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.
European Council president Donald Tusk left a meeting on Sunday evening with Prime Minister David Cameron declaring there is “no deal” yet over a renegotiation of the UK's relationship with the EU. It had been planned that any proposed deal could be put to other EU leaders on Monday, ahead of a February summit.
Britain's David Cameron has urged EU leaders to show “flexibility” and “work together” to help him reduce migration numbers. The PM said “unprecedented” levels of immigration were “undermining support for the European Union” in the UK. Cameron presented his bid to reform the EU for over half-an-hour at dinner at the European Council summit in Brussels.
Barack Obama has pressed David Cameron to maintain Britain's commitment to meeting the NATO target of spending 2% of GDP on defense. In talks at the G7 summit in Germany, the US President also said he was “looking forward” to Britain remaining in the European Union.
David Cameron is starting a tour of European capitals as a bill paving the way for the UK's EU referendum is launched in the House of Commons. The British PM will attempt to persuade the Dutch, French, Polish and German premiers to back his changes to the UK's EU membership.
The Tory plan for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union cleared its first hurdle in the House of Lords last week. The Bill was given an unopposed second reading after a lengthy seven-hour debate in the Lords, in which more than 60 peers spoke.