The European Union (EU)’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said Saturday the bloc will not change the divorce deal agreed with Britain and that he is “not optimistic” about avoiding a no-deal outcome.

Barnier said the most contentious element of the agreement, the so-called backstop mechanism aimed at keeping the Northern Irish border open in all circumstances, must remain.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who took power last month, has called for the provision to be scrapped in order to reach a new deal ahead of the country’s latest October 31 departure date.

Johnson has said he was encouraged in his bid to ax the backstop by recent meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron, who appeared to suggest an openness to alternatives.

But writing in Britain’s Sunday Telegraph, Barnier said Brussels remained unconvinced after “intense discussions with EU member states on the need to guarantee the integrity of the EU’s Single Market, while keeping that border fully open.”

“The backstop is the maximum amount of flexibility that the EU can offer to a non-member state,” he stated.

“I am not optimistic about avoiding a ‘no deal’ scenario, but I remain determined to explore all avenues that the UK government will present that are compatible with the withdrawal agreement,” Barnier added.

The EU negotiator also said discussions about alternatives to the backstop could not begin until Britain had approved the divorce deal struck with Johnson’s predecessor, Theresa May, late last year.

It was subsequently rejected three times by British MPs, leading Brexit to be delayed to October 31.

“We are ready to start this work immediately upon ratification of the withdrawal agreement, in parallel to finally creating clarity on our future relationship,” Barnier stated.

He added that if Britain left the EU without a deal, it would be London’s decision.

“Many people in the UK understand that and I would be surprised if they succumb to the idea that the EU is to blame for a difficult political situation in the UK.”

(Source: AFP)

The quest for Irish unity has now spread to Scotland, as demonstrated by Friday evening’s march in Glasgow’s Govan area. 

The lawful march, organised by the James Connolly Flute Band, was set to begin peacefully at Govan’s Elder Park at 18:30, on August 30, before it was forcefully countered by disruptive elements.

The authorities deployed in force with riot police, mounted officers, a police helicopter and dog units as part of a “proportionate” response to the agitation initiated by rival demonstrators.

The peaceful march by supporters of Irish unity was disrupted by “several hundred” counter-demonstrators made up of disparate Scotland-based loyalist groups.

According to the police, agitation by loyalist counter-demonstrators led to “significant disorder”, with the police blocking off Govan Road.

By all credible accounts, the pro-unity march – organised by locals sympathetic to the cause of Irish unity – was peaceful and the situation only became violent and chaotic when local loyalists tried to disrupt the march.

This version of events is corroborated by Police Scotland, whose divisional commander, Chief Superintendent Mark Hargreaves, described the chaotic scenes in the following manner: “Police Scotland has a duty to facilitate processions and any peaceful protest, but this kind of behaviour by persons demonstrating against the parade is utterly unacceptable”.

But in a sign of political manoeuvring, Glasgow City Council tried to pin the blame on both sides, including the originally peaceful pro-Irish unity marchers.

The council tweeted a statement calling the chaotic scenes in Govan “unacceptable”, before adding that the “overwhelming majority” of Glaswegians “want nothing” to do with “these marches or counter-protests”.

Glasgow City Council has historically been dominated by the Scottish Labour Party, who controlled it from 1980 to 2017. Currently no political party has overall control of the council, even though the council leader, Susan Aitken, is a leading member of the Scottish National Party.

The disturbances in Govan come at a critical time in Northern Ireland, where Irish nationalists are bitterly opposed to British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson’s quest for a hard Brexit.

In late July, the leader of the mainstream Irish Republican group, Sinn Fein, called for a poll on Irish unity following a no-deal Brexit.

Mary Lou McDonald told reporters that she informed the PM that: “In the longer term, we have advised him [Johnson] that constitutional change is in the air. He can’t say that he hasn’t been told”. 

Source: Presstv

Following the Queen’s approval of Boris Johnson’s request to prorogue Parliament, a flurry of attacks came in from all walks of life, including from Labour MP, Kate Osamor, who suggested on Twitter that the Monarchy should be abolished.

Ms Osamor, the MP for Edmonton, tweeted that the “Queen did not save us” after her approval of the Prime Minister’s prorogue to temporarily close down the House of Commons from the second week of September until October 14.

“The Queen should look at what happened to her cousin Tino, ex King of Greece, when you enable a right wing coup! Monarchy abolished!” she added in her tweet.

The Queen approved the order on Wednesday afternoon to prorogue Parliament, no earlier than September 9 and no later than September 12, until October 14, when she will give her Speech to open a new session of Parliament.

Other opposition leaders and the public have also written in protest to the impending prorogation.

Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, said he “protested in the strongest possible terms on behalf of my party” to the Queen and called for a meeting alongside other opposition members of the Privy Council.

