Sign up here to receive the daily news briefing in your inbox every morning with exclusive insight from the BrexitCentral team EU Withdrawal Bill clears final Commons hurdle as MPs pass its Third Reading The EU Withdrawal Bill had its second day of report stage, giving MPs their final chance to make amendments before the bill heads off to the House of Lords. In a series of votes earlier this evening, all the amendments proposed by opposition MPs were rejected. The bill went on to have a third reading debate when the Brexit Secretary David Davis said there was “a shared interest” in making the legislation “a success in the national interest”. Meanwhile, Labour shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer repeatedly said it was not “fit for purpose” and the SNP’s leader at Westminster, Ian Blackford, called it “a constitutional outrage”. But in the end, the Commons gave the bill a third reading. – BBC The government’s controversial EU withdrawal bill leaves the Commons today with a whimper. There will be no more mutiny and the legislation will easily pass to the House of Lords after a straight up and down vote. But this is certainly not the end of the war. In fact it is best be characterised as a tactical move by the pro-European Tories to win the final battle ahead. Having passed the Commons the bill will enter the House of Lords where its progress will be anything but speedy. It will have its second reading at the end of this month before starting its committee stage towards the end of February. – Oliver Wright for The Times (£) > Today on BrexitCentral: How every MP voted on the Third Reading of the EU Withdrawal Bill > Watch on BrexitCentral’s Youtube Channel: Highlights of the final Commons session of EU Withdrawal Bill Jean-Claude Juncker pledges to help Britain rejoin EU Jean-Claude Juncker has said that he would be happy to help Britain rejoin the EU as Theresa May’s Brexit “war-committee” meets to discuss the next stage of talks. The European Commission president’s overture came a day after Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, said that he was open to a “change of heart” from the UK over its decision to leave the bloc. Mrs May is likely to brush aside the efforts as she seeks to forge a cabinet consensus over the “end state” relationship with the EU. – The Times (£) Since June 2016, the number of people who want a second referendum has been consistently lower than the number that don’t, even in surveys that showed movement toward Remain on other questions. Despite all the sound and fury among the British political classes — and despite rising inflation and food prices and the devaluation of the pound — there has been little change in public opinion since the referendum. – Ben Page for Politico PM loses patience after Austria’s new leader quizzes her about second referendum – The Sun France could reportedly scupper early transition deal… British hopes of securing an early Brexit transition agreement this March have been thrown into fresh doubt after EU sources warned that an early deal was “not a foregone conclusion” as France tries to drive home its Brexit advantage, the Telegraph can reveal. The December Brexit deal between the UK and the EU promised “an agreement as early as possible in 2018 on transitional arrangements” with UK officials clear that this meant the March 22-23 European Council. However, EU sources have warned of bureaucratic delays, legal questions and political opposition from France, which wants to drive home its Brexit business advantage, delaying an early deal. – Telegraph (£) …although Britain agrees to help fund additional French border security as Macron meets May today Britain yesterday submitted to French demands for another £45 million to stop migrants sneaking across the Channel. UK taxpayers will foot the bill for extra measures to target stowaways using cross-Channel lorries, trains and ferries. In what is being seen as a sweetener to ease the deal, the French have offered Britain the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry. But even that prospect is in doubt after the mayor of the Normandy town where the artwork is currently on display imposed a series of conditions. He suggested that he might oppose the loan, or ask Britain to cover the cost of restoring the 11th century tapestry. – Daily Mail Britain will pay France £44m to help it police border at Calais – The Telegraph (£) Theresa May accused of caving into French president Emmanuel Macron’s demands – The Sun Macron’s UK meeting hints at life after Brexit – Politico Emmanuel Macron is the most sophisticated emotional manipulator of the modern age – Harry De Quetteville for the Telegraph (£) Mr Macron, migrants and a tapestry – John Redwood’s Diary The Bayeux Tapestry reminds us that defence should never be neglected – Telegraph editorial (£) Priti Patel accuses Electoral Commission of bias and “double standards” over referendum campaign probes Following the Electoral Commission’s refusal to investigate the Remain campaign despite clear evidence of spending breaches, Priti Patel has accused them of bias and “double standards”. Priti notes that the Commission launched a full investigation into Vote Leave over claims of spending collusion – despite no evidence – and yet are refusing to look at BSE even though a whole dossier of evidence was submitted to them. – Guido Fawkes Elections watchdog is accused of ‘double standards’ after it rejects claim of ‘joint spending’ by Remain campaigners – Daily Mail EU mulls emergency plan to keep UK planes flying after no deal Brexit The European Union is considering emergency plans to keep British planes flying in the EU after a no deal Brexit. EU agreements allow airlines to operate