Brexit talks continue in Brussels ahead of crunch summit - BBC News

UK and EU negotiating teams will meet later as efforts to reach a deal before a crunch summit this week continue.

After talks in Brussels this weekend, EU ambassadors were told the UK would make concessions to its post-Brexit plan for the Northern Irish border.

But the bloc's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said a "a big gap" remained over customs arrangements.

Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said she believed a deal could be reached by the 31 October deadline.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "[In] the last few days, we've seen a real shift in approach from the EU - and in Ireland in particular - for which we're extremely grateful and appreciative.

"I think with the negotiations ongoing... I'm an optimist, I do believe that we can get a deal by 31 October."

On Sunday, Boris Johnson told his cabinet that while he could see a "pathway" to a deal, there was "still a significant amount of work" needed to get there.

The European Commission echoed the prime minister, saying: "A lot of work remains to be done."

Both sides have said they hope to agree a deal before the EU summit on Thursday and Friday.

The government says if a plan is agreed, it will introduce a withdrawal agreement bill to be voted on next Saturday in a special Parliamentary session.

It is seen as the last chance to do this before Brexit is due to happen at 23:00 GMT on 31 October.

While efforts continue in Brussels, the Queen's Speech will take place later, outlining the government's agenda for the coming Parliament.

The government has also announced it intends to hold the Budget on 6 November, with Chancellor Sajid Javid insisting it will be "the first Budget after leaving the EU".

But Labour's shadow Commons leader, Jon Trickett, told Today he would be "surprised" if the Budget went ahead as planned as "we have no idea if they are going to get this Brexit proposal through the House or not."

The border issue

The issue of the Northern Ireland border in post-Brexit arrangements is seen as the key factor in the EU-UK talks.

Mr Johnson submitted new proposals to the EU earlier this month, and its leaders promised to examine them carefully.

However, a number of figures, including Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar, said they did not form the basis of a deal.

Hope of progress were faint until Mr Johnson and Mr Varadkar met last Thursday and the Irish leader said afterwards their discussions had been "positive and "sufficient to allow negotiations to resume in Brussels".

Mr Barnier told EU diplomats in a briefing this weekend the UK had dropped its proposals to include an up-front veto for the Stormont Assembly before any new arrangements for Northern Ireland come into force, said BBC Brussels correspondent Adam Fleming.

But he said the UK was still seeking the power for Northern Ireland to leave the arrangements at some point in the future.

According to a note of his meeting with EU ambassadors on Sunday evening, Mr Barnier also said he would be willing to accept Mr Johnson's plan for Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK's customs territory but apply EU customs procedures.

However, he said he could not accept a British proposal to track goods entering Northern Ireland to determine whether they ended up in Ireland.

Adam Fleming said it appeared EU negotiators had "softened" their position by indicating they were prepared to keep talking until Wednesday - the eve of the summit - despite saying previously that a revised deal had to be ready a week in advance.

In a statement, the EU it added that the "intense technical discussions" between officials would continue on Monday before member states were updated on the progress at a meeting in Luxembourg on Tuesday.

Timeline: What's happening ahead of Brexit deadline?

Monday 14 October - The Commons is due to return, and the government will use the Queen's Speech to set out its legislative agenda. The speech will then be debated by MPs throughout the week.

Thursday 17 October - Crucial two-day summit of EU leaders begins in Brussels. This is the last such meeting currently scheduled before the Brexit deadline.

Saturday 19 October - Special sitting of Parliament and the date by which the PM must ask the EU for another delay to Brexit under the Benn Act, if no Brexit deal has been approved by MPs and they have not agreed to the UK leaving with no-deal.

Thursday 31 October - Date by which the UK is currently due to leave the EU.

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2019-10-14 07:19:08Z
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Brexit: 'Big gap' remains in UK-EU deal discussions - BBC News

The UK is willing to make concessions to its plans for the Northern Ireland border after Brexit but "a big gap" remains over customs arrangements, EU ambassadors have been told.

