Theresa May isolated as party turns on ‘chaotic’ Brexit plan and transition period extension… Theresa May was on Thursday evening increasingly isolated over her plan to keep Britain tied to the EU for longer as she was savaged by both wings of her party and left in the cold by EU leaders. Mrs May confirmed on Thursday that she was prepared to consider extending the transition period – currently due to end in December 2020 – by “a matter of months” in an attempt to break the deadlock over the Northern Ireland border issue. The move enraged Brexiteers who said it would cost billions, and angered members of the Cabinet who said they had not formally agreed the plan before she offered it up as a bargaining chip. Mrs May also faced a potential mutiny from Tory MPs north of the border, including David Mundell, the Scottish Secretary, who said the proposal was “unacceptable” because it would delay the UK’s exit from the hated Common Fisheries Policy. – Telegraph (£) No breakthrough but new Brexit headache for Theresa May – Sky News > WATCH: Theresa May’s statement at the EU summit …as Jacob Rees-Mogg says ‘billions’ needed for extending Brexit transition should fund Universal Credit instead… Jacob Rees-Mogg claimed any additional funds that may be paid to Brussels for an extension of the transitional period after Brexit should be instead directed to bailing out the beleaguered Universal Credit scheme. Talking to Sky News after the EU indicated it was open to the UK extending the transitional period beyond 2020 the leading Brexiteer said he would rather use the additional funds on the ailing Universal Credit scheme. He said extending the transition would mean: “we are in the European Union for longer when the EU can make rules for the United Kingdom, over which we would have no say and we would be paying for the privilege.” – i News May gambit to extend post-Brexit transition angers Tory MPs – FT (£) Tory Brexiteers blast Theresa May’s plot to keep Britain tied to the EU for longer than planned – The Mirror DUP reject moves to extend Brexit transition period in fresh blow for Theresa May – PoliticsHome > WATCH: Jacob Rees-Mogg on Sky News with Adam Boulton …and Scottish Tories say they would veto an extension to the Brexit transition period in support of their fisherman Scottish Tories would veto an extension the transition period in support of their fisherman, The Sun can reveal. Divorce talks have already agreed that the UK will remain part of the EU’s hated Commons Fisheries Policy as part of the so-called withdrawal phase. But one senior Scottish Tory saying another year “would be a red line for us.” Mrs May’s grip on the Commons relies on the 13 Scottish Tory MPs, with insiders telling The Sun: “We’ve already swallowed one extension to getting our waters back, we will not put up with another one.” Scottish fishing chiefs branded the original 21 exit phase “ a massive sell out” of the nautical community, with Scots Tory boss Ruth Davidson admitting it was a “disappointment.” And she added that if Britain did not take back control of fishing waters by the end of 2020, then her party would not be able to back the PM’s final Brexit deal. – The Sun Remain-backing Tories also criticise May’s handling of the talks… Theresa May is facing the most perilous week of her premiership after infuriating all sections of her party by making further concessions to Brussels. Her offer to extend the transition period after Brexit — made without cabinet approval — enraged Remain and Leave Tory MPs alike. With confidence in No 10 ebbing away, rival blocs of Conservative MPs stepped up plotting against the prime minister. David Davis, the former Brexit secretary, was calling ministers yesterday to urge a change of course in the negotiations. “He is definitely on manoeuvres,” one recipient of a call said. Allies of Mr Davis say that he wants to “change the policy, not the PM”. – The Times (£) Theresa May faces revolt as ex-Brexit minister Lord Bridges slams her EU plan – The Sun Theresa May has led our party so badly even I wouldn’t vote for it, says Conservative MP – Telegraph (£) Remain-backing former minister says Theresa May is “losing the confidence” of her colleagues – Grantham Journal …and she reportedly concedes the Irish backstop cannot have an end date… Theresa May has conceded the Irish backstop cannot have an end date, risking the threat of fresh Cabinet resignations. The PM told Leo Varadkar she accepted Brussels’ demands that any fallback border solution cannot be “time-limited”. But British officials insisted they will demand a get-out clause to stop us being shackled to the EU forever. She made the admission in a meeting with the Taioseach just hours before telling other leaders the UK would consider extending the transition period. Mr Varadkar said: “We both agreed it should be temporary. If it does have to be invoked it should only apply unless and until we have a new agreement in place. “We all recognise that it can’t be time-limited in the sense that it can’t have an expiry date.” – The Sun Theresa May says longer transition period could be ‘solution’ to Irish border row amid Tory backlash – Independent …while Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says May’s plans won’t