Sign up here to receive the daily news briefing in your inbox every morning with exclusive analysis from the BrexitCentral team Theresa May renews threat to walk away from EU without a deal Theresa May insisted that she was “not in a different galaxy” from her EU counterparts and declared yesterday that she would complete a trade deal with Brussels within two years while negotiating the Brexit divorce bill. The prime minister dismayed Europe by resurrecting her threat to walk away if the EU offered a bad deal on Brexit. Asked by Andrew Marr on BBC One yesterday whether she stood by her remark in a speech at Lancaster House in January that no deal was better than a bad deal, Mrs May said: “Yes I do. I think it’s important.” – The Times (£) Theresa May defied attempts by Brussels to bully Britain and insisted the EU will be forced to make a deal. In a clarion call the Prime Minister urged voters to back her in the election saying that every vote strengthens her hand in dealing with the EU bureaucrats.Other Brussels officials have also claimed that the negotiations may fall apart after Britain blocked a £5.05billion (€6billion) EU budget increase last week…The increase would have cost British taxpayers £673 million (€800 million) over the next four years, while a number of senior figures claimed they do not know who was running Britain negotiations. The critical EU briefings came after a dinner between Mrs May, Mr Juncker and Michel Barnier, the lead Brexit negotiator, which Brussels figures claimed went “very badly” because of a series of misunderstandings. – Daily Express PM rejects calls for UK to settle EU `divorce bill´ before trade talks begin – Press Association EU warns UK to recognise ECJ court rulings or risk security cooperation Britain’s most senior EU official has warned that a post-Brexit Britain would have to recognise the rulings of the European court of justice if it wished to maintain the current level of cooperation in countering terrorism and organised crime. Sir Julian King, the European commissioner responsible for security, said the UK’s security services had become increasingly reliant on shared crime-fighting tools to carry out their work. In an interview with the Guardian, King suggested that there would be difficult discussions to be had in order to maintain something near the status quo on security cooperation, which will form part of negotiations with the remaining 27 members of the EU. – The Guardian Tim Farron claims ‘I’m a bit of a Eurosceptic’ Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has described himself as a “bit of a Eurosceptic” despite his party’s pro-EU stance. Mr Farron cited his 2008 resignation from the Lib Dem front bench because he wanted a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. But he said only the Lib Dems could prevent the “calamity of hard Brexit”. The party is aiming to attract the votes of people who backed Remain in June’s EU referendum. Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, he made a pitch for voters in former Lib Dem heartlands in the South West, where many people voted to leave the European Union. “I don’t want to go off on a little bit of a rabbit hole here, but you will remember that I resigned from the Liberal Democrat front bench about 10 years ago because I am a bit of a Eurosceptic,” he said. – BBC I’m a Eurosceptic but still pro-Remain, admits Farron – The Times (£) “You need to get your hands dirty” – Tony Blair announces return to political frontline to block Brexit Twenty years ago today Britain celebrated an election victory which brought the sparkling hope of New Labour and the youngest Prime Minister in a century. It seemed anything was possible and, as the soundtrack to the party’s election campaign promised, things really could only get better. In today’s Daily Mirror Tony Blair marks the anniversary of his epic 1997 landslide victory over John Major – with the extraordinary revelation he is returning to UK politics . For a man who sparked huge anger – revulsion even – over his decision to follow America into war in Iraq, it is a bold move. “This Brexit thing has given me a direct motivation to get more involved in the politics,” he passionately declares. “You need to get your hands dirty and I will.” – Daily Mirror Tony Blair stunned Westminster last night by announcing his return to frontline politics and declared: “You need to get your hands dirty and I will.” The divisive former Labour PM said he will be taking an “active party in trying to shape the policy debate” ahead of the General Election next month and the following Brexit talks.The bombshell return of the arch-Europhile comes on the 20th anniversary of his 1997 landslide election triumph. And it sparked fears of a renewed push to block Brexit as he admitted that our vote to leave the EU has given him “direct motivation to get more involved” again.. – The Sun What is Tony Blair playing at? Our permatanned former Prime Minister recently declared himself to be closer to the Liberal Democrats than his own party due to his position on Brexit. “Unique circumstances demand a unique response,” he said, so Labour voters in certain seats “should cross party lines” and vote for Liberal Democrats – in the cause of Remain. Might the love be reciprocated? Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, was on the Andrew Marr show today and he was asked about whether he had met Blair told discuss such an alliance. He fessed up. – Fraser Nelson for The Spectator Tim Farron reveals he held secret meeting with Blair just months after EU referendum – Daily Express Tony Blair says it’s hard to be hated – Independent Chancer Tony Blair is at fault – Nick Ferrari for the Daily Express Labour MPs defy Corbyn and call for Labour to offer second EU referendum Labour should be prepared to offer the public a referendum on the terms of a final Brexit deal, two former senior members of the party’s shadow cabinet have said. Clive Lewis and Rachael Maskell, who were until recently the shadow business and environment secretaries, claimed giving people the chance to “ratify or reject” the final agreement was not tantamount to repeating last year’s in/out vote. “The decision by the Labour party leadership to rule out a second referendum in the form of a simple rerun of last June’s poll was correct. That ship has, for better or for worse, sailed,” they said, in an article in the Guardian. However, the MPs for the remain-supporting constituencies of Norwich South and York Central argued that no one had approved May’s Brexit “destination”. They claimed the prime minister’s decision to leave the single market could have severe economic consequences and suggested her government was pursuing a “pumped-up free-market alternative with Donald Trump”. – The Guardian Clive Lewis and Rachael Maskell: Let Britain vote on the final Brexit deal Giving the British people a chance to “seal the deal” with a vote on the final terms of the Brexit negotiations is not asking the same question twice. How can it be? We stand on the precipice of a new and vastly changed political and economic reality. If they really believe their own rhetoric, even Tory Brexiteers should welcome a chance to put their Brexit before the people and get their support. They might say that democratic approval could be provided by parliament, or through another general election. Yet the government has determinedly prevented parliament having any meaningful say; and they have chosen now for the general election with a five-year term to follow – they have no intention of putting the terms of Brexit to the public again once they have been settled. That’s why, in the absence of any other democratic means to make the ultimate choices the country faces, our party should be prepared to support giving the British people a chance to ratify or reject whatever deal the prime minister of the day comes back with. We understand why the Labour frontbench does not want to commit to that now. – Labour’s Clive Lewis and Rachael Maskell for The Guardian Labour should offer referendum on final Brexit deal, say MPs – Daily Mail Labour’s Clive Lewis calls for a second Brexit referendum – Independent Two Labour MPs want another referendum – City A.M. Sir Richard Branson calls for second EU referendum Sir Richard Branson said he will back the Prime Minister if she negotiates a good exit deal with the European Union. The Virgin tycoon warned a hard Brexit would be a disaster for the UK and could warrant a second referendum. He said he would support Theresa May if she managed to agree favourable terms for the UK. But warned failure to do so, would mean the public would deserve a second referendum. He said a hard Brexit would be a ‘disaster’ for the country and said it was important people ‘have a second chance if ‘the facts change or once the facts are known’. – Daily Mail Snap election cuts chance of ‘cliff-edge’ Brexit, says City Businesses now hope that since another general election would not fall due until 2022, a May government — assuming a Conservative win on June 8 — would have more time and flexibility to negotiate an extended transition period between the official point of Brexit and a final trade deal with Brussels. While Mrs May and EU politicians clashed over the weekend over the speed of a trade deal — as opposed to agreeing on the framework of any arrangement — business leaders reckon a stronger hand domestically will help her in talks with Brussels. “The election and the timeline for a new parliament could give the prime minister breathing room to deliver a smoother exit deal,” said Adam Marshall, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, which represents 75,000 companies across the UK. – Financial Times (£) Government calls for Google crackdown on European Health Insurance Card fraud The British Government has demanded Google clamps down on companies fraudulently selling European Health Insurance Cards to the public. Government ministers have met with Google to ask the tech giant to remove any adverts for misleading third party websites. Similar arrangements have been put in place with other search engine