Brexit LIVE: Von der Leyen ignored EU colleagues to trigger Article 16 – was no scrutiny - Daily Express
Brexit LIVE: Von der Leyen ignored EU colleagues to trigger Article 16 – was no scrutiny - Daily Express |
- Brexit LIVE: Von der Leyen ignored EU colleagues to trigger Article 16 – was no scrutiny - Daily Express
- We did it TOGETHER! Farage hails Express readers as he celebrates one year since Brexit - Daily Express
- Boris Johnson’s plot to overhaul BBC: Brexiteer Paul Dacre set to become chair of Ofcom - Express
- Brexit sees 10,000 UK expat pensioners leave the EU – 'already have bags packed' - Daily Express
| Posted: 31 Jan 2021 12:03 AM PST Brexit: Michel Barnier insists his 'mission isn't over'Irish EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness said the attempt to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol was a mistake and accepted Brussels would have to face the consequences and deal with the fallout as a result. Ms McGuiness said the normal and proper process of scrutiny that usually surrounded such a decision had been abandoned on Friday night and revealed the hamfisted attempt to set up border checks between Northern Ireland and EU member state Ireland had been brought to her attention in advance. She told RTE: "I put my hands up on behalf of the commission, this has not been good for the European Commission." Ms McGuiness said there was justifiable anger towards Anglo-Swedish drug firm AstraZeneca over its failure to deliver enough doses of the vaccine to the EU but she admitted: "It shouldn't have happened". But the Irish commissioner stopped short of backing calls for Ursula von der Leyen to quit in the wake of the debacle. She said colleagues were "upset and annoyed" it had happened but it rejected suggestions Ms von der Leyen should consider her position.
The EU has fallen far behind the UK and the US in the race to vaccinate its public and announced on Friday it would impose export controls on vaccines, widely seen as a threat to prevent doses from being sent to Britain. But it was forced to reverse part of the announcement within hours, after both Britain and Ireland complained about plans to impose emergency export controls for vaccines across the land border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. SCROLL DOWN FOR BREXIT LIVE UPDATES10.31pm update: EU to 'go the way of the Soviet Union' as nations follow UK lead THE EU is set to crumble in the same way as the Soviet Union did as countries opt out of bloc, according to an expert. Bruges Group Director Robert Oulds argued the European Union was always destined to fail. He claimed the EU would likely suffer a fate similar to that of the Soviet Union and insisted the economics of the EU were unsustainable. He said more nations will follow the lead of the UK and opt-out of the union when member states' growing frustrations bubble over. Mr Oulds said: "Even before the Covid crisis it was the IMF that predicted that 90 percent of global growth will come outside of the European Union. "Other countries will realise they have been stuck in the straightjacket of the single currency. "They will realise it has actually created massive economic harm." 8.18pm: Tories welcome Brexit anniversary The Conservative Party has marked the first anniversary of Brexit with a message to supporters on social media. A short statement posted on the party's official Twitter account said: "A year ago today we left the EU and delivered on our manifesto promise to Get Brexit Done. "We've taken back control of our laws, borders and money - and now we're securing trade deals all over the world. #GlobalBritain." 7.31pm update: Emmanuel Macron's 'explosive vaccine claim' exposes election pressure Emmanuel Macron has once again come under fire for repeating inaccurate claims that the Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine was "almost ineffective" on people aged over 65. The embattled French President also alleged, again without any evidence, that the Anglo-Swedish drug giant and the British Government had engaged in "questionable behaviour" aimed at disrupting the flow of Covid-19 vaccines into Europe. Senior British officials said Mr Macron's incendiary remarks exposed the "enormous political pressure" he was under at home. His approval ratings have nosedived as a result of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and France's disastrously slow vaccine roll-out programme and far-right leader Marine Le Pen is now outpolling him with Presidential elections looming in 2022.