Senior Labour MP, Yvette Cooper, also weighted in by saying Boris Johnson was “trying to use the Queen to concentrate power in his own hands”; while fellow ex-cabinet minister Ben Bradshaw said the move would “drag the monarch into an unprecedented constitutional crisis”.

A recent online petition has gained over 1.4 million signatures in favor of stopping Mr. Johnson from proroguing or dissolving Parliament.

The prorogue of parliament by Johnson and the approval by the Queen is being condemned as a “constitutional outrage” by the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow.

Experts say that if MPs launch a successful no-confidence vote against Boris Johnson, to challenge his proroguing of parliament, the monarch could be in a difficult position if the Tory leader refuses to resign.

The unelected duo of the Queen and Boris Johnson could potentially have more treacherous surprises down the road for the elected voices of the Commons, who are demanding that Government follow the direction of the people.

Culled from Presstv

British PM Boris Johnson has caused a major surprise by asking the Queen to suspend the House of Commons just days after the end of the summer parliamentary recess in September. 

Johnson’s move is set to deepen Britain’s political crisis in the closing stages of the tortuous Brexit process.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday (August 18) that she would meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday (August 21) evening to discuss Britain’s planned departure from the European Union, adding that Berlin was also prepared for a disorderly Brexit.

Johnson is seeking to persuade European Union leaders to reopen Brexit talks or face the prospect of its second-largest member leaving abruptly on Oct. 31 with no deal in place to mitigate the economic shock a move that businesses expect would cause major disruption.

“We are prepared for any outcome, we can say that, even if we do not get an agreement. But at all events I will make an effort to find solutions up until the last day of negotiations,” Merkel said during a panel discussion at the Chancellery.

“I think it’s always better to leave with an agreement than without one. But if that’s not possible, we’ll be prepared for the alternative as well.”

The Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported that Johnson would tell Merkel that the British parliament could not stop Brexit.

(Source: Reuters)

Boris Johnson has finally realized his dream of residing at No. 10 Downing Street. As a child he aspired to be “world king”; now he has at least the opportunity to save the embattled kingdom in his own country.

Johnson’s ascent to the premiership coincides with arguably the most challenging political time for the UK since the Second World War.

With just over three months to go before Britain exits the European Union (EU), Johnson has to reach a speedy deal with the Europeans or risk the country crashing out of the union without a formal agreement.

To compound his problems, Johnson has to contend with a tense situation in the Persian Gulf largely brought about by foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt’s decision to inflame tensions with Iran.

With the clock ticking fast to the end of October, here are the key dates for Britain’s new prime minister in the weeks and months ahead:

August 01: Brecon and Radnorshire by-election. This is a key test for Johnson and his inner circle. With a working parliamentary majority of only 2 seats, the Tories can ill-afford to lose this seat in Wales. Johnson’s headache is exacerbated by the fact that the Tories’ rivals, notably the Greens and the Welsh nationalist Plaid Cymru, have agreed to withdraw from the race and back the Liberal Democrats, who are currently at the top of the polls.

August 24: G7 Meeting. The G7 leaders are set to meet in Biarritz in south-west France. This is a test for Johnson to properly balance his relationship with US President Donald Trump and European leaders. If he distances himself from key European leaders, notably Emmanuel Macron of France and Germany’s Angela Merkel, then the public and the markets will interpret it as a further sign of an imminent no-deal Brexit.

September 03: End of parliamentary recess. The House of Commons reconvenes after the summer break. Johnson is likely to face a hostile parliamentary environment if by this point he has failed to reach an accommodation with the EU leaders on an orderly Brexit.

September 29: Conservative party conference. Johnson is like to view the conference as a big opportunity to energise his support base in the Tory machine and to prepare them psychologically for the next general election, which some analysts think could come as early as next spring.

October 17-18: European Union summit. This is likely to be the last time Britain is formally invited to participate in high-level EU business. In view of Johnson’s bombastic personality, he is likely to use this occasion to set out a grand vision for his country’s future outside the EU.

October 31: Brexit deadline. Johnson has pledged to leave the EU by this point, even without a deal. A no-deal Brexit, which looks increasingly likely, will prove the litmus test of the Johnson premiership. If Britain crashes out of the EU without a deal, then Johnson will face massive challenges, including a possible general election in the spring of 2020 and a Scottish independence referendum in 2021.

Culled from Presstv

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in central London on Wednesday, July 24, to protest against Britain’s newly appointed Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The demonstrators took part in a planned street party in central London before marching to Downing Street. Describing his appointment as “dangerous”, some protesters said he could not be trusted and should not be prime minister.

Police put the prime minister’s residence into lockdown as the gates were blockaded by around 100 officers and dozens of riot vans. No arrests were made and the demonstration passed off peacefully. A second protest is planned for September 20.