work The European Union would have “huge difficulties” in agreeing to extend the Northern Irish backstop to the rest of the UK, the taoiseach has warned. Leo Varadkar said he did not think “any country or union” would be asked to sign up to an agreement that would give the UK access to the single market while also allowing it to “undercut” the EU across a range of areas including state aid competition, labour laws and environmental standards. “I would feel very strongly about this, as a European as well as an Irishman: you couldn’t have a situation whereby the UK had access to the single market — which is our market — and at the same time was able to undercut us in terms of standards, whether they were environmental standards, labour laws, or state aid competition. I don’t think any country or any union would be asked to accept that,” Mr Varadkar said in Brussels. – The Times (£) Varadkar demands no compromise from EU in shocking Irish border stunt – Express Donald Tusk warns ‘not enough progress made’ to plan a November summit to seal a deal… Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, has warned that not “enough progress” has been made on the Brexit deal at an EU summit in Brussels. At a press conference on Thursday afternoon, he said: “The EU27 confirmed we want to continue talks in a positive spirit…for now, not enough progress has been made [to secure a deal.]” He added that he “stands ready” to call a summit in November if more progress is made. It came as Theresa May indicated that the transition period could be extended to allow her and the EU27 to secure the best possible trade deal after Brexit. Speaking to reporters at an EU summit in Brussels, Mrs May said a “new idea has emerged at this stage” which would involve extending the transition period by a “matter of months”. She added: “But the point is that this is not expected to be used, because we are working to ensure that we have that future relationship in place by the end of December 2020. – Telegraph (£) > WATCH: Donald Tusk addresses a press conference following the EU summit …although he suggests EU leaders did not discuss extending the transition period EU leaders did not discuss extending the UK’s post-Brexit transition period last night despite Theresa May floating the offer as a way to jumpstart negotiations. The PM made the proposal to her EU counterparts on Wednesday, but European Council president Donald Tusk revealed it was not talked about after she had left the room. German Chancellor Angela Merkel used a post-summit press conference to suggest an extra period of transition would not be needed once a “political solution” to the impasse was found. In his own remarks to the press, Tusk said he did believe EU leaders would agree to the plan if they felt it would end the deadlock in the talks. Speaking in Brussels, Tusk said: “I am sure the leaders would be ready to consider it positively.” – City A.M. Macron and Merkel say EU must be more flexible to solve Ireland France and Germany have instructed Michel Barnier to be “more flexible” with Theresa May in a final push to solve the Irish border question. In a private session of European leaders on Wednesday night, Angela Merkel and President Macron urged Mr Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, to give the prime minister legal guarantees that a deal with Europe will never impose a customs border in the Irish Sea. The German chancellor and French president fear that Mrs May will not be able to sell the compromises necessary to seal the deal to either her cabinet, the DUP or her own backbenchers. Talks to find a compromise are expected to begin in earnest the week after next in Brussels with a fortnight of intensive negotiations likely to follow. – The Times (£) Merkel warns EU and UK against rigid approach to Brexit talks – FT (£) EU leaders ready to help May sell Brexit deal to parliament… EU leaders are preparing to back Theresa May in building a “coalition of the reasonable” in the UK parliament, in a desperate bid to avoid a no-deal Brexit. Following what has been described by diplomats as a “call for help” by the prime minister at a crunch summit in Brussels, the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, stressed that the EU had to pursue “all avenues” to find a deal that can get through the Commons.“I think where there is a will there is a way,” she said. Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president, said: “It will be done.” He is understood to have told EU leaders that May needed “help” to sell a deal in parliament. While ruling out major concessions, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said it was clear that the roadblock to a deal did not lie in Brussels. A potential agreement had been derailed on Sunday when Dominic Raab, the Brexit secretary, made an unscheduled visit to Brussels to inform the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, that May could not get an agreement past her cabinet or the DUP, on whose votes her government relies. – Guardian …although they knocked back beers without her in late night drinking session EU leaders left Theresa May bitter as she warned Brexit will get “tougher” still before a deal can be done. National bosses went out drinking