Brexit: UK has 12 days to set out plans - Finnish PM - BBC News

Boris Johnson has 12 days to set out his Brexit plans to the EU, according to Finland's prime minister.

Antti Rinne said he and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed the UK needed to produce the proposals in writing by the end of September, adding if not, "then it's over".

Finland currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.

A Downing Street source said: "We will continue negotiating and put forward proposals at the appropriate time."

Mr Johnson has said a deal is possible at a crucial summit of EU leaders on 17 October, but he has insisted Brexit will happen by the 31 October deadline, even if a deal is not agreed.

• Brexit talks 'should not be a pretence' - Barnier
• Brexit solution must recognise NI status - Foster

The UK government said talks with the EU have been making progress since Mr Johnson came into No 10 in July.

It said it had put forward "a number of proposals" as alternatives to the Irish border backstop - the policy aimed at preventing the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland and a key sticking point in former PM Theresa May's Brexit deal.

But Mr Johnson has repeatedly refused to reveal details of the proposals in interviews, saying he did not want to negotiate in public.

The EU has continued to criticise the UK for not putting any plans in writing.

Earlier, the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, said a meeting with Mr Johnson on Monday had been "constructive".

But he said until proposals had been put forward, "I will not be able to tell you, looking you straight in the eye, that any real progress has been achieved".

• Johnson attacked by Luxembourg PM over Brexit
• Politics, not process, will make the difference

Mr Rinne spoke to reporters after a meeting with the French president in Paris on Wednesday.

He said: "We both agreed that it is now time for Boris Johnson to produce his own proposals in writing - if they exist.

"If no proposals are received by the end of September, then it's over."

The Finnish PM intends to discuss the new deadline with the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, and Mr Johnson in the coming days, but the position has not yet been agreed with other EU nations.

An official at the Elysee said the plan was "not at all a new proposal" and added: "If we don't get the proposals before the end of September, we will not have enough time to discuss them before the summit in October."

'Fundamentally different deal'

Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted the prime minister was on course to deliver a "fundamentally different" Brexit deal to ensure the UK leaves on October 31.

He told a Telegraph event that to achieve such an outcome the government had to "listen very carefully to what the DUP says".

On Wednesday, DUP leader Arlene Foster told business leaders in Dublin that she wanted a solution to Brexit that does not affect Northern Ireland's constitutional position.

Mrs Foster - whose party's support had until recently given the Conservatives a majority in Parliament - said a Brexit deal "will not be achieved that involves a backstop - whether it is UK-wide or Northern Ireland specific".

The whole of the UK had to leave the customs union and single market, she said.

But she added that the DUP was prepared to "look at Northern Ireland-specific solutions achieved with the support and consent of the representatives of the people of Northern Ireland".

It comes as the legal battle over the suspension of the UK Parliament is to go into a third day at the Supreme Court later.

The UK government is arguing the decision to prorogue Parliament was a political matter and not for the courts to "design a set of rules" around it.

But campaigners say the move was used "for an improper purpose" - to stop MPs scrutinising Mr Johnson's plans in the run up to Brexit on 31 October.

The prime minister prorogued Parliament earlier this month for five weeks, with MPs not scheduled to return until 14 October.

Mr Rees-Mogg, who travelled to Balmoral to seek the Queen's approval over the move, said it was "nonsense" to suggest she was misled over the decision.

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2019-09-19 09:19:24Z
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Japan's richest man fears Brexit could turn UK into 'sick man of Europe' - CNN

Tadashi Yanai, the billionaire founder and CEO of Fast Retailing (FRCOF), said the United Kingdom had benefited for many years from being an open economy. Brexit would change that, he said, and would prompt many talented people to look for employment elsewhere.

Leaving the European Union also presents huge challenges because of the need to preserve an open border between Ireland (an EU member state) and Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom), and because of calls for independence in Scotland, which voted by a clear margin against Brexit in the 2016 referendum.

"I think Brexit is practically impossible because the old borders will be shaky and the UK has a Northern Ireland issue and a Scotland issue," Yanai told CNN Business. "Therefore, I think Brexit is difficult to realize even if the UK wants to do it."