and land in other member states of the bloc but Britain will leave those after Brexit, even if there is a deal. There are fears that British airlines would be grounded if negotiators failed to strike a deal because there are no World Trade Organisation rules for aviation for Britain to fall back on. – Telegraph (£) > Watch on BrexitCentral’s Youtube Channel: Highlight of the Lords debate on ‘No Deal’ report A million extra EU migrants may be free to enter Britain A million more people from the EU could be allowed to settle in Britain under proposals to extend rights to those arriving in a two-year post-Brexit transition period, a report claims. A paper from Migration Watch UK, which campaigns for lower immigration, due to be published today, says that if Theresa May accepts the proposal from Brussels, those arriving in the two years after March 2019 would be able to stay for the five years necessary to qualify for permanent settlement. It added that such a person could then be joined by family members. – The Times (£) May urged to stand strong over unlimited free movement post-Brexit – Express DUP MP slams ‘nutcase’ Irish prime minister over Brexit stance Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar was accused on Wednesday of being naive, inexperienced and arrogant for siding with European Union negotiators in Brexit talks. Sammy Wilson, Brexit spokesman for the Democratic Unionist Party’s 10 MPs in Westminster, branded the prime minister a “nutcase” and claimed there had been a change of tone from Dublin since Varadkar took office last June. Wilson said the U.K. government needed to find a way of either “cajoling or enticing” the Irish government into taking the “natural position” to “cut [the U.K.] some slack,” warning that siding with “hardline EU negotiators” could destroy the Irish economy. – Politico Guy Platten: Ministers must make the positive case for free trade The Government’s new Trade Bill quietly received its second reading recently. In many ways, the Bill’s progression is a profound moment in the implementation of Brexit – laying out the legal framework necessary to create an independent trade policy. For business, it will go some way to providing legal clarity and continuity for when the Article 50 countdown strikes zero. But for some, it is a cause for suspicion. A “power grab”, said the director of a charity opposed to free trade deals. “It must be stopped”, read a Guardian comment piece. The headlines are reminiscent of the scare stories perpetuated by free trade’s opponents. – Guy Platten for the Telegraph (£) Asa Bennett: As the Brexiteers’ tribune, Jacob Rees-Mogg could be Tory kingmaker, if not king himself Chairing the European Research Group may not sound glamorous, but it gets you places in the Conservative party. The man who made the ERG’s name as a crack team of Brexiteers ready to march through the voting lobbies to take Britain one step closer to fully leaving the European Union, Steve Baker, entered Government last year. His successor, Suella Fernandes, joined him this month. At this rate, their successor Jacob Rees-Mogg will be in office by Christmas. – Asa Bennett for the Telegraph (£) How much bother will Jacob Rees-Mogg cause the government in his new role? – Katy Balls for the Spectator > Hugh Bennett on BrexitCentral: Cometh the hour, cometh the Mogg Patrick L Young: The City cannot afford to be constrained by disastrous EU rules The likelihood of an EU financial rulebook making it on to celluloid may be slight but there is some correlation between the Hollywood practice of dreadful sequels following inspired first movies and the EU’s latest, utterly flawed, mega-missive on markets. MIFID II is a directive with the emphasis on ‘dire’. – Patrick L Young for CapX Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: Italy’s resurgent eurosceptics plot to subvert monetary union from within Italy’s ascendant populists on Left and Right have shelved their immediate plans to leave the euro. They are plotting instead to subvert monetary union from the inside with parallel currencies and deficit spending in open violation of the Maastricht Treaty. This is equally dangerous for Germany and for the political construction of Europe, and is far more likely to happen.- Ambrose Evans-Pritchard for the Telegraph (£) Brexit comment in brief No matter how much Tusk might wish it, there will be no second referendum, and no cancellation of Brexit – Daniel Hannan MEP for ConservativeHome European leaders have started wooing Britain because they sense a change of heart over Brexit – Sean O’Grady for the Independent What to expect from Brexit in 2018? – Pieter Cleppe for CapX Brexit news in brief Russian disinformation campaign has been ‘extremely successful’ in Europe, warns EU – Independent Britons take EU rights bid to Dutch court – BBC Drop in foreign workers may drive up wages but dampen productivity, says BoE’s Saunders – Telegraph MPs should not vote against the party manifesto, says Jacob Rees-Mogg – UnHerd European jitters over German coalition talks – BBC And finally… BYE-EU TAPESTRY: The Sun’s Brexit-inspired tapestry shows EU membership was one long stitch-up The year was 1066 and England had a serious sovereignty issue with a continental elite. Norman hordes swept across the Channel to defeat the Anglo-Saxons at Hastings. The 11th-century Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the humiliating defeat, is now set to be displayed in Britain for the first time in 950 years. Britain faces another moment of destiny as Brexit frees us from continental shackles. Today, The Sun marks that historic people’s victory with the Bye-EU Tapestry – proof, if any was needed, that the EU was one long stitch-up. – The Sun