Sign up here to receive the daily news briefing in your inbox every morning with exclusive insight from the BrexitCentral team EU will today consider flexible three-month Brexit extension until 31st January… The EU is due to meet on Monday to consider a Brexit extension until 31 January, with an option for the UK to leave earlier if a deal is ratified. A draft text to be shown to ambassadors from the 27 member countries includes multiple possible dates for Brexit: 30 November, 31 December or 31 January. There will also be a commitment that the Withdrawal Agreement cannot be renegotiated in future. Unless the extension is approved, the UK will leave the EU on Thursday. Under the proposed legal decision to extend the Brexit process, the EU would also retain the right to meet without the UK to consider future business during the extension. The EU has so far agreed to an extension after Boris Johnson was forced by Parliament to request it, but has not specified the new deadline date. If EU members approve the request for a three-month extension, Mr Johnson would have to accept it, under the terms of the law passed by MPs to prevent a no-deal Brexit. Any extension to the Article 50 process is technically flexible, meaning that it can come to an end as soon as a deal is approved by both parties. – BBC News EU set to dash Boris Johnson’s last hope of quick Brexit – The Times (£) …as talk of a Macron veto peters out with France yielding on the extension France has agreed to the three-month Brexit extension suggested by European Council President Donald Tusk, softening its previously hard stance on only granting the UK a short technical extension of a few weeks. The change in position happened over the weekend after Emmanuel Macron had a phone conversation with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday afternoon and after further conversations between the EU27 and the U.K., according to an official close to the French president. But the EU will only extend the Brexit deadline until January 31 if the UK appoints a member of the European Commission, according to draft documents seen by Politico. “With a view to allowing for the finalisation of the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement, the European Council agrees to a further extension until 31 January 2020,” says one of the three documents. The draft documents state that during this period, the UK will have to appoint a European commissioner as it “will remain a Member State until the new withdrawal date, with full rights and obligations.” – Politico MPs to vote later on Boris Johnson’s 12th December election call… MPs are due to vote later on the government’s call to have an election on 12 December. Boris Johnson said if the motion was approved, his Brexit bill would resume its progress through Parliament until that is dissolved on 6 November. Two-thirds of MPs – 434 – would have to back the motion for it to pass under the law which sets election timings. Meanwhile EU ambassadors from the other 27 nations will meet to consider the date of a Brexit deadline extension. They have agreed to delay Brexit and are expected to make a decision on a new date, with an option for the UK to leave earlier if and when a deal is signed off. A draft text of an agreement for the ambassadors includes multiple possible dates for Brexit: 30 November, 31 December or 31 January. There will also be a commitment that the Withdrawal Agreement on the UK’s exit from the EU cannot be renegotiated in future. In Westminster, the prime minister may not get the backing he requires for an election on the date he has chosen. – BBC News …as Tories initially dismiss Lib Dem-SNP plan to legislate for a 9th December election as an anti-Brexit ‘stunt’… The Liberal Democrats and SNP bid to give Boris Johnson his pre-Christmas election has been branded a “stunt” and a “gimmick” by the Tories. Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan dismissed the offer as a “stunt” and said it would not change the Government’s decision to put a motion before the Commons on Monday asking MPs for an election on December 12. Conservative Party chairman James Cleverly echoed her sentiments, calling the opposition parties’ proposal for a Bill backing an election on December 9 – three days earlier than the Prime Minister’s suggested date – a “gimmick”. Mrs Morgan said: “If the SNP and Lib Dems want an election then they have a chance to vote for one as quickly as tomorrow when the Government’s motion is voted on. “We will see if they are in our lobby or not,” the Cabinet minister told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme. – ITV News > WATCH: Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan discusses the Government’s Brexit and general election plans > WATCH: Conservative Party