Leaked Cabinet papers suggest the Brexit transition could last for years… Theresa May’s Brexit plan could leave Britain in a “long-running” multi-year transition period despite her promise that it would last only a few months, according to leaked cabinet papers seen by The Times. Cabinet ministers have been warned by officials that there is no guarantee Britain will be able to extricate itself from the transition arrangements in her preferred Brexit option.The leaked documents concede that the plan “could, in theory, lead to a long-running IP (implementation period)”. They make clear that the arrangement could last for many years on a “rolling” basis with an “annual decision point” where any transition extension is reviewed.This would appear to contradict the prime minister, who said last week that the arrangement could be extended “for a few months”. On Monday Mrs May told MPs that the implementation plan would end “well before the end of this parliament” – The Times (£) …while the EU will reportedly offer a UK-wide customs union (but still insist on a Northern Ireland-only backstop) The European Union will offer British Prime Theresa May a UK-wide customs union as a way around the Irish backstop issue, but it will have to be negotiated beyond the Withdrawal Agreement as a separate treaty, RTÉ News understands. The Withdrawal Agreement will contain a specific commitment to a UK-wide customs arrangement by way of a legal article, but that commitment will say that a formal EU-UK customs union will require a separate agreement. However, the EU, and the Irish Government still insist that a Northern Ireland-specific backstop remains in place, even if a separate UK-wide customs arrangement is negotiated. – RTÉ News Theresa May set to face down her backbench Brexit critics tonight after ‘almighty row’ at Cabinet yesterday… Theresa May will try to face down her fiercest critics at a meeting in Parliament on Wednesday after a “heated” debate at her weekly Cabinet meeting about Brexit. A senior Tory source said Mrs May was “taking the opportunity to talk to colleagues” at the 1922 Committee meeting after Tuesday’s Cabinet was dominated by no-deal preparations and fears among Eurosceptic ministers that Britain will get tied into the customs union indefinitely….Hours after the meeting had finished, Downing Street briefed that Mrs May is to attend the weekly meeting of the 1922 committee of backbench Conservative MPs. Her decision to attend comes despite one MP telling a Sunday tabloid that she should “bring her own noose” to the meeting. – Telegraph (£) …where the Attorney General warned ‘the backstop would be like being stuck in Dante’s first circle of hell’ If last week’s Cabinet was a unified affair with everyone agreeing about the problems with the EU’s version of the backstop, today’s was not. On the one hand, you had Geoffrey Cox warning that the backstop would be like being stuck in Dante’s first circle of hell. On the other, you had David Lidington, the effective deputy Prime Minister, telling ministers that he was the only one who had been an MP on Black Wednesday and they couldn’t have that level of chaos again, which — by implication — there would be with no deal. – James Forsyth for The Spectator Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab to step up no-deal planning with weekly Cabinet updates Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab will step up Britain’s preparations for a no-deal Brexit by giving his Cabinet colleagues weekly updates on the Government’s plans, Number 10 has announced.Theresa May told her Cabinet this morning that the Brexit Secretary would start briefing colleagues regularly as she continues to try and break deadlocked talks with the EU. Ministers have repeatedly stressed that they are willing to walk away from the EU if Britain cannot strike a deal with Brussels, although the Treasury has warned such a move could blow an £80bn black hole in the public finances. – PoliticsHome Fresh Cabinet split surfaces over post-Brexit immigration system New battle lines have been drawn within Theresa May’s Cabinet over Britain’s post-Brexit immigration system, stoking divisions even further and presenting the Prime Minister with yet another headache. Home secretary Sajid Javid is understood to have dropped one of two models being considered under his predecessor, which would have favoured EU citizens by effectively granting them an automatic visa. City A.M. understands that he is pushing for a points-based system, akin to the one used in Australia, which would put EU workers on the same level as those from other parts of the world. However, the proposal – which is favoured by Brexiters and had been pencilled into the upcoming Brexit white paper – has been challenged