In a briefing on UK-EU weekend talks on a Brexit deal, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said UK plans on the tracking of goods were unacceptable.

Earlier, Boris Johnson told his cabinet "significant work" was still needed.

It comes as his government's agenda is to be set out in the Queen's Speech.

Plans for life after Brexit, crime prevention and ending rail franchises are all expected to be outlined in the Queen's address on Monday, which opens the new session of Parliament.

Meanwhile, the UK and EU negotiating teams are due to meet again in Brussels today, as efforts continue to reach a deal before a summit on Thursday and Friday.

The government says that, if it can strike an agreement at the summit, it will introduce a withdrawal agreement bill to be voted on next Saturday in a special Parliamentary session.

It is seen as the last chance to do this before Brexit is due to happen at 23:00 GMT on 31 October.

The government has also announced it intends to hold the Budget on 6 November, with Chancellor Sajid Javid saying it will be "the first budget after leaving the EU".

Jon Trickett, Labour's shadow Commons leader, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he would be "surprised" if the budget went ahead as planned.

"We have no idea if they are going to get this Brexit proposal through the House or not," he said.

On Sunday, Mr Johnson told cabinet ministers he could see a "way forward" to a deal "in all our interests".

The European Commission echoed the prime minister, saying: "A lot of work remains to be done."

In a statement it added that the "intense technical discussions" between the UK and EU officials in Brussels would continue on Monday before member states were updated on the progress at a meeting in Luxembourg on Tuesday.

The issue of the Northern Ireland border in post-Brexit arrangements is seen as the key factor in the EU-UK talks and Mr Johnson came up with revised proposals this month.

BBC Brussels correspondent Adam Fleming said Mr Barnier, in his briefing to EU diplomats, said the UK had dropped its proposals to include an up-front veto for Northern Ireland politicians in the Stormont Assembly before any arrangements for Northern Ireland came into force.

But he said the UK is still seeking the power for Northern Ireland to leave the arrangements at some point in the future.

According to a note of his meeting with EU ambassadors on Sunday evening, Mr Barnier also said he would be willing to accept Mr Johnson's plan for Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK's customs territory but apply EU customs procedures.

However, he said he could not accept a British proposal to track goods entering Northern Ireland to determine whether they ended up in Ireland.

Our correspondent said it appeared EU negotiators seemed to have "softened" their position, indicating they are prepared to keep talking until Wednesday, the eve of the summit, despite saying previously that a revised deal had to be ready a week in advance.

This Queen's Speech will feel rather different to normal.

Boris Johnson does not have a majority in Parliament and cannot guarantee that he will be able to pass all the bills announced this morning. There is no guarantee the Queen's Speech itself will pass.

Add into the mix the fact he wants a general election and some of what you will hear will feel more like a pitch to the country than a concrete plan for the next year in Whitehall.

There is also the fact that whatever is announced in the House of Lords could quickly be overshadowed by what happens in Brussels.

A lot has been spoken about crucial weeks at Westminster.

This really feels like it could be one - where key questions are answered.

Can the PM get a new Brexit deal? If so, can he persuade Parliament to back it? If not, can MPs force him to delay Brexit again?

Strap yourself in - it could be a bumpy few days.

The State Opening of Parliament - an event steeped in pomp and ceremony - is the first since Boris Johnson became prime minister.

Ministers say the speech, the 65th of Elizabeth II's reign, will focus on "people's priorities".

In the Queen's Speech, the government will unveil its plans to get the withdrawal agreement bill through Parliament if the PM gets a deal with the EU, and to end the free movement of EU citizens into the UK after Brexit.

It will promise to create more powers to "get weapons off our streets" and ensure "the worst offenders serve the time they deserve".

And it will pledge to "significantly increase" sentences for foreign offenders who return to the UK having breached deportation orders.

