Brexit day 28: 'We have two women who get on with the job'
This is my last regular update before the summer recess. I hope you have found these amusing and, perhaps, even useful. Tomorrow I will pick out some of the highlights and lowlights of the last few weeks in a compilation as well as picking up anything that emerges from Paris tonight. If there’s anything you’ve seen please send it through. Also…I’ve finally got round to setting up a professional (as opposed to amateur) twitter account today (I know!) @rowlandreport
May and Merkel meet in Berlin
The historic moments are piling up like Govia Southern commuters at Brighton Station. Yesterday saw the meeting of May and Merkel as the two most powerful politicians in Europe. I can’t think of two people I would rather having dealing with this fraught situation. Theresa May said: "We have two women who get on with the job and want to deliver the best results". Chancellor Merkel replied “Exactly. I can only subscribe to that.” I think we can all subscribe to that.
The official line is that there are to be no negotiations on Brexit until the UK triggers Art 50, probably sometime next year. And it is true that there will be no official negotiations. However, back in the real world, Mrs May has waited precisely one week before getting on a plane and seeing Angela Merkel and François Hollande.
May has said repeatedly that she is going to wait until the UK has a settled negotiating position before she pulls the pin out of the Article 50 grenade. Mrs Merkel clearly endorsed the UK’s position yesterday saying it was “absolutely understandable” that the new government would “take a moment first and try to seek to identify its interests”. This is sporting of her – and is possibly tinged with a little sympathy for May’s predicament.
Over at the Commission, Juncker wants Britain out as quickly as possible. But he would, wouldn’t he? The French appear to be somewhat pushy on the matter too, though I can’t help but feel that this is partly posturing and I don’t see that it’s anyone’s interest to rush in – it’s not like the European Commission or Council were prepared for the vote in any case.
Of course, under the Treaty it’s also entirely up to the UK when to trigger Art 50. That said, the realpolitik is different. Patience will not be unlimited and if it looks like Article 50 notification drags too long into 2017 tempers may fray.
Don’t forget: While we are all selfishly obsessed by Brexit from a domestic perspective, the Turkish crackdown continues, Italy’s banking problem has not been resolved, a President Trump would radically alter the European security dynamic, France and Belgium have faced appalling terror attacks and refugees continue to seek refuge from brutal conflict. So while Britain may be planning to leave the EU, checking out is not an option. This is our neighbourhood and these problems have no regard for our membership or otherwise of the EU. I suggest that the one of the best ways to maintain goodwill with our friends in Europe is to show that the UK remains committed to the common security and foreign policy interests of the whole region.
Labour leadership: Corbyn launches campaign.
The only story that comes close to Kanye West’s feud with Taylor Swift for longevity mixed with incomprehensibility is the Labour leadership contest. The latest twists and turns:
First, in the past 48 hours, 183,000 people have paid £25 to vote in the leadership ballot. To put that number in perspective that’s more than the entire membership of the Conservative party. However, they aren’t all eligible and the final number is around 140,000:
These folks join the previously eligible voters. I have absolutely no clue what the final electorate is for the election – save for the fact that it is very large indeed. The more I think about it, the shabbier this process seems.
Second, Jeremy Corbyn kicked off his leadership campaign. I’m not naïve about the fact that different media outlets report with different biases. But this is how two of Britain’s leading news sources characterised Mr Corbyn’s launch:
Guardian:
This refers to Corbyn’s remark that "I have an ability to conveniently forget some of the unpleasant things that are said, because it is simply not worth it." As far as olive branches go, this is a bit on the Bonsai end of the scale.
Telegraph:
Meanwhile Kirkup focusses on Corbyn’s remark that at the next general election "there would be a full selection process in every constituency but the sitting MP... would have an opportunity to put their name forward…So there will be a full and open selection process for every constituency Labour Party through the whole of the UK." This means every single Labour MP will have to be re-selected by their Constituency Labour Party (CLP). While that sounds reasonable, particularly given the boundary review, it is loaded with the implicit threat that MPs disloyal to Corbyn (i.e. most of them) will be out on their ears.
He also announced some actual policy: proposals for gender pay audits at all firms employing over 20 staff. He also said that he would be setting out plans to combat five “evils” affecting society – inequality, neglect, insecurity, prejudice and discrimination – drawing inspiration from the Beveridge Report of the 1940s.
PS Buzzfeed has helpfully summarised the feud between Kanye West and Taylor Swift ‘for the people who don’t care but still kinda wanna know’. Warning: do not click through if you are easily offended or aren’t interested.
Luck of the Irish
President Hollande visited Ireland today for a truncated 5 hour trip before his meeting with Theresa May in Paris this evening. This is of course quite easy when you have one of these to fly you around (this, I believe, is one of the two aircraft once dubbed Air Carla One after Carla Bruni):
Aside from security and counter-terrorism in the wake of the Nice attacks, one of the items for discussion between Hollande and the Taoiseach was Brexit. In a press conference Enda Kenny stressed the importance of the UK having the closest possible future relationship with the EU. Ireland faces a particularly potent cocktail of possible risks from Brexit, given the extent of trade and cultural links with UK, a shared land border, the security situation in Northern Ireland and of course the vexed and related question of a United Ireland. Enda Kenny’s suggestion earlier in the week that, given a clause in the Good Friday Agreement, Brexit talks should take into account a referendum on a United Ireland prompted a number of interesting letters to the Irish Times here. HM Government’s position remains that the constitutional settlement is just that: settled.
ICYMI: Mssr Hollande’s personal barber earns monthly net income of €9,895. NET! Like that’s after tax. The Elysée palace said the hairdresser looks after Hollande’s hair “every morning and as many times as is necessary, [and] ahead of every speech”. He also travels with the French leader on most trips that last longer than a day.
Today in Parliament
New Leader of the House of Commons David Lidington has confirmed that there will be a need for new select committees for the new government departments, and dedicated question times in the chamber. Keep your eyes open.
Companies and markets
We launched a joint report today with the Chartered Insurance Institute on disruptive technology in finance today. Lots of questions from the audience on the potential impact of Brexit on the UK tech start-up scene. Concern about single market access and the ability to recruit the right talent top of people’s concerns. A particularly perceptive question from an audience member about whether Brexit talks could struggle to keep up with the adoption of emergent technologies such as blockchain which could radically alter cross-border markets. The Financial Times covered our report here.
Nige on tour
Ryan Heath, reporting from Cleveland, has the skinny over at Politico. Heath reports that Nige ‘received a hero’s welcome’ at an event on the fringe of the Convention. Farage repeated that he would be touring Europe helping other independence movements – but that if there was backsliding on Brexit he might consider re-entering politics for the 2020 election.
In any case, Nige is clearing enjoying himself. Corking!
Video of the day: Lib Dem fightback special
Bizarrely this video of Nick Clegg filming an election broadcast in March of last year has just surfaced. That’s Carly Rae Jepson on the soundtrack!