Brexit News

People may be able to donate money towards the cost of making Big Ben chime when the UK leaves the EU, Boris Johnson has said. The prime minister told BBC Breakfast that getting the famous bell to ring at 23:00 GMT on 31 January would cost £500,000, but said some form of crowdfunding might be possible. The bell was temporarily silenced in 2017 for refurbishment of the tower. A bid […]

The EU’s trade commissioner has suggested there could be a last-minute trade-off with Brussels offering the City of London access to European markets in return for European fleets retaining their fishing rights in British waters. The UK’s financial services sector will lose its automatic right to serve Europe-based clients at the end of the transition period and the EU will need to negotiate access to UK waters for its fishing boats. Phil […]

Emily Thornberry has narrowly made it through to the next round of the Labour leadership contest, as Clive Lewis pulled out of the race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn. Announcing his decision, the Norwich South MP said it was "clear that I won't get on the ballot" and he was pulling out "in the spirit of pluralism, diversity and generosity" so that his supporters could back other candidates. Mr Lewis' move […]

A think tank has cast doubt on whether the Northern Ireland part of the Brexit deal can be implemented by the end of 2020. The Northern Ireland protocol covers new regulatory and customs arrangements between NI and Great Britain. It is to be operational at the end of the one-year Brexit transition period. But the Institute for Government (IfG) has said the government will "almost certainly" be unable to implement it […]

The chief executive of Airbus has said the future of its British wing plants is "secure" and there is "great potential to expand" post Brexit. The aerospace giant had warned it could move wing-building out of the UK in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Airbus employs 13,500 people in the UK, including 6,000 at its site in Broughton, Flintshire. On Wednesday, Guillaume Faury said the fact MPs had backed Boris […]

No official request has been made for Big Ben to mark Brexit by chiming on 31 January, MPs have been told. Sir Paul Beresford, a Conservative, said the House of Commons Commission had not received an approach from ministers. Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle chairs the commission - and in the past, he has suggested he would not block such a request if the House wants it to happen. Mark Francois, […]

After nearly four years, today will see the UK take its first real step towards leaving the EU before negotiating a tricky Brexit trade deal. The Commons is set to vote for Boris Johnson’s Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) after the Prime Minister emerged victorious from the December election with an 80-seat majority. But what happens next? Here, we walk you through the next 12 months. January 2020: Brexit bill passes […]

Peers have been told to listen to the will of the country and back legislation paving the way for the UK to leave the European Union on January 31. Boris Johnson’s European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill is expected to clear the Commons on Thursday after the Tory general election victory gave the Prime Minister the comfortable majority he desired. But the legislation will then head to the upper chamber, where there is no Government […]