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Government drops claims that no-deal Brexit 'unlikely' - Politics live Government drops claims that no-deal Brexit 'unlikely' - Politics live
(about 1 hour later)
Q: What will be on the agenda for Polish-UK cooperation after Brexit? And what will bind the two countries together?
Morawiecki says he hopes a new trade agreement will be negotiated soon. The withdrawal agreement can lead to that, he says.
And that’s it.
As press conferences go, that was about as unilluminating as they come.
Q: What has been discussed about the rights of Poles living in the UK?
Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish prime minister, says he has discussed this frequently with May.
He says the withdrawal agreement is the best deal available. He says he hopes it is adopted.
Q: If there is a no-deal Brexit, and chaos is unleashed, whose fault will it be?
May says she is working to get a deal. The way to avoid no deal is for parliament to approve her deal, she says.
She says EU nationals in the UK would have their rights respected if there is no deal. And the Polish PM has offered similar assurances to Britons living in Poland.
Q: What do you think about the fact that cabinet minsters are openly talking about what should happen if your deal gets voted down, including a second referendum?
May says she and other cabinet ministers have been clear that they want to get further assurances so that they can get their deal through the Commons. She says there will be further discussions with the EU.
Q: Is the UK unprepared for the use of drones at airports?
May says the government has already legislated to stop this. People can be sentenced to up to five years in jail for this. And the government is considering giving the police more powers, she says.
Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish prime minister, is speaking now.
He also stresses links between the two countries.
It is important to ensure Nato remains strong, he says.
On Brexit, he says he appreciates the efforts Theresa May has made. He says Poland always tried to support pragmatic solutions, to make sure the withdrawal agreement was as good as possible. He says it is the best deal available.
He says it would be beneficial for both sides for the agreement to come into force.
The UK is leaving the EU, he says. But it is not leaving Europe, he says.
He says the Polish diaspora living in the UK can feel secure now about their rights being respected. He says he is glad people have found a new home here. But he would like Poles to return home, he says.
UPDATE: MLex’s Matthew Holehouse has the quote.
Poland's Morawiecki in London: “We are happy that they have found a new home. However as our economy is blooming we’d like our citizens to consider returning to Poland, although we respect everyone’s personal choices.”
Theresa May is speaking at the press conference now.
She says the UK and Poland are key strategic allies. Their armed forces will work side by side on training exercises, and there will be increased cooperation in the Baltic Sea.
She says their security services will work together against organised crime.
Both countries want a peaceful Europe, and share the same concerns about threats. She says they are worried about Russia undermining the rules-based system.
The trade relationship is thriving, she says.
Both countries want a cleaner world, and today they have established a clean growth partnership.
She says the UK and Poland are two of the most innovative economies in Europe. She says she and Mateusz Morawiecki have discussed plans for tech cooperation.
She says protecting the rights of Poles and other EU nationals living in the UK after Brexit has been a priority.
Her message to Poles here has been clear, she says: “You can stay, and we want you to stay.”
She also repeats the line in Polish.
Earlier the Polish PM, Mateusz Morawiecki, posted this on Twitter about his talks with Theresa May.
Sytuacja Polaków w Wielkiej Brytanii to kluczowy aspekt rozmów z premier Theresą May. Naszym celem jest też utrzymanie swobody wymiany handlowej, tak istotnej dla polskich firm. Wierzę, że brytyjski parlament podejmie taką decyzję, która będzie korzystna dla wszystkich stron.
Tweetdeck translates that as:
The situation of Poles in the United Kingdom is a key aspect of the talks with the Prime Minister Theresą May. Our aim is also to maintain the freedom of trade, so important for Polish companies. I believe that the British Parliament will take such a decision, which is beneficial to all parties.
Theresa May is about to hold a press conference with her Polish counterpart, Mateusz Morawiecki.
Good news for opponents of a second referendum; they have got an endorsement from one of the world’s most powerful men. As my colleague Andrew Roth reports, the Russian president Vladimir Putin has declared it would be a bad idea in his annual marathon press conference today.Good news for opponents of a second referendum; they have got an endorsement from one of the world’s most powerful men. As my colleague Andrew Roth reports, the Russian president Vladimir Putin has declared it would be a bad idea in his annual marathon press conference today.