providers as the Government tries to prevent chancers cashing in on a free service. The meetings come as the UK attempts to work out the cost of how much it will have to pay to remove itself from the European Economic Area’s (EEA) health insurance scheme. – Daily Express French election: Macron says EU must reform or face ‘Frexit’ The front-runner in the French presidential election has told the BBC that the EU must reform or face the prospect of “Frexit”. Pro-EU centrist Emmanuel Macron made the comments as he and his far-right rival Marine Le Pen entered the last week of campaigning. French voters go to the polls on Sunday to decide between the pair. Ms Le Pen has capitalised on anti-EU feeling, and has promised a referendum on France’s membership. She won support in rural and former industrial areas by promising to retake control of France’s borders from the EU and slash immigration. “I’m a pro-European, I defended constantly during this election the European idea and European policies because I believe it’s extremely important for French people and for the place of our country in globalisation,” Mr Macron, leader of the recently created En Marche! party, told the BBC. “But at the same time we have to face the situation, to listen to our people, and to listen to the fact that they are extremely angry today, impatient and the dysfunction of the EU is no more sustainable. – BBC Marine Le Pen gaining on Emmanuel Macron in French election polls – Sky News Daily Mail: Why these EU bully boys fear democracy There was more than a hint of the bizarre about the meeting at which 27 EU leaders set out their negotiating position on Brexit. After getting round the conference table in Brussels, they deliberated for just four minutes before issuing a set of absurdly draconian demands. Then, like some 1970s meeting of the Chinese Communist party, they erupted into a protracted round of applause and self-congratulation, as if they had done something terribly clever. In fact, what they presented was not so much a negotiating position as an ultimatum to Britain – pay a £50 Billion penalty, guarantee the rights of all EU citizens living in the UK, give Spain a veto on the future of Gibraltar and promise not to enforce border controls between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. And they continued talking tough after the meeting, both directly and through a series of carefully choreographed media briefings. Britain would have to pay a huge price for leaving, they said, and Theresa May was ‘delusional’ if she thought the EU would enter trade talks before the cash was stumped up. – Daily Mail editorial Juliet Samuel: Theresa May can’t afford to bluff – she needs a plan for leaving the EU with no deal A major task of Mrs May’s government will be to make it clear that if Brussels were to insist on some of its more outlandish ideas, like the suggestion that EU courts will retain jurisdiction over EU citizens’ rights in Britain, then Brexit talks will simply collapse. Preparations for this outcome must be stepped up, as visibly as possible. It is obvious that any party to a negotiation that is desperate for a deal at any cost will be forced to accept awful terms. Even Peter Mandelson, the arch-Europhile, accepts this principle. But Britain ought to make preparations for the talks’ failure not just as a negotiating strategy, but because it’s entirely possible we will crash out of the EU with no deal. – Juliet Samuel for the Daily Telegraph (£) Clare Foges: It’s time for a modern ‘Buy British’ campaign Anyone wanting to fall down a wormhole into Austin Powers jauntiness for a few minutes should look up Bruce Forsyth’s I’m Backing Britain online: “The feeling is growin’, so let’s keep it goin’, the good times are blowin’ our way . . .” It’s easy to snigger. Fifty years on we are meant to be veterans of globalisation, more cynical about the way the world works, less susceptible to “Britons, do your bit” campaigns. Yet when I heard last week about a restructuring at Nestlé the ghostly notes of Brucie’s song came to my ear. The Blue Riband biscuit — produced in Britain for 81 years — is to move to Poland, costing 300 jobs. Apparently the factory in Kargowa is “a centre of excellence for this type of wafer-based product”. Well, I thought, they can make them as crispy and tongue-coatingly toothsome as they like, but those chocolate-covered wafers will never pass my lips again. I’m backing Britain. – Clare Foges for The Times (£) Brexit comment in brief Hard Brexiteers should fear an all-powerful Theresa May – Matthew d’Ancona for The Guardian TCW Whistleblower: Remainiacs go abroad and lie about their country – Conservative Woman Brexit news in brief Rachel Johnson joins Lib Dems and says she’s ‘not ruling out’ running as London mayor in brother’s footsteps – Independent Irish reunification referendum would be dangerous – Bertie Ahern for The Guardian Former UK ambassador to Ireland is applying for Irish citizenship because of Brexit – Independent Don’t waste time quizzing migrants, border staff are told – Mail on Sunday