3.44pm update: Northern Ireland community leader urges peaceful oppostion to Protocol A leading community activist has urged Unionists to unite in a peaceful way over opposition to the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol amid growing anger in the region. Billy Hutchinson said the response had to come through politics. His comments came after a senior police officer warned that discontent over regulatory barriers was growing and said the pandemic may have masked action on the streets. Mr Hutchinson said: "I do not want to over or under-play the anger. "It is there and we really need to listen to that anger and we also need to make sure that it is turned into a positive way forward. "We need to show people who are unionists that unionism is united in every way around this and that the only way forward is by using political means. "If people need to protest then we need to make sure it is done in a peaceful way so others cannot hijack it." 3.11pm update: EU "let mask slip" with Northern Ireland Protocol vaccine move DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds said the EU let its "mask slip" when it moved to over-ride part of the Brexit agreement on Northern Ireland to control shipments of coronavirus jabs. After invoking Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol on Friday evening, the bloc later reversed the decision following an outraged reaction in London, Dublin and Belfast. Mr Dodds has said the EU had now set a precedent. His party has been voicing opposition to the Protocol on a number of grounds, including issues facing hauliers and the military facing additional checks while bringing equipment into Northern Ireland. He said: "I think that the mask slipped on Friday night because the EU and others had been lecturing everybody that there could never be under any circumstances whatsoever any kind of hard border on the island of Ireland, and that to do anything to over-ride any of the Protocol provisions would be an anathema. "And then in one fell swoop on Friday night it did both of those things ... never mind the fact that it was aimed at vaccines, which is aimed at helping people overcome this terrible Covid pandemic."
2.37pm update: Merkel and Macron to be removed? European leaders in firing line after vaccine U-turn France has delivered only 1.3 million jabs and Germany 2.2 million doses so far. The UK has soared ahead of EU countries as it has vaccinated 8.8 million, just weeks after officially cutting ties with the bloc. Now the leaders of Germany and France have been warned over their citizens losing faith in the EU over the debacle and potentially looking to back new leaders who will not be such prominent figures within the bloc. It comes as the German general election will be held in September, while the French Presidential election takes place in April next year. Conservative MP Peter Bone said: "The EU has long-term problems partly due to its undemocratic nature. "It's clear that they are not serving the nations. "It's breakdown will depend on Germany and France and what the people in those countries think. "Will what has happened with the vaccine encourage people not to be in the EU? I think so. "The organisation is bound to fail in the end because of what it is. "It's undemocratic and out of touch. "This is just a classic case." 2.08pm update: Brexit sparks 10,000 British pensioners to flee the EU More than 10,000 British pensioners headed home since the Brexit referendum in 2016, new figures have shown. There are now 10,947 less British retirees living in EU countries, according to figures from the Department for Work and Pensions. The number of British pensioners living abroad in EU countries peaked in 2017 at 475,000, but it has since dropped to 463,774. And more than 3,000 moved back in the year to May 2020. Ireland and Spain saw the biggest drop in numbers, with 2,129 and 1,824 people moving back in the respective countries. Tim Holmes of Salisbury House Wealth, a financial adviser, said there may be fears that British retirees may not be treated the same as other EU citizens now that the UK is no longer part of the bloc. He said: "Many pensioners have already packed their bags and left the sunnier parts of Europe behind in the fear that further complications would arise as a result of the UK's departure." UK should 'calm down' on vaccine rollout says Martin1.19pm update: Piers Morgan brilliantly confronts Anna Soubry over EU vaccine row - 'You'd blame Brexit!' Piers Morgan has confronted Remainer Anna Soubry after she hit back at his claim that the European Union had "finally united Britain about Brexit" amid the row over vaccines which has left the bloc humiliated. The Good Morning Britain presenter took to Twitter on Saturday to launch a stunning attack on Brussels. Mr Morgan blasted the EU's "shocking antics" after it moved to override part of the Brexit agreement on Northern Ireland to block jabs entering the UK - which has sparked outrage from across the political spectrum. The former newspaper editor tweeted: "Congrats to the EU on finally uniting Britain about Brexit. "With their shocking antics over vaccines, they've managed to achieve the impossible and make us all - Leavers AND Remainers - think they're a bunch of selfish, ruthless, arrogant twerps." But former Conservative MP Ms Soubry insisted the UK's vaccine success - which has seen more than 8.3 million people receive their first shot and almost half a million get their second - was "nothing to do with Brexit". She fumed: "Reckon I speak for a fair few million ... we never said the #EU was perfect indeed many of us believed it needed reforming but we believed we were considerably better off in it than out of it. "And negotiating our own #CovidVaccine deals was nothing to do with #Brexit." Ms Soubry's tweet prompted the GMB host to point out she would be blaming Brexit if the UK was as slow as the EU with its rollout. Mr Morgan said: "If the situation was reversed and the EU was performing like the UK on its vaccine roll-out, and we were performing as badly as the EU is... then you would definitely be blaming Brexit." 