Sir John Major launches extraordinary attack on Theresa May’s Government over Brexit Sir John Major has launched an extraordinary attack on Theresa May’s Government over Brexit and warned that leaving the EU could mean cutting the NHS and welfare state. In his first intervention since the referendum, Sir John said Brexit is an “historic mistake” and warned Mrs May that she must not create “unreal and over-optimistic” expectations about leaving the EU… His comments infuriated eurosceptic Tory MPs, who accused Sir John of making a “bitter, angry speech” and trying to refight the EU referendum… A Downing Street source said: “The Government is determined to make a success of our departure from the European Union – and to move beyond the language of leave and remain to unite our country.” – Daily Telegraph Sir John added: “My own experience of international negotiations – and the national self-interest that accompanies them – makes me doubt the rosy confidence being offered to the British people. If anyone genuinely believes that Europe will concede all we wish for – and exact no price for doing so – then they are extraordinarily naive.” … Brexiteers hit back at Sir John’s comments, with Sir Bill Cash telling Sky News: “The British people have spoken and Theresa May is doing an incredibly good job in ensuring that that instruction from the British people is carried out. Five hundred MPs went through the lobbies only two weeks ago to endorse that withdrawal. And, quite frankly, I just think John Major is talking through his hat.” – Sky News The Sun says: If Theresa May shared John Major’s defeatist gloom, Brexit negotiations probably would end as badly as he predicts. Thankfully he’s not involved. We do agree with the former Prime Minister that voters shouldn’t be told it’ll all be plain sailing. But most don’t believe it will. Nor did they when they ticked the Brexit box last June 23. Untangling Britain from 40 years of EU membership was always going to be hard, as many things worth doing are. And while it is true our negotiating team must be realistic, they also need a can-do attitude, to believe in the new opportunities Brexit presents… Remainers know blocking Article 50 is now all but impossible. But Project Fear is not dead. The new tactic seems to be to capitalise when, in Sir John’s words, “the will of the people evolves, and the reality of Brexit becomes unpopular”. Stand by for years more moaning — and louder and louder demands for a referendum replay. – The Sun says The main points from John Major’s Brexit speech – The Independent Former prime minister John Major launches unexpected Brexit salvo – Jason Farrell for Sky News ‘We’re doomed! Doomed!’ It’s Sir John Major, the Private Frazer of Brexit – Michael Deacon sketch for the Daily Telegraph (£) If John Major respects the Brexit vote he should work with Theresa May, not against her – Daily Telegraph editorial House of Lords votes against an amendment to the Article 50 Bill demanding the UK stays in European Single Market… Peers voted overwhelmingly against the proposal this evening, with one frontbencher slapping it down as “unrealistic”. By a margin of 299 to 136, with a majority of 163, peers chose not to slow down the Bill’s passage through the House after it successfully passed through the Commons earlier this month. Nonetheless, the move did expose deep divisions within Labour as former Cabinet ministers Lord Hain and Lord Mandelson spoke in support of the change – contrary to the frontbench stance. In total, some 33 Labour peers backed the unsuccessful amendment, including Lord Hain, Lord Mandelson, Lord Cashman, Lord Bragg and Lord Foulkes of Cumnock. One Tory peer, Baroness Wheatcroft, also voted for it. Former business secretary Lord Mandelson warned in the committee stage debate on the Bill it would be an “economic disaster” for Britain to leave the single market. – Daily Express …but is expected to defeat the Government tomorrow over EU nationals’ rights The House of Lords is set to give the Government its first defeat on the Article 50 Brexit bill as early as Wednesday on the issue of protecting the rights of EU nationals. In a rare move, a vote will be pushed in the current Committee stage of the Article 50 bill, on Wednesday afternoon. It is already backed by Labour, LibDem, cross-bench and several rebel Conservative peers, and Parliamentary sources expect the amendment to pass easily… Experts estimate around 2.7 of the 3.5 million EU nationals in the UK already have a broad right to permanent residence, having lived in the UK for five years… Privately, some in the Government blame larger EU countries, such as Germany, for rebuffing an offer to settle the issue early in