"If Brexit does happen, the UK could revert back to the former situation before the Margaret Thatcher era, when the UK was referred to as the sick man of Europe. I'm afraid that could happen again."

Former Prime Minister Thatcher won her first election in 1979 following years of low growth, high inflation and unemployment in the UK economy. In the 1980s, encouraged by Thatcher, Japanese companies began to view Britain as their gateway to Europe and they invested heavily in auto assembly plants, banking and other businesses.

Fast Retailing, the global clothing empire which owns Uniqlo, opened its first store outside Japan in London 18 years ago. Since then, it has expanded into every major market around the world. Fast Retailing recorded sales of 2.13 trillion yen ($19.2 billion) in 2018, and Yanai is worth around $30 billion, according to Bloomberg.

His warnings about Brexit echo fears expressed by other Japanese executives about the United Kingdom's future relationship with the European Union, and the country's preparedness to exit the bloc by October 31.

If Britain leaves without an agreement to protect trade, tariffs and other barriers will be imposed on UK-produced goods entering the EU market, including cars manufactured by Japanese-owned companies.

Nissan (NSANF), Toyota (TM) and Honda (HMC) together produce about half of the cars manufactured in the United Kingdom, and most of the finished products are sold in Europe. They are already scaling back their presence in Britain because of a slump in sales and uncertainty over the country's future relationship with its biggest and nearest trading partner.

Honda has announced that it will close its Swindon factory in 2022 and Nissan has abandoned plans to build its X-Trail model in the northern city of Sunderland. Nissan is also moving production of other luxury cars out of the country.

Earlier this month, Toyota said that it is planning to pause production at its factory in Derbyshire on November 1 in anticipation of possible disruption at UK ports that could affect the supply of parts.

As for Uniqlo, Yanai said his company remains committed to maintaining a presence in the United Kingdom in the long term, despite the economic and political challenges ahead.

He also spoke about his ambition to transform the company into a global leader when it comes to dealing with the climate crisis.

"Environmental issues are the most important current issue in the business world," he said. "And unless we can solve this issue, there is no meaning to run the business," he added.

Asked whether it was possible for Fast Retailing to achieve net zero carbon emissions, Yanai said: "I believe that should be doable in the future. And we have to do it in a hurry. Otherwise, the environment on earth is [in] imminent danger."

Yanai, 70, has begun talking about his successor, saying he wants a woman to take his place.

"Female leaders tend to be more talented individuals, female leaders are better suited to do apparel retail business, and I expect to see more female leaders in business management," he told CNN Business. Women have a better ability to adapt when getting into the global market."

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https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/19/business/tadashi-yanai-fast-retailing-uniqlo/index.html

2019-09-19 09:07:00Z
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Brexit: UK has 12 days to set out plans - Finnish PM - BBC News

Boris Johnson has 12 days to set out his Brexit plans to the EU, according to Finland's prime minister.

Antti Rinne said he and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed the UK needed to produce the proposals in writing by the end of September, adding if not, "then it's over".

Finland currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.

A Downing Street source said: "We will continue negotiating and put forward proposals at the appropriate time."

Mr Johnson has said a deal is possible at a crucial summit of EU leaders on 17 October, but he has insisted Brexit will happen by the 31 October deadline, even if a deal is not agreed.

• Brexit talks 'should not be a pretence' - Barnier
• Brexit solution must recognise NI status - Foster

The UK government said talks with the EU have been making progress since Mr Johnson came into No 10 in July.

It said it had put forward "a number of proposals" as alternatives to the Irish border backstop - the policy aimed at preventing the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland and a key sticking point in former PM Theresa May's Brexit deal.

But Mr Johnson has repeatedly refused to reveal details of the proposals in interviews, saying he did not want to negotiate in public.

The EU has continued to criticise the UK for not putting any plans in writing.

Earlier, the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, said a meeting with Mr Johnson on Monday had been "constructive".

But he said until proposals had been put forward, "I will not be able to tell you, looking you straight in the eye, that any real progress has been achieved".

• Johnson attacked by Luxembourg PM over Brexit
• Politics, not process, will make the difference

Mr Rinne spoke to reporters after a meeting with the French president in Paris on Wednesday.

