UKTiE

Mark’s EU Week for Transport  This is another busy week for UKTiE as we prepare to analyse yet another round of crunch votes on Brexit in Westminster, whilst here in Brussels the EU 27 are preparing for an emergency Brexit summit scheduled for next week. Talk is of a long extension to the Article 50 process being offered to the UK, on the condition the UK has a new Brexit plan and agrees to participate in the EU elections. Meanwhile, we are not sitting…

Mark’s EU Week for Transport  It’s amazing how much time and energy is being invested in debating the Withdrawal Agreement rather than the political declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the EU and UK. Surely our future relationship should justify at least equal attention? Unfortunately, it’s as if as a nation we’re so transfixed by the backstop that we don’t have the bandwidth for anything else.  Indeed, if we had focused for the last two years on…

Mark’s EU Week for Transport  Threat of Cabinet revolt, Parliament seeking to take more control, a once-again delayed Meaningful Vote, and outrage from both wings of the Conservative Party. What would otherwise be a devastating weekend of news for a British Prime Minister has proven to be quite the norm for Theresa May. She has survived crisis point after crisis point since becoming Prime Minister and has made an art form out of successfully navigating being caught between a rock and…

Mark’s EU Week for Transport  In a crunch two weeks for Theresa May and the Brexit negotiations, things are coming to a head.  Yesterday in the House of Commons, Theresa May asked for an extension to the negotiations to seek alternative arrangements to the backstop and secure support for her Withdrawal Agreement. Despite suffering yet another defeat, high noon has been postponed to February 27th. Last night’s vote has no direct effect but no longer allows her to come to Brussels with…

Mark’s EU Week for Transport A historic night for all the wrong reasons. This is what I feel sums up what happened last night in the House of Commons. What happens next will certainly be of interest to everyone involved in and around the Brexit negotiations. However, what I see in the House of Commons are several irreconcilable factions that will be the ultimate stumbling block to any Brexit deal getting a majority. We assume the UK Government will announce a new plan…