Showing a concern for the sanctity of democracy which has not always been a hallmark of his career, Putin argued that the will of the people must be respected. He said:Showing a concern for the sanctity of democracy which has not always been a hallmark of his career, Putin argued that the will of the people must be respected. He said:
Was it not a referendum? Someone disliked the result, so repeat it over and over? Is this democracy? What then would be the point of the referendum in the first place?Was it not a referendum? Someone disliked the result, so repeat it over and over? Is this democracy? What then would be the point of the referendum in the first place?
Here is Andrew’s story in full.Here is Andrew’s story in full.
Vladimir Putin tells Theresa May to 'fulfil will of people' on BrexitVladimir Putin tells Theresa May to 'fulfil will of people' on Brexit
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has published his draft budget for 2019/20. He is planning to increase the share of London council tax that he claims by 9% - the maximum increase allowed that does not require a referendum to approve it. For an average band D council tax payer in the capital, this will amount to an increase of £26.28 a year, or 50p a week - taking the overall contribution going to the mayor from £294.23 to £320.51.Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has published his draft budget for 2019/20. He is planning to increase the share of London council tax that he claims by 9% - the maximum increase allowed that does not require a referendum to approve it. For an average band D council tax payer in the capital, this will amount to an increase of £26.28 a year, or 50p a week - taking the overall contribution going to the mayor from £294.23 to £320.51.
Almost all the increase will go towards policing, which will get an extra £84.4m.Almost all the increase will go towards policing, which will get an extra £84.4m.
Explaining the move, Khan said:Explaining the move, Khan said:
My first responsibility is to keep Londoners safe. Over 70% of the Met’s funding is controlled by the government and ministers have repeatedly refused to reverse the cuts they have made since 2010. As a result the Met has already had to make cuts of some £850m and I am furious that this is set to continue.My first responsibility is to keep Londoners safe. Over 70% of the Met’s funding is controlled by the government and ministers have repeatedly refused to reverse the cuts they have made since 2010. As a result the Met has already had to make cuts of some £850m and I am furious that this is set to continue.
I am concerned that the government is continuing to shift the burden of police funding from government grant to council tax – which is deeply regressive and hits the poorest the hardest.I am concerned that the government is continuing to shift the burden of police funding from government grant to council tax – which is deeply regressive and hits the poorest the hardest.
However, the brutal reality of the rise in violent crime and government cuts means that I have little choice but to increase the policing element of the council tax by the maximum amount allowed by ministers.However, the brutal reality of the rise in violent crime and government cuts means that I have little choice but to increase the policing element of the council tax by the maximum amount allowed by ministers.
Khan also announced that he is going to spend £6.8m on significantly expanding a new violence reduction unit. This will develop a public health approach to tackling violent crime. “Using data to form a strong evidence base, the unit will use this money to identify where and how to make early interventions in a young person’s life as part of a long-term strategy to prevent the spread of violence,” Khan’s office says.Khan also announced that he is going to spend £6.8m on significantly expanding a new violence reduction unit. This will develop a public health approach to tackling violent crime. “Using data to form a strong evidence base, the unit will use this money to identify where and how to make early interventions in a young person’s life as part of a long-term strategy to prevent the spread of violence,” Khan’s office says.
The Brexit department has put out this statement about its decision to remove the claim in its no-deal planning notices that such an outcome is “unlikely”. (See 12.22pm.) A spokesperson said:
The language on gov.uk has been updated to reflect Tuesday’s cabinet decision to enact the remaining elements of our no deal preparations. We fully expect to get a deal and believe that is the most likely outcome - that is what we are focused on delivering.
This is a terrific spot from Sky’s Faisal Islam.
No Deal no longer “unlikely” - GovernmentGovernment has in past 24 hours quietly edited every No Deal technical notice to take out word “unlikely” from the sentence “in the unlikely event of no deal...”Now says “in the event of no deal”. See before and after on medicines👇🏾 pic.twitter.com/KrWHCMGng9
You can find all the technical notices here. They were originally published in the summer. I’ve just been having a quick look through the ones we printed out an filed at the time. Many of them did not specifically use the word “unlikely” to refer to the prospect of a no-deal Brexit. But some of them did, and those ones do seem to have been edited, so that the word “unlikely” has been removed.
The SNP’s Pete Wishart asks if the Dominic Grieve amendment to the original business motion for the Brexit deal debate still stands. This is the one that effectively says, if MPs vote down the deal, the Commons should have the option on voting for an alternative ‘plan B’.
Leadsom says the Grieve amendment still stands.
Labour’s Valerie Vaz, the shadow leader of the Commons, asks Leadsom when the Brexit debate will end.