He said: "We both agreed that it is now time for Boris Johnson to produce his own proposals in writing - if they exist.

"If no proposals are received by the end of September, then it's over."

The Finnish PM intends to discuss the new deadline with the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, and Mr Johnson in the coming days, but the position has not yet been agreed with other EU nations.

An official at the Elysee said the plan was "not at all a new proposal" and added: "If we don't get the proposals before the end of September, we will not have enough time to discuss them before the summit in October."

'Fundamentally different deal'

Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted the prime minister was on course to deliver a "fundamentally different" Brexit deal to ensure the UK leaves on October 31.

He told a Telegraph event that to achieve such an outcome the government had to "listen very carefully to what the DUP says".

On Wednesday, DUP leader Arlene Foster told business leaders in Dublin that she wanted a solution to Brexit that does not affect Northern Ireland's constitutional position.

Mrs Foster - whose party's support had until recently given the Conservatives a majority in Parliament - said a Brexit deal "will not be achieved that involves a backstop - whether it is UK-wide or Northern Ireland specific".

The whole of the UK had to leave the customs union and single market, she said.

But she added that the DUP was prepared to "look at Northern Ireland-specific solutions achieved with the support and consent of the representatives of the people of Northern Ireland".

It comes as the legal battle over the suspension of the UK Parliament is to go into a third day at the Supreme Court later.

The UK government is arguing the decision to prorogue Parliament was a political matter and not for the courts to "design a set of rules" around it.

But campaigners say the move was used "for an improper purpose" - to stop MPs scrutinising Mr Johnson's plans in the run up to Brexit on 31 October.

The prime minister prorogued Parliament earlier this month for five weeks, with MPs not scheduled to return until 14 October.

Mr Rees-Mogg, who travelled to Balmoral to seek the Queen's approval over the move, said it was "nonsense" to suggest she was misled over the decision.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49749465

2019-09-19 07:20:54Z
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Brexit: UK has 12 days to set out plans - Finnish PM - BBC News

Boris Johnson has 12 days to set out his Brexit plans to the EU, according to Finland's prime minister.

Antti Rinne said he and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed the UK needed to produce the proposals in writing by the end of September, adding if not, "then it's over".

Finland currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.

A Downing Street source said: "We will continue negotiating and put forward proposals at the appropriate time."

Mr Johnson has said a deal is possible at a crucial summit of EU leaders on 17 October, but he has insisted Brexit will happen by the 31 October deadline, even if a deal is not agreed.

• Brexit talks 'should not be a pretence' - Barnier
• Brexit solution must recognise NI status - Foster

The UK government said talks with the EU have been making progress since Mr Johnson came into No 10 in July.

It said it had put forward "a number of proposals" as alternatives to the Irish border backstop - the policy aimed at preventing the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland and a key sticking point in former PM Theresa May's Brexit deal.

But Mr Johnson has repeatedly refused to reveal details of the proposals in interviews, saying he did not want to negotiate in public.

The EU has continued to criticise the UK for not putting any plans in writing.

Earlier, the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, said a meeting with Mr Johnson on Monday had been "constructive".

But he said until proposals had been put forward, "I will not be able to tell you, looking you straight in the eye, that any real progress has been achieved".

• Johnson attacked by Luxembourg PM over Brexit
• Politics, not process, will make the difference

Mr Rinne spoke to reporters after a meeting with the French president in Paris on Wednesday.

He said: "We both agreed that it is now time for Boris Johnson to produce his own proposals in writing - if they exist.

"If no proposals are received by the end of September, then it's over."

The Finnish PM intends to discuss the new deadline with the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, and Mr Johnson in the coming days, but the position has not yet been agreed with other EU nations.

'Fundamentally different deal'

Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted the prime minister was on course to deliver a "fundamentally different" Brexit deal to ensure the UK leaves on October 31.

He told a Telegraph event that to achieve such an outcome the government had to "listen very carefully to what the DUP says".

On Wednesday, DUP leader Arlene Foster told business leaders in Dublin that she wanted a solution to Brexit that does not affect Northern Ireland's constitutional position.

