Lib Dems claim victory in Richmond Park by-election is a mandate for overriding Brexit referendum The Liberal Democrats candidate Sarah Olney has defeated Zac Goldsmith, overturning his huge majority, in the Richmond Park by-election. She won 20,510 votes compared to Mr Goldsmith’s 18,638 [49.7% to 45.2%]… Ms Olney said she now wanted Parliament to “override” the Brexit referendum. “It does look now as if we can have a vote in Parliament that might override the referendum. And I will, obviously, be voting to Remain because that is always what I have believed,” she told Sky News. Asked if she would actively resist Brexit as an MP, she said: “Absolutely. Now I’ve been given this mandate.” A Conservative Party spokesman said the result would make no difference to Brexit plans. – Daily Telegraph During her victory speech, she said the voters had “sent a shockwave through this Conservative Brexit government and our message is clear: We do not want a hard Brexit, we do not want to be pulled out of the single market and we will not let intolerance, division and fear win”… Following his defeat, Mr Goldsmith said: “This by-election that we just had was not a political calculation, it was a promise that I made and it was a promise that I kept.” Labour’s Christian Wolmar came a humiliating third with 1,515 votes, losing his deposit, in a dismal performance that will lead many of the party’s MPs to question whether they should have bothered to stand. – Sky News Feckless Zac Goldsmith’s defeat in Richmond Park won’t stop Brexit, but it kills any chance of an early general election – James Kirkup for the Daily Telegraph (£) >Mo Metcalf-Fisher on BrexitCentral: The result in pro-Remain Richmond Park changes nothing – the UK voted for Brexit and it will not be derailed David Davis leaves open the possibility of the UK paying the EU for single market access… During a question session in the House of Commons, David Davis said “of course” the Government would consider paying to retain single market access. Mr Davis was asked by Labour MP Wayne David: “Will the Government consider making any contribution in any shape or form for access to the single market?” The Brexit Secretary replied: “The major criterion here is we get the best possible access for goods and services and if that is included in what he’s talking about then we’ll consider it.” – Sky News On Davis’s part it could turn out to be a rather savvy manoeuvre. The government doesn’t want to compromise on freedom of movement so by comparison money is an easier thing to give way on. Germany does not want to pick up the cost of Britain’s EU contribution and smaller countries in the EU worry that — without Britain — the contributions overall could be reduced. This would in turn mean less funding for the struggling regions. Under these circumstances, the incentive of money could give EU leaders cause to be more malleable in the negotiations. – Katy Balls for The Spectator’s Coffee House Blog Pound spikes to three-week high after Brexit minister hints at EU single market access – The Independent Ukip accuse David Davis of ‘going weak at the knees’ over EU payments after Brexit – International Business Times David Davis’ suggestion that Britain keeps paying into the EU after Brexit isn’t a gaffe. It’s good politics – James Kirkup for the Daily Telegraph (£) >Yesterday on BrexitCentral: David Davis leaves continued EU payments on the table in Brexit negotiations …as he says that immigration controls would not come at the expense of industry… Speaking to the CBI in Cardiff, the Brexit Secretary said that changes to migration rules after withdrawal from the EU would not be allowed to damage the economy. He said it was not in anyone’s interest to see labour shortages in important industries. “As we take back control of immigration by ending free movement as it has operated before, let me also say that we won’t do so in a way which is contrary to the national economic interest,” he said. “Because, as the Chancellor has said, Britain must win the global battle for talent.” – Sky News …and Trade Minister Greg Hands suggests the UK could remain in the customs union The government is considering keeping membership of the customs union for certain products, Trade Minister Greg Hands suggested in an interview with Bloomberg this week. He said the government is “looking at broad possibilities” for how such unions can operate, as he explained what May meant when she said in November that membership was not “binary.” “You can choose which markets, which products the customs unions affect and which they don’t — so there isn’t a binary thing of being inside the customs union or outside of the customs union,” Hands said. “The history of international trade has got all kinds of examples of customs unions.” – Bloomberg > Lord Leigh of Hurley on BrexitCentral: We must leave the Customs Union if we