PM heads for talks with EU leaders on Brexit and migration crisis… Prime Minister Theresa May will promise that the UK will remain a “reliable partner” when she meets her EU counterparts in Malta today. Mrs May will attend part of the EU Presidency Summit in Valletta but will not be present when the rest of the leaders discuss Brexit. However, she is expected to use the meeting as a chance for one-to-one talks with a series of EU leaders on the subject. The main topic on the summit agenda will be how to deal with the continuing migration crisis in the Mediterranean. Mrs May will promise that UK efforts to tackle the migration crisis will continue after the country leaves the European Union. – Sky News Theresa May to press EU leaders on defence spending – BBC News US or Europe? Theresa May in ‘delicate’ position over trade, says Maltese PM – Sky News The British PM’s embrace of Donald Trump hasn’t gone down well with her European colleagues – Charlie Cooper for Politico …as Donald Tusk calls on EU countries to “renew their wedding vows” With the Continent facing what he has described as “unprecedented external threats,” European Council President Donald Tusk wants EU leaders to renew their wedding vows, committing to “an ambitious vision” of “political consolidation,” according to a document obtained by POLITICO. The document, which will be circulated Friday afternoon at a summit of the 27 EU leaders minus the U.K., suggests using the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome — which laid the ground for an “ever closer union” — as an occasion to think beyond Brexit… Among other things, the document calls for leaders to reflect on “greater unity in foreign policy and more investments in our defense” and “further deepening the Economic and Monetary Union.” – Politico European parliament leaders call on EU to reject Trump’s likely ambassador pick – The Guardian Europe’s fiscal tweaks will fall flat without a political wind change – Juliet Samuel for the Daily Telegraph Government publishes Brexit white paper revealing its official negotiating strategy The Prime Minister has laid out the Government’s official Brexit strategy, urging the country to come together and promising to “get on with it”. The 77-page White Paper, with a foreword from Theresa May, expands on the 12-point plan for leaving the EU set out by the Prime Minister in her big Brexit speech last month. In it the Government promises to control immigration, leave the single market and seek a “bold free trade agreement” with the EU. It promises to broker a new customs agreement and repeats the threat that “no deal for the UK is better than a bad deal” and the UK would take action if unreasonable terms are offered… Brexit Secretary David Davis said there would be a transitional phase before the official split from the EU. But he promised: “A never-ending transitional status is emphatically not what we need, not what we seek.” – Sky News Brexit Secretary spells out that UK is leaving EU Customs Union – Bloomberg Immigration changes to be ‘phased’ post-Brexit, Government says – PoliticsHome MPs will have chance to veto May’s plans for immigration – The Times (£) What does the Brexit White Paper say? – Daily Telegraph The Government accidentally promised everyone 14 weeks of holiday in Brexit document – Daily Mirror How are the UK’s business groups reacting to the Brexit white paper? – City A.M. > On BrexitCentral: Key takeaways from the Brexit White Paper Allister Heath: Reasons to welcome the Brexit White Paper For once, a White Paper from the Government that I can wholeheartedly support… It fleshes out what the Government would like to achieve as it negotiates with the EU, and it gives a lot more detail than the Prime Minister’s speech on the subject. We will be leaving the EU, Euratom (the associated nuclear agency), the single market and the customs union. Crucially, this means that the European Court of Justice will no longer have jurisdiction over the UK; this matters greatly because it is one of the most powerful supranational courts yet created due to the principles of primacy and direct effect in EU law. – Allister Heath for the Daily Telegraph (£) UK’s Brexit plan: Prepare for failure, hope for success – Tim Ross, Robert Hutton and Alex Morales for Bloomberg Commons Control: Parliament has been given vital oversight of the details of Brexit – The Times (£) leader White Paper paves way for steady progress to Brexit – Daily Express editorial Jeremy Corbyn’s team braces for fresh Labour rebellion over Article 50 Jeremy Corbyn’s team is braced for a fresh rebellion next week when MPs vote again on article 50, as tensions within Labour intensify over the leadership’s handling of Brexit. Backbench rebels, 47 of whom defied the party whip to vote against the government on Wednesday, said they expected a bigger backlash next week, especially if none of the party’s amendments are accepted. In Westminster, three members of Corbyn’s shadow cabinet have already stepped down, rather than vote in favour of triggering article 50, and further resignations could follow… The leadership is yet to decide how to deal with other frontbenchers who voted against the party line on Wednesday, including three of Labour’s own whips – the MPs who are meant to be responsible for imposing discipline on others. “We just want next week to be over; it’s a disaster for us. People are just trying not to fall out about it,” said one senior Labour source. – The Guardian Labour must accept and understand the referendum – Keir Starmer interview with Progress Labour members resign in their thousands over vote – The Times (£) Diane Abbott facing calls to quit shadow cabinet over Brexit vote no show – Daily Mirror MP Diane Abbott dodges questions by driving away from reporters after missed Brexit Bill vote – ITV News Leaked email reveals Labour MPs’ attempts to mock Diane Abbott over Brexit illness with #PrayForDiane hashtag – Politico Owen Smith compares himself to Winston Churchill after voting against May’s Brexit bill – Daily Express The Conservatives united and Labour divided on Europe – how on earth did we get here? – Tom Harris for the Daily Telegraph (£) When it comes to Brexit, I agree with Jeremy: decision-making was devolved to the public last June – Philip Collins for The Times (£) Bank of England sharply raises UK growth forecast… The Bank of England has painted a brighter outlook for the UK economy this year, with faster growth, lower unemployment and a more modest