Sign up here to receive the daily news briefing in your inbox every morning with exclusive insight from the BrexitCentral team Theresa May vows she ‘won’t be derailed’ as she defiantly hits back at Brexit rebels… Defiant Theresa May hit back at the Brexit wreckers yesterday and vowed: “I won’t be derailed.” The PM hailed her success in the first phase of EU talks and insisted she would see the process through to the end. She claimed credit for silencing the doubters and Tory rebels out to thwart her. In a message to the 17.4 million Brits who voted for Brexit, she declared: “I will not be derailed from my duty to deliver your democratic decision.” Her confidence is bolstered by an exclusive poll for The Sun on Sunday which shows six in ten people want her to stay on to see Brexit through. She brushed off all the rows and clashes of the past week as background noise by those wishing to “talk Britain down”. Her comments come ahead of a crunch week as the Cabinet meets to discuss their terms for the final departure from the EU. – Sun on Sunday The Force is with Theresa May in our big Brexit poll as 61 per cent want her to stay at No10 — and her rating’s up against Jeremy Corbyn – Sun on Sunday Brexit plans will not be derailed, insists Theresa May – Sky News Theresa May declares she will not be ‘derailed’ from Brexit – Express Theresa May condemns threats of violence against Brexit rebels – ITV News ‘Unacceptable’: Prime Minister Theresa condemns violent threats against rebel MPs – Express Call off Brexit bullies or face defeat, Tory Remainer peers tell May – Observer What next for Brexit? 12 key questions answered after Theresa May took a hit from Tory rebels – Sunday Times (£) A welcome return of confidence for No 10 – Sunday Telegraph editorial (£) Theresa May is not the perfect politician but she’s the best person to lead Brexit – Sun on Sunday says …as Boris Johnson insists that Brexit must not leave the UK a ‘vassal state’ of the EU… Boris Johnson has called on Theresa May to strike a Brexit trade deal that gives Britain the power to ditch EU laws, warning that failure to do so would render the UK a “vassal state” of Brussels. In an interview with The Sunday Times, the foreign secretary said the government must seek to “maximise the benefits of Brexit” and failure to get an agreement that allowed divergence would mean the UK could not do “proper free trade deals” with other countries… May’s “war cabinet” is divided between Johnson’s “divergers” — big hitters David Davis, the Brexit secretary, Michael Gove, the environment secretary, and the defence secretary Gavin Williamson — and Hammond’s “aligners”, who include Amber Rudd, the home secretary, and the business secretary Greg Clark. – Sunday Times (£) Boris Johnson interview – Tim Shipman for the Sunday Times (£) Boris Johnson warns UK cannot become ‘vassal state’ of EU – Sunday Telegraph Boris Johnson says we will be servants of EU if we don’t have power to ditch its laws – Sun on Sunday …amidst reports that Philip Hammond now backs a bespoke deal ahead of “crunch” Cabinet meeting This newspaper understands that, in a significant shift, Philip Hammond is preparing to throw his weight behind plans by Brexiteers for a bespoke trade deal with the EU, having previously favoured an “off-the-shelf” model closer to arrangements in place with Norway… The Cabinet’s Brexit sub-committee will meet tomorrow to begin detailed discussions on the “end state” arrangements the Government will seek from the EU. A full Cabinet meeting will take place on Tuesday – the first time it has had an opportunity to discuss what the deal might look like when Britain leaves the EU in March 2019… One [source] said [Hammond’s] shift was partly based on securing the best deal for the financial services sector… A friend of the Chancellor said: “I believe his thinking has shifted significantly towards the model that David Davis was setting out last week.” Hinting at his new position during a trip to Beijing yesterday, Mr Hammond said: “It is likely that we will want to negotiate specific arrangements; bespoke arrangements.” – Sunday Telegraph (£) The Cabinet needs to come together and hit the sweet spot on trade deal now – James Forsyth for The Sun Thinking about life after Brexit – Macer Hall for the Express Unofficial deadline of mid-January for working out UK’s end-state negotiating position – James Forsyth for the Spectator Ministers drawing up plans for new court to rule on trade disputes with EU after Brexit Ministers are drawing up plans for a new court to rule on trade disputes with the EU after Brexit, in order to end an impasse with Brussels over the role of the European Court of Justice, The Sunday Telegraph can disclose. Senior