Chairman James Cleverly on The Andrew Marr Show …but Downing Street concedes that Boris Johnson will look at other parties’ plans for an early election… Boris Johnson will “look at” an SNP and Liberal Democrat plan for an early election – despite a senior minister dismissing it as a “stunt”. The two Remain-backing parties have set out their plan for an election on 9 December, leaving no time for MPs to first pass Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal. It follows the prime minister’s call for the UK to go to the polls on 12 December – but he wants MPs to be able to consider his EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill first. This comes after a majority of MPs rejected his previous proposed three-day timetable for them to consider the legislation to ratify his Brexit agreement. Labour have so far resisted Mr Johnson’s demand for an early general election, with party leader Jeremy Corbyn calling for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit to be taken “completely off the table” before the UK heads to the polls. – Sky News …as the Lib Dems are accused of ‘giving up’ on securing a second referendum after admitting MPs will never vote for it… The Liberal Democrats have been accused of “giving up” on securing a Final Say referendum on Brexit, after claiming MPs will never vote for it. Jo Swinson’s party faced a cross-party backlash after a dramatic switch to backing a pre-Christmas general election – rather than a fresh public vote – to settle the Brexit crisis. Chuka Umunna then claimed it was “quite clear” there was little prospect of the Commons backing a referendum – despite ongoing plans to attach an amendment to Boris Johnson’s EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill. Sian Berry, the co-leader of the Green Party, said: “A million people didn’t march last weekend for a general election – they wanted a people’s vote.” Guto Bebb, a former Conservative minister, now sitting as an independent, said a referendum was still the “best, most democratic, way to solve this crisis and provide a lasting settlement”.“MPs should not be bounced into an election before we’ve some straight answers from Boris Johnson about what he’s really up to,” he argued. And John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, said on Twitter: “The Lib Dems & SNP may have given up on a People’s Vote. We haven’t. “It’s the only way to resolve this issue and stand any chance of bringing country back together.” – Independent > WATCH: Lib Dem MP Chuka Umunna outlines his Party’s plan for a general election and avoiding no-deal > WATCH: Lib Dem Leader Jo Swinson discusses her general election proposal and stopping no-deal …and senior figures are sacked from the People’s Vote campaign Two of the most senior figures in the People’s Vote have been asked to leave with immediate effect amid a power struggle inside the campaign for a second referendum on leaving the EU. James McGrory, director of the campaign, and Tom Baldwin, head of communications, were ordered to quit their jobs on Sunday evening. Patrick Heneghan, former head of campaigns for the Labour party, was meanwhile appointed as the new acting chief executive of the People’s Vote while its board sought a permanent successor. The moves were revealed in an email seen by the Financial Times from public relations guru Roland Rudd, who as chair of Open Europe — one of five organisations inside the People’s Vote — wields huge power within the campaign. Mr Rudd has been engaged in a long power struggle with Peter Mandelson, the former Labour deputy prime minister, over the direction of the campaign. One ally of Mr McGrory and Mr Baldwin questioned whether Mr Rudd had the power to sack them, given his lack of a formal position within the PV campaign. “He is no more the chair of People’s Vote than Idi Amin was the Last King of Scotland,” he said. “This is essentially a coup against the staff and the campaign by a multi-millionaire who has been to the offices only a handful of times.” – FT(£) People’s Vote campaign plunged into turmoil as senior officials are sacked – PoliticsHome Labour repeat that they will only agree to an election if Johnson forbids a no-deal Brexit Labour will only agree to support a general election if Boris Johnson promises he will never pursue a no-deal Brexit, the party has said, insisting even a delay until 31 January would not be seen as sufficient reassurance. With Labour under increasing pressure to back an election, and both the government and a Liberal Democrat-Scottish National party group coming up with competing plans to force one, Jeremy Corbyn said a three-month Brexit pause would not be enough to trust the prime minister. “No, because it’s still there in his mind, it’s still there in the bill, and it’s still