1.09pm update: Change the record! Labour's Lord Adonis insists 'we have to reverse Brexit' and Rejoin EU The Labour peer took to Twitter amid the debacle to claim the EU "generally adds value" to member states. His comments come as Brussels has been embroiled in a vaccine row which saw it move to block vaccines entering the UK before making an embarrassing U-turn. Lord Adonis tweeted: "The whole point of the EU is that it adds value to the member states. "It generally does so, which is why we will have to reverse Brexit in due course. "But unless you are a fool, you believe that all human institutions are fundamentally flawed and in need of constant improvement." The Remainer's tweet prompted a backlash from some Twitter users. One hit back: "Except that for the last few years you have been telling us that they are the 'grownups in the room'." Another blasted: "What happened exposed a very large 'flaw'." A third fumed: "Are you actually trying to excuse the EU for their blatant bullying in the last few days? "Come on, even an EU sycophant like you must've shocked by their behaviour." 11.23am update: 'Just calm down!' Irish Taoiseach lectures UK to 'dial down the tone' on EU vaccine row Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin has hit out at the UK amid the ongoing row after Brussels threatened to block vaccines entering the country. Speaking to the BBC's Andrew Marr, Mr Martin ordered the UK to "just calm down" and "dial down the tone". In a stunning swipe, the Irish leader also laid the blame for the ongoing spat with the British–Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, adding: "What's gone wrong here is that AstraZeneca is not delivering." Mr Martin said: "If we could dial down the tone and work collegially, that is the best way to deal with this. "If we can just calm down, all of us, there is an understandable race against time to get the vaccines out. There is a lot of understandable anxiety." 10.18am update: We did it TOGETHER! Farage hails Express readers as he celebrates one year since Brexit On the one year anniversary of the UK officially quitting the trade bloc, the former MEP and Brexit Party leader said Britain's freedom was only secured thanks to the campaigning of the Express. In November 2010 the Daily Express became the first national newspaper to demand openly that Britain should leave the EU. Speaking to this website, Nigel Farage said: "We forced them into it. "Thousands of supporters, and hundreds of thousands of Express readers, forced the referendum because the Express was, of course, the first newspaper to come out nationally and say we should leave." Britain had originally been due to leave the EU on March 29 2019 but failure to agree a divorce deal with the bloc delayed the moment by 10 months. When the UK finally did break free, there were widespread celebrations.
9.54am update: One year anniversary of Brexit is celebrated on social media Today marks the first anniversary of Britain offically leaving the European Union on January 31, 2020. Brexiteers marked the occasion with tweets showing how far the UK has come over the last year. Youtuber Mahyar Tousi wrote: "One year ago on this day, I celebrated Brexit with Wetherspoon's Tim Martin and Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay. "This year today, I celebrate the fact that we were right about Brexit's success and EU's failure." Another added on Twitter: "One year ago I was in Westminster.. brexit got done, well eventually. What a rollercoaster." And a third said: "Happy Independence Day! One year ago today, against all odds, we finally got Brexit done." 9.05am update: Blair squirms when confronted with benefits of Brexit – refuses to accept vaccine example Tony Blair squirmed when he was confronted with the benefits of Brexit after he furiously attacked the EU's attempt to override the Brexit deal on Northern Ireland under its vaccine export controls. The former Prime Minister, who has been a vocal supporter of the UK remaining in the bloc, said Brussels' action in triggering Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol to control the movement of coronavirus jabs had been "unacceptable". The EU backtracked on the move, imposed unilaterally as it faces shortfalls on vaccine supplies, after facing universal criticism from London, Dublin and Belfast. Asked if the move was irresponsible, Mr Blair told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "Yes, it was a very foolish thing to do and fortunately they withdrew it very quickly. "I was somebody who negotiated the Good Friday Agreement, it's brought peace to the island of Ireland and it is absolutely vital that we protect it and that's why what the European Commission did was unacceptable but, as you say, fortunately they withdrew it very quickly." Ms Ridge asked whether this demonstrated why Brexit was a good thing as the UK could be "more nimble" and have less bureaucracy outside of Europe. Mr Blair looked startled when asked the question and fidgeted in his chair. He then said: "We could have done this inside the EU as well, there was no obligation on us to join the European purchasing arrangements and of course, at the time we made our arrangements when were were still in the transition period. "I'm well aware people will make that point."
