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| Brexit: MPs set to pass withdrawal agreement bill – live news | Brexit: MPs set to pass withdrawal agreement bill – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Follow the latest political developments as MPs are due to vote on the EU withdrawal agreement bill and Clive Lewis becomes the second Labour MP to enter party’s leadership contest | Follow the latest political developments as MPs are due to vote on the EU withdrawal agreement bill and Clive Lewis becomes the second Labour MP to enter party’s leadership contest |
| Kier Starmer has set out another pitch for the Labour leadership. The shadow Brexit secretary has still not officially confirmed he is running, but an article for Labour List suggests this is very much his plan. | |
| Starmer writes: | |
| Starmer calls for Labour to broaden its appeal and widen its ideological stance. | |
| The Brexit secretary, Steven Barclay, has defended the government’s decision to strip out commitments on workers’ rights from the withdrawal agreement bill. | |
| Speaking on TalkRadio he said: | |
| Barclay also claimed the disbanding of his Department for Exiting the European Union was an “an exciting opportunity in government”. | |
| He said after the department is scrapped former officials will be redeployed to other departments. | |
| Barclay said: “It’s an opportunity actually to pay tribute to the many officials in the department who have built up a massive amount of expertise. And what we can then do is socialise that expertise across Whitehall into the many departments that will be dealing with trade, because all areas of the government will then be involved in the future trade deal.” | |
| Sajid Javid has announced that the head of Financial Conduct Authority, Andrew Bailey, will be the new governor of the Bank of England. The chancellor said he was the “stand out candidate” to succeed Mark Carney. Bailey will take over in March. | |
| Our Business blog has more. | Our Business blog has more. |
| European parliament vice president, Pedro Silva Pereira, said officials in Brussels expect to conclude the ratification process in the European parliament by 29 January. | |
| Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he said: “We’ve always respected the choice of the British people, but it is true that it was a very long process.” | Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he said: “We’ve always respected the choice of the British people, but it is true that it was a very long process.” |
| Asked what kind of trade deal can be negotiated and how “deep” it can be if it is to be completely concluded by the end of 2020, he said: “We have a very short timeframe available. | Asked what kind of trade deal can be negotiated and how “deep” it can be if it is to be completely concluded by the end of 2020, he said: “We have a very short timeframe available. |
| “Eleven months to negotiate such a complex trade agreement is unprecedented. It is a different situation. We come from a level of economic integration which has no comparison with other trade agreements that we’ve done before.” | “Eleven months to negotiate such a complex trade agreement is unprecedented. It is a different situation. We come from a level of economic integration which has no comparison with other trade agreements that we’ve done before.” |
| He added: “The key issue will be what kind of regulatory dis-alignment we will have. The political declaration that we’ve agreed with the UK envisaged a very ambitious trading relationship with zero tariffs, zero quotas. But this can only be achieved if we ensure some regulatory alignment.” | |
| Boris Johnson is due to open today’s second reading debate on the withdrawal agreement bill at 9.30am. | Boris Johnson is due to open today’s second reading debate on the withdrawal agreement bill at 9.30am. |
| The Brexit secretary, Steve Barclay, is set to close the debate and MPs are expected to start voting at about 2.30pm. | The Brexit secretary, Steve Barclay, is set to close the debate and MPs are expected to start voting at about 2.30pm. |
| Barclay’s department is due to be scrapped by the end of January, along with the word “Brexit” if No 10 gets its way. | Barclay’s department is due to be scrapped by the end of January, along with the word “Brexit” if No 10 gets its way. |
| According to the Huffington Post, the prime minister has ordered officials to drop the term “Brexit” once the Wab passes and the UK leaves the EU on 31 January as planned. | According to the Huffington Post, the prime minister has ordered officials to drop the term “Brexit” once the Wab passes and the UK leaves the EU on 31 January as planned. |
| Some shadow cabinet members representing pro-leave seats are understood to have suggested the Labour party should not vote against the Wab in today’s second reading vote. | Some shadow cabinet members representing pro-leave seats are understood to have suggested the Labour party should not vote against the Wab in today’s second reading vote. |
| But the party remains split on Brexit. Labour MP Anneliese Dodds said she is “very concerned” about the bill. | But the party remains split on Brexit. Labour MP Anneliese Dodds said she is “very concerned” about the bill. |