Other proposals in the Queen's Speech include:

• Measures to bring in a points-based immigration system from 2021
• Scrapping the rail franchise system - the contracting out of services introduced when the rail system was privatised in the 1990s
• Setting up an independent NHS investigations body with legal powers to improve patient safety
• Updating the Mental Health Act to reduce the number of detentions made under it
• Creating legally binding targets to reduce plastics, cut air pollution, restore biodiversity and improve water quality

There are also plans to improve building standards, and increase investment in infrastructure and science.

Mr Johnson promised to "get this country moving again", adding: "This is a Queen's Speech that will deliver for every corner of the UK and make this, once again, the greatest place on Earth."

But, with a general election expected soon, Labour is calling it a "stunt" and a "party political broadcast".

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told Sky News on Sunday that holding the event ahead of an expected general election in the autumn was "ludicrous".

He said: "What we have got in effect is a party political broadcast from the steps of the throne."

Timeline: What's happening ahead of Brexit deadline?

Monday 14 October - The Commons is due to return, and the government will use the Queen's Speech to set out its legislative agenda. The speech will then be debated by MPs throughout the week.

Thursday 17 October - Crucial two-day summit of EU leaders begins in Brussels. This is the last such meeting currently scheduled before the Brexit deadline.

Saturday 19 October - Special sitting of Parliament and the date by which the PM must ask the EU for another delay to Brexit under the Benn Act, if no Brexit deal has been approved by Parliament and it has not agreed to the UK leaving with no-deal.

Thursday 31 October - Date by which the UK is due to leave the EU, with or without a withdrawal agreement.

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2019-10-14 07:03:18Z
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Brexit: 'Big gap' remains in UK-EU deal discussions - BBC News

The UK is willing to make concessions to its plans for the Northern Ireland border after Brexit but "a big gap" remains over customs arrangements, EU ambassadors have been told.

In a briefing on UK-EU weekend talks on a Brexit deal, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said UK plans on the tracking of goods were unacceptable.

Earlier, Boris Johnson told his cabinet "significant work" was still needed.

It comes as his government's agenda is to be set out in the Queen's Speech.

Plans for life after Brexit, crime prevention and ending rail franchises are all expected to be outlined in the Queen's address on Monday, which opens the new session of Parliament.

Meanwhile, the UK and EU negotiating teams are due to meet again in Brussels today, as efforts continue to reach a deal before a summit on Thursday and Friday.

The government says that, if it can strike an agreement at the summit, it will introduce a withdrawal agreement bill to be voted on next Saturday in a special Parliamentary session.

It is seen as the last chance to do this before Brexit is due to happen at 23:00 GMT on 31 October.

The government has also announced it intends to hold the Budget on 6 November, with Chancellor Sajid Javid saying it will be "the first budget after leaving the EU".

Jon Trickett, Labour's shadow Commons leader, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he would be "surprised" if the budget went ahead as planned.

"We have no idea if they are going to get this Brexit proposal through the House or not," he said.

On Sunday, Mr Johnson told cabinet ministers he could see a "way forward" to a deal "in all our interests".

The European Commission echoed the prime minister, saying: "A lot of work remains to be done."

In a statement it added that the "intense technical discussions" between the UK and EU officials in Brussels would continue on Monday before member states were updated on the progress at a meeting in Luxembourg on Tuesday.

The issue of the Northern Ireland border in post-Brexit arrangements is seen as the key factor in the EU-UK talks and Mr Johnson came up with revised proposals this month.

BBC Brussels correspondent Adam Fleming said Mr Barnier, in his briefing to EU diplomats, said the UK had dropped its proposals to include an up-front veto for Northern Ireland politicians in the Stormont Assembly before any arrangements for Northern Ireland came into force.

But he said the UK is still seeking the power for Northern Ireland to leave the arrangements at some point in the future.

According to a note of his meeting with EU ambassadors on Sunday evening, Mr Barnier also said he would be willing to accept Mr Johnson's plan for Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK's customs territory but apply EU customs procedures.