8.16am update: EU trade war: Single market split feared as Poland 'marginalised' amid rule of law clash EU analyst Marek Tatala spoke of his fear that the ongoing row between Brussels and Warsaw over the latter's violations of European Union's rule of law requirements could escalate into a wider trade war. Poland is being "marginalised" according to Mr Tatala, with many of the larger members states such as France putting up barriers to the single market in order to protect their own economies. With the Polish government frozen out of the key decision on the future of the market, the expert fears the Polish economy will be harmed. Mr Tatala spoke to Express.co.uk of his concerns that some of the large EU member states had already begun to adopt economic "protectionism," pushing Poland out of discussions around the single market. He said: "While we are very focused in Poland about the topic of rule of law and the government is essentially fighting with Brussels over these issues. "I think causes the Polish government to be marginalised in discussions around the future of the single market "We see some tendencies for intra-EU protectionism for example in France, in some other large EU states when they try to protect their economies from the free flow of goods and services in the EU." 8.08am update: EU vaccine bullies: Bloc wants to punish UK for being better prepared, says German ex-MEP Hans-Olaf Henkel said Brussels was paying the price for its dogmatic insistence on rolling out the vaccine across Europe in a uniform fashion, a decision he suggested had undoubtedly cost lives. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her colleagues on Friday sought to trigger Article 15 of the Northern Ireland protocol as a result of its row with AstraZeneca over shortfalls in COVID-19 jabs, in a move described by Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster as "an incredible act of hostility". Mr Henkel, who stepped down from the European Parliament in 2019, told Express.co.uk: "If the EU feels that AstraZeneca treats them unfairly it should exploit the normal legal routes against the company and not punish those Governments which were able to negotiate better conditions, higher quantities and faster deliveries." In opting take such a drastic step, the EU had gone against its own principles, Mr Henkel said. |
| Posted: 31 Jan 2021 02:00 AM PST  On the one year anniversary of the UK officially quitting the trade bloc, the former MEP and Brexit Party leader said Britain's freedom was only secured thanks to the campaigning of the Express. In November 2010 the Daily Express became the first national newspaper to demand openly that Britain should leave the EU. Speaking to this website, Nigel Farage said: "We forced them into it. "Thousands of supporters, and hundreds of thousands of Express readers, forced the referendum because the Express was, of course, the first newspaper to come out nationally and say we should leave." Britain had originally been due to leave the EU on March 29 2019 but failure to agree a divorce deal with the bloc delayed the moment by 10 months. When the UK finally did break free, there were widespread celebrations. READ MORE ON OUR BREXIT LIVE BLOG Reflecting on the jubilant scenes taking place across the UK a year ago today, Mr Farage said: "We're one year on from that moment at 11pm in Parliament Square, there were tens of thousands of us there, fireworks, singing, music, it was joyous. "We were really celebrating because in that crowd there were people who had given so much for the Brexit movement over so many years." He added: "In terms of the history of our nation, what a massive moment it was, and I shall never forget it." While the UK was no longer officially a member of the EU after January 31 2020, it was still forced to follow Brussels rules until the end of the year while Prime Minister Boris Johnson thrashed out a new trading relationship with the bloc. Mr Farage has made no secret of the fact that while he's happy to live with the deal Mr Johnson has negotiated, in his view, it falls short of what the Conservatives promised. He described the impact of the trade deal on fisheries as "so awful it's not true", adding "battles like this will go on, and on, and on". DON'T MISS: He said: "There are things a year on that I'm not overjoyed about. "Clearly fishing, clearly some of the nonsense at the border, clearly Northern Ireland just being cast off. "These are things I'm not happy about. But if you take the big picture, we're out, we're not going back, we've signed in principle over 60 trade deals around the world, we've proven we can make better decisions as ourselves. "Taken as a whole I can't be anything, after a near 30 year campaign, but please that we are on the right road." However, Mr Farage reflected with sorrow thatt he coronavirus crisis has blighted a year of what should have been national celebration following our departure from the EU. "January 31 was the day that the first case of Covid-19 was diagnosed in the United Kingdom," he said. "So, some of the celebration of Brexit has been marred in a sense because of the Covid-19 pandemic. "Its marred hundreds of thousands of lives and been a pretty miserable time for so many people." |
