Sign up here to receive the daily news briefing in your inbox every morning with exclusive insight from the BrexitCentral team Theresa May reiterates that she will never accept the EU’s Irish backstop proposal and calls on them to ‘evolve’ their position… Theresa May is to tell the European Union it is time to drop what she feels is their inflexible view on an Irish border solution and “evolve” their position to break the impasse in Brexit talks. In a speech in Belfast on Friday she is expected to brand the bloc’s calls for regulatory alignment north and south of the border as a “backstop” solution in the event of no deal as “unworkable”, and repeat her assertion that a border down the Irish Sea is unacceptable to any British prime minister. “The economic and constitutional dislocation of a formal ‘third country’ customs border within our own country is something I will never accept, and I believe no British prime minister could ever accept,” she will say. May will tell an audience of business leaders and politicians that the EU proposal is in breach of the Belfast Agreement because it would create a barrier between Northern Ireland and Great Britain and leave the people of Northern Ireland “without their own voice” in trade negotiations. “It is not something the House of Commons will accept,” she is due to say. – Guardian Brussels has proposed, in the event no other solution is found to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, that Northern Ireland effectively remain in the EU’s single market and customs union. The EU has made such a backstop agreement a key component of the UK’s withdrawal deal, but Mrs May has rejected the Brussels plan due to the likelihood it would erect a customs border in the Irish Sea. With the prime minister opposed to anything that threatens the constitutional integrity of the UK, the impasse has become a major barrier to concluding a Brexit deal… Having put forward her proposals for a future UK-EU relationship, Mrs May will say it is “now for the EU to respond”. “Not simply to fall back onto previous positions which have already been proven unworkable,” she will add. “But to evolve their position in kind. And, on that basis, I look forward to resuming constructive discussions.” – Sky News I won’t compromise on Northern Ireland border, says Theresa May – The Times (£) Chequers agreement is ‘final offer’ to the EU, warns Andrea Leadsom – PoliticsHome Tell EU the Chequers plan is final offer, says Andrea Leadsom – BBC News Can the PM remould her Brexit deal on the potter’s wheel in Fermanagh? – David Blevins for Sky News Why the Irish backstop issue is the Brexit poison pill that cannot be swallowed by any side – Peter Foster for the Telegraph (£) Some European flexible thinking is needed for a compromise and to avert a crisis – Chris Giles for the FT (£) …as EU undermines its position as it again tells Ireland that no physical checks will be needed on the Irish border even if there is no deal… The European Union has reassured the [Irish] Government that no physical checks will be needed on the Border even if the UK crashes out of the bloc without a deal, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said. Mr Varadkar said that such a “doomsday scenario” would mean that the “commitments of others” would be relied upon to prevent a hard border… As well as the UK promise on the backstop, the Taoiseach also noted that senior EU figures, such as European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, have also promised the [Irish] Government that no physical infrastructure will be required. “Also, president Juncker and my EU colleagues have on many occasions said that they wouldn’t require us to put in place a physical infrastructure and customs checks on the Border between Northern Ireland and Ireland,” he said. – Irish Times No one will impose border checks on Ireland, so let’s stop pretending it’s an issue – Andrew Lilico for the Telegraph (£) …while Irish PM Leo Varadkar is branded ‘mad’ for threatening to stop British planes flying over Ireland as revenge for Brexit A threat to stop British planes from flying over Ireland led to its leader being branded “mad” last night. In a Brexit strop, Irish PM Leo Varadkar said it would be a response to Theresa May cutting Irish fishermen’s access to our waters… But as a furious row erupted between London and Dublin, UK diplomatic sources pointed out that Mr Varadkar has got his facts wrong – and dubbed his claim “pretty foolish”… The Ireland boss insisted: “You can’t have your cake and eat it. You can’t take back your waters and then expect to take back other people’s sky”… But a senior UK government source branded the comments “mad”. British officials pointed out that freedoms of the air are not guaranteed by the EU, but a multilateral international treaty – the International Air Services Transit