figures are examining existing courts and arbitration panels that oversee free trade agreements around the world. One idea that has found favour in Whitehall is a model under which the UK and EU would have an equal number of judges presiding over a tribunal, with an additional, independent judge having a casting vote – a set-up currently used by South America’s Mercosur trade bloc… EU officials are also understood to be working on plans for a new court to oversee a free trade agreement, although they are using the European Free Trade Association’s (EFTA) court as a model. Eurosceptics say the EFTA court, which oversees trade between the EU and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, is subservient to the ECJ because it has to take its existing rulings into account. – Sunday Telegraph (£) Hammond slammed by Eurosceptics over ‘status quo’ Brexit transition plan Iain Duncan Smith has joined other Eurosceptics in attacking the Chancellor over his statements that the UK will stay in the single market after it leaves the EU. Philip Hammond was asked whether the UK would remain subject to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and participate in the single market and customs union, during the transition phase after Brexit. The Chancellor said: “In a word, yes.” …The former work and pensions secretary said: “The Prime Minister made it clear in the House of Commons on Monday that the purpose of the implementation period is to implement progressively what has been agreed. The Chancellor’s comments today are not government policy, which he should stick to. As it is, he is undermining the Prime Minister’s negotiations with the EU.” – Sky News Hammond: UK committed to trade ‘status quo’ after Brexit – Politico Tory Eurosceptics brand Hammond ‘only too willing to do Brussels’ bidding’ over ‘Brexit status quo’ comments – Independent UK chancellor reassures business about Brexit – FT (£) Former Brexit minister David Jones berates Philip Hammond over transition remarks – Observer Brexiteers accuse Philip Hammond of ‘appeasing’ Brussels after saying Britain would still abide by EU rules after a transition deal – Sun on Sunday Michael Gove gets own navy to repel foreign trawlers after Brexit [Michael Gove’s] department is about to get the first of four powerful fishery protection vessels, whose task will be to prevent French, Spanish, Danish and other boats from fishing illegally in UK waters… The ships are part of a policy to strengthen the post-Brexit policing of UK waters based on surveillance by satellites and aircraft. It could also include the use of long-range drones. “Leaving the EU means we will take back control of our waters. Access will be subject to negotiation, and will support a thriving future for our fishing sector,” said Defra. “We are reviewing all aspects of fishery management, including satellites, patrol vessels and aerial surveillance.” – Sunday Times (£) New study reveals Brexit voters were ‘mainly driven by taking back control of law-making powers from EU’ – not racism Remain camp claims that the Brexit vote was driven by racism have been exposed as a vile smear. Most people chose to leave the EU to take back control of law-making powers, a major study has found. But even those who were swayed by mass immigration did not do so out of xenophobia or intolerance. Jobs, skills and crime were the biggest concerns of those who voted out to bring an end to Britain’s open borders… Only 7.9 per cent attached any priority to the race or ethnic background of migrants – and only 6.9 per cent believe it is important to know if they are Christian… Open Europe director Henry Newman said: “Contrary to what some have suggested, our research demonstrates that overall public attitudes towards immigration – and indeed Brexit – were not fuelled by racism or intolerance. We found that both Leave and Remain voters are far more concerned that potential migrants do not have a criminal record or do have a specific job offer, than about migrants’ race, religion or sexuality.” – Sun on Sunday British voters open to unskilled migrants coming to the UK to work — as long as they are filling a need, speak English and do not have a criminal record – Sunday Times (£) British workers set for post-Brexit overtime boom as ministers plot to scrap EU limits British workers are set for an overtime bonanza after Brexit, it was revealed last night. Ministers want to scrap EU laws which limit the working week to 48 hours — costing the average family £1,200 in lost pay. The move would also be a boost to industry which loses billions of pounds bringing in agency staff to plug the gap. Brexiteers have gained widespread Cabinet support to axe the Working Time Directive as a