However, he said he could not accept a British proposal to track goods entering Northern Ireland to determine whether they ended up in Ireland.

Our correspondent said it appeared EU negotiators seemed to have "softened" their position, indicating they are prepared to keep talking until Wednesday, the eve of the summit, despite saying previously that a revised deal had to be ready a week in advance.

This Queen's Speech will feel rather different to normal.

Boris Johnson does not have a majority in Parliament and cannot guarantee that he will be able to pass all the bills announced this morning. There is no guarantee the Queen's Speech itself will pass.

Add into the mix the fact he wants a general election and some of what you will hear will feel more like a pitch to the country than a concrete plan for the next year in Whitehall.

There is also the fact that whatever is announced in the House of Lords could quickly be overshadowed by what happens in Brussels.

A lot has been spoken about crucial weeks at Westminster.

This really feels like it could be one - where key questions are answered.

Can the PM get a new Brexit deal? If so, can he persuade Parliament to back it? If not, can MPs force him to delay Brexit again?

Strap yourself in - it could be a bumpy few days.

The State Opening of Parliament - an event steeped in pomp and ceremony - is the first since Boris Johnson became prime minister.

Ministers say the speech, the 65th of Elizabeth II's reign, will focus on "people's priorities".

In the Queen's Speech, the government will unveil its plans to get the withdrawal agreement bill through Parliament if the PM gets a deal with the EU, and to end the free movement of EU citizens into the UK after Brexit.

It will promise to create more powers to "get weapons off our streets" and ensure "the worst offenders serve the time they deserve".

And it will pledge to "significantly increase" sentences for foreign offenders who return to the UK having breached deportation orders.

Other proposals in the Queen's Speech include:

• Measures to bring in a points-based immigration system from 2021
• Scrapping the rail franchise system - the contracting out of services introduced when the rail system was privatised in the 1990s
• Setting up an independent NHS investigations body with legal powers to improve patient safety
• Updating the Mental Health Act to reduce the number of detentions made under it
• Creating legally binding targets to reduce plastics, cut air pollution, restore biodiversity and improve water quality

There are also plans to improve building standards, and increase investment in infrastructure and science.

Mr Johnson promised to "get this country moving again", adding: "This is a Queen's Speech that will deliver for every corner of the UK and make this, once again, the greatest place on Earth."

But, with a general election expected soon, Labour is calling it a "stunt" and a "party political broadcast".

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told Sky News on Sunday that holding the event ahead of an expected general election in the autumn was "ludicrous".

He said: "What we have got in effect is a party political broadcast from the steps of the throne."

Timeline: What's happening ahead of Brexit deadline?

Monday 14 October - The Commons is due to return, and the government will use the Queen's Speech to set out its legislative agenda. The speech will then be debated by MPs throughout the week.

Thursday 17 October - Crucial two-day summit of EU leaders begins in Brussels. This is the last such meeting currently scheduled before the Brexit deadline.

Saturday 19 October - Special sitting of Parliament and the date by which the PM must ask the EU for another delay to Brexit under the Benn Act, if no Brexit deal has been approved by Parliament and it has not agreed to the UK leaving with no-deal.

Thursday 31 October - Date by which the UK is due to leave the EU, with or without a withdrawal agreement.

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2019-10-14 06:34:27Z
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UK: Anne Sacoolas does not have immunity over deadly crash - New York Post

Britain insists US diplomat’s wife Anne Sacoolas does not have immunity over her deadly crash — while she plans to meet the dead teenager’s parents to apologize when they fly to New York on Sunday, according to reports.

The UK’s Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, wrote to the family of Harry Dunn, the 19-year-old motorcyclist killed in an August crash with Sacoolas’ car, and insisted that she can no longer claim immunity after fleeing the UK.

“We have looked at this very carefully,” he wrote, according to the BBC.

“The UK government’s position is that immunity, and therefore any question of waiver, is no longer relevant in Mrs. Sacoolas’s case, because she has returned home.