in Brussels without the PM, before then piling more pressure on her to come up with fresh compromises to break the Irish border deadlock… The extraordinary leaders drinking session came late on Wednesday night after a dinner to discuss Brexit without Mrs May broke up early. France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Angela Merkel stunned the Belgian capital by downing beers outside a café in its famous Grand Place for two hours. – The Sun Commons Brexit vote will be ‘take it or leave it’, Andrea Leadsom tells MPs Andrea Leadsom has told MPs their only real Brexit choice is whether to accept any final deal Theresa May negotiates with Brussels when it comes to the Commons to be signed off. Leadsom, the leader of the house, sought to narrow the options for MPs on Thursday, saying that “the reality before the United Kingdom” would amount to an either/or choice on May’s deal, even if the Commons were to debate possible amendments. The cabinet minister addressed MPs the day after the Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab, provoked backbench outrage by saying parliamentary approval for May’s deal needed to be unconditional because amending it could prevent it from being ratified. Some MPs are considering an amendment to the approval motion to authorise a second referendum. Other amendments could extend or reduce the transition period during which the UK stays in the single market after Brexit. – Guardian Commission downplays City’s cliff-edge Brexit worries The European Commission’s top financial services officials today shrugged off U.K. fears that Brexit could disrupt the continuity of cross-border insurance and derivative contracts and that the bloc’s evolving stance on granting regulatory equivalence decisions is taking a protectionist slant. Speaking at a Politico event Thursday in London — U.K. Financial Services industry: shaping the new trajectory — the director-general of the Commission’s financial services directorate, Olivier Guersent, said there will be no “cliff” on Brexit day for cross-border contracts. On March 30 next year, contracts “will be continuous,” he said. Where companies could have problems after Brexit is if they want to “modify” those contracts, he added. Then, you “have to go to the … regulator and request authorization to do this. If you’re smart, you would have gone beforehand.” – Politico Priti Patel: Extending the Brexit transition will cost billions and achieve nothing Back in 2016, 17.4 million people voted to leave the EU. And if today’s rumours about the government wanting to extend the 21-month transition period are true, we still won’t have left the EU way into 2021. It’s vital we give effect to the referendum result. People voted to take back control of our borders, laws, money and trade. They wanted us to radically transform our country into a self-governing, free-trading nation and for us to build a stronger and more prosperous future outside the EU. Of course, it’s important that we leave in an orderly fashion. When we formally exit on 29 March 2019, it’s crucial that there’s a smooth path to a future, permanent trading relationship. Businesses understandably need some time to prepare for the new arrangements. But this must be time-limited. The end of 2020 is already long enough. I see no point in us building a bigger bridge to nowhere. Why would we extend the transition phase when we don’t know where or what we are even transitioning to? – Priti Patel MP for the Guardian Andrea Jenkyns: If Theresa May can’t deliver Brexit on time, she should let someone else do the job You don’t need to be a pollster like Lord Ashcroft to get a sense that the British people are losing patience with the ongoing Brexit negotiations. Whether you voted Leave or Remain, the phrase “just get on with it” is common among those who believe we must implement the wishes of the British people. Anyone who has recently watched the news can recognise this feeling: people just want it to be over. The general antipathy towards a so-called People’s Vote is the same feeling that was articulated by Brenda from Bristol at the announcement of the last general election: “You’re joking! Not another one!” The proposal of the Prime Minister to further extend the transition period doesn’t just defy all logic and common sense, it is also dangerous. Dangerous for the international credibility of our country, which might be seen as getting cold feet on the crucial decisions that shape its future. Disastrous for democracy, with the deceptive Chequers deal leaving us half in-half out, when British voters were offered two clear alternatives, whether to leave or remain. – Andrea Jenkyns MP for the Telegraph (£) Fraser Nelson: No deal Brexit could be a great opportunity – the Tories should start by slashing taxes Before setting off for this week’s EU summit, Angela Merkel warned the Bundestag that Brexit talks might just end in disaster and that it is now time to prepare for “all scenarios”. The French are doing so already, with draft legislation to deal with the potential fallout. In Spain, the foreign minister has upbraided businesses for not worrying enough about a no-deal Brexit. There’s talk, now, about a European summit next month to discuss what