Mrs Foster - whose party's support had until recently given the Conservatives a majority in Parliament - said a Brexit deal "will not be achieved that involves a backstop - whether it is UK-wide or Northern Ireland specific".

The whole of the UK had to leave the customs union and single market, she said.

But she added that the DUP was prepared to "look at Northern Ireland-specific solutions achieved with the support and consent of the representatives of the people of Northern Ireland".

It comes as the legal battle over the suspension of the UK Parliament is to go into a third day at the Supreme Court later.

The UK government is arguing the decision to prorogue Parliament was a political matter and not for the courts to "design a set of rules" around it.

But campaigners say the move was used "for an improper purpose" - to stop MPs scrutinising Mr Johnson's plans in the run up to Brexit on 31 October.

The prime minister prorogued Parliament earlier this month for five weeks, with MPs not scheduled to return until 14 October.

Mr Rees-Mogg, who travelled to Balmoral to seek the Queen's approval over the move, said it was "nonsense" to suggest she was misled over the decision.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49749465

2019-09-19 06:18:29Z
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Brexit: UK has 12 days to set out plans - Finnish PM - BBC News

Boris Johnson has 12 days to set out his Brexit plans to the EU, according to Finland's prime minister.

Antti Rinne said he and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed the UK needed to produce the proposals in writing by the end of September, adding if not, "then it's over".

Finland currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.

A Downing Street source said: "We will continue negotiating and put forward proposals at the appropriate time."

Mr Johnson has said a deal is possible at a crucial summit of EU leaders on 17 October, but he has insisted Brexit will happen by the 31 October deadline, even if a deal is not agreed.

• Brexit talks 'should not be a pretence' - Barnier
• Brexit solution must recognise NI status - Foster

The UK government said talks with the EU have been making progress since Mr Johnson came into No 10 in July.

It said it had put forward "a number of proposals" as alternatives to the Irish border backstop - the policy aimed at preventing the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland and a key sticking point in former PM Theresa May's Brexit deal.

But Mr Johnson has repeatedly refused to reveal details of the proposals in interviews, saying he did not want to negotiate in public.

The EU has continued to criticise the UK for not putting any plans in writing.

Earlier, the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, said a meeting with Mr Johnson on Monday had been "constructive".

But he said until proposals had been put forward, "I will not be able to tell you, looking you straight in the eye, that any real progress has been achieved".

• Johnson attacked by Luxembourg PM over Brexit
• Politics, not process, will make the difference

Mr Rinne spoke to reporters after a meeting with the French president in Paris on Wednesday.

He said: "We both agreed that it is now time for Boris Johnson to produce his own proposals in writing - if they exist.

"If no proposals are received by the end of September, then it's over."

The Finnish PM intends to discuss the new deadline with the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, and Mr Johnson in the coming days, but the position has not yet been agreed with other EU nations.

'Fundamentally different deal'

Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted the prime minister was on course to deliver a "fundamentally different" Brexit deal to ensure the UK leaves on October 31.

He told a Telegraph event that to achieve such an outcome the government had to "listen very carefully to what the DUP says".

On Wednesday, DUP leader Arlene Foster told business leaders in Dublin that she wanted a solution to Brexit that does not affect Northern Ireland's constitutional position.

Mrs Foster - whose party's support had until recently given the Conservatives a majority in Parliament - said a Brexit deal "will not be achieved that involves a backstop - whether it is UK-wide or Northern Ireland specific".

The whole of the UK had to leave the customs union and single market, she said.

But she added that the DUP was prepared to "look at Northern Ireland-specific solutions achieved with the support and consent of the representatives of the people of Northern Ireland".

It comes as the legal battle over the suspension of the UK Parliament is to go into a third day at the Supreme Court later.

The UK government is arguing the decision to prorogue Parliament was a political matter and not for the courts to "design a set of rules" around it.

But campaigners say the move was used "for an improper purpose" - to stop MPs scrutinising Mr Johnson's plans in the run up to Brexit on 31 October.

The prime minister prorogued Parliament earlier this month for five weeks, with MPs not scheduled to return until 14 October.

