Politics

The first meeting of a group set up to find backstop alternatives had full and frank discussions, according to one member. Aodhan Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, attended the first meeting of the business group set up to examine other options to the Brexit backstop on Wednesday. “I can say that there was very frank discussion and a chance for people to look at the parameters of what alternative arrangements would mean for the Northern Ireland border,”...

Boris Johnson has moved to seize the initiative in the Tory leadership race, pledging to deliver an Australian-style points-based immigration system if he becomes prime minister. The frontrunner to succeed Theresa May said he wanted to rebuild the public’s faith in the UK’s immigration system and to be “tougher on those who abuse our hospitality”. “We will restore democratic control of immigration policy after we leave the EU,” he said. Meanwhile, his rival for the Tory crown, Jeremy Hunt, has...

“There is no plan for no deal, because we’re going to get a great deal” promised Boris Johnson… only to resign as Foreign Secretary when the Brexit deal was actually being negotiated and describe it as Britain wearing a “suicide vest" A billboard has been unveiled at Glastonbury Festival which its creators say shows “how little we can trust” Conservative Party leadership candidate Boris Johnson. The billboard, created by anti-Brexit campaigners Led By Donkeys in collaboration with Cold War Steve,...

DUP leader Arlene Foster has said it is “very important” Britain leaves the European Union by October 31, but she refused to back either candidate to become the next prime minister. She said the Government must keep a no-deal Brexit on the table and claimed repeated extensions are fuelling public discontent. Tory leadership favourite Boris Johnson has pledged to leave by the Halloween deadline, but his rival for Number 10 Jeremy Hunt has left the option of an extension open....

Jeremy Corbyn’s spokesman has denied the Labour leader is in hock to unions over Brexit. Claims by Labour MP Dame Margaret Beckett that unions and Mr Corbyn’s aides are preventing the party shifting to support Remain were dismissed as “laughable” by his spokesman. Veteran Labour MP Dame Margaret told the BBC Today programme that people around Mr Corbyn “don’t give a toss” what Labour members think about Brexit and would be happy to leave with no deal. She said: “I’m...

Britain is currently scheduled to leave the European Union on October 31. The date is a contentious issue between the Tory leadership candidates, with Boris Johnson stating he will get the UK out of the EU on Halloween “come what may”. Johnson claimed the chances of a no-deal Brexit happening are a "million to one". Yet the EU has repeatedly insisted that it would not renegotiate the EU Withdrawal deal that Johnson described as Britain donning a "suicide vest." Meanwhile,...

Jeremy Hunt has spoken of his love of lambada dancing in the latest insight into the pastimes of the Tory leadership contenders. The Foreign Secretary said it was “quite an intimate dance” and the music “brings back some happy memories”. His comments came after Boris Johnson revealed a passion for making and painting model buses. On BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine show, Mr Hunt had the track Lambada by Kaoma played in his honour. He said: “When I was elected...

Bank of England boss Mark Carney has warned that a “notable” increase in no-deal Brexit fears and ongoing uncertainty is damaging Britain’s economy. The Bank’s governor told MPs the lack of any progress towards a deal and the extended Brexit deadline is leaving firms in limbo in terms of preparations and investment. In a hearing with the Treasury Select Committee, Mr Carney said there has been a “notable increase” in market expectations of no deal. He said this uncertainty in...

Brexit hinges on the question of the Irish backstop, but what is it and how can the obstacle be overcome?