“The US have now informed us that they too consider that immunity is no longer pertinent,” he insisted, despite the US having “steadfastly declined” to give a waiver to get her to return.

The Dunn family’s lawyer, Mark Stephens, called Sacoolas “a fugitive from British justice” and insisted to SKY News, “She wasn’t entitled to diplomatic immunity in the first place.”

That opens up options of suing her in the US, Stephens told Sky News.

The developments come as Dunn’s grieving parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, are expected to fly to America on Sunday, arriving first in New York before heading to Washington D.C., according to the BBC.

Sacoolas’s lawyer, Amy Jeffress, insisted the mom-of-three from Vienna, Virginia, was “devastated by this tragic accident” and wants to express it in person.

“Anne would like to meet with Mr Dunn’s parents so that she can express her deepest sympathies and apologies for this tragic accident,” Jeffress told the BBC.

“We have been in contact with the family’s attorneys and look forward to hearing from them.”

She added, “No loss compares to the death of a child and Anne extends her deepest sympathy to Harry Dunn’s family.”

Jeffress insisted that Sacoolas had “fully co-operated with the police” at the time of the crash and “will continue to co-operate with the investigation” by Nottinghamshire police, the BBC said.

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2019-10-13 13:12:00Z
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Brexit: EU and UK agree to 'intensify' talks - BBC News

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EU countries have agreed to "intensify" Brexit talks with the UK over the next few days.

The development comes after a meeting in Brussels between Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, described by both sides as "constructive".

But UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there was "a way to go" before a deal could be reached.

The UK is due to leave the EU at 23:00 GMT on 31 October.

A European leaders' summit next week is seen as the last chance to agree a deal before that deadline.

Mr Johnson put forward revised proposals for a deal last week, designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland after Brexit.

Speaking on Friday, he said there was not "a done deal", adding: "The best thing we can do now is let our negotiators get on with it."

In a statement, the European Commission said: "The EU and the UK have agreed to intensify discussions over the coming days."

BBC Brussels correspondent Adam Fleming said that, although there would be a "measure of confidentiality", EU states would still be briefed on any developments.

In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron was asked if there was hope of a deal, replying: "Let's wait for the next few hours."

Leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party Arlene Foster said "anything that traps Northern Ireland in the EU, whether single market or customs union, as the rest of the UK leaves will not have our support - the prime minister is very mindful of that".

Support from DUP MPs will be key to getting a deal through Parliament.

Meanwhile, the pound rose to a three-month high against other major currencies, amid increased investor optimism over an agreement.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Following his "technical" discussion with Mr Barclay in Brussels, Mr Barnier told reporters: "Be patient."

He added: "Brexit is like climbing a mountain. We need vigilance, determination and patience."

Earlier this week, several senior EU figures played down the chances of Brexit happening with a deal agreed to by both sides.

But on Thursday, Mr Johnson and Mr Varadkar held a one-to-one discussion - described by both as "very positive and very promising".

Mr Varadkar said talks were at a "very sensitive stage" but he was now "convinced" the UK wanted a deal, adding: "I do see a pathway towards an agreement in the coming weeks."

What are the PM's border plans?

Under Mr Johnson's proposals, which he calls a "broad landing zone" for a new deal with the EU:

• Northern Ireland would leave the EU's customs union alongside the rest of the UK, at the start of 2021
• But Northern Ireland would continue to apply EU legislation relating to agricultural and other products, if the Northern Ireland Assembly approves
• This arrangement could, in theory, continue indefinitely, but the consent of Northern Ireland's politicians would have to be sought every four years
• Customs checks on goods traded between the UK and EU would be "decentralised", with paperwork submitted electronically and only a "very small number" of physical checks
• These checks should take place away from the border itself, at business premises or at "other points in the supply chain"

With less than three weeks to go until the Brexit deadline, Mr Johnson continues to insist the UK will leave the EU with or without a deal at the end of the month.