Agreement – signed from 1944 onwards, by 133 countries. The only way Ireland can block British planes flying over it would be to pull out of the treaty, which it has been a signatory to since 1957. Others said Britain could retaliate by blocking Irish planes from flying to mainland Europe over the UK, doubling the length of their journeys. – The Sun The sabre-rattling was derided by critics who pointed out that airspace rules are governed by an entirely separate international treaty – and most flights to Europe go over British airspace. Hugh Bennett, a Brexit campaigner, posted an image showing the vast majority of Irish flights heading over the UK. Writing on Twitter, he added: ‘[The] Taoiseach says he won’t let UK planes fly over Ireland in the event of a “hard Brexit”. ‘Hope he likes going on holiday to Lanzarote because he’s going to have trouble flying anywhere else.’ He also pointed out that a key part of the airspace to the west of Ireland is controlled by the UK – again proving his threat toothless. – Mail IMF suggests no deal would hurt Ireland as much as Britain – The Times (£) Ireland should think twice about its EU allies – Telegraph editorial (£) The Irish PM is a fool, but this latest tantrum exposes Brussels’ intentions to keep us in its grip – The Sun says New Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab calls for ‘renewed vigour’ in Brussels negotiations… New Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has called for “renewed energy, vigour and vim” in negotiations with the EU, as he made his first trip to Brussels since taking on the role. Greeting EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier for the latest round of talks over the UK’s exit from the bloc, Mr Raab hailed “a lot of progress” on divorce matters. However, he added it is “now vital” that both sides make progress on thrashing out the nature of Britain’s future relationship with the EU. It follows the government’s publication of a much-delayed white paper setting out its detailed proposals for future UK-EU trade and security cooperation. – Sky News Raab promises to ‘heat up’ Brexit talks in Brussels – FT (£) > WATCH: New Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab makes his first appearance in Brussels alongside EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier …but EU mocks Chequers plan as diplomats claim it cannot form the basis for negotiations… Dominic Raab faced ridicule on his first trip to Brussels as Brexit Secretary as the EU flatly rejected Theresa May’s Chequers plan and mocked spelling errors in translations of the document. Senior EU diplomats made it clear that the Brexit white paper agreed at Chequers cannot form the basis for negotiations, as British sources said the EU was being “deeply unhelpful”… Regional analysts said the EU side had been clear that Mrs May’s concessions on agreeing to a ‘common rule book’ and a measure of ECJ jurisdiction, had not changed the EU’s view that the white paper was a reheated version of already dismissed idea. “The informal message Michel Barnier has been passing to EU capitals is that he is ‘unimpressed’,” wrote Mujtaba Rahman, the head of Europe practice at the Eurasia Group consultancy to clients, citing EU sources with knowledge of the discussions. British officials working in Brussels on EU legislation have been rebuffed in their behind-the-scenes efforts to win support for the white paper. “They are trying but have gained little traction,” one diplomat told the Telegraph. “They are simply referred to Mr Barnier’s team.” – Telegraph Chequers blueprint breaches EU core principles, declares Barnier – The Times (£) Terrible translations of Brexit White Paper make Britain a laughing stock in Brussels – James Crisp for the Telegraph (£) Brit officials mocked for error-ridden translations of May’s Brexit plans ‘so bad they could have been done by Google’ – The Sun Brexit plan to cost importers £700m a year at the border, HMRC bosses warn – Telegraph HMRC admits Theresa May’s Chequers plan will saddle small firms with £700million bill – The Sun Theresa May’s Brexit white paper has come at great political cost. But the response from Brussels will be the same as it always is … No – David M. Herszenhorn for Politico > WATCH: Brexiteers grill May over Chequers plan at Liaison Committee …and sparks British fury by releasing incendiary document aimed at luring UK firms over Channel on day of Raab’s first visit… Eurocrats sparked fury last night by urging member states to intensify efforts to help UK firms leave Britain — as the new Brexit Secretary flew to Brussels. Cabinet Minister Dominic Raab endured a baptism of fire as Eurocrats shredded Britain’s trade plan and launched a brazen bid to lure companies across the Channel. In a 15-page no-deal warning, the bloc’s top official Martin Selmayr said EU member states should