| Boris Johnson’s plot to overhaul BBC: Brexiteer Paul Dacre set to become chair of Ofcom - Express Posted: 31 Jan 2021 04:29 AM PST  The former editor of the Daily Mail, who is a critic of the Beeb, is said to be the Prime Minister's choice for the role at the regulator. The move is reportedly part of Mr Johnson's plans to overhaul the broadcaster. The Guardian cited Whitehall and media sources as claiming the Prime Minister is preparing to announce the appointment. Mr Dacre stepped down as the Daily Mail's editor in 2018 and is now chairman and editor-in-chief of Associated Newspapers, which publishes the newspaper. The Sunday Times previously reported that the Brexiteer was in talks with Downing Street about the Ofcom role after the Prime Minister "wooed" him over drinks at Number 10 in February. Maggie Carver was appointed as Ofcom's interim chair following the departure of Lord Burns at the end of the year. It comes as Richard Sharp's appointment as the next BBC chairman was approved by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee earlier this month. It followed reports that ex-Daily Telegraph editor and biographer of Margaret Thatcher, Lord Moore, was in line for the job. Former Goldman Sachs banker Mr Sharp admitted the BBC's culture needed to be "rebuilt" as he appeared before MPs. He told the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee: "Clearly some of the problems the BBC has had recently are really quite terrible and reflect a culture that needs to be rebuilt so everyone that works at the BBC and cherishes the BBC feels proud to work there. READ MORE: Piers Morgan attacks 'arrogant' EU for 'uniting Britain about Brexit' Mr Sharp also warned of the importance of serving the BBC's regional audience, telling MPs: "If the BBC doesn't mean anything to somebody in Sunderland then it is failing." He added that he was not in favour of the decriminalisation of the licence fee, describing it as "the least worst" method of funding the BBC. He said: "The question is, 'Is the BBC value for money?' Yes, it is. How do we raise that money? That is certainly an issue. "I happen to be satisfied looking at it in a relatively superficial way that the current process is fit for purpose." It comes as the BBC is facing pressure over issues including the licence fee and bias. The broadcaster sparked a huge backlash when it scrapped free TV licences for most over-75s last year. Campaign group Defund The BBC has amassed nearly 100,000 Twitter followers since it launched last June. Express.co.uk has contacted Downing Street and the DCMS for comment. |
| Posted: 31 Jan 2021 07:43 AM PST  It has been suggested the trend is a consequence of losing certain citizenship rights and having to apply for an EU visa because of Brexit. This is a stark reversal of the years of outward migration that preceded Brexit. More than 10,000 British pensioners have left the bloc since the Brexit referendum in 2016. There has been a drop of 10 percent of British ex-pats in some European countries. New data from the UK's Department for Work and Pensions has found there are now 10,947 fewer UK retirees living in EU countries. The number of UK pensioners living abroad increased to its highest level in 2017 to 475,000. There are now 463,774 British expatriates still living in the EU. JUST IN: Blair squirms when confronted with benefits of Brexit In Italy and Cyprus, one in ten British pensioners returned home. Since the Brexit referendum more and more retirees have decided to come back to the UK. Tim Holmes of Salisbury House Wealth, a financial adviser, said this was a sign that British retirees were afraid of the consequences of losing certain rights after Brexit. Those wishing to stay in the EU will have to apply for a Visa from June this year. He said: "Many pensioners have already packed their bags. "They have left the sunnier parts of Europe behind in the fear that further complications would arise as a result of the UK's departure." |
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