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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/feb/11/brexit-backstop-time-limit-essential-says-boris-johnson-politics-live
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| Brexit: backstop time limit essential, says Boris Johnson - Politics live | Brexit: backstop time limit essential, says Boris Johnson - Politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Conservative MPs supportive of a second referendum have written to the prime minister to request an urgent meeting about postponing the UK’s scheduled date of departing the EU, the Independent’s political correspondent Tweets. | |
| The letter says: | |
| We are urging you and the government to take a breath, to take a minute and give us all time to consider whether this proposed deal, or however it is adjusted, is really in our best interests ...The fear of delay should not box us into a corner so that the country leaves with the worst possible outcome. We should take enough time to resolve this impasse. | |
| Group of Conservative MPs who support a second referendum - Right to Vote - have today written to Theresa May requesting an urgent meetingFull letter here:https://t.co/cRg7dhB9lA pic.twitter.com/Y61NLtAlnP | |
| People’s vote campaigners say that Theresa May’s rejection of Jeremy Corbyn’s Brexit proposals proves the need for a second referendum. | |
| Labour MP David Lammy said: | |
| Theresa May’s letter makes it clear there is no hope of her agreeing for the UK to stay in a permanent customs union or to guarantee alignment with the EU on rights and protections after Brexit, as Jeremy Corbyn had requested ...We have now entered the emergency zone of these negotiations, and the prime minister has swept Labour’s only other option off the table. We have now got to begin campaigning for a people’s vote. | |
| Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman Tom Brake said: | |
| It is astonishing that after more than 900 days since the Brexit vote and less than 50 days before we crash out of the EU, the PM and Corbyn appear to be starting serious discussions about delivering disastrous Brexit together. | |
| No amount of haggling over customs unions or workers’ rights can disguise the fact that Brexit leaves us all worse off. It is time for Jeremy Corbyn to give up the letters and instead draw his attention to Labour Party policy and get behind the campaign for a people’s vote. | |
| Gavin Williamson is facing some ridicule for his speech at the Royal United Services Institute this morning saying Brexit presents an opportunity for Britain to boost its global military standing: | Gavin Williamson is facing some ridicule for his speech at the Royal United Services Institute this morning saying Brexit presents an opportunity for Britain to boost its global military standing: |
| “The problem with Britain,” one senior diplomat told me last week, “Is that you have a sense of historic entitlement”. Wonder where he got that idea? https://t.co/G7NrBy1Jm2 | “The problem with Britain,” one senior diplomat told me last week, “Is that you have a sense of historic entitlement”. Wonder where he got that idea? https://t.co/G7NrBy1Jm2 |
| Gavin Williamson's stirring conclusion? "“Brexit has brought us to a great moment when we must enhance our lethality, and increase our mass.”okay.... | Gavin Williamson's stirring conclusion? "“Brexit has brought us to a great moment when we must enhance our lethality, and increase our mass.”okay.... |
| At at event where Gavin Williamson has just announced a £7m investment in drones 'capable of overwhelming and confusing enemy air defences'. After our successes at Gatwick, what could possibly go wrong? | At at event where Gavin Williamson has just announced a £7m investment in drones 'capable of overwhelming and confusing enemy air defences'. After our successes at Gatwick, what could possibly go wrong? |
| The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has been publicly setting out his stall ahead of his meeting with the Brexit secretary, Stephen Barclay, in Brussels this evening: | The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has been publicly setting out his stall ahead of his meeting with the Brexit secretary, Stephen Barclay, in Brussels this evening: |
| The Withdrawal Agreement is the result of 18 months of intense negotiations between the EU and #UK. It is a compromise that aims to ensure an orderly #Brexit. What is in it? 👉 https://t.co/iXQhOD5Ir4 | The Withdrawal Agreement is the result of 18 months of intense negotiations between the EU and #UK. It is a compromise that aims to ensure an orderly #Brexit. What is in it? 👉 https://t.co/iXQhOD5Ir4 |
| The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has blamed the government’s Brexit strategy for the latest GDP figures showing a slowdown at the end of last year (read more on our business blog) and said they illustrate the need for no deal to be taken off the table. | The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has blamed the government’s Brexit strategy for the latest GDP figures showing a slowdown at the end of last year (read more on our business blog) and said they illustrate the need for no deal to be taken off the table. |
| He said: | He said: |
| The evidence is mounting that the combination of the government’s shambolic handling of Brexit and nine years of austerity is causing real damage to our economy. | The evidence is mounting that the combination of the government’s shambolic handling of Brexit and nine years of austerity is causing real damage to our economy. |