Mr Rees-Mogg, who travelled to Balmoral to seek the Queen's approval over the move, said it was "nonsense" to suggest she was misled over the decision.

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2019-09-19 05:40:27Z
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Brexit: Talks 'should not be a pretence' warns Barnier - BBC News

The UK and EU "should not pretend to be negotiating" a Brexit deal if there are no new proposals on the table, the EU's chief negotiator has said.

Michel Barnier said the UK telling the EU what it does not like about the current agreement was "not enough".

He cast doubt on a UK proposal to give Northern Ireland a future veto over EU rules, saying all parts of the UK would have to sign up to the terms of exit.

Boris Johnson has said there is a "landing zone" for an agreement.

He has said a deal is possible at a crucial summit of EU leaders on 17 October - although ministers have said they are reluctant to reveal the details of new proposals in advance for fear they will be "rubbished" by the EU.

Mr Johnson has insisted he will not accept a further delay beyond 31 October despite MPs passing a law requiring him to seek an extension if there is no deal by 19 October.

After meeting Mr Barnier and Mr Juncker in Luxembourg on Monday, Mr Johnson said the process of trying to get a deal on the terms of exit would be accelerated.

'Not enough'

Briefing the European Parliament, Mr Juncker said the lunch had been "friendly and constructive" but there had been no progress on the main sticking point - the UK's demand that the Northern Irish backstop should be removed from the current agreement.

Mr Juncker said any alternative to the backstop must achieve the same objectives - to prevent the need for physical infrastructure on the border with the Republic of Ireland, to safeguard the EU's single market and protect all-Ireland economic co-operation.

---

There were significant moments in Strasbourg this morning, even if the discussion lacked the fireworks present in the Brexit debate elsewhere.

Jean-Claude Juncker clearly signalled that in his last few weeks in office he will show solidarity with the Republic of Ireland rather than siding with the UK to get a deal. That will disappoint those in the UK who bank on him wanting an agreement to secure his legacy.

The EU chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, gave a cautious thumbs-up to the big British idea of an all-Ireland zone for plant and animal health.

But he appeared to give a thumbs-down to another - giving the Stormont Assembly a decisive say over the Irish backstop, or whatever takes its place.

"I said to Mr Johnson that I have no emotional attachment to the backstop but I stand by the objectives it is intended to achieve," he said.

"That is why I called on the PM to come forward with operational proposals in writing.

"Until such time those proposals have been presented, I will not be able to tell you looking you straight in the eye that any real progress has been achieved."

• What are the Brexit backstop options?
• What will happen with Brexit in the next month?

Mr Barnier said the UK had made it clear which parts of the backstop - which would see Northern Ireland closely tied to the single market and the UK follow EU customs rules until a new trade deal is agreed - it did not like, but "that is not enough to move towards a solution".

"Almost three years after the British referendum, ladies and gentlemen, it is certainly not a question of pretending to negotiate," he said.

If the UK wanted to remove the backstop, he said it must come up with answers to all the problems the temporary "safety net" was designed to solve.

However, he appeared to reject UK proposals to give the Stormont Assembly in Belfast a say over how much Northern Ireland conforms with EU customs rules and diverges from England, Wales and Scotland while the UK remained in any backstop arrangement.

"It is up to the UK government to ensure the support of the Northern Irish institutions for the withdrawal agreement that would be signed on behalf of the whole of the UK," he said.

'Caring nanny'

Following a three-hour debate, the European Parliament approved a motion calling for any Brexit deal to include a backstop and also voted for the UK to be granted a further extension beyond 31 October if it asks for one.

During the session, MEP Guy Verhofstadt called on the UK to give all three million EU nationals living in the country an automatic right to remain.

Rather than channelling the "angry Hulk" - a reference to Mr Johnson's recent comparison of the UK to the Incredible Hulk - the Parliament's Brexit spokesman said the PM should adopt the persona of a "caring nanny", such as Mrs Doubtfire.

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But Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said it was clear the UK and EU were paving the way for an agreement next month which would be portrayed as a "victory" for both sides.

