Sign up here to receive the daily news briefing in your inbox every morning with exclusive insight from the BrexitCentral team Jeremy Corbyn repeatedly refuses to rule out keeping the UK in the EU… Jeremy Corbyn has repeatedly refused to rule out keeping the UK in the European Union if he was elected Prime Minister on June 8. Mr Corbyn yesterday insisted that the General Election “isn’t about Brexit” because the issue had already been “settled”. But the Labour leader was asked seven times to commit to taking the UK out of the EU but he failed to do so. BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg asked Mr Corbyn: “You said today Brexit is settled. Does that mean if you’re prime minister, come hell or high water, whatever the deal on the table, we will be leaving the European Union?” Mr Corbyn replied: “Look there’s a clear vote in the referendum a year ago. But there is now the negotiations which have already begun.” Mr Corbyn was then pushed again and again to answer the question. – Telegraph (£) Would Corbyn definitely leave the EU? (video) – BBC News …as the Labour leader says elites want to ‘hijack Brexit’ Jeremy Corbyn has said wealthy elites are trying to “hijack” Brexit as he formally launched Labour’s campaign. Speaking in Manchester, the Labour leader promised a reckoning for “tax cheats, rip-off bosses and greedy bankers” if Labour wins the election… Although the election was not about Brexit in itself, he said there was a clear difference between his approach and that of the Conservatives, who he said were prioritising narrow party interests. In what the Conservatives dismissed as an “angry and divisive” speech, Mr Corbyn told activists that his mission was to transform Britain, saying “we have four weeks to take our wealth back and four weeks to show what kind of country we are”. – BBC News Jeremy Corbyn calls for ‘jobs first’ Brexit – Politico I agree with Jeremy: Brexit has been settled – John Rentoul for the Independent Labour’s approach to Brexit: the greatest upset of the greatest number – Katy Balls for the Spectator Coffee House Jeremy Corbyn’s lack of a Brexit plan is an insult to voters – Express editorial Ukip exodus will be crucial in general election, says pollster – The Times (£) 100 moderate Labour MPs to form breakaway group if Jeremy Corbyn stays on after a Tory landslide – Telegraph (£) May has won back the Kippers: mission complete? – Matthew Goodwin for The Times (£) Jean-Claude Juncker admits leak of his Downing Street dinner with Theresa May was a ‘serious mistake’ Jean-Claude Juncker has denied that he or one of his team leaked details of his fractious Downing Street dinner with Theresa May on Brexit, calling the disclosure “a serious mistake”. The president of the European Commission also referred to the prime minister as a “tough lady” and said their “love” had limits. Mr Juncker, or his inner circle, have been blamed by Downing Street for a blow-by-blow account in a German newspaper of how the two sides discovered they were far apart at the private dinner on April 26… “The fact that parts of this conversation were reported was a serious mistake,” Mr Juncker said. Gabor Steingart, chief editor of Handelsblatt newspaper, asked: “In which you were involved? Team Juncker?” Mr Juncker replied: “I am very talented with regard to self-criticism but I do not want to saddle myself with that.” – The Times (£) Juncker calls indiscretions “serious errors” [German] – Handelsblatt Brussels’ Brexit strategy: Leak early, leak often – David M. Herszenhorn for Politico Ruth Davidson says Nicola Sturgeon is treating fishermen with ‘utter contempt’ over plan to re-enter Common Fisheries Policy Ruth Davidson has accused Nicola Sturgeon of treating fishing communities “with utter contempt” after the EU confirmed the SNP’s plans for a separate Scotland to rejoin would bring the industry back under the control of the hated Common Fisheries Policy. The Scottish Tory leader published a letter from Karmenu Vella, the European Commissioner for fisheries, stating that a new EU member state could not opt out of the CFP. Speaking ahead of a general election campaign visit to the fishing port of Peterhead, in the Tory target seat of Banff and Buchan, Ms Davidson said Ms Sturgeon’s independence blueprint meant returning to the CFP but “she wants to pretend otherwise.” – Telegraph Gibraltar commits to ‘Hard Brexit’ as it drops hope of deal with Brussels Defiant Gibraltar today insisted