Johnson took over from Theresa May on Wednesday after an audience with Queen Elizabeth, a moment that put an avowed Brexiteer in control of Britain’s exit from the European Union for the first time since the shock 2016 referendum.

He promised in his first speech as prime minister to lead Britain out of the European Union on Oct. 31 with “no ifs or buts” and warned that if the bloc refused to negotiate then there would be a no-deal Brexit.

(Source: Reuters) 

Boris Johnson, Britain’s most high-profile Brexiteer, has won the leadership of the Tories to become the country’s next prime minister, replacing outgoing Theresa May.

Johnson won 92,153 votes by members of the Conservative Party On Tuesday, Reuters reported. His main rival, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, won 46,656.

Britain’s opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for an “immediate general election” after British Prime Minister Theresa May announced her resignation in the aftermath a deadlock with parliament over her negotiated Brexit deal with the European Union.

Corbyn said in a tweet on Friday that May was “right to resign” as prime minister and whoever replaced her as leader of the Conservative Party had to call an election.

“Theresa May is right to resign. She’s now accepted what the country’s known for months: she can’t govern, and nor can her divided and disintegrating party,” Corbyn said. “Whoever becomes the new Tory leader must let the people decide our country’s future, through an immediate General Election.”

In an emotional statement outside Downing Street on Friday, the British premier confirmed her resignation on June 7, following a cabinet revolt over her Brexit plan and the repeated delay of the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB).

In an online statement, Corbyn also gave a scathing account of the current state of affairs in Britain and stressed the need for a snap general election.

 “The Conservative Party has utterly failed the country over Brexit and is unable to improve people’s lives or deal with their most pressing needs. Parliament is deadlocked and the Conservatives offer no solutions to the other major challenges facing our country,” the opposition Labour Party leader said.

“Whoever becomes the new Conservative leader must let the people decide our country’s future, through an immediate General Election,” he added

“The last thing the country needs is weeks of more Conservative infighting followed by yet another unelected Prime Minister,” Corbyn concluded.

May’s resignation comes as Britain’s looming departure from the 28-member bloc looks even more difficult, with some suggesting a hard or “no-deal” Brexit is now almost inevitable.

The leading contenders to succeed the British premier all favor a tougher divorce deal although the EU has ruled out the renegotiation of the WAB, which was sealed in November.

Key reactions to May’s resignation

The European Union said the resignation failed to change the bloc’s position on the Brexit withdrawal deal agreed with Britain.

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker noted May’s decision “without personal joy,” a spokeswoman said, adding that the council of EU leaders has “set out its position” on the Brexit deal.

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said in a tweet that he “would like to express my full respect for @theresa_may and for her determination, as Prime Minister, in working towards the #UK’s orderly withdrawal from the EU.”

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar warned that May’s resignation is fraught with dangers for Ireland because her successor could take Britain out of the EU without a deal.

“British politics is consumed by Brexit and will be consumed by Brexit for a very long time. It means that we now enter a new phase when it comes to Brexit, and a phase that may be a very dangerous one for Ireland,” Varadkar said.

French President Emmanuel Macron hailed May for her “courageous work” in seeking to implement Brexit in the interests of her country while showing respect for Britain’s European partners.

But the Elysee said in a statement that “the principles of the EU will continue to apply, with the priority on the smooth functioning of the EU, and this requires a rapid clarification. At a time of an important choice, votes of rejection that do not offer an alternative project will lead to an impasse.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel noted May’s decision “with respect,” and said they shared a “good and trusting” working relationship.

Pledging to keep working with May in the same spirit as long as she is in office, Merkel noted Berlin “wishes to maintain close cooperation and a close relationship with the British government.”

Declining to comment on how the resignation could affect Brexit, Merkel said “the development depends essentially on domestic political developments in Britain.”

US President Donald Trump, who had repeatedly criticized May in recent months for her handling of Brexit, said he felt sorry for the British prime minister after three years of turmoil surrounding her country’s “Brexit” from the European Union.

“I feel badly for Theresa. I like her very much. She is a good woman,” Trump told reporters on the White House lawn as he prepared to set off on a trip to Japan. “She’s a good woman. She worked very hard. She’s very strong.”

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the EU would never reopen negotiations on the Brexit divorce deal, regardless of who succeeds May.

“The withdrawal agreement is not up for renegotiation,” Rutte told a news conference.

Madrid warned that a no-deal Brexit appeared almost inevitable.

“Under these circumstances, a hard Brexit appears to be a reality that is near impossible to stop,” Spanish government spokeswoman Isabel Celaa told reporters, adding that the British government and parliament would be “solely responsible for a no-deal exit (from the EU) and its consequences”.

Source: Presstv