first step when the UK is free from Brussels… Brexit-backing ministers will demand an end to the directive when the Brexit “war Cabinet” meets tomorrow to decide what to demand when trade talks begin next year. They say it will give millions of families the chance to top up their wages and help small firms eager to cash in on the new global trade market. A source said: “This is what taking back control is all about. It will put the power to decide how hard to work back into the hands of the people who matter — the ordinary British worker.” – Sun on Sunday City lobbying group TheCityUK accused of trying to drown out Brexit dissent A draft document drawn up at the City of London’s most powerful lobbying group and seen by the Financial Times cited “growing concern about the prominence of ideas and proposals that could potentially undermine the industry’s key messages and outreach”. Most of the City’s leading individuals and businesses have warned against a “hard” or “no deal” Brexit… But some experts, including Barney Reynolds, a partner at Shearman & Sterling, have argued that a “no deal” Brexit would not be disastrous for the City, since mutual recognition of EU and UK rules could allow the financial centre to maintain the status quo. TheCityUK document, whose contents were first reported by Reuters, said there was a need for “an effective strategy for challenging and rebutting views on Brexit-related issues that do not represent the mainstream industry view”. – FT (£) > Barnabas Reynolds on BrexitCentral in November: Ignore the scaremongering about a Brexit “cliff edge” for the City of London Theresa May: We are getting on with the job of Brexit, and we will not be derailed The last ten days have marked a watershed in our negotiations to leave the European Union. Following the agreements we reached in Brussels last Friday, the European Parliament and the European Council have both now confirmed that we have made sufficient progress to move to the next stage. As a result, we will begin discussions on the new, deep and special partnership that we want to build between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Amid all the noise, we are getting on with the job. In the face of those who want to talk Britain down, we are securing the best and most ambitious Brexit deal for our whole United Kingdom. And my message today is very clear: we will not be derailed from this fundamental duty to deliver the democratic will of the British people. – Theresa May for the Sunday Telegraph (£) We will leave the European Union – you, the British people voted to leave the European Union and that is what we are going to do – Theresa May for the Sunday Express James Cleverly: Forget a second Brexit referendum – Remainers would only want to see the negotiations collapse Implying that a “bad deal” would make the UK stay in the EU would distort the negotiations and doom them to failure. There is a belief that some Remain campaigners would love the negotiations to collapse so that they can say, “I told you so”. If this belief is reinforced by circumstances it would increase, rather than reduce, social tensions. Bad faith negotiations would be damaging to our economy, our social cohesion and our politics. The best chance for a good outcome would be for us all to accept the outcome of the referendum, accept that we are leaving the EU, strike a mutually beneficial deal with the EU, and focus on the other issues that the Government is responsible for. – James Cleverly MP for the Independent We were told ‘the people’ didn’t want another referendum on Brexit. But things have changed – Vince Cable MP for the Independent Iain Duncan Smith: The public are sick of Parliament needlessly complicating Brexit and we need to ‘end the delays’ [Today’s Sun on Sunday] poll shows there is a significant gap between the wider public and those MPs who were elected recently on a pledge to leave the Customs Union and the Single Market. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Labour Party. In the Leave-voting constituencies, Corbyn pledged that the Labour Party would leave the EU including the Single Market and the Customs Union. Now after all his ducking and diving, in interviews, saying different things to different audiences, their spokesman, Keir Starmer admitted Labour could stay in the Single market and the Customs Union. Small wonder that today’s poll shows how confused even Labour voters are: two-thirds of Labour voters think Corbyn either wants to block Brexit, stay in the single market or give a second referendum. Labour have been playing a double game and they are about to be found out. – Iain Duncan Smith MP for the Sun on Sunday ‘Delusional’ Tony Blair causes outrage with claim