there as a threat,” he told TV reporters after addressing a trade union conference in Ayr. “It’s got to be completely removed before we’ll support an election. We want an election as soon as that’s removed and it’s in his hands to do so.” Speaking earlier on Sunday, the shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, said only a promise from Johnson to MPs would suffice. “He could come to parliament and categorically give parliament an undertaking that he’s not going to come out without a deal,” she told BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show. “But he won’t do that, because coming out without a deal is something that people around him like Dominic Cummings would want, because then it becomes not just Brexit but a Trump Brexit.” – Guardian > WATCH: Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott on The Andrew Marr Show Tony Blair suggests a second referendum and election could be held on the same day Tony Blair has suggested a second referendum could be held on the same day as a general election to break the Brexit impasse. The former Prime Minister has warned Jeremy Corbyn not to agree to a general election until no deal is no longer an option. Mr Blair said he believes the most likely outcome of negotiations over the UK’s future relationship with the EU were likely to end in no deal. “The sensible thing for him [ Jeremy Corbyn ] to say to Boris Johnson is, ‘Yes, I’ll agree to your general election, but you’ve got to agree to timetable proper scrutiny of your Bill and allow us to amend that so that we rule out no deal as the outcome of the future negotiation’. Because otherwise Jeremy Corbyn hasn’t prevented no deal.” Speaking to the BBC’s The Westminster Hour, Mr Blair said: “He [Jeremy Corbyn] can make that happen. He can say the moment that’s done properly, he’s up for a general election. But it’s got to encompass the future negotiations and not simply the exit deal.” – Mirror Ministers’ hopes are pinned on a new Speaker to force an election Ministers are pinning their hopes on the election of a new Speaker to force Britain to the polls, The Times has been told. John Bercow retires this Thursday, the day that Britain was supposed to leave the EU. The government believes his successor will be much less likely to allow backbenchers to seize control of the order paper again to pass legislation to prevent a no-deal Brexit. Ministers believe it will leave Britain facing a no-deal departure on January 31, leaving Labour with no choice but to back an election. Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, is expected this week to reject Boris Johnson’s call for a general election on December 12. Mr Johnson has indicated he will pull his EU withdrawal bill entirely rather than allow Labour to attempt to force through a customs union or second referendum amendment. – The Times (£) Philip Hammond backs UK membership of the EU customs union… Former Chancellor Philip Hammond could support an amendment seeking to keep the UK in an EU customs union after Brexit. He warned that Boris Johnson’s current Brexit deal splits Northern Ireland from the rest of the country and that the Government should “stop throwing tantrums” over its Brexit agenda. Mr Hammond, who lost the Tory whip for rebelling over Brexit and is now sitting as an independent, said he wants proper time to assess Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal and that a customs union could prevent a future no-deal Brexit. “Yes, I could support a customs union,” he told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday. “If the whole of the UK is in a customs union, then the whole of the UK would be treated the same and the threat to the union in Northern Ireland would be gone.” He added: “That applies as much to a no-deal exit at the end of 2020 as it does to a no-deal exit at the end of 2019.” – iNews ..and says Johnson’s Brexit deal was ‘available to Theresa May 15 months ago’ Former chancellor Philip Hammond has claimed Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal was an agreement previously available to ex-prime minister Theresa May. The current prime minister presented his “great new” deal to parliament after concluding negotiations with the EU earlier this month. But Mr Hammond suggested Mr Johnson’s agreement – which came after the EU repeatedly said it would not reopen talks on his predecessor Mrs May’s deal – was only a “limited achievement”. He told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday show: “The deal that Boris has done is a deal that was available to Theresa May 15 months ago. “A deal that would have split Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. “Theresa May rejected that, [and] Boris agreed with her at the time that [it] [was not something any British prime