| Business investment has been falling for months now, as uncertainty and the fear of no deal cause immediate damage to confidence. | Business investment has been falling for months now, as uncertainty and the fear of no deal cause immediate damage to confidence. |
| Six consecutive months of decline for the manufacturing sector hasn’t happened since 2009. The government must act now to take no deal off the table and Philip Hammond must use his spring statement to end the disastrous austerity policy which has done so much to damage the economy. | Six consecutive months of decline for the manufacturing sector hasn’t happened since 2009. The government must act now to take no deal off the table and Philip Hammond must use his spring statement to end the disastrous austerity policy which has done so much to damage the economy. |
| Boris Johnson’s vision of for a post-Brexit “global Britain” includes a multibillion-pound cut in the UK’s overseas aid budget, the Guardian’s diplomatic editor, Patrick Wintour, writes. | Boris Johnson’s vision of for a post-Brexit “global Britain” includes a multibillion-pound cut in the UK’s overseas aid budget, the Guardian’s diplomatic editor, Patrick Wintour, writes. |
| Current definitions of aid spending would be broadened to include peacekeeping, and the BBC’s World Service would be expanded, as part of an effort to restore Britain’s ability to project soft and hard power. | Current definitions of aid spending would be broadened to include peacekeeping, and the BBC’s World Service would be expanded, as part of an effort to restore Britain’s ability to project soft and hard power. |
| The paper argues the UK should be freed to define its aid spending unconstrained by criteria set by external organisations, and its purpose expanded from poverty reduction to include “the nation’s overall strategic goals”. UK aid spending, set by law at 0.7% of gross national income, was £13.4bn in 2016. | The paper argues the UK should be freed to define its aid spending unconstrained by criteria set by external organisations, and its purpose expanded from poverty reduction to include “the nation’s overall strategic goals”. UK aid spending, set by law at 0.7% of gross national income, was £13.4bn in 2016. |
| The proposals are being fed into a Foreign Office review on UK soft power post-Brexit headed by the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt. There have been repeated reports suggesting the DfID secretary, Penny Mordaunt, wants to dilute or abandon the 0.7% target. | The proposals are being fed into a Foreign Office review on UK soft power post-Brexit headed by the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt. There have been repeated reports suggesting the DfID secretary, Penny Mordaunt, wants to dilute or abandon the 0.7% target. |
| Boris Johnson backs call for multibillion cut to UK aid budget | Boris Johnson backs call for multibillion cut to UK aid budget |
| Here are some of the other politics stories making the news this morning: | Here are some of the other politics stories making the news this morning: |
| The defence secretary, Gavin Williamson, will claim today that Brexit represents an opportunity for Britain to boost its global military standing in response to the threats posed by Russia and China. | The defence secretary, Gavin Williamson, will claim today that Brexit represents an opportunity for Britain to boost its global military standing in response to the threats posed by Russia and China. |
| Brexit could boost UK's military standing, says defence secretary | Brexit could boost UK's military standing, says defence secretary |
| A no-deal Brexit would damage police powers to detain foreign suspects and leave British fugitives in Europe beyond the law, according to deputy assistant commissioner Richard Martin who is leading police preparations for such an event. | A no-deal Brexit would damage police powers to detain foreign suspects and leave British fugitives in Europe beyond the law, according to deputy assistant commissioner Richard Martin who is leading police preparations for such an event. |
| No-deal Brexit would make Britain less safe, says police chief | No-deal Brexit would make Britain less safe, says police chief |
| The government’s post-Brexit immigration system would cost employers more than £1bn in administration costs over five years, harm the higher education sector by putting off EU students and risk a new Windrush scandal, according to a report by Global Future. | The government’s post-Brexit immigration system would cost employers more than £1bn in administration costs over five years, harm the higher education sector by putting off EU students and risk a new Windrush scandal, according to a report by Global Future. |
| Immigration regime after Brexit 'risks new Windrush scandal' | Immigration regime after Brexit 'risks new Windrush scandal' |
| The chancellor, Philip Hammond, must find an extra £5bn in this year’s Whitehall spending review to reverse planned cuts and meet his claim of ending austerity, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. | The chancellor, Philip Hammond, must find an extra £5bn in this year’s Whitehall spending review to reverse planned cuts and meet his claim of ending austerity, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. |
| Hammond £5bn short of 'austerity is ending' target, says thinktank | Hammond £5bn short of 'austerity is ending' target, says thinktank |
| Meanwhile, the prisons minister, Rory Stewart, says Theresa May has rejected Jeremy Corbyn’s proposal for a customs union post-Brexit but suggested that the parties are closer together than some people think. | Meanwhile, the prisons minister, Rory Stewart, says Theresa May has rejected Jeremy Corbyn’s proposal for a customs union post-Brexit but suggested that the parties are closer together than some people think. |
