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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2020/jan/27/brexit-labour-boris-johnson-must-let-eu-boats-continue-to-fish-in-its-waters-if-it-wants-trade-deal-covering-banking-irish-pm-implies-live-news
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| Brexit: No 10 does not rule out using fishing as bargaining chip in UK-EU trade talks – live news | Brexit: No 10 does not rule out using fishing as bargaining chip in UK-EU trade talks – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen | Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen |
| “I wasn’t trained to lose,” the Tory Brexiter Mark Francois once famously claimed. But it is remarkable how easy it is to pick up new skills, even in middle age, and the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn says Francois has admitted defeat in his campaign to use crowdfunding to get Big Ben to chime on Friday night to mark Brexit. | |
| This morning the Scottish government published a 94-page paper (pdf) explaining how the Scottish government could take charge of its own immigration policy and start issuing its own “Scottish visa”. Ostensibly it is an immigration policy paper, but the Scottish government does not have responsibility for immigration policy in Scotland, Westminster does, and so perhaps it would be better to see this as a devolution policy paper, or a contribution to a manifesto for Scottish independence. There is a Scottish government news summary of the plans here. | This morning the Scottish government published a 94-page paper (pdf) explaining how the Scottish government could take charge of its own immigration policy and start issuing its own “Scottish visa”. Ostensibly it is an immigration policy paper, but the Scottish government does not have responsibility for immigration policy in Scotland, Westminster does, and so perhaps it would be better to see this as a devolution policy paper, or a contribution to a manifesto for Scottish independence. There is a Scottish government news summary of the plans here. |
| Speaking at the launch of the document in Edinburgh, Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minster, said: | Speaking at the launch of the document in Edinburgh, Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minster, said: |
| Asked what would happen if the UK government refused her proposal to allow the Scottish government to take joint charge with London of immigration policy for Scotland (as seems likely - see 11.16am), Sturgeon said: | |
| There are two urgent questions this afternoon. | There are two urgent questions this afternoon. |
| Here are some more lines from the press conference that Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, and Leo Varadkar, the taoiseach (Irish PM), held earlier. | Here are some more lines from the press conference that Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, and Leo Varadkar, the taoiseach (Irish PM), held earlier. |
| Barnier said he would present a draft negotiating mandate for the trade talks to EU member states next Monday. He said: | Barnier said he would present a draft negotiating mandate for the trade talks to EU member states next Monday. He said: |
| He also described the next stage as the second round of the negotiation. | He also described the next stage as the second round of the negotiation. |
| Barnier said the amount of access the UK got to the single market post-Brexit would depend on the level of its commitment to keeping a level playing field with the EU. He said: | Barnier said the amount of access the UK got to the single market post-Brexit would depend on the level of its commitment to keeping a level playing field with the EU. He said: |
| Varadkar said that, although he was “ambitious” about the UK-EU future partnership, there was also a need for “realism”. | Varadkar said that, although he was “ambitious” about the UK-EU future partnership, there was also a need for “realism”. |
| He said he did not see the next stage of the negotiations a contest. He said: | He said he did not see the next stage of the negotiations a contest. He said: |
| From Boris Johnson | From Boris Johnson |
| Here is the Times’s Steven Swinford on the significance of the PMOS’s comments on fishing. | Here is the Times’s Steven Swinford on the significance of the PMOS’s comments on fishing. |
| The PMOS is not talking about some of the post-Brexit Whitehall arrangements. | The PMOS is not talking about some of the post-Brexit Whitehall arrangements. |
| He says there will be 40 officials working in a government taskforce on the EU future partnership. | He says there will be 40 officials working in a government taskforce on the EU future partnership. |
| He says after Friday the UK will no longer sit with the EU at international meetings. | He says after Friday the UK will no longer sit with the EU at international meetings. |
| Our permanent representative to the EU, Sir Tim Barrow, will become ambassador to the EU. | Our permanent representative to the EU, Sir Tim Barrow, will become ambassador to the EU. |
| And he says the ministers will be making visits abroad to promote the UK. | And he says the ministers will be making visits abroad to promote the UK. |
| Q: Who is in charge of the taskforce on Europe? | Q: Who is in charge of the taskforce on Europe? |
| The PM. | The PM. |
| Q: So there will be no other minister in charge. Who will Michel Barnier speak to? | Q: So there will be no other minister in charge. Who will Michel Barnier speak to? |
| The PMOS says Barnier will be able to speak to David Frost, the PM’s EU adviser. | The PMOS says Barnier will be able to speak to David Frost, the PM’s EU adviser. |