Even without the backstop, he said the deal on the table would be "bad" for the UK as it would see it "trapped in EU rules and under the auspices of the European Court".

He also criticised they way Mr Johnson was treated during a visit to Luxembourg last week.

He said the country's "pipsqueak" leader Xavier Bettel had "ritually humiliated" his counterpart by appearing at a press conference without him and berating his Brexit policy.

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2019-09-18 08:18:36Z
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Supreme Court examines lawfulness of Parliament suspension - BBC News

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The Supreme Court is meeting to consider whether Boris Johnson acted lawfully in suspending Parliament.

The 11 judges are hearing two appeals relating to the PM's decision to prorogue Parliament to mid-October.

Edinburgh's Court of Session found last week that the shutdown was unlawful and "of no effect", but London's High Court said it was not a court matter.

Lady Hale, the President of the Court, said its job was to "decide serious and difficult questions of law".

But, in her opening statement, she said the court would not determine "wider political questions" relating to the Brexit process and its ruling would have no bearing on "when and how the UK leaves the EU".

Ahead of the unprecedented hearing, the prime minister said he would "wait and see what the judges say" before deciding whether to recall Parliament.

For the next three days, the Supreme Court in London will hear arguments from the government and campaigners challenging the decision to suspend Parliament.

The suspension, a process known as prorogation, began a week ago.

MPs are not scheduled to return until 14 October, when there will be a Queen's Speech outlining Mr Johnson's legislative plans.

Scotland's highest civil court last week found in favour of a cross-party group of politicians challenging the PM's move and ruled that Mr Johnson's suspension of Parliament was unlawful.

• Could MPs return to Parliament?

The judges were unanimous in finding Mr Johnson was motivated by the "improper purpose of stymieing Parliament", and he had effectively misled the Queen in advising her to suspend Parliament.

The judgement came after London's High Court heard a case brought by businesswoman and campaigner Gina Miller, who argued the shutdown of Parliament was "an unlawful abuse of power".

The judges said they rejected her claim because the suspension of Parliament was a "purely political" move and was therefore "not a matter for the courts".

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The government is now appealing against the ruling in Scotland, while Ms Miller is appealing against London's High Court judgement.

'Frustrate policies'

Lord Pannick, the crossbench peer and QC representing Ms Miller, said it was not the court's responsibility to determine the length of time Parliament should have been suspended, as this was a political matter for the government.

But he said it was "being asked to consider the legal question of whether it is within the scope of the power conferred on the prime minister to exercise it for the purpose alleged".

The facts, he said, showed the PM had advised the Queen to suspend Parliament for five weeks "because he wishes to avoid what he saw as the risk that Parliament, during that period, would take action to frustrate or damage the policies of his government".

Eleven of the Supreme Court justices - the largest possible panel - will hear legal arguments from the English and Scottish court cases. The government's lawyers will then respond.

BBC legal affairs correspondent Clive Coleman said it was only the second time 11 justices would sit - the first time this happened was in Ms Miller's successful challenge as to whether the prime minister or Parliament should trigger Article 50 to start the process for leaving the EU.

He added that they would determine whether prorogation was a matter for the courts.

If they decide it is, they will go on to rule definitively on whether Mr Johnson's true motive in advising the Queen was to undermine MPs' ability to legislate and respond to events as the country prepares to leave the EU, our correspondent added. 

Opposition parties have called for Parliament to be recalled.

Speaking to BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg ahead of the start of the court case, Mr Johnson said he had the "greatest respect for the judiciary", and its independence "is one of the glories of the UK".

"And I think the best thing I can say, having said that, is to wait and see what they say," he said.

Asked again if he would be ready to recall Parliament if that was what the Supreme Court said he ought to do, he said: "I think the best thing I could do is wait and see what the judges say."

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On Monday, the prime minister held talks in Luxembourg with EU counterparts and negotiators.

Afterwards, he said the EU had had "a bellyful" of the Brexit process and wanted to get a deal in order to move on to the next phase of talks on future relations.

A UK government source said on Monday the gap the UK and Brussels needed to bridge to achieve a deal on the terms of exit "remains quite large".

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2019-09-17 10:07:30Z
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