it will stand squarely with the rest of the United Kingdom over Brexit and told Brussels it no longer expects a special deal over single market access. A top official from the Rock told MEPs that authorities are now planning for a “hard Brexit” and said leaving the EU will not force them to change economic course… Previously ministers had said they would seek a special arrangement with Brussels which would allow the Rock’s booming services sector, and especially its finance companies, to retain passporting rights to the single market. However, it appears their minds have been sharply changed by the EU’s decision to allow Spain to include a veto over future relations with the territory in the bloc’s Brexit negotiating guidelines. Senior figures in Gibraltar were stunned and enraged by the shock inclusion, which led to a furious war of words with Brussels and accusations eurocrats had bowed to pressure from Madrid. – Express Emmanuel Macron’s policy to move border controls from Calais would be a ‘nightmare’ and could cause huge delays for travellers, UK shipping chief warns The new French President wants to scrap the current border deal – but yesterday the PM insisted it was not up for negotiation… Today the CEO of the UK Chamber of Shipping warned that cancelling the treaty would mean extra checks at BOTH sides of the Channel which would be a “nightmare” for travellers. Guy Platten told The Sun Online that this would lead to chaos at Dover and Calais with lengthy queues for travellers and lorries carrying cargo… Mr Platten, who represents 170 members of the shipping industry, said: “If ferry operators were required to check every lorry for illegal immigrants before embarkation, then voyage delays will see colossal queues of cars and lorries.” The move would affect Calais and Dunkirk just as much as Dover, he stressed. – The Sun What is the Le Touquet border control Treaty and can Emmanuel Macron tear it up? – Telegraph Don’t assume that Macron will push our border back to Dover. Here’s how we can reach agreement. – Charlie Elphicke for ConservativeHome Emmanuel Macron is mistaken if he thinks he doesn’t need the Anglo-French alliance – Con Coughlin for the Telegraph (£) Britain comes second in Europe for its ‘nannying’ rules on health European countries have become more restrictive as public health “nannies” introduce ever more regulations or bans on alcohol, fizzy drinks, eating, e-cigarettes and tobacco, a report claims today. A Nanny State Index compiled by the European Policy Centre, a free market think tank, rates Britain as the second most illiberal country after Finland because of restrictions and bans, often linked to EU regulations. Europe’s most liberal nation is the Czech Republic, followed by Germany. Most countries have seen a deterioration in their rankings due to the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive, with rules that include bans on packets of ten cigarettes and the displacement of famous branding such as Gitanes or Gauloises by graphic health warnings. – The Times (£) George Eaton: The Remain delusion – “the 48 per cent” do not exist The truth, which few have recognised, is that “the 48 per cent” no longer exist. After voting Remain, they ceased to act as a unified political bloc. The crucial figure for understanding May’s decision to pursue Brexit is not “the 48 per cent” or “the 52 per cent” but the 69 per cent – the number who believe the government has a duty to leave the EU (more than a third of whom voted Remain). A mere 21 per cent agree that the government should either block Brexit or seek to prevent it through a second referendum… As long as Remainers speak as if there is a nascent “progressive majority” built on “the 48 per cent”, they will repeat the very mistake that led to Brexit: misreading the electorate. – George Eaton for the New Statesman Daniel Korski: Don’t be fooled by public temper tantrums, Brexit talks are already going very well Working quietly and with none of this week’s fireworks, May’s Government has actually made headway in its talks with the Commission and European governments. The steps have been small and the journey ahead is still long, but Team GB has not stood still or been outclassed, as some have feared… In the first nine months of Theresa May’s premiership the key Brexit issues have not been substantive; they have been procedural. The how not the what. Substance comes later. And in that regard, the Prime Minister has done much