EU nationals cancel travel plans amid confusion over potential sudden end to free movement
Citizens from other EU member states living in Britain have called on the government to provide more clarity urgently on their status in the event of a sharp end to free movement following a no-deal Brexit.
Although 1 million EU nationals resident in the UK have already applied for settled status, at least a further 2.6 million have yet to apply. More than 100 people in this situation contacted the Guardian on Tuesday to express fears about what their status would be immediately after a no-deal Brexit.
Without pass, exporter’s goods could be held up at UK ports and airports after 31 October
The government will allocate customs passes to thousands of businesses over the next two weeks to prevent goods being held up at the UK border in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
The chancellor, Sajid Javid, said giving unique customs numbers to 88,000 exporters was part of the Treasury’s £2.1bn of extra no-deal preparations and would “ease the flow of goods at border points and support businesses to trade and grow”.
Johnson says MPs who claim they can prevent no deal are to blame for hardline EU response
The European Union has rebuffed Boris Johnson’s attempts to tear up the Irish backstop, in a coordinated response that appeared to close the door on further meaningful Brexit negotiations.
In remarks shortly before the prime minister departed for a whistle-stop tour to meet European leaders, Johnson put the blame for the EU’s hardline response at the feet of Conservative rebels, claiming his negotiating strategy was being undermined by those who said they could prevent no deal.
Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen
- Diane Abbott: free movement plan worse than Windrush
- Analysis: what’s in new bid to remove backstop?
Here is another extract from Boris Johnson’s clip for Sky News. Johnson said that in his meetings with Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron later this week, and at the G7, he would be saying that the backstop would have to go. He said that the UK was not going to have checks at the border in Northern Ireland in any circumstances, and that that it was “a bit odd” that it was the EU who thought that checks might be necessary. And he insisted that alternatives to the backstop could be negotiated in the future talks on a long-term trade deal.
Then he went on:
You know what. At the moment it is absolutely true that our friends and partners are a bit negative. I saw what Donald Tusk had to say, and it wasn’t redolent of a sense of optimism. But I think, actually, we will get there. I think there’s a real sense now that something needs to be done with this backstop. We can’t get it through parliament as it is. So I’m going to go at it with a lot of oomph, as you would expect, and I hope we will be making some progress in the course of the next few weeks.
Three UK residents yet to apply for settled status describe their fears about a no-deal Brexit
EU citizens living, working and studying in the UK have spoken of their fears for the future after the Home Office announced plans to end freedom of movement immediately after a no-deal Brexit.
Silvia González, 40, who moved to Wales from Spain in May 2015 after falling in love with British culture during a year studying in the country when she was younger, said Brexit had turned her “dream into a nightmare”.
European citizens in UK fear they could be caught up in hostile environment policies
Plans to end freedom of movement for EU citizens immediately after a no-deal Brexit have caused anxiety and confusion among European nationals in the UK, with concerns they could be caught up in hostile environment policies.
Downing Street confirmed rules allowing EU nationals to live and work freely in the UK would end abruptly if the UK leaves the bloc without an agreement at the end of October.
Purchases on holidays and cars fall, with UK consumer confidence at lowest ebb in three months
UK households have cut back on big purchases such as holidays as fears of a possible recession continue to loom, a survey suggests.
Confidence among UK households has fallen to its lowest in three months, according to the latest IHS Markit household finance index, dropping to 43.7 in August from 44.3 the previous month.
Labour leader likens ‘hard right’ PM to Trump and says he wants a no-deal Brexit ‘to create a tax haven for the super rich’
Jeremy Corbyn will accuse Boris Johnson of being a “fake populist and phoney outsider” in the mould of Donald Trump as he sets out his election pitch to transform the country as radically as Labour did in 1945 with the creation of the welfare state.
The Labour leader will give a flagship speech in the key marginal seat of Corby in the east Midlands as speculation grows about an election in the coming weeks.
Government figures seek to play down predictions of food, medicine and fuel shortages in leaked document
Downing Street has reacted with fury to the leak of an official document predicting that a no-deal Brexit would lead to food, medicine and petrol shortages, with No 10 sources blaming the disclosure on a hostile former minister intent on ruining Boris Johnson’s trip to see EU leaders this week.
The leaked document, detailing preparations under Operation Yellowhammer, argues that the most likely scenario is severe extended delays to medicine supplies and shortages of some fresh foods, combined with price rises, if there is a no-deal Brexit on 31 October.
From cross-Channel transport disruption to public disorder – the predictions in the leaked document
A government report on Operation Yellowhammer was leaked on Sunday, revealing the probable consequences of the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement, which is due to happen on 31 October. Here are the key points:
EU citizens in UK demand clarification of status as no deal looms
EU nationals cancel travel plans amid [...]Customs passes to be allocated as part of no-deal Brexit planning
Without pass, exporter’s goods could be held [...]EU rejects Boris Johnson request to remove backstop
Johnson says MPs who claim they can prevent [...]
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