Labour should stop Brexit to win power – Express Single market and customs union essential for a Labour Brexit – Peter Mandelson for the FT (£) Brexit is the opposite of ‘taking back control’ – the voters must make the final decision – Peter Mandelson for the Independent Lucy Harris: The fantasy of a second referendum threatens our freedom to say ‘no’ I voted Leave to call the establishment’s bluff. To test that we are, indeed, a free and democratic country. To confirm that I was able to say no to the European Union. After all, as Salman Rushdie once wrote, the freedom to reject is the only freedom. We know that the majority of Brexiteers voted to retain and reinstate the UK as a sovereign state, whether it be for control over our laws or our borders. In fact most of the reasons why people voted to Leave, as cited in the the Lord Ashcroft polls at the time, were summarised in points that contained words like “decisions”, “control” and “choice”. People voted for the freedom to have the ability to say no. Despite this, the British people’s decision to put the EU behind us and to take responsibility for the future of our country is met by continuing doubt and harassment from those urging for a second referendum. Even the utterance of a second referendum insults the very concept of our precious democratic system, and its undermining should outrage us all. It is an open attack on our individual freedoms – to say no, and have the establishment take us seriously. – Lucy Harris for the Independent Suella Fernandes: Reversing Brexit now would be divisive and undemocratic: it would destroy the trust of the British people While polls show that a large majority of the country, both former Leave and Remain voters, wish to respect the vote I accept that a minority remain bitterly disappointed. Unfortunately, amongst this group there are those who wish to frustrate the Brexit process, via the courts, the media and in Parliament. Among the myriad of amendments to the current European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, Liberal Democrat MPs are seeking a second EU referendum to reverse the first and stay in the European Union. This is a misguided and deeply divisive plan. Misguided because it misunderstands the EU and our EU partners and divisive because it democratically pitting MPs against the electorate. – Suella Fernandes MP for the Independent Janet Daley: This was the year democracy got shaken up – for better and worse Conveniently for those who disliked the Brexit vote, the election of Donald Trump created what appeared to be a pattern: for some confounded reason, the people were getting things horribly wrong on two continents. A way to cancel out their terrible judgments would have to be found, even if that involved calling the most fundamental democratic assumptions into question. Hence, robust debate about the nature of the popular will. It is hugely important – if tiresome – to repeat this as often as possible: the election of Donald Trump was altogether different, and far more shocking, than the result of the British EU referendum… American voters who had been (in that famous phrase) “left behind” by the post-industrial apocalypse decided to blow everything up and put an outlaw in power because they believed that the official governing system was corrupt and self-serving. But in Britain, voters who felt betrayed and insulted by international elites who spoke only to each other demanded that traditional government be restored. Their decision was a statement of confidence in Parliament and its accountability. – Janet Daley for the Sunday Telegraph (£) Brexit comment in brief Needed early in the New Year. A reshuffle to help Britain better prepare for leaving the EU – Paul Goodman for ConservativeHome The Tory ‘mutineers’ were right to stand up for their principles – but their vote changes nothing – Dia Chakravarty for the Sunday Telegraph (£) How to solve the Brexit access-versus-control dilemma – Stephen Hammond MP for ConservativeHome It’s forever jam tomorrow for leavers, as May cooks up her softest Brexit – Adam Boulton for the Sunday Times (£) Outnumbered, defeated … where next for the diehard Brexiters? – Toby Helm and Michael Savage for the Observer Brexiters’ insults and death threats symptoms of toxic atmosphere – Baroness Wheatcroft and Baroness Altmann for the Observer The Tory rebels are emboldened by their success. They won’t stop now – Andrew Rawnsley for the Observer Brexit news in brief More than half of Britons now want to stay in EU, poll finds, in biggest gap since referendum – Telegraph Brexit thinktank in dispute over use of ‘institute’ in title – Guardian Sebastian Kurz gets approval for coalition with Austrian far right – Politico