| Speaking to the Today programme, she said: “I really don’t feel that it’s really matching up to many of the commitments that were given by previous Conservative governments, and as a result we really have to reject that bill. | Speaking to the Today programme, she said: “I really don’t feel that it’s really matching up to many of the commitments that were given by previous Conservative governments, and as a result we really have to reject that bill. |
| “I mean, clearly, with a government majority of the size that it is at the moment, it is likely that it will pass, but I think we’ve got to represent our constituents’ concerns and do at least what we can to make sure these issues are heard.” | “I mean, clearly, with a government majority of the size that it is at the moment, it is likely that it will pass, but I think we’ve got to represent our constituents’ concerns and do at least what we can to make sure these issues are heard.” |
| After the election there had been speculation that the size of Johnson’s majority meant he might pursue a softer Brexit and and could afford to face down his hardline Eurosceptics. | After the election there had been speculation that the size of Johnson’s majority meant he might pursue a softer Brexit and and could afford to face down his hardline Eurosceptics. |
| But a hard version of Brexit is still very much on the agenda following changes set out in the Brexit bill. And the European Research Group (ERG) is delighted. | But a hard version of Brexit is still very much on the agenda following changes set out in the Brexit bill. And the European Research Group (ERG) is delighted. |
| The Eurosceptic MP Bernard Jenkin said the ERG is “quite happy”. | The Eurosceptic MP Bernard Jenkin said the ERG is “quite happy”. |
| He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It was the remainers that wrecked Boris Johnson’s ability to get the agreement through parliament. “Every member of the ERG supported Boris Johnson’s agreement, so we’re generally quite happy about how all this is proceeding. It’s a compromise deal.” | He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It was the remainers that wrecked Boris Johnson’s ability to get the agreement through parliament. “Every member of the ERG supported Boris Johnson’s agreement, so we’re generally quite happy about how all this is proceeding. It’s a compromise deal.” |
| Jenkin added: “I’m just reminding myself what was in our manifesto – take back control of our laws, take back control of our money, control our trade policy, introduce an Australian-style points immigration system, raise standards in areas like workers rights, animal welfare, agriculture and the environment, and ensure we’re in full control of our fishing waters. I mean, we’re the manifesto support group now.” | Jenkin added: “I’m just reminding myself what was in our manifesto – take back control of our laws, take back control of our money, control our trade policy, introduce an Australian-style points immigration system, raise standards in areas like workers rights, animal welfare, agriculture and the environment, and ensure we’re in full control of our fishing waters. I mean, we’re the manifesto support group now.” |
| Welcome to Politics Live a week on from the morning the nation woke up to news of Boris Johnson’s thumping election win. | Welcome to Politics Live a week on from the morning the nation woke up to news of Boris Johnson’s thumping election win. |
| His 80-seat majority means there is no doubt that MPs will pass the withdrawal agreement bill when it comes up for a second reading vote on Friday afternoon. This will be put Johnson’s government on course to meet the election pledge of getting out of the EU by 31 January. | His 80-seat majority means there is no doubt that MPs will pass the withdrawal agreement bill when it comes up for a second reading vote on Friday afternoon. This will be put Johnson’s government on course to meet the election pledge of getting out of the EU by 31 January. |
| The Brexit Bill set out in Thursday’s Queen’s speech has been greeted with dismay by opposition MPs. It strips out protections for workers’ rights, waters down a commitment to take unaccompanied refugee children from Europe, and removes parliament’s say on the future relationship. It also inserts a ban on the government extending the Brexit transition period beyond the end of 2020. | The Brexit Bill set out in Thursday’s Queen’s speech has been greeted with dismay by opposition MPs. It strips out protections for workers’ rights, waters down a commitment to take unaccompanied refugee children from Europe, and removes parliament’s say on the future relationship. It also inserts a ban on the government extending the Brexit transition period beyond the end of 2020. |
| Meanwhile, the shadow Treasury minister Clive Lewis has declared his candidacy for Labour leader. And Nicola Sturgeon has called for the Scottish parliament to be given permanent powers to hold subsequent referendums on independence from the UK. | Meanwhile, the shadow Treasury minister Clive Lewis has declared his candidacy for Labour leader. And Nicola Sturgeon has called for the Scottish parliament to be given permanent powers to hold subsequent referendums on independence from the UK. |