intensify efforts to welcome companies fleeing the UK. It states “further efforts” should be made by the EU and Member States to ensure businesses have the information to relocate. Eurosceptics last night raged at the timing of the publication and accused Brussels of deliberately trying to humiliate Mr Raab. It was released just hours before the Brexit Secretary was due to meet EU counterpart Michel Barnier for the first time. Some within the EU also privately queried why the document was released on such a sensitive day in the negotiations. – The Sun …as it tells EU countries to get ready for a no-deal Brexit… Brussels has warned EU countries to get ready for a no-deal Brexit as Dominic Raab arrives for his first round of talks. The European Commission is reportedly instructing the other member states to prepare for a no-deal Brexit. It has issued a strong-worded paper which warns that failure to reach a deal would have a considerable impact on European business and citizens… “Drawing up contingency plans for the worst possible outcome is not a sign of mistrust in the negotiations,” the document says. “The Commission hopes for an agreement and devotes very significant resources and committed efforts to achieve this goal. Negotiations, on the other hand, can fail.” … The British government has also advised all its departments to have fully planned contingencies in place in the event of the UK withdrawing from the EU without an agreement – and agreed at Chequers. – Telegraph REPORT: Preparing for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 30 March 2019 – European Commission European Commission publishes briefing on no-deal Brexit planning – Politico City watchdog readies for no-deal Brexit as Brussels sounds warning – Telegraph What do the EU’s ‘no deal’ preparations say? – Chris Morris for BBC News …with No 10 worried by growing power of hostile Eurocrat Martin Selmayr British officials are increasingly concerned about the influence on the EU’s Brexit preparations of a hardline bureaucrat who has made no secret of his distaste for Theresa May’s government. Sources in London and Brussels said that Martin Selmayr, the former chief of staff to Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, was playing a pivotal role in EU planning for a no-deal scenario. Whitehall sources suggested that Mr Selmayr, the commission’s secretary-general, was responsible for deliberately stoking up business fears of a hard Brexit in an attempt to undermine Britain’s negotiating hand… Mr Juncker has suffered from visible health problems in recent weeks… There is speculation that his grip on the commission bureaucracy is increasingly being exercised by Mr Selmayr. – The Times (£) Jean-Claude drunker: What’s ailing the President of the European Commission? – Jean Quatremer for the Spectator Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey refuses to publicly support Theresa May’s Chequers plan… Esther McVey refused to publicly support Theresa May’s Brexit plan in another blow to the Prime Minister’s attempts to restore unity in her warring party… Ms McVey was asked by the Reform think tank whether she had full confidence in the Chequers plan, to which she replied: “I will say that I have full confidence in the Prime Minister to deliver the Brexit that Britain voted for.” But she would not give her backing to proposals agreed at Chequers, which Brexiteers have lambasted as being too soft. Ms McVey and Penny Mordaunt, International Development Secretary, have been put on “resignation watch” by Downing Street after privately raising concerns about the Chequers plan. The Work and Pensions Secretary’s partner, Conservative MP for Shipley Philip Davies, revealed he had submitted a letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister after losing trust in the Chequers deal. – Express Even Remoaner Tony Blair admits: Theresa May’s Brexit plan ‘betrays’ Brexiteers – Express Theresa May cannot shrug off Boris Johnson’s hammer blow to her Brexit plan – Asa Bennett for the Telegraph (£) Number 10’s secret Brexit back-up plan could rescue the Conservatives yet – Fraser Nelson for the Telegraph (£) Johnson’s speech was restrained, but nevertheless damning for Theresa May – Telegraph editorial (£) …as Tory Brexiteers squabble with hardliners demanding Theresa May’s exit as soon as possible A row has broken out between Brexiteers as hardliners demand Theresa May is ousted now, The Sun can reveal. Arch Eurosceptic backbencher Philip Davies became the latest to formerly demand the PM get the boot yesterday – ignoring advice from senior Leavers to wait until October in order to “protect Brexit”. The Sun can reveal the powerful ERG bloc of Brexiteers in the Commons are privately arguing over when to get rid of Mrs May. Party grandees like ex-Cabinet Ministers Owen Paterson and Iain Duncan Smith have urged