the process. – Sky News High cost of Brexit for Northern Ireland peace, claims Lord Hain before withdrawing amendment – BBC News Poll shows majority of Britons believe House of Lords shouldn’t meddle with Brexit – Daily Express Andrew Lloyd Webber tells peers not to ‘overrule the will of the people’ as Lords debates amendments to Article 50 Bill – The Sun Lord Bird believes Brexit tensions could lead to ‘blood on the streets’ as part of ‘civil war’ – Daily Express Who’s in the House of Lords, how are members appointed, can members stop Brexit and will it be abolished? – The Sun 1,263 words, just to add eight more – Patrick Kidd sketch for The Times (£) Lord Heseltine has no right to attempt to block Brexit – Leo McKinstry for the Daily Express Lord Heseltine’s Brexit plot shows his clear hatred for the Conservatives, so why is he still in the party? – Norman Tebbit for the Daily Telegraph (£) >On BrexitCentral today: The 136 peers in Brexit denial who think we should remain in the EU’s Single Market New Institute of Directors boss says Brexit offers ‘massive opportunities’ to boost trade with the rest of the world… Stephen Martin, who took over as director general of the influential 114-year-old business lobby group earlier this month, has revealed he voted for Brexit in the referendum last June. He said leaving the Brussels club ‘could open our eyes to the rest of the world’ and urged ministers to use the UK’s new-found freedom to scrap the red tape stifling businesses. ‘British businesses want to make Brexit work, and are keen to explore trade opportunities with the rest of the world that arise once we leave the EU,’ he said… ‘I called it for Brexit. I expected the result,’ he said. ‘I genuinely believe this is because I was based in the North of England and am not London-focused. I could see the different views of the different places, different workforces. Remainers thought it was obvious [to stay], but it wasn’t.’ – Daily Mail …as British Chambers of Commerce calls for Brexit to be delayed if no trade deal reached in two years Brexit should delayed if no trade deal can be struck with the European Union by the end of the two-year negotiating process, business leaders have said… The BCC – which was in favour of the UK remaining in the EU – said completing a trade deal within the two years allowed by Article 50 would be the “ideal outcome”. But it continued: “Should this prove impossible, we should seek an extension to the negotiating period to enable completion of both agreements concurrently.” – BBC News British Chambers of Commerce demands more Brexit certainty from the government – City A.M. Put practical measures at the heart of Brexit negotiations – Adam Marshall, BCC Director General for The Times (£) French blamed for scuppering London Stock Exchange merger A proposed merger between the London Stock Exchange and Germany’s Deutsche Börse is all but dead amid allegations of French political and regulatory interference. The London Stock Exchange Group warned on Sunday night that its proposed £24 billion deal, which it hoped would create a global exchanges titan, was teetering after a surprise, late intervention by the competition authorities in Brussels… News that the merger is likely to collapse will cheer some in the City. Last week 40 Eurosceptic figures wrote to The Times calling for the deal to be delayed until after Brexit negotiations. – The Times (£) It’s not me, it’s you: How stock exchange merger hit the wall – Politico The inside story of how the London Stock Exchange’s mega merger with Deutsche Boerse was suddenly derailed by Brussels – Julian Harris for City A.M. Brussels’ move on LSE merger does not make any economic sense – Allister Heath for the Daily Telegraph (£) Bids for London Stock Exchange must be blocked until after Brexit – Nils Pratley for The Guardian Has Brussels given us a blessing in disguise? – Douglas Carswell’s blog With the deal looking dead, is the likely failure of the LSE-Deutsche Boerse merger good news for London? – Daniel Hodson and Syed Kamall MEP for City A.M. >Daniel Hodson previously on BrexitCentral: As the City prepares for Brexit, the authorities should call a halt on the LSE merger with Deutsche Börse Chancellor ‘on course for £29bn windfall’ post-Brexit Stronger tax receipts and the resilience of the economy in the wake of the Brexit vote will hand the Chancellor a £29bn windfall in next week’s Budget, according to a think-tank. The Resolution Foundation said public borrowing was likely to fall to around £56bn in the current financial year, down from £71.7bn in the previous fiscal year and £12bn lower than the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecast of £68.2bn in November… A