The head of the International Monetary Fund has warned the UK there is still likely to be pain ahead as Theresa May prepares to trigger the UK's departure from the European Union. Christine Lagarde told the BBC the Brexit process would be complicated.
Prime Minister Theresa May has said the UK “cannot possibly” remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean “not leaving the EU at all”, but at the same time promised to push for the “greatest possible” access to the single market following Brexit.
Labour does not rule out backing continued freedom of movement when Britain quits the European Union, Jeremy Corbyn said. The Opposition leader used a major speech on Brexit to set out plans to prevent cheap migrant labour from the EU undercutting British workers.
Spain has little prospect of gaining joint sovereignty over Gibraltar, Spanish Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis said this weekend as he acknowledged that Gibraltarians “have a right” to reject the offer. In an interview with the leading Spanish newspaper El País, the foreign minister insisted any post-Brexit relationship between Gibraltar and the EU must first be agreed by the UK and Spain.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has stepped up pressure on Theresa May over Brexit by saying that the European Union must consider limiting UK access to the single market if it fails to accept free movement of EU citizens. The chancellor repeated her mantra that there must be no negotiations based on “cherry picking” of the Union’s four freedoms of movement for capital, goods, services and people.
Negotiations for an ample trade and cooperation agreement between the European Union and Mercosur are strategic, essential and must be urgently concluded, said Ramon Jauregui, head of the Euro-chamber for Latin America delegation, following on the recent accords signed by the EU with Ecuador and Cuba.
Prime Minister Theresa May appointed a senior career diplomat as envoy to the European Union on Wednesday to replace an ambassador who quit with a scathing resignation letter that exposed frustration among officials over her strategy. . Tim Barrow, political director at the Foreign Office, will take up the post next week following the abrupt departure of Ivan Rogers, who told staff in his resignation letter they should speak the truth to those in power.
Labour is too weak to win a British general election alone and should consider working with rival parties, a left-of-centre think tank has said in a report. Andrew Harrop, the Fabian Society's general secretary, said there had been a huge meltdown of support in Scotland and cited party leader Jeremy Corbyn's unpopularity and a muffled approach to Brexit, as determining factors.
UK's ambassador to the European Union urged British colleagues in Brussels to challenge muddled thinking and... speak truth to power as he quit ahead of Brexit talks, according to the BBC. Writing to staff, Sir Ivan Rogers said ministers needed to hear unvarnished and uncomfortable views from Europe.
Ecuador signed an agreement with Italy to define the tax obligations of the citizens of the two countries, in order to avoid double taxation on income taxes and equity and prevent tax evasion, the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry said.