colleagues “not to play with fire” and risk a leadership election now. They have told colleagues they need leverage over the PM in the autumn as Brussels talks reach their endgame. But more hardline anti-Theresa MPs like Andrea Jenkyns believe they have 35 letters calling for no confidence in Mrs May – 13 shy of the crucial 48 needed to spark a vote. – The Sun UK to issue no deal advice on a weekly basis… Theresa May is to put the country on a no-deal Brexit footing this summer as she prepares a series of public warnings about the impact of leaving the European Union without agreement. Consumers and companies will be given detailed advice in weekly “bundles” from the start of next week on how to prepare for “a disorderly Brexit”, under government plans. Ministers have so far refused to expand on a commitment to release 70 technical notices on “no-deal” contingencies after the Chequers agreement on the next stage in negotiations with Brussels… Ministers will tell the businesses, which export to the EU but not beyond, to invest in customs arrangements at the point “we think a no deal is likely”, Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, said. Another leading civil servant, John Manzoni, told MPs yesterday that ministers would have to balance causing unnecessary alarm with giving prudent advice. “There needs to be a narrative to say, ‘Actually we don’t want this to happen but we have to prepare just in case it does and here are all the things that we have to do’,” he said. – The Times (£) No deal is still better than a bad deal with the EU – Ross Clark for the Express The sense of betrayal feeds the demand for a no-deal Brexit. Watch this space – Charles Moore for the Spectator …as Treasury says it is ready to relax border tax under ‘no deal’ Brexit The UK government will instruct officials to relax efforts to collect border taxes if Britain leaves the EU without a withdrawal deal, a junior minister told peers on Thursday. Speaking to a House of Lords subcommittee, Mel Stride, financial secretary to the Treasury, said the government knew it would have to balance security concerns, revenue expectations and the pressure to keep goods flowing across borders. “We will not compromise on security,” Mr Stride said. “But there will, perhaps particularly in the case of a place like Dover, where you have to keep flow moving very quickly or you have all sorts of problems, there will be a trade off between keeping the flow going and revenue protection.” He added: “The priority will be to keep flow moving”… James Hookham, deputy chief executive of the Freight Transport Association, welcomed Mr Stride’s comments. “It’s a sound choice because they’ll collect far more revenue through the sale of goods that are flowing,” he said. “What he’s acknowledging is that everyone does better by keeping trade flowing.” – FT (£) Controversial Brexit civil servant Oliver Robbins handed big bonus by PM Theresa May awarded her controversial civil service Brexit guru Oliver Robbins an “unbelievable” £20,000 performance related bonus last year. Downing Street defended the lump sum saying it had been subject to a “robust process” by an independent committee, but admitted the PM had signed off the perk on top of his £110,000 salary. The unelected mandarin has spearheaded Mrs May’s softer Brexit stance – to the fury of Brexiteers. Last night Tory MP Conor Burns said it was “unbelievable”, while Andrew Bridgen said it should have been paid by Brussels. He hit out: “Given the complete capitulation of the UK’s negotiating position overseen by Olly Robbins, I think it should be the EU paying his bonus, not the UK taxpayer.” – The Sun Eurosceptic outrage as Whitehall’s ‘real Mr Brexit’ Oliver Robbins scoops up to £20,000 bonus for six months work – Telegraph Theresa May’s Brexit chief awarded more than £15,000 bonus – Politico Theresa May signed off five-figure bonus for chief Brexit adviser – Guardian Theresa May agreed to £20,000 bonus for top Brexit adviser – The Times (£) Chancellor Philip Hammond accused of ‘slowing down’ economy to undermine EU exit… Concerns have been raised that the Chancellor Philip Hammond may have deliberately slowed down economic growth to undermine a clean Brexit. The accusation arose at an Economists for Free Trade dinner this week of senior Tory Brexiteer MPs after former cabinet minister John Redwood presented evidence that actions taken by Mr Hammond and Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney have hit economic growth in the UK… One cabinet member at the dinner added: “It is almost as if they wanted to prove Project Fear right by slowing down growth. It’s amazing that we managed to get any growth at all.” Another senior Tory Brexiteer said: “This certainly looks like the economy has been deliberately slowed down to undermine confidence in Brexit and going for a world trade