That is despite the so-called Benn Act - passed by MPs last month - demanding he request a delay to the Article 50 deadline from the EU until January 2020 if a deal, or a no-deal exit, has not been approved by Parliament before 19 October.

• Corbyn: No Brexit referendum before election
• Will 'Super Saturday' be a decisive Brexit moment?

Should any new deal be reached between the EU and UK, it will still have to be approved by MPs, as well as the European Parliament.

MPs will be called to Parliament for a special Saturday sitting following next week's EU summit, the first since 1982, when the House of Commons was summoned after the invasion of the Falkland Islands.

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Your guide to Brexit jargon

Use the list below or select a button

Timeline: What's happening ahead of Brexit deadline?

Monday 14 October - The Commons is due to return, and the government will use the Queen's Speech to set out its legislative agenda. The speech will then be debated by MPs throughout the week.

Thursday 17 October - Crucial two-day summit of EU leaders begins in Brussels. This is the last such meeting currently scheduled before the Brexit deadline.

Saturday 19 October - Special sitting of Parliament and the date by which the PM must ask the EU for another delay to Brexit under the Benn Act, if no Brexit deal has been approved by Parliament and they have not agreed to the UK leaving with no-deal.

Thursday 31 October - Date by which the UK is due to leave the EU, with or without a withdrawal agreement.

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2019-10-12 07:40:03Z
52780406083772

Brexit: EU and UK agree to 'intensify' talks - BBC News

Media playback is unsupported on your device

EU countries have agreed to "intensify" Brexit talks with the UK over the next few days.

The development comes after a meeting in Brussels between Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, described by both sides as "constructive".

But UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there was "a way to go" before a deal could be reached.

The UK is due to leave the EU at 23:00 GMT on 31 October.

A European leaders' summit next week is seen as the last chance to agree a deal before that deadline.

Mr Johnson put forward revised proposals for a deal last week, designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland after Brexit.

Speaking on Friday, he said there was not "a done deal", adding: "The best thing we can do now is let our negotiators get on with it."

In a statement, the European Commission said: "The EU and the UK have agreed to intensify discussions over the coming days."

BBC Brussels correspondent Adam Fleming said that, although there would be a "measure of confidentiality", EU states would still be briefed on any developments.

In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron was asked if there was hope of a deal, replying: "Let's wait for the next few hours."

Meanwhile, the pound rose to a three-month high against other major currencies, amid increased investor optimism over an agreement.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Following his "technical" discussion with Mr Barclay in Brussels, Mr Barnier told reporters: "Be patient."

He added: "Brexit is like climbing a mountain. We need vigilance, determination and patience."

Earlier this week, several senior EU figures played down the chances of Brexit happening with a deal agreed to by both sides.

But on Thursday, Mr Johnson and Mr Varadkar held a one-to-one discussion - described by both as "very positive and very promising".

Mr Varadkar said talks were at a "very sensitive stage" but he was now "convinced" the UK wanted a deal, adding: "I do see a pathway towards an agreement in the coming weeks."

What are the PM's border plans?

Under Mr Johnson's proposals, which he calls a "broad landing zone" for a new deal with the EU:

• Northern Ireland would leave the EU's customs union alongside the rest of the UK, at the start of 2021
• But Northern Ireland would continue to apply EU legislation relating to agricultural and other products, if the Northern Ireland Assembly approves
• This arrangement could, in theory, continue indefinitely, but the consent of Northern Ireland's politicians would have to be sought every four years
• Customs checks on goods traded between the UK and EU would be "decentralised", with paperwork submitted electronically and only a "very small number" of physical checks
• These checks should take place away from the border itself, at business premises or at "other points in the supply chain"

With less than three weeks to go until the Brexit deadline, Mr Johnson continues to insist the UK will leave the EU with or without a deal at the end of the month.