are to escape the protectionist whims of the EU Boris Johnson to give major speech saying Brexit must not see Britain retreat from the world… Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will today deliver a speech intended to drive home the message that Britain remains a powerful force in global politics. His words come at a time when her allies and enemies largely perceive the nation to be shrinking from the world. Speaking at Chatham House, the spiritual home of international affairs in London, Mr Johnson will insist: “Brexit emphatically does not mean a Britain that turns in on herself. “Yes, a country taking back control of its democratic institutions but not a nation hauling up the drawbridge or slamming the door, a nation that is now on its mettle.” – Sky News …after denying allegations that he privately backed free movement of people Boris Johnson has denied privately telling a group of ambassadors that he supported the principle of free movement, and said he had always made it clear that the UK needed to “take back control” of immigration… “I’m afraid I said absolutely no such thing,” Johnson said. “What I said very clearly to that group of ambassadors – I think it was at a breakfast – was that immigration had been a good thing for the UK in many respects but it had got out of control and that we needed to take back control.” He was responding to allegations by four unnamed EU ambassadors that he had made such claims in private and that they were shocked by the government’s apparently “shambolic” approach to the issue. – The Guardian Philip Hammond rules out separate Brexit plan for Scotland… Chancellor Philip Hammond dealt a crushing blow to Nicola Sturgeon’s Brexit strategy yesterday when he ruled out Scotland forging a separate EU deal from the rest of the UK. During a visit to Edinburgh for talks with the First Minister, Mr Hammond said there could not be a Scotland-only deal on trade and immigration. Ms Sturgeon has put protecting Scotland’s relationship with Europe at the heart of her Brexit strategy… Mr Hammond said: “I look forward to us moving on from this sort of slightly backward-looking clutching at straws, trying to resist the will of the people, to embracing it, recognising that it is going to happen, and committing to work together to make sure it’s done in a way that is most supportive of UK economy and Scottish economy.’’ – The Scotsman …as Lib Dems urge Nicola Sturgeon to back referendum on Brexit deal The Liberal Democrats have called on Nicola Sturgeon to back a second referendum on leaving the European Union once the terms of a final Brexit deal are known. Scottish party leader Willie Rennie said momentum is building behind the idea as he pressed Ms Sturgeon to support it during First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood. Mr Rennie attacked Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson for being “too embarrassed” to raise Brexit in the Scottish Parliament chamber on the day that Chancellor Philip Hammond visits Scotland. – The Herald Gisela Stuart warns Remainers about attempts to remain in the single market Labour’s Gisela Stuart, who broke ranks with her party to back Brexit, has launched an attack on Remainers who she believes are attempting to prevent Britain leaving the EU… The 61-year-old claimed politicians such as Tony Blair and Tim Farron were attempting to prevent the departure despite the votes of over 17 million people on June 23… “They start off by saying, ‘but we must stay in the single market’ if we stay in the single market and have no control over immigration, and still as a matter of routine pay into the budget and the European Court of Justice is still supreme – then we have not left. Then they move on to say the customs union… What people out there want is to say, ‘we’ve told you what we want you to do,’ and that is take back control of our borders, taxes and our laws’.” – Daily Express François Hollande announces he will not seek re-election as French President François Hollande will not compete in next year’s French presidential election, he said Thursday evening in a move that raises the prospect of his prime minister, Manuel Valls, running in his place. Hollande’s announcement, the first time in postwar French history a president has not run for a second term, ended months of speculation around the plans of a deeply unpopular leader whose economic policies alienated much of his left-wing base… Polls show former prime minister François Fillon, who won a conservative primary on November 27, competing against National Front president Marine Le Pen in the final round of a presidential election in May 2017. – Politico Fillon may admire Thatcher but De Gaulle remains his first love – Charles Bremner for The Times (£) Meltdown at the European Parliament as “grand coalition” implodes – Politico What can we expect in the aftermath of