would happen if there is no deal – and what needs to be done to keep the aircraft flying and trade flowing. To hold such talks is a sensible strategy, and stands in some contrast to Michel Barnier’s shenanigans. His approach has been to reject every offer Britain makes and ask for more concessions. – Fraser Nelson for the Telegraph (£) The Sun says: If Theresa May cannot secure our freedom from the EU — then the game is up Tories are in despair at Theresa May’s Brexit cave-ins. Not just the Brexiters. Her vital Scottish MPs. The moderates. The Remainers. Also the DUP on whom she relies. Barely enough people back her Chequers offer to hold their Christmas do in a Downing Street cupboard. And The Sun shares all their gloom. Mrs May admits we could extend the transition till 2021. That the Irish backstop cannot be finite, so unless we have a watertight exit clause Brussels could lock us in its Customs Union for good. She must never allow that. – The Sun says Oliver Wright: May’s carefully crafted Brexit fudge on a collision course with Westminster The trouble with summits is that no matter how much you plan they have a tendency to throw up unintended consequences. So it was in Salzburg and so it is in Brussels. Briefings on Wednesday evening by EU officials revealed that Theresa May had told other leaders during her 15-minute address that she was prepared to consider extending the 21-month transition period to break the impasse over the Irish border. Downing Street had spent the day desperately trying not to address the issue, knowing that it would be political dynamite at home. Once the other side had let the cat out of the bag, however, they had no choice but to engage and the revelation has set off a firestorm in London. – Oliver Wright for The Times (£) Nigel Farage: Chucking Chequers is not enough, it’s time the Tories chucked Mrs May I couldn’t wait to leave the European Council meeting last night. For several hours I was forced to listen to widespread mockery being directed at the United Kingdom. “Surely, Nigel, you don’t believe Brexit will actually happen?” people taunted. Make no mistake: this is now the view that prevails in Brussels. The EU gang think Brexit can be stopped. And in this warped scheme they have a great ally. Her name is Theresa May. The seeds of this disastrous situation were sown last December when Mrs May left Downing Street at 4 o’clock in the morning and headed to Brussels. She had been summoned by the EU’s unelected chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier. Mrs May obediently accepted Barnier’s idea of an Irish backstop. If ever there was an example of an unelected bureaucracy defeating a national democracy, this was it. – Nigel Farage MEP for the Telegraph (£) Iain Dale: Let’s be frank. The entire commentariat class hasn’t a clue what will happen next. On Tuesday afternoon, I spent a few hours in Portcullis House interviewing various MPs for an article I’m writing for a national newspaper. I lost count of the times I was asked: “So, what do you think is going to happen?” I then lost count of the number of times I shrugged. Robert Peston and I agree that the whole political commentariat class has become a bit of a fraud. Why? Because we are paid to offer our interpretation of events and predict what is going to happen, and frankly none of us have a Scooby Doo. Sometimes I feel I should donate any broadcasting or writing fees to charity. The moment soon passes, since I still have two dogs to feed, but never in my whole time as a commentator have I felt so uncertain as to what will happen next. And I don’t think I’m alone. Iain Dale for ConservativeHome John Redwood: The government has to understand there is no deal on offer from the EU The government says it wants a deal. It means by this it wants an all embracing agreement on the future relationship including a free trade deal within it. The Opposition says the government must have an agreement, whilst making it clear it will seek to vote down the kinds of agreement the PM has in mind. All this is an irrelevance. The EU has been clear and consistent throughout. All it is offering is a one sided surrender Agreement or Withdrawal Treaty. Its main aim is to sign the UK up to this to take £39bn off us which they are not entitled to unless the UK is foolish enough to sign such an Agreement. Only if the UK signs up to such a damaging idea will they then discuss the details of a Future Partnership Agreement. There are several good reasons why the UK must not sign any Withdrawal Agreement before we leave on March 29th 2019. We will leave in accordance with the two laws Parliament has passed to do so, unless Parliament repeals or amends those laws which this government assures us it will not do. – John Redwood’s Diary Brexit in Brief UK set for permanent EU defence partnership – Get Britain Out’s Connor Jones for Comment Central What exactly did John Major ever do for Britain? – Tim Newark for the Express Be warned, the problem is the common rule book – Eben Wilson for Think Scotland Theresa May’s one shot at a Brexit deal – Robert Peston for ITV News Whisky galore as exports increase across the board – The Times (£) Can Theresa May be forced to hold a second Brexit referendum? – Bloomberg