deal instead.” – Express …as he is caught up in sexism storm after being seen mouthing slur at Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns after she criticised May’s Brexit plan Philip Hammond was at the centre of a fresh sexism storm last night after being seen mouthing “stupid woman” at a female Tory MP in the Commons. The Chancellor aimed the derogatory barb at Andrea Jenkyns after she criticised Theresa May’s Brexit plans during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday. She asked the PM: “At what point was it decided Brexit meant Remain?” Professional lip readers confirmed that Mr Hammond mouthed “stupid woman” as he sat next to Mrs May on the frontbench. Last night Mr Hammond’s aides refused to deny that he made the sexist remark. Ms Jenkyns brushed aside the remark was “part of the cut and thrust of politics”. But chief Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg blasted: “I cannot believe that the Chancellor would say something so rude – not only to Andrea but effectively to all Brexit voters.” – The Sun Andrew Lilico: No one will impose border checks on Ireland, so let’s stop pretending it’s an issue Yesterday, Leo Varadkar, the Irish Taoiseach, said that the European Union has reassured the Irish Government “on many occasions” that “they wouldn’t require us to put in place a physical infrastructure and customs checks on the Border between Northern Ireland and Ireland”, even in what he termed the “doomsday scenario” of no Brexit deal. So the European Union will not impose border checks, even if there is no deal. Ireland will not impose border checks, even if there is no deal. And the UK government has guaranteed that it will not impose border checks, even if there is no deal. Since everyone has agreed the “backstop” that they will not impose border checks, even if there is no deal, what are the UK and EU arguing about regarding the “backstop” in the withdrawal agreement? … This just demonstrates, once again, that the whole “Irish border issue” is a red herring. There’s nothing to “agree” with the EU regarding a “backstop” arrangement. If push came to shove, we’d all get by without imposing stop-and-check controls at the border. – Andrew Lilico for the Telegraph (£) Matthew Elliott: Not more talk of a second EU referendum Having played a role in the two most recent national referendums, at NOtoAV and Vote Leave, my strong instinct is that a second referendum would be won even more decisively by the Leave side – by 60-65 per cent. There are a number of reasons for this. Some relate to how public opinion has responded to the first referendum – the fact Project Fear hasn’t come to pass and how many feel the EU has negotiated in bad faith. Other reasons relate to how the EU has evolved since 2016, for example President Jean-Claude Juncker suggesting last September that every member state should be forced to join the euro. And then there’s the campaigning side of things: in 2016 the machinery of government was on the side of Remain, a significant impediment to Leave’s victory. But perhaps the biggest reason is that voters don’t like being asked the same question twice, as Gerry Malone found to his chagrin in 1997. Malone represented the “safe” Conservative seat of Winchester in the 1990s, until the 1997 general election when he unexpectedly lost the seat by two votes, to the Liberal Democrat candidate Mark Oaten. Malone challenged the result in the high court, and it was declared void, causing a by-election, which he lost by a whopping 21,566 votes. So, were there to be a second referendum, it wouldn’t only be Brenda from Bristol saying: “You’re joking – not another one. Oh for God’s sake, honestly I can’t stand this.” She would likely be joined by 60-65 per cent of the population. – Matthew Elliott for City A.M. Asa Bennett: Theresa May cannot shrug off Boris Johnson’s hammer blow to her Brexit plan If Mrs May had developed an offer to Brussels at Chequers that Mr Johnson and David Davis could have accepted, she would have found it relatively simple to sell it to her party. Instead, her team are having a torrid time trying to win around local associations. “This is a sellout – no matter how you try to sell it to us, we don’t see it that way, and our members don’t,” one chairman told Conservative Home after attending a Downing Street briefing on the deal… The prime minister’s pitch to Brexiteers for her Chequers plan is that they need to back it because it is the only thing Brussels will seriously consider, making it the best chance they have of ensuring Brexit happens. But that has been torn asunder by Michel Barnier’s team, who pulled it apart in negotiations this week. “The white paper is not going to form the basis of the negotiations,” one senior EU diplomat told the Guardian. – Asa Bennett for the Telegraph (£) Telegraph: Ireland should think