| Q: Who will update parliament on Brexit? | Q: Who will update parliament on Brexit? |
| The PMOS says Michael Gove will oversee the withdrawal agreement, but the PM will oversee the negotiation. | The PMOS says Michael Gove will oversee the withdrawal agreement, but the PM will oversee the negotiation. |
| And that’s it. The briefing is over. | And that’s it. The briefing is over. |
| The PMOS says after Friday night the Brexit department will not exist. Asked about Stephen Barclay’s position as Brexit secretary, he says that there will be no department, but that cabinet reshuffle decisions are a matter for the PM. | The PMOS says after Friday night the Brexit department will not exist. Asked about Stephen Barclay’s position as Brexit secretary, he says that there will be no department, but that cabinet reshuffle decisions are a matter for the PM. |
| Yesterday Barclay said that his gut feeling was that HS2 would go ahead. Asked if the PM trusts Barclay’s gut, the PMOS says: | Yesterday Barclay said that his gut feeling was that HS2 would go ahead. Asked if the PM trusts Barclay’s gut, the PMOS says: |
| Q: Leo Varadkar said this morning that British ignorance of Ireland was a problem. Does the PM agree? | Q: Leo Varadkar said this morning that British ignorance of Ireland was a problem. Does the PM agree? |
| The PMOS says he has not seen those remarks. | The PMOS says he has not seen those remarks. |
| Q: Does the PM accept, as Varadkar implied, that the UK would have to trade access to fishing waters for UK access to financial services in Europe? | Q: Does the PM accept, as Varadkar implied, that the UK would have to trade access to fishing waters for UK access to financial services in Europe? |
| The PMOS says: | The PMOS says: |
| He says this was made clear in the PM’s election manifesto. | He says this was made clear in the PM’s election manifesto. |
| Asked if this means the government is ruling out linking the two issues in trade talks, the PMOS repeats the point about taking back control of fishing waters. He says the PM has left the EU in “no doubt of our determination on that issue”. | Asked if this means the government is ruling out linking the two issues in trade talks, the PMOS repeats the point about taking back control of fishing waters. He says the PM has left the EU in “no doubt of our determination on that issue”. |
| He says the government will decide for itself who accesses its fishing waters. | He says the government will decide for itself who accesses its fishing waters. |
| Q: We can determine that we are going to let the French into our waters? | Q: We can determine that we are going to let the French into our waters? |
| The PMOS says the government has been very clear that the UK will determine who fishes in British waters. | The PMOS says the government has been very clear that the UK will determine who fishes in British waters. |
| Q: Fishing leaders themselves have said that some EU boats will continue to fish in British waters after Brexit. | Q: Fishing leaders themselves have said that some EU boats will continue to fish in British waters after Brexit. |
| The PMOS says he has not said anything that contradicts this. | The PMOS says he has not said anything that contradicts this. |
| No 10 does not rule out using fishing as bargaining chip in wider UK-EU trade talks. | No 10 does not rule out using fishing as bargaining chip in wider UK-EU trade talks. |
| Q: Why is there a delay in getting people out of Wuhan? | Q: Why is there a delay in getting people out of Wuhan? |
| The PMOS says the Foreign Office has said this morning it is exploring its options. The safety of British nationals is its priority, it says. | The PMOS says the Foreign Office has said this morning it is exploring its options. The safety of British nationals is its priority, it says. |
| Q: Is an airlift possible? | Q: Is an airlift possible? |
| The PMOS says the government is exploring options. | The PMOS says the government is exploring options. |
| Q: Why is the government announcing a visa scheme for highly skilled people now? | Q: Why is the government announcing a visa scheme for highly skilled people now? |
| The PMOS says there are concerns that the government is not bringing in enough highly talented people. By announcing the scheme now, the government will be able to bring it in more quickly. | The PMOS says there are concerns that the government is not bringing in enough highly talented people. By announcing the scheme now, the government will be able to bring it in more quickly. |
| Q: What is your reaction to the Scottish government’s visa plans announced today? | Q: What is your reaction to the Scottish government’s visa plans announced today? |
| Immigration policy is a matter for the UK government, the PMOS says. | Immigration policy is a matter for the UK government, the PMOS says. |
| No 10 rules out giving Scottish government control over immigration policy for Scotland. | |
| Back to Harry Dunn. | Back to Harry Dunn. |
| Q: Does the UK government think Anne Sacoolas was covered by diplomatic immunity? | Q: Does the UK government think Anne Sacoolas was covered by diplomatic immunity? |
| The PMOS says the government’s view is that she should come back to face justice. | The PMOS says the government’s view is that she should come back to face justice. |
| The PMOS says the government will consider the recommendations made by the migration advisory committee in a report coming this week, and then bring forward an immigration bill in due course. | The PMOS says the government will consider the recommendations made by the migration advisory committee in a report coming this week, and then bring forward an immigration bill in due course. |