| He told BBC Breakfast: | He told BBC Breakfast: |
| The prime minister remains very clear that she thinks that a very major economy like the United Kingdom needs to have the freedom to be able to make its own trade deals, so she’s disagreeing with Jeremy Corbyn’s suggestion that we enter a permanent customs union. | The prime minister remains very clear that she thinks that a very major economy like the United Kingdom needs to have the freedom to be able to make its own trade deals, so she’s disagreeing with Jeremy Corbyn’s suggestion that we enter a permanent customs union. |
| What she is saying is that we have a lot if common ground, a lot more common ground perhaps than people have acknowledged, on things like environmental protections, workers’ rights, making sure that we get investment into areas of the country which haven’t done as well out of the last few years as other parts of the country. | What she is saying is that we have a lot if common ground, a lot more common ground perhaps than people have acknowledged, on things like environmental protections, workers’ rights, making sure that we get investment into areas of the country which haven’t done as well out of the last few years as other parts of the country. |
| Brexit: May has ruled out Corbyn's customs union plan - minister | Brexit: May has ruled out Corbyn's customs union plan - minister |
| Good morning, this is Haroon Siddique sitting in for Andrew Sparrow again. I’ll be attempting to keep you up to speed with the most significant politic developments of the day. Given the number of comments the blog attracts, if you want to get my attention, the best way is probably to Tweet me. | Good morning, this is Haroon Siddique sitting in for Andrew Sparrow again. I’ll be attempting to keep you up to speed with the most significant politic developments of the day. Given the number of comments the blog attracts, if you want to get my attention, the best way is probably to Tweet me. |
| Ahead of the Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay’s meeting with the European chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, in Brussels this evening, Boris Johnson has insisted that the Irish backstop must be amended to give the UK a unilateral out within a specified time period. | Ahead of the Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay’s meeting with the European chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, in Brussels this evening, Boris Johnson has insisted that the Irish backstop must be amended to give the UK a unilateral out within a specified time period. |
| The former foreign secretary told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: | The former foreign secretary told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: |
| The argument is now about how to get out of the backstop. And how to make sure that the UK isn’t locked in that prison of the customs union. I think that you would need to have a time limit. | The argument is now about how to get out of the backstop. And how to make sure that the UK isn’t locked in that prison of the customs union. I think that you would need to have a time limit. |
| Asked if changes to the backstop proposals could come in a separate codicil to the withdrawal agreement, Johnson said: “I don’t think that would be good enough.” | Asked if changes to the backstop proposals could come in a separate codicil to the withdrawal agreement, Johnson said: “I don’t think that would be good enough.” |
| He added: | He added: |
| It [the deal] would have to give the United Kingdom a UK-sized exit from the backstop. We would have to be able to get out by a certain time and we would have to be able to get out of our own volition. The most promising way forward is to do what is called the Malthouse compromise. | It [the deal] would have to give the United Kingdom a UK-sized exit from the backstop. We would have to be able to get out by a certain time and we would have to be able to get out of our own volition. The most promising way forward is to do what is called the Malthouse compromise. |
| EU officials have derided the Malthouse compromise, which would replace the backstop with a free trade agreement with as-yet-unknown technology to avoid customs checks on the Irish border, as unworkable and even “bonkers”. | EU officials have derided the Malthouse compromise, which would replace the backstop with a free trade agreement with as-yet-unknown technology to avoid customs checks on the Irish border, as unworkable and even “bonkers”. |
| Johnson also | Johnson also |
| accused Jeremy Corbyn of wanting “to frustrate Brexit very largely by staying in a permanent customs union”. | accused Jeremy Corbyn of wanting “to frustrate Brexit very largely by staying in a permanent customs union”. |
| said: “The pound will go where it will,” when pressed on suggestions sterling could fall by 20%. | said: “The pound will go where it will,” when pressed on suggestions sterling could fall by 20%. |
| "The pound will go where it will." 💷Ex-Foreign Sec @BorisJohnson downplays the possibility of the pound's value falling and prices increasing in the event of a no deal Brexit #r4today https://t.co/X1j9RC8rg8 pic.twitter.com/ClreIOdGoM | "The pound will go where it will." 💷Ex-Foreign Sec @BorisJohnson downplays the possibility of the pound's value falling and prices increasing in the event of a no deal Brexit #r4today https://t.co/X1j9RC8rg8 pic.twitter.com/ClreIOdGoM |