minister could agree. “He said as recently as 11 September that a Northern Ireland-only backstop would be completely unacceptable to the UK. So pivoting to accept something that’s previously been on offer from the EU – it was their preferred solution – and has been rejected because it didn’t work for the UK is an achievement maybe, but a limited achievement.” – Sky News > WATCH: Former Chancellor Philip Hammond discusses Brexit with Sophy Ridge Brexit Party’s Richard Tice reportedly gunning for Boris Johnson in his own backyard When we finally get a General Election (and my sources tell me December seems highly unlikely), Boris Johnson may have to spend a lot more time in his constituency campaigning than PMs generally do. He has a majority of only 5,034 — down from 10,695 in 2015. Although there has been speculation about a Tory electoral pact with the Brexit Party, that seems a non-starter after Nigel Farage so roundly trashed Johnson’s proposed deal to leave the EU last week. Now I hear the Farage storm troopers are definitely fielding a candidate against the PM. Westminster gossip has it that Richard Tice, multi-millionaire businessman and chairman of the Brexit Party who was elected an MEP in May, will stand against Boris in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency. ‘I have decided that I will stand for Parliament,’ Tice told me yesterday. However, when challenged about the growing rumours that it could be against the Prime Minister, he was less forthcoming: ‘I’m not confirming or denying. You can speculate all you like. I’m not going to tell you.’ – Daily Mail Charlotte Gill: Justin Welby has no business using his sacred office to pontificate about Brexit Another day, another insult for Leavers. In what many will perceive as an attack on Brexit, the Archbishop of Canterbury has used his sacred office to reprimand Boris Johnson for his “inflammatory” language. Interviewed for The Sunday Times, Justin Welby said that the Prime Minister was at risk of pouring “petrol” on Britain’s Brexit divisions and claimed to have been “shocked” when Johnson described warnings about extreme language causing death threats as “humbug”. Welby’s comments are nonsensical for all sorts of reasons. For starters, he has misinterpreted Johnson’s use of the word “humbug”. The PM never intended to dismiss death threats – which he has doubtless experienced himself – but to reject the notion that calling the Benn Act the “Surrender Act” is dangerous. “Humbug”, like everything Johnson says, was twisted and turned to diminish him – and by extension Brexit. Then the double standards. Where was Welby when John McDonnell called for people to “lynch the bitch”, referring to Esther McVey? Or when the Liberal Democrats made “Bollocks to Brexit” their slogan? What the Archbishop is most mistaken about, though, is that the public wants his two penneth on Brexit. He seems to be having something of an identity crisis, believing that the Church of England should delve into political matters. But this couldn’t be further from the truth; people crave respite from the country’s disharmony. Churches, and indeed religion, have become a refuge for many – one that will be threatened if they, too, are politicised. – Charlotte Gill for the Telegraph (£) Nick Ferrari: Brexit delay is final insult from tin-eared, self-obsessed MPs It was good enough for the World Bank, the most prestigious financial group in the world. The IMF also signalled its approval and, back here in Britain, the bosses’ organisation the CBI – which in the past has been an unstinting cheerleader of the Remain cause and was once so sold on the European project it made the case for the UK signing up to the single currency of the euro – said it was “something we could definitely work with”. Poll after poll showed the majority of the British public wanted it, indeed one poll had a 66 per cent approval rating, and one newspaper that has from day one greeted the possibility of Brexit with the level of enthusiasm usually reserved for a bad case of piles, said it was “time to end the agony” and go for the deal. Little wonder then that the majority of our tin-eared, self-obsessed, preening politicians opted to effectively reject the Brexit deal that would have allowed this country to finally move on. – Nick Ferrari for the Express Leo McKinstry: Attention-seeking and vain, the new Speaker cannot be a Bercow 2.0 The end of John Bercow’s ugly, divisive reign as Speaker is in sight. His fondness for the sound of his own theatrical voice is matched by his enthusiasm for imposing his politically fashionable views, never more so than on Brexit, on which issue he has rightly come to be viewed as a Parliamentary agent of the Remain cause. Only last week, in another of his notorious manoeuvres, he