better than many people realise. – Daniel Korski for the Telegraph (£) Inga Beale: The next government must prioritise access to talent and growth markets for the City to thrive To be successful, companies need both the freedom to trade with the world openly and the ability to attract the world’s best talent. The upcoming Brexit negotiations could provide an opportunity to deliver on both… Because licenses are the lifeblood of our industry, getting the right access to a market is absolutely critical. We can thrive in high growth markets, like Latin America and Asia, provided we have access… Worryingly though, there are signs, even before Brexit, that our ability to trade with other markets is getting worse – not better – due to the protectionist sentiment we see rising around the world… If the government delivers access to markets and access to talent, it will ensure the next hundred years will be defined by growth and opportunity. – Inga Beale, Chief Executive of Lloyd’s, for City A.M. Daniel Hannan: Macron poses no threat to Brexit – but he might damage the EU There is no reason why a committed Euro-integrationist, which Macron is, should not see a strategic partnership with the UK, which keeps political union intact for the other participants, as solving several problems. No, my concerns about Macron are different. Although he is often written up as a free-market liberal, he is in fact quite a protectionist; it’s just that his protectionism is European rather than French in its scope. His manifesto promised to “turn the protection of European industry into one of the major pillars of reinventing the EU”. He wants to restrict EU public procurement to companies based in Europe, and is a big fan of “anti-dumping” measures – usually the first resort of the contemporary anti-globaliser. Such policies would, if implemented, cause peripheral damage to Britain, in the sense that a “Buy Europe” rule would exclude some of our firms. But by far the greater damage would be to the EU itself. – Daniel Hannan MEP for IBTimes Macron: hero of the losers who imagine they are winners – Gerald Warner for Reaction Manuel Valls pledges to join Emmanuel Macron as battle for French parliament begins – Telegraph Emmanuel Macron’s EU honeymoon: Nice while it lasted – David M. Herszenhorn for Politico Brexit comment in brief May needs a mandate as much as a landslide – Daniel Finkelstein for The Times (£) Britain need not slam its doors to limit migration – FT editorial (£) Theresa May needs a flexible policy for immigration, not arbitrary targets – Telegraph editorial British football braces for life after Brexit – Peter Berlin for Politico Economists have lost the public’s trust by meddling in politics – Paul Ormerod for City A.M. ‘Brexit is starting to look a lot like a coup’ – A.C. Grayling interview with EurActiv Brexit news in brief Increase in UK business confidence despite Brexit – Accountancy Age ‘No deal’ would unleash new EU recession that kills off euro, says economist Patrick Minford – Express Brexit will leave ‘a business support black hole,’ claims FSB report – Guardian UK tech investors face loss of significant funding after Brexit – FT (£) European Union chief appoints 43 new ambassadors to push Brussels’ agenda worldwide – Express Estonian president: In the face of Brexit, unity will be at the heart of our EU presidency – EurActiv Brexit will cost Greece up to 0.8% of GDP, Greek minister says – EurActiv EU regulator set to warn EU27 against relaxing regulations to attract financial firms from the UK – Politico (€) European Parliament comms chief insists Brexit is a ‘vaccine’ not a ‘disease’ – EurActiv UK’s only Europe Day celebration is held in Scotland – and half the events are in Belgium – Express A taste of Brexit Britain? New York Times offers $6,000 Brexit tour of… London – Steerpike for the Spectator Coffee House And finally… UK’s Eurovision contender Lucie Jones ‘is not thinking about Brexit’ Singer Lucie Jones has said she will ignore politics and focus on her performance at the Eurovision Song Contest this week. The former X Factor hopeful said she will be keeping Brexit firmly out of her mind as she represents the UK in the competition. It is the first competition since the EU referendum but Jones said she is “not thinking about Brexit”… Jones, 26, told the Press Association, “it’s out of my hands so there is no point in worrying or thinking about it, I am just letting it pass me by.” – ITV News