That is despite the so-called Benn Act - passed by MPs last month - demanding he request a delay to the Article 50 deadline from the EU until January 2020 if a deal, or a no-deal exit, has not been approved by Parliament before 19 October.

Should any new deal be reached between the EU and UK, it will still have to be approved by MPs, as well as the European Parliament.

MPs will be called to Parliament for a special Saturday sitting following next week's EU summit, the first since 1982, when the House of Commons was summoned after the invasion of the Falkland Islands.

Please upgrade your browser

Your guide to Brexit jargon

Use the list below or select a button

Timeline: What's happening ahead of Brexit deadline?

Monday 14 October - The Commons is due to return, and the government will use the Queen's Speech to set out its legislative agenda. The speech will then be debated by MPs throughout the week.

Thursday 17 October - Crucial two-day summit of EU leaders begins in Brussels. This is the last such meeting currently scheduled before the Brexit deadline.

Saturday 19 October - Special sitting of Parliament and the date by which the PM must ask the EU for another delay to Brexit under the Benn Act, if no Brexit deal has been approved by Parliament and they have not agreed to the UK leaving with no-deal.

Thursday 31 October - Date by which the UK is due to leave the EU, with or without a withdrawal agreement.

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2019-10-11 14:33:59Z
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British IS fighters taken into US custody, says Trump - BBC News

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Two of the so-called "IS Beatles" have been taken out of Syria to "a secure location controlled by the US", President Donald Trump has said.

El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey are accused of being part of an Islamic State group cell which kidnapped and murdered Western hostages in Syria.

The pair - who are from London - are in the custody of the American military, according to US media reports.

In a tweet, Mr Trump described them as "the worst of the worst".

He said the decision to remove them from Syria had been taken "in case the Kurds or Turkey lose control".

The New York Times and Washington Post say the pair have been removed from a prison run by Kurdish militia in northern Syria.

The announcement comes after the US withdrew its forces from the region this week.

On Wednesday President Trump told reporters the US had transferred "some of the most dangerous IS fighters" amid fears they could escape custody as Turkish troops invade Kurdish-held territory in northern Syria.

The Kurds - who helped defeat IS in Syria and were key US allies in that fight - guard thousands of IS fighters and their relatives in prisons and camps in areas under their control. It is unclear whether they will continue to do so now that fighting has broken out.

Other members of the IS cell - dubbed "The Beatles" because of their British accents - included Mohammed Emwazi, known as Jihadi John, who was killed in a US air strike in 2015, and Aine Davis, who has been jailed in Turkey.

Emwazi is thought to have killed US journalist James Foley in 2014.

All four were radicalised in the UK before travelling to Syria. Elsheikh and Kotey have since been stripped of their British citizenship.

The pair are designated as terrorists by the US State Department, which links them to the group's executions and "exceptionally cruel torture methods" including electric shocks, waterboarding and mock executions.

They were said to have been captured by Kurdish forces in January 2018.

The New York Times reports the US is planning to take Elsheikh and Kotey to Virginia - one of the few states that still carries out the death penalty - where they will be put on trial.

However, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said they should "come home to face justice".

A Home Office spokesperson said "it would be inappropriate to comment whilst legal proceedings are ongoing".

It remains to be seen whether the evidence against the pair amassed by British investigators will be handed over in full to US authorities.

Former Prime Minister Theresa May, when she was home secretary in 2015, told Washington the UK would only hand over evidence after receiving a categorical guarantee that neither man would be executed.

The UK has long sought and obtained such a death penalty assurance from the US.

That position was reiterated by Mrs May's successor, Amber Rudd, but then reversed after Sajid Javid entered the Home Office in April 2018.

Mr Javid decided to hand over 600 witness statements, without seeking any kind of guarantee that Elsheikh and Kotey would not be put to death.

Elsheikh's mother, Maha Elgizouli challenged the decision but, in January, lost that case in the High Court.

The issue is currently being decided by the UK Supreme Court.

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2019-10-10 10:17:13Z
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