And she asks for clarification on whether it will be a new debate, or a resumption of the old debate.
In response, Leadsom says the business for the week beginning Monday 14 January will be set out in the business of the House motion to be debated on Wednesday 9 January.
As for whether MPs will be debating a new motion, or just resuming their debate on the motion tabled earlier this month, she says that will depend on what Theresa May comes back with after her talks with the EU.
And as for whether MPs who have already spoken in the debate will be allowed to speak again, she says that will be a matter for the speaker.
Leadsom refuses to name the day when the vote on the Brexit deal will be held.
She says whether or not the government tables a new motion will depend on the outcome of May’s talks with the EU.
The Labour whips are criticising Leadsom for not saying when the actual vote will be held.
Confirmation the Govt haven’t set or announced a date for the meaningful vote & we’re unlikely to know until 2019. The Govt can’t even say whether we’ll be voting on the exact same legal text of the deal as we were meant to on 11 Dec or not #BrexitShambles #InOfficeButNotInPower pic.twitter.com/PZDh4yO7mH
Andrea Leadsom, the Commons leader, has just told MPs that the new debate on Theresa May’s Brexit deal will start on Wednesday 9 January. She said she expected MPs to debate it on Thursday and Friday that week as well.
She did not say when the vote would be, but if it is a five-day debate again, the vote would probably be on Tuesday 15 January.
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has announced that the Greater London Authority will reimburse its EU employees who have to pay £65 to acquire “settled status” after Brexit. He said it would be better if the government abolished this fee for all EU citizens staying in the UK, but if it does not, the GLA will cover the cost for its staff. This will benefit EU nationals working for bodies like the Metropolitan police, the London fire brigade or Transport for London.
In a statement Khan said:
London is a truly global city where we see our incredible diversity as a strength, not a weakness. Our EU staff are Londoners, they are critical to the work of City Hall and across the GLA, they belong here and they will always be welcome and valued. I urge the government to scrap the ‘settled status’ application fee – no one should be forced to pay to stay because their immigration status was changed through no fault of their own. However, until ministers do this, I can confirm that we will help our EU staff apply for ‘settled status’ as quickly and painlessly as possible.
I urge other London businesses to follow our lead and offer all support possible to the one million European Londoners, ensuring that those who have come to our city remain able to contribute to every aspect of life here, and continue to make London a vibrant, dynamic and prosperous city.
The Scottish government is going to do the same for EU nationals working in the public services in Scotland, although Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, recently complained that the UK government will not let the Scottish government pay the fees upfront. Instead, it will reimburse individuals after they have paid themselves.
And Labour has released this statement on the figures from the shadow housing minister Melanie Onn. She said:
These figures are utterly shameful and reflect a complete failure of Conservative policy on housing, which has seen rough sleeping skyrocket since 2010.
We are one of the richest countries in the world and there is no excuse for people dying on our streets.
Labour will provide £100m to ensure that everyone has shelter when it becomes dangerously cold. We will end rough sleeping within five years to ensure that everyone has a place to call home.
James Brokenshire, the communities secretary, has released a statement about the figures about the rise in the number of deaths of homeless people. (See 9.49am.) He said:
No one is meant to spend their lives on the streets, or without a home to call their own. Every death on our streets is too many and it is simply unacceptable to see lives cut short this way.
That’s why we are investing £1.2bn to tackle homelessness and have bold plans backed by £100m to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and end it by 2027.
I am also committed to ensuring independent reviews into the deaths of rough sleepers are conducted, where appropriate, so that important lessons are learned – and I will be holding local authorities to account in doing just that.
And to stop people from becoming homeless in the first place, we’ve changed the law to require councils to provide early support for those at risk of being left with nowhere left to go, are boosting access to affordable housing, and making renting more secure.
These figures will support us in our mission to end rough sleeping for good, ensuring we have as much detailed information as possible so we can target support in the right way.
Tate is acquiring four watercolours by the late women’s rights campaigner Sylvia Pankhurst, the Press Association reports. The paintings, from 1907, depict women working in mills and potteries. They are being acquired by Tate, with funds provided by the Denise Coates Foundation, from the artist’s grandchildren, Helen Pankhurst and Alula Pankhurst. Helen Pankhurst said:
The family are delighted that some of Sylvia’s paintings are being acquired by Tate. Sylvia was an artist as well as a champion of working women’s rights, her first passion not as well known as her second. In these beautiful pieces these interests are powerfully combined.