separate survey by Lloyds Bank showed UK business confidence jumped in February to the highest level in nearly a year as companies reacted positively to robust growth in the final quarter of 2016. – Daily Telegraph UK shopping habit boosts growth after Brexit vote – FT (£) Primark woos British shoppers but ABF warns sterling benefit to fade – Daily Telegraph Dominic Raab MP: Brexit Britain is rising above the European Commission’s petulance With Brexit talks looming, we can expect some petulance from Brussels. As Theresa May is showing on the free movement of people, Britain should respond with calm resolve, laced with a generosity of spirit… Britain’s objectives, admirably set out in the Prime Minister’s White Paper, are by contrast straightforward and steeped in mutual self-interest. We already have barrier-free trade. Why adopt protectionist measures that hurt both sides? Tariff barriers would hit continental exporters and jobs more than the UK (because they sell us £60 billion more each year), and yield net gains in tariff revenue for the UK. But our European partners know that already. We should stay focused on “win-win”. For all the tough talk, even Mr Barnier recognises that attacking the City would choke £1 trillion in UK-based finance benefiting European firms. – Dominic Raab MP for the Daily Telegraph (£) Dan Hannan MEP: Theresa May’s Brexit work permit gives us a first glimpse of how immigration will work after we leave the EU, and it will work wonders to slash migration We are getting our first glimpse of how immigration will work after Brexit. That first glimpse is encouraging. The new rules look fair, effective, reasonable and well timed. Fair because they recognise the rights of EU nationals already here. Effective because by denying in-work benefits to new entrants, they will reduce overall numbers. Reasonable because key sectors of our economy will still be able to hire the talent they need. Well timed because the new rules will apply to people who arrive after next month. If we waited until Brexit formally took effect in 2019, there would be a rush to beat the deadline. Most Brits — including most who voted Remain — want immigration to be regulated. We understand that controlling our borders doesn’t mean closing them. We just want to feel we are in charge of who comes in and in what numbers. – Daniel Hannan MEP for The Sun Putting ‘independent’ experts in control of immigration policy would be a mistake – Mark Wallace for ConservativeHome John Bew: Tony Blair is back on the pitch, but he and his fellow centrists are still playing last season’s game The idea of a people’s rebellion against Brexit is a non-starter, if, as according to the latest ICM poll, 68 per cent of the population agree with the statement that the government should “get on with implementing the result of the referendum … and in doing so take back control of our borders, laws, money and trade.” If guerrilla warfare against Brexit in the House of Lords – as called for by Lord Mandelson – is the opening salvo in the new struggle, then the attempt to revive the “centre-ground” as the beating heart of British politics will not go very far. – Professor John Bew for the Daily Telegraph Brexit in brief Ukip in open civil war as Nigel Farage calls for Douglas Carswell to be thrown out after knighthood row – Daily Telegraph Douglas Carswell has brought constant division and maximum damage to Ukip. He has to go – Nigel Farage MEP for the Daily Telegraph (£) Ukip and Brexit donor Arron Banks under financial spotlight – FT (£) Intransigent May is nudging us to a second referendum – Nicola Sturgeon MSP for The Times (£) Nicola Sturgeon’s ‘neverendum’ is hammering the Scottish economy – Matthew Lynn for The Spectator Coffee House Why it matters if the public has lost faith in government economic forecasts post-Brexit – Ryan Bourne for City A.M. Equivalence makes sense for the City and Europe – FT editorial (£) Brexit and the issue of the WTO schedules – David Allen Green for the FT (£) French Presidential candidates need a reality check over Calais border – Charles Bremner for The Times (£) Japanese giants itching to pull the plug on French debt – Ambrose Evans-Pritchard for the Daily Telegraph (£) German voters face a phoney choice in elections this year – Roger Bootle for the Daily Telegraph (£) ‘We can’t mess it up’: EU foreign minister warns of massive job losses if Brexit talks sour – Daily Express Irish smuggling gangs ready to make millions from new customs regime – The Times (£) Boulogne’s fishermen fear post-Brexit ‘war on the water’ – FT (£) ‘Stop belittling Brexit’: Brussels bigwig Verhofstadt urges Remainers to stop insulting Leave voters – Daily Express