UK should expect a very hefty bill for Brexit, says Jean-Claude Juncker Speaking to the Belgian federal parliament, Juncker spoke of his personal sadness about Brexit but insisted that the UK would not be able to negotiate a “cut-price or zero-cost” exit. Instead, he said, it would have to pay a high price for the commitments which it entered into while a member state, adding that Brexit was “a crisis which concerns us all” “We need to settle our affairs not with our hearts full of a feeling of hostility, but with the knowledge that the continent owes a lot to the UK,” he said. – The Guardian It is hardly surprising that European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and others in the European Union are making outlandish demands for huge dollops of British taxpayers’ cash ahead of the impending Brexit negotiations. The fact that the UK is the second biggest net contributor to Brussels’ coffers is one reason why they are lamenting our departure (and indeed why so many Brits voted to leave in the first place). – Jonathan Isaby for City A.M. The EU’s plan to bill the UK for Brexit is ludicrous – Daily Express editorial David Davis says Britain will stay open to EU migrants British workers will not be ready to fill the jobs done by European migrants for “years and years”, the Brexit secretary has admitted. As part of a diplomatic charm offensive across eastern Europe, David Davis declared the UK would keep its doors open for low-skilled workers in hospitality, agriculture and social care. His comments could imply that Britons would be reluctant or unable to fill the manual jobs vacated by the EU citizens straight away. Mr Davis’s remarks — which were not included in the statement issued by the government following his visit — will make it harder for Theresa May to achieve her goal of reducing net migration to the tens of thousands. – The Times Brexit chief Davis jokes about no ‘big bag of money’ for Latvia – Bloomberg Article 50 Bill passes first hurdle in the House of Lords Theresa May has won the first round in her battle with the Lords to secure authority for triggering the Brexit process by the end of next month. Peers gave an unopposed second reading to the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill after a marathon two-day debate involving more than 180 speakers. But the Prime Minister faces a stiffer challenge next week when Opposition parties try to amend the legislation paving the way for Britain to leave the EU. – Daily Mail Lord Lamont: people who want second Brexit vote ‘don’t believe in democracy’ – Evening Standard Lord Trimble hits back at claims UK could stay in Single Market – Daily Express Lord Darling: Government must not get ‘blank Brexit cheque’ – ITV News Former head of British civil service: Second EU referendum must be held on final Brexit deal – The Independent Blair receives House of Lords slap down in Article 50 debate – Daily Express > On BrexitCentral: Video highlights of the House of Lords Second Reading debate on Article 50 Bill I’ll fight for our farmers, Defra Secretary Andrea Leadsom tells NFU conference Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom has told farmers that she will fight their corner “at every opportunity” to ensure a prosperous future for the industry after leaving the European Union. Speaking in the opening debate at the National Farmers Union (NFU) Conference today (February 21), Mrs Leadsom pledged to battle for British agriculture’s “huge contribution” to communities, the environment and economy. – Plymouth Herald > WATCH on BrexitCentral’s YouTube channel: Andrea Leadsom: British farmers will thrive in non-EU markets French presidential hopeful Macron wants to poach UK talent after Brexit A leading contender in France’s presidential race used a visit to Downing Street to appeal to “bankers, talents, researchers, academics” to move across the Channel after Brexit. Speaking on the steps of Number 10, Emmanuel Macron, who is among the favourites to win in the election in May, launched his appeal after meeting the Prime Minister on a visit to London for a rally of expat voters.- Sky News Macron also hinted at renegotiating an arrangement between France and the U.K. that allows immigration checks before passengers board cross-channel ferries or trains. “On certain subjects, Britain’s contribution should be revised up, in particular … on Calais and Grande Synthe,” he said, referring to locations in northern France that have attracted large numbers of migrants trying to reach Britain. – Politico French Presidential candidate says he wants to lure away Britain’s banks and professors after Brexit – The Mirror Macron wants bankers and academics to move to France after Brexit – The Sun Brexit won’t hit short‑term growth, says Bank of England economist Theresa May’s Brexit strategy of leaving the European single market and customs union will have no impact on short-term growth, the Bank of England’s chief economist claimed. Andy Haldane said that the Prime Minister’s hard Brexit plans “would not have a material bearing” on the economic outlook during the next three years in spite of widespread warnings that leaving the single market would be damaging. The Bank cut its growth forecasts sharply after the referendum but economists warned that the outlook would deteriorate further if the government took a tough line in negotiations with the European Union. – The Times Senior Donald Trump aide warns European Union it can expect ‘hostility’ after Brexit A senior aide to Donald Trump has warned the European Union that it can expect “hostility” after Britain leaves the European Union, according to reports. Steve Bannon, the White House chief strategist, is understood to have informed Germany’s ambassador to Washington that the new US administration hopes to conduct future relations with Europe on a bilateral basis. The President’s aide also told Peter Wittig that he viewed the EU as a flawed construct, sources have told Reuters. – Daily Telegraph ‘Britain showed us what is wrong with Europe’ – top German government advisor backs Brexit A top German economist and advisor to Angela Merkel’s government has given his backing to Brexit, saying the British have “shown what is wrong in Europe”. Prof Hans-Werner Sinn, who serves on the Advisory Council of Germany’s Ministry of Economics, has said that the UK had “justifiable” reasons for leaving the European Union (EU). The 68-year-old who is one of the country’s leading economists told The European: “With the departure of Great Britain the system of the EU has been shaken. – Daily Express European employees ‘shrug off Brexit woes’ Although 2016 was a turbulent year politically and economically, employees across Europe are “overwhelmingly positive” that their businesses will succeed in the year ahead, claims Ricoh Europe. The printers and copiers provider commissioned research, which suggests that 91% of employees surveyed expect digital disruption, economic uncertainty and political turbulence to change how they work in the near-future. Yet 95% also believe this period of change will benefit their business. – GT News Ross Clark: British food and drink exporters defy the doom-mongers Many farmers, asserted the Earl of Sandwich in a Lords debate last July, were now experiencing ‘regrexit’ – having voted to leave the EU they were now realising that the £3.2 billion worth of subsidies they had received from the EU in 2013 were now under threat. Or were they? Whether any farmers really did suffer from pangs of regret last July, they will since have grasped that whatever happens to agricultural subsidies post-Brexit they might actually do rather well – not from collecting handouts but by growing food and selling it. Today, the Food and Drink Federation published its latest statistics on food exports. In common with so many economic figures published since last June they have defied predictions of doom. Ross Clark for The Spectator Binita Mehta-Parmar: A new migration model for Post-Brexit Britain After Brexit, Britain will have a unique ability to control immigration. We need to use this opportunity to attract the migrants our country needs for future economic success and in turn give newcomers the tools they need to integrate quickly. Two incompatible factors distort our current immigration policy: the open borders that come with EU membership and the net annual migration target of 100,000. By obliging the Government to bear down on non-EU migration, it causes illogical and undesirable outcomes. Binita Mehta-Parmar for ConservativeHome Matthew Lynn: Mark Carney finally gets it, the real risk is a Brexit boom It is possible that Mark Carney is not quite the last person to notice that the post-Brexit economy is positively booming. Jean-Claude Junker might be too busy working out new ways to ‘punish’ Britain to have paid attention to the statistics. Gina Miller is possibly working on some bizarre High Court action to keep us in the EU. There might even be a leader writer somewhere at the FT who is still worrying away about the collapse of the economy. But just about everyone else has woken up to the fact that ever since we voted to leave the EU, the British economy, far from falling off a cliff, seems to have got markedly better. – Matthew Lynn for The Spectator Brexit comment in brief Estonia and the UK will remain close partners after Brexit – David Davis for Estonian paper Postimees It’s time Brexit deniers faced up to reality – Danny Finkelstein for The Times Brexit is the future – Ted Yarbrough for the Daily Globe The British media are failing Brexit’s test – Sarah Helm for The Guardian British snub of the EU investigation into the Panama Papers is short-sighted – Prem Sikka for The Guardian Brexit news in brief Downing Street in war of words with French President over demand UK take responsibility for child refugees – The Independent UK government deficit reaches lowest year-to-date since financial crisis but misses expectations – City A.M. Brexit, Uber and legalised snooping: Policy shifts of 2016 –TechCity