twice about its EU allies If the EU won’t place checks and Ireland won’t either – and Britain certainly won’t – why is the border such a big issue? Because the EU, in alliance with Mr Varadkar, has manipulated it during talks to squeeze concessions from Britain. The real prize is convincing the UK to fold and stay entirely within the customs union. Mrs May thus has to stand firm. Mr Varadkar, meanwhile, needs to think about his own country’s future. If Brussels can try to bring the UK in line, even as it leaves the EU, what makes him think it won’t someday demand Ireland shows economic “solidarity” with the continent – and hike its competitive tax rates? – Telegraph editorial (£) Ross Clark: No deal is still better than a bad deal with the EU For months, the EU has tried to make out that a free trade agreement would be some kind of favour for Britain, and that the EU could carry on perfectly comfortably without such a deal. Yet the unpublished report suggests otherwise: it warns of disruption to EU businesses as goods from the UK become subject to customs checks and tariffs… If British exporters and importers are going to suffer disruption from delays at ports, the effect on Irish companies exporting to mainland Europe would be doubled as they would have to leave and then re-enter the EU. For Britain to leave the EU without a trade deal would be far from ideal… But it is a fallacy to try to make out – as many Remainers have tried to do – that no deal would be a calamity for Britain while other EU member states were able to carry on virtually as if nothing had happened. There would be some advantages for us. It would free us from the agreement, made last December, to continue contributing to EU coffers after March 30 next year. That agreement was made in the context that it would lead to the opening of negotiations on a trade deal – and should be nullified if no such deal is done. No deal would also allow us, from day one, to pursue more liberal trade policies with the rest of the world without having to worry whether we were interfering with the terms of a UK-EU trade deal. In that respect we would be much better off than we would be in the scenario proposed by the PM at Chequers, in which we would remain bound by EU product standards and other rules. – Express Lionel Shriver: In the end, the Remainers will win. The powerful always do Before the referendum, I predicted behind closed doors that even if Leave improbably prevailed, Britain’s political establishment would ensure that for all practical purposes the UK stayed in the EU. ‘So Britain wouldn’t be called a “member” anymore,’ I supposed to my husband, ‘but, you know, an “associated affiliate once removed” or something.’ I might as well have said, ‘We’ll join a customs partnership.’ I’ve never been more depressed by being right… Here’s the thing. Powerful people, by definition, get what they want. That’s what being powerful means. CEOs, financiers, party backers, civil service lifers, unelected peers, career politicians who can always sit out a few years in opposition and live to fight another day — they’re all considered powerful in the first place because they control what happens. Since people powerful in the present like being powerful, they implicitly fancy the status quo. Hence they do not, in the main, want the UK to leave the EU. So (though I’d be delighted to have to eat these words) the UK will probably not, in any meaningful sense, leave the EU. – Lionel Shriver for the Spectator Brexit is in chaos. It’s time to delay it – then stop it – Matthew Parris for the Spectator After 18 wasted months, extending Article 50 would avert a no deal Brexit – Jonathan Portes for The Times (£) Comment in brief If the Tories cannot deliver Brexit, I am genuinely scared that the far Right will surge – Tim Stanley for the Telegraph (£) Theresa May’s Brexit fear is selling Britain short – David Green for the Spectator London deserves a mayor who believes in the city’s bright entrepreneurial future – Shaun Bailey for City A.M. A national unity government to tackle Brexit? Don’t make me laugh – Tom Harris for the Telegraph (£) A government of national unity? Forget it – Philip Collins for The Times (£) Stand up now for Brexit and Britain – Frederick Forsyth for the Express The EU is sending migrants home – into the hands of people smugglers – Colin Freeman for the Spectator No Deal Danger – Times leader (£) News in brief Brussels threatens UK with court action over illegal tax breaks – FT (£) Chief whip faces calls to quit after he is accused of lying over critical Brexit vote – Telegraph Theresa May’s DUP ally banned from voting in Commons for three months in blow for Brexit plan – Express Leaked Brexit screenplay script mocked for errors – The Times (£) Benedict Cumberbatch Brexit drama script ‘stolen and leaked’ online, writer says – Telegraph