loving the deal: “This Brexit deal is best for Britain”, runs their headline.
Wednesday’s GUARDIAN: “Brexit: May tells her cabinet, this is the deal - now back me” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/dhwumjC8ZIWednesday’s GUARDIAN: “Brexit: May tells her cabinet, this is the deal - now back me” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/dhwumjC8ZI
Wednesday’s TIMES: “May accused of betrayal as she unveils Brexit deal” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/eN9J6RZNdHWednesday’s TIMES: “May accused of betrayal as she unveils Brexit deal” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/eN9J6RZNdH
Wednesday’s Daily EXPRESS: “This Brexit Deal Is Best For Britain” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/eWvaiwTerhWednesday’s Daily EXPRESS: “This Brexit Deal Is Best For Britain” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/eWvaiwTerh
Tony Blair will hit out at Jeremy Corbyn’s “abject refusal” to lead the UK “out of the Brexit nightmare”.Tony Blair will hit out at Jeremy Corbyn’s “abject refusal” to lead the UK “out of the Brexit nightmare”.
The former prime minister will say it is “gut-wrenching” that Labour is not leading the call for a second referendum.The former prime minister will say it is “gut-wrenching” that Labour is not leading the call for a second referendum.
In a speech in London, Blair will repeat his call for a second referendum because Theresa May’s proposals, which he says are “Brexit in name but tied still to Europe in reality”, will disappoint those on both sides.In a speech in London, Blair will repeat his call for a second referendum because Theresa May’s proposals, which he says are “Brexit in name but tied still to Europe in reality”, will disappoint those on both sides.
“Whatever the people voted for, they didn’t vote for this,” he will say.“Whatever the people voted for, they didn’t vote for this,” he will say.
“I know it is said a new vote of the people will also divide. But a reconsideration in the light of all we now know, accepted by all as the final word, especially if accompanied by a new willingness on the part of Europe’s leadership and Britain’s to deal with the reasons for the Brexit decision, is the only hope of unity in the future.“I know it is said a new vote of the people will also divide. But a reconsideration in the light of all we now know, accepted by all as the final word, especially if accompanied by a new willingness on the part of Europe’s leadership and Britain’s to deal with the reasons for the Brexit decision, is the only hope of unity in the future.
“It is frankly gut-wrenching that this call is not being led by Labour as it should be.”“It is frankly gut-wrenching that this call is not being led by Labour as it should be.”
In a defence of his record, Mr Blair will say: “The denigration of the Labour Party record in government and its designation by the far left as ‘neo-liberal’ is one of the most absurd and self-defeating caricatures of modern political history.In a defence of his record, Mr Blair will say: “The denigration of the Labour Party record in government and its designation by the far left as ‘neo-liberal’ is one of the most absurd and self-defeating caricatures of modern political history.
“The Labour Party has paid, but more importantly the country has paid, a heavy price for this stupidity.“The Labour Party has paid, but more importantly the country has paid, a heavy price for this stupidity.
“It has undermined the achievements of the party in government. It has weakened the Labour Party’s ability to win by depriving it of a unifying message which can reach the centre ground and led to the abject refusal of the Labour leadership to lead the country out of the Brexit nightmare.”“It has undermined the achievements of the party in government. It has weakened the Labour Party’s ability to win by depriving it of a unifying message which can reach the centre ground and led to the abject refusal of the Labour leadership to lead the country out of the Brexit nightmare.”
Good morning and welcome to Politics Live on what could be a fairly momentous day. I’ll be keeping the blog warm for a bit before Andrew Sparrow takes over, thanks for following along.Good morning and welcome to Politics Live on what could be a fairly momentous day. I’ll be keeping the blog warm for a bit before Andrew Sparrow takes over, thanks for following along.
Here’s where we are:Here’s where we are:
An emergency cabinet meeting will be held this afternoon at 2pm, which sources have said is expected to last three hours. Cabinet ministers will debate the draft of an agreement to withdraw from the EU that has finally been reached after torturous negotiations, more than two years after the UK voted to leave the European Union.An emergency cabinet meeting will be held this afternoon at 2pm, which sources have said is expected to last three hours. Cabinet ministers will debate the draft of an agreement to withdraw from the EU that has finally been reached after torturous negotiations, more than two years after the UK voted to leave the European Union.
Yesterday, May called in her ministers to Number 10, one by one, for briefings on the agreement, in what is being seen as a divide-and-conquer strategy and ministers were supposed to study the draft text, particularly the provisions around the Irish border, overnight.Yesterday, May called in her ministers to Number 10, one by one, for briefings on the agreement, in what is being seen as a divide-and-conquer strategy and ministers were supposed to study the draft text, particularly the provisions around the Irish border, overnight.
Getting this past cabinet is the first hurdle for May. If May secures the support of her colleagues during this meeting, she will then launch a campaign to sell the deal to the country, beginning with a live televised media conference.Getting this past cabinet is the first hurdle for May. If May secures the support of her colleagues during this meeting, she will then launch a campaign to sell the deal to the country, beginning with a live televised media conference.
Given that May sometimes struggles as a performer, some have suggested a live conference is not necessarily the best way to sell the agreement to a disillusioned populace.Given that May sometimes struggles as a performer, some have suggested a live conference is not necessarily the best way to sell the agreement to a disillusioned populace.
If the cabinet approves the plan, the EU expects to hold a special Brexit summit on 25 November. May then takes the deal to parliament, most likely in mid-December.If the cabinet approves the plan, the EU expects to hold a special Brexit summit on 25 November. May then takes the deal to parliament, most likely in mid-December.
If they don’t approve it, the UK careers closer to a “no-deal” Brexit, potentially leaving the EU without any agreement reached on important issues such as trade, the status of EU citizens in the UK or UK citizens in the EU.If they don’t approve it, the UK careers closer to a “no-deal” Brexit, potentially leaving the EU without any agreement reached on important issues such as trade, the status of EU citizens in the UK or UK citizens in the EU.