blocked a Meaningful Vote on Boris Johnson’s new Withdrawal Agreement. His successor will have to be a very different figure. In place of Bercow’s attention-seeking vanity and bias, the new Speaker will have to show self-restraint and impartiality. The job requires someone who can act as a neutral referee, not a noisy cheerleader for one side. That is the only way to restore the integrity of the Commons and resolve the current Brexit crisis. – Leo McKinstry for the Express Paul Goodman: Why the second referendum campaign is failing Why the turmoil over at the People’s Vote campaign, where two senior personnel have been fired? The answer lies in the three main structural weaknesses present in the campaign from its very start – as it emerged from Britain Stronger in Europe, the losing Remain referendum campaign. The first is forward-facing. Why should a second plebiscite on UK EU membership settle the matter one way or the other? What happens if a vote goes, say, 51-49 either way? Must we then have a third referendum for clarity? Best of five? The second looks backwards. Officially, the People’s Vote campaign is aligned neither to Leave nor Remain supporters. Unofficially, the very dogs in the street know that it is made up almost entirely of Remainers. They want to re-contest a referendum they lost. It is as though New Zealand were demanding a re-run of Saturday’s World Cup semi-final. The third springs from the second. The campaign has failed to attract the support of a single Leaver of any real note. Indeed, its most visible spokesman has been Tony Blair. It is as if the campaign had become a vehicle to help him redeem his reputation and popularity, lost after the Iraq War. And all that comes before asking the People’s Vote crew the knotty questions that they can’t answer, such as: what’s the question? Or: what’s the franchise? The success of Keir Starmer and London Labour in pushing the cause within their party, and wringing concessions over time from Jeremy Corbyn, has helped to mask these fundamental difficulties. But the problems with the campaign have been evident for a while. Its backers in the Commons haven’t dared bring it back for recent vote. – Paul Goodman for ConservativeHome Sheila Lawlor: Ultimately, as the EU’s leaders recognise, the momentum is with Johnson Boris Johnson, no novice to the craft of politics, kept his friends for the most part on side and his enemies guessing. He extracted a new deal from the EU that dropped the backstop and the UK’s subjugation to EU customs union law; sent, but did not sign, Parliament’s delay letter, and dealt with the duplicitous Letwin amendment to stop Brexit by his firm resolution to see the deal through into to law. MPs who refused to back it still don’t know whether that will lead to no deal or delay. Much depends on the EU and its leaders, who have committed to Johnson’s vision. Fewer than 90 days after assuming office, he convinced enough of them that their way and his lay side by side, on – and even more important – beyond Brexit, turning enemy fortresses across Europe’s capitals into friendly citadels. Previously, for the EU the Leave vote was a decision to be ignored, a problem to be circumvented by keeping the UK in and under the EU system. It had reasons of realpolitik – to show rebellious member states that the UK could not really leave, and that it would be punished for trying. It also had pragmatic economic reasons: the UK economy must be bound and gagged, into and under EU law, its future path aligned to that law made in Brussels, to prevent a rival competitor on its shores. For France, particularly, Britain’s ‘Anglo-Saxon’ or competitive free market system is an upstart and potential rival to the Brussels (and French) model, of a protected, centrally planned and controlled, system that had gradually evolved in France from the time of Louis XIV and had been adapted for the EU project. Johnson realised that Brussels, with its Franco-German axis, needed a political ‘win’, accepting such punitive elements in the May deal as: dispute resolution (e.g: citizens’ rights to be under ECJ jurisdiction), the UK divorce payment to the EU, the 13 months of transition under EU law with no UK vote or voice, all as the price of a new deal. But this deal is finite, a tidying-up exercise for exit – one that will, after the transition, leave the UK and its economy free. – Sheila Lawlor for ConservativeHome Brexit in Brief I’m going to miss losing friends because of Brexit – Julie Burchill for the Telegraph (£) Parliament needs an honest, self-effacing Speaker to repair the damage wrought by Bercow – Simon Heffer for the Telegraph (£) Archbishop of Canterbury faces backlash after suggesting Boris Johnson is pouring ‘petrol’ on divisions in UK with his Brexit rhetoric – Daily Mail