rise in inflation. After further signs that consumers and businesses have shrugged off the Brexit vote, the Bank revised its earlier gloomy forecasts to predict the economy would grow 2% this year – matching its 2016 performance. That forecast was above the 1.4% figure policymakers had pencilled in for 2017 in November. It was also in stark contrast to the sharp slowdown predicted by the Bank and others in the immediate aftermath of the vote to leave the EU. – The Guardian Bank forced into Brexit U-turn on jobs as unemployment predictions fall – The Times (£) …as Carney warns EU countries against trying to poach London’s financial services Bank of England Governor Mark Carney warned of “black-box risks” for countries offering banks an expedited way to relocate derivatives-trading operations following Brexit… Carney told reporters at a briefing in London on Thursday, “There is huge operational risk involved in that, there is huge financial risk involved in that. It’s not something you do overnight.”… Although some European lawmakers may try to encourage banks to relocate business, Carney said the U.K. was the “one jurisdiction to have capacity” for complex derivatives trading activities. “The capacity is here; the people are here; the collateral is here; the expertise and supervisory ability is here; clearing is here,” he said. – Bloomberg Larry Elliott: The Bank of England faces fresh embarrassment as it tears up its forecasts The Bank dropped a bombshell by announcing rosy new forecasts showing that it expected the economy to grow by 2% in 2017. A growth upgrade by the Bank from November’s 1.4% forecast was anticipated following the strong performance of the economy in the second half of 2016. Such a big one was not. The new forecasts are the latest embarrassment for the Bank. In August, it said the economy was likely to show virtually no growth in the third and fourth quarters of 2016. In fact, activity expanded by 0.6% in both and the momentum will carry over into the first half of 2017. – Larry Elliott for The Guardian As the Bank of England hikes its growth forecasts, is it time for economists to admit they were wrong about Brexit? – Ruth Lea vs Vicky Pryce for City A.M. The Bank of England is (slowly) overcoming its Brexophobia – Ross Clark for The Spectator Coffee House Fresh Brexit legal challenge goes to the High Court as David Davis refuses to rule out MPs’ vote on leaving European Economic Area Theresa May faces a fresh legal challenge to her Brexit plans on Friday when a High Court judge will be told that MPs must be given a vote on leaving the European Economic Area. The Single Market Justice campaign will argue that because Britain joined the EEA separately from joining the EU, with a law in Parliament, it also has to leave the EEA with another law passed by MPs. On Thursday David Davis, the Brexit secretary, refused to rule out a vote on leaving the EEA when he was asked about it in the Commons by Labour MP Heidi Alexander. He replied: “Once we are outside the EU, the question of whether we automatically cease to be a member of the EEA becomes a legal empty vessel. We will look at that. If we do propose to withdraw from the EEA, we will come back and tell the House.” – Daily Telegraph What is the new article 127 Brexit challenge – and what does it mean? – Daily Telegraph Alan Johnson: Ken Clarke is wrong. Parliament cannot defy the EU referendum result I led Labour’s referendum campaign and nobody was more disappointed than me at the outcome. While it’s true that we convinced 66% of Labour supporters to remain, it wasn’t enough to secure a majority overall… It would be an outrage for parliament to ignore the referendum result. Clarke can vote against triggering article 50 in full knowledge that he will be in a minority. Were a majority to follow his lead there would be a constitutional crisis, a further and catastrophic diminution of trust in our democracy, and an early general election which would not go well for Labour. – Alan Johnson MP for The Guardian Charlotte Smith: If Remainers refuse to make the best of Brexit, they’re letting the country down The long term success of Brexit will be determined by those who, although not necessarily Brexiteers, accept their reality and have the vision to see beyond present realities to future successes… The 498 who supported the government have cast off their “In” or “Out” badges in favour of embracing the destiny decided on 23rd June. This is vital, for if we do not believe in the legitimacy of an independent Britain, why should those we seek to negotiate with? – Charlotte Smith for the Daily Telegraph Brexit comment in brief The City’s importance to Europe helps Prime Minister Theresa May and the Brexit negotiations – Christian May for City A.M. Britain can lead the world in free trade – by keeping trade deals simple – Professor Philip Booth for City A.M. Does Germany benefit, at US expense, from a deliberately undervalued “implicit Deutsche Mark”? – Andrew Lilico for Reaction The cost of leaving the euro is rising every month for Italy – Ambrose Evans-Pritchard for the Daily Telegraph (£) Why an “imminent” Robin Hood tax is the latest nail in the EU’s coffin – Tim Focas for City A.M. Brexit news in brief Ukip’s Paul Nuttall under investigation after admitting to never having lived in his ‘permanent residence’ in Stoke – Daily Telegraph Holyrood to have non-binding vote on triggering Brexit – STV News Former EU Commissioner Lord Hill tells Remoaners told to accept Brexit as ‘it’s not a disaster like the Black Death’ – Daily Express Anti-Brexit campaigner Lord Mandelson handed France’s top honour for services to EU – Daily Express French presidential contender François Fillon faces calls to quit over ‘fake job’ scandal – Daily Telegraph Tech entrepreneur dismisses EU Horizon 2020 programme as “about integration – not science” – Science|Business And finally… “Daft” EU plan demands England football team add the blue and gold EU flag to their shirts alongside the three lions MEPs sitting in Brussels have said that both national and European symbols should appear on shirts next to the three lions badge at major sporting occasions such as the Olympics and the World Cup. And flags displaying the blue flag with 12 gold stars would also need to be hoisted when teams take to the field under the new plans… Conservative MEP Emma McClarkin told the Daily Mail: “This daft idea first raised its head six years ago. We opposed it then and we will oppose it now”. – The Sun