Italy’s constitutional referendum? – Reaction Kwasi Kwarteng MP: Talk is cheap, it’s time to let the Government put Brexit into action The Government’s refusal to engage in a running commentary on Brexit has enabled people to fill the vacuum with court appeals, wild statements and cries of incompetence. This is what a healthy democracy looks like. Lots of debate and argument. But government ultimately is about doing things. We can leave the words to pundits and political zombies. – Kwasi Kwarteng MP in the Evening Standard Robert Boardman: Europe will suffer if Brussels shuts the City of London out of EU markets The post-recession European continent needs a new generation of entrepreneurs creating companies which will go on to be world leaders, generating employment and wealth for Europeans. This requires interconnected and efficient capital markets, not artificial barriers to trade and investment. The EU should resist the temptation to erect a Trump-style wall around its euro-denominated trading and clearing infrastructure. – Robert Boardman, EMEA Chief Executive at ITG, for City A.M. Nile Gardiner: Unlike Barack Obama, Donald Trump actually believes in Britain. A new age beckons for the Special Relationship A deep-seated Eurofederalist mindset was pervasive throughout the Obama years, with Vice President Joe Biden even proclaiming that Brussels had a legitimate claim to be the “capital of the free world” in a speech before the European Parliament. It culminated in President Obama’s decision not only staunchly to oppose Britain’s exit from the EU, but also directly to intervene in the domestic debate… Unlike the Obama White House, America’s new leadership wants Brexit to succeed and Britain to flourish outside the EU. – Nile Gardiner for the Daily Telegraph William Ross: Debunking Seven SNP Brexit myths Given the power of the impenetrable, enveloping unity/consensus lying like mist over our party, it is not surprising that it is only afterwards that we learn that some 10% of SNP MSPs voted Leave and probably a good number of our MPs. In fact, polls show that nearly 40% of all Scottish Leavers were nationalists and SNP supporters were more likely to vote Leave than the supporters of any other Scottish party (even you unionists)! The big SNP support for Brexit was all the more remarkable given that SNP Leavers had no party leaders, media or grassroots campaign to support them. – SNP Leaver William Ross for ThinkScotland > Ross Thomson MSP on BrexitCentral on Wednesday: It’s time for Scottish Nationalist Brexiteers to speak up Brexit comment in brief The uncertain art of measuring the UK’s economic uncertainty – Christian May for City A.M. History already proves that leaving the EU is the best thing we can do – John Redwood for The Independent Pro-EU MPs should stop trying to influence Brexit… for their own good – Michael Deacon for the Daily Telegraph (£) EU could collapse long before Brexit process is finished – Stephen Pollard for the Daily Express The Supreme Court cannot be allowed to negate the referendum result – Andrew Gimson for ConservativeHome A US-UK deal should be Trump’s top trade priority – Stephen Mayer for National Review There’s a political vacuum and businesses can’t let Nigel Farage fill it – John McTernan for Prospect Magazine There are plenty of problems with a “transitional” EU arrangement, but immigration is by far the greatest – Mark Wallace for ConservativeHome After Brexit, immigration will be lower – and Britain will have to accept that the immigrants who come are the ones we chose – Sunder Katwala for the Daily Telegraph (£) It won’t be easy to stop Brexit. But here are four ways to do it – Martin Kettle for The Guardian After the ‘CETA drama,’ toward a more democratic EU trade policy – David Kleimann and Gesa Kübek for Politico Brexit news in brief Theresa May banned from end of year dinner with EU leaders at major Brussels summit next week – Daily Telegraph Tony Blair sets up new institute to tackle Brexit ‘populism’ – Daily Telegraph Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron and Tony Blair meet to discuss Brexit – Evening Standard New ONS figures put EU and non-EU immigration almost on same level – Open Europe 1m EU citizens in Britain ‘could be at risk of deportation’, according to campaigners – The Guardian New EU law could make anti-Brussels protest a crime: Fears over euro elite crackdown on ‘dissent’ – Daily Express UK manufacturing PMI falls to 53.4 but shows relatively confident sector ahead of leaving EU – City A.M. 69% of business services do not see Brexit as a threat – OnRec Brits to splurge on Christmas despite Brexit – Daily Telegraph Revealed: Brexit boom as British holidaymakers spent £178 billion on holidays in 2016 – Daily Express Brexit’s bitter-sweet meaning for chocolate lovers – and Ivory Coast – BBC Playwright James Graham writes Brexit TV drama – BBC