by chancellor Philip Hammond and business secretary Greg Clark, according to two sources. – City A.M. France threatens to block Calais port to the UK if we refuse to pay £39bn divorce bill France could wreak massive damage on Britain’s economy by closing down Calais under a no deal Brexit, the Cabinet was warned. If negotiations fail and Theresa May refuses to pay the UK’s £39bn divorce bill, it is feared Paris could immediately retaliate by creating chaos with cross-channel trade.As the nation’s only major roll-on roll-off ferry hub, the Dover-Calais crossing has been identified by DexEU officials as Britain major strategic weak point. France has the power to spark huge delays for UK-bound lorries importing factory parts for ‘just in time’ supply chains such as car factories. And French customs officials would draw a halt to a large chunk of Britain’s food exports from entering France. – The Sun Up to 45 Labour MPs could rebel to back Theresa May’s Brexit deal, claims Caroline Flint Up to 45 Labour MPs could rebel against Jeremy Corbyn to back Theresa May’s Brexit deal as long as it is “reasonable”, a senior party MP has said. Former Minister Caroline Flint said opposing any withdrawal agreement would risk handing a no deal exit to the likes of Boris Johnson, as she described Labour’s six tests for deciding how to vote as “disingenuous” for suggesting the UK could enjoy the “exact same benefits” of the single market. She also claimed voting the deal down will not force an election, as envisaged by Mr Corbyn, and that MPs like her were wrongly coming under “huge amounts of pressure” to oppose it to try and force the Tories out. – Yorkshire Post Queen speaks publicly about Brexit for first time during Dutch royal visit The Queen has spoken publicly about Brexit for the first time, telling the King of the Netherlands that “as we look toward a new partnership with Europe” the values shared by the UK and Holland “are our greatest assets”. Speaking at a state banquet in honour of King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Maxima, the Queen added that as “innovators, traders and internationalists we look with confidence to the future”. The Queen, who remains impartial in political matters, chose to emphasise the qualities needed by the UK and one of its closet European neighbours going forward. – Telegraph (£) Leo Varadkar has ‘no regrets’ over Twitter spat over Brexit Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has “no regrets” over getting in a Twitter spat with a user online, which some UK media outlets have dubbed as a “undiplomatic dig at Britain”. Over the weekend, Varadkar replied to a tweet which criticised a tweet Varadkar had sent about calling for support for Ireland taking a seat on the UN Security Council.The Twitter user hit back at the Taoiseach stating that Ireland had borrowed “millions off the UK, just to survive”. He added that Varadkar’s talk of influence was “another bad Irish joke”. Responding, Varadkar said that Ireland has repaid IMF loans early and with interest…When asked did the Taoiseach send that tweet, his spokesperson said Varadkar “originates all of his own tweets” adding that the Taoiseach has “no regrets in sending that tweet”. – The Journal European Commission demands changes to Italian Government’s budget The European Commission has told Italy to revise its budget, an unprecedented move with regard to an EU member state. The Commission is worried about the impact of higher spending on already high levels of debt in Italy, the eurozone’s third-biggest economy. Italy’s governing populist parties have vowed to push ahead with campaign promises including a minimum income for the unemployed. The country now has three weeks to submit a new, draft budget to Brussels. The Commission said the first draft represented a “particularly serious non-compliance” with its recommendations. – BBC News /*COMMENT*/ Stewart Jackson: It’s not too late to save Brexit, if only the PM would abandon her bunker and start listening As the clock ticks down, both sides of the Tory Brexit family need reassurance. For Remainers, time would be granted to allow businesses to make the changes needed to be ready for the new dispensation and the danger of a disorderly exit would recede exponentially. For Leavers, international treaty obligations and domestic legislation are the balm to soothe their fevered brows. The Prime Minister can lead this debate or she can remain in her bunker, eschewing compromise with reality. MPs, businesses, the electorate and the EU are crying out for a plan. It would be a national disgrace if she were instead to ignore people of good faith and different perspectives who are working hard to dig her out of the hole she’s in. – Stewart Jackson for the Telegraph (£) The Sun says: Napoleon tribute act Emmanuel Macron threatens to wreck Brexit Britain by means of trade war — we call his bluff Emmanuel Macron, a Napoleon tribute act whose stature is matched only by his collapsing poll ratings — and who is using tough talk on Brexit to distract from trouble at home.But Mini Manu’s threats ring hollow.Does he honestly think French businesses will thank him if he brings a huge chunk of the £70billion-plus trade between our two countries to a halt? Does he honestly think French consumers are so annoyed about our decision to leave that they’ll want lorries blocking their motorways and supermarket shelves empty?But Macron’s desire to wreak havoc on the UK economy as a Brexit punishment betrays the Continent’s fear that an unleashed Britain would leave the EU in the dust.We have no desire for our Government to enter a trade war. If Britain goes without a deal — and there’s every chance — then we will show Europe what they’re missing with tax cuts and a red tape bonfire that will supercharge the economy. A sensible French leader would welcome a deal that works for both sides. – The Sun says Brian Monteith: To the Brexit sore losers – we won, you didn’t, so get over it I cannot wait until 11pm on March 29, 2019. I don’t know where I’ll be but I’m pretty certain on one level at least I’ll be celebrating that we have left the European Union.I don’t know what future relationship the UK will have with the EU; but then who does? Certainly not the Prime Minister, who is either deluding herself or seeking to delude the public. Her statement that 95 per cent of an agreement has been reached is risible. She does not even have agreement within her Cabinet or her parliamentary party, so how she thinks she has nearly concluded a deal is a mystery. What I do know is that when we pass that date the likelihood of having yet another referendum on EU membership is highly unlikely – and that will be great news. I have come to dislike referenda, and I don’t think I am alone in that. Presenting a binary choice of A or B leaves little nuance for accommodation of another person’s view. After the independence and European Union referendums of 2014 and 2016 we have seen how divisive such votes can be. I cannot remember a time when the country has been more divided – thanks to sore losers not accepting their defeat. – Brian Monteith for the Edinburgh Evening News Paul Goodman: Brexiteer MPs no longer have a champion in Fleet Street Last year, Paul Dacre’s Daily Mail greeted the general election with the front-page headline: “Crush the Saboteurs”. Today, his successor, Geordie Greig, confirms the paper’s change of Brexit policy. “Saboteurs endangering our nation,” its editorial declares. But this time round, the reference is to ERG-type Brexiteers. The trolling of Dacre is unmissable. Those Leavers aren’t flavour of the moment at the Sun, either. “It is vital that the Tories support her. There is no coronation candidate to replace her,” it said yesterday.The Daily Telegraph is a variable trumpet. Many of its star columnists – including Philip Johnston and Tim Stanley, who are the main leader writers – are sympathetic to EEA membership. This isn’t the paper’s position, at least if a recent editorial opposing the backstop is the measure. Nigel Farage, who is well-regarded by the Telegraph’s proprietors, has a frequent platform. Among the quad of dailies that this site labels the Tory press, that leaves only the Express stable. This has been bought by Trinity Mirror. – Paul Goodman for Conservative Home John Ashmore: The real Brexit lesson from Dyson’s decision to build his cars in Singapore Brexit-backing industrialist/engineer James Dyson has chosen to build his new electric car in Singapore. Naturally, the likes of Andrew Adonis and Alastair Campbell were quick to weigh in, accusing Sir James of hypocrisy. Best for Britain, the anti-Brexit organisation, called the news “astonishing”. Campbell even claimed that Sir James supported Leave to further his own business interests – that’s to say nothing of his yet more outlandish suggestion that the company’s hand dryers don’t work.There’s a great deal of nonsense to unpick here. First is the idea that because Sir James supported Brexit, he’s somehow obliged to locate his global company’s manufacturing in the UK. As Dyson non-exec Ian Robertson has said, the decision to base the plant in Singapore is to do with access to Asia’s enormous and ever-growing market, rather than whatever trading arrangements Britain has with the EU.Another awkward fact for Campbell and co is that Dyson has based its manufacturing in Asia since the early 2000s, when we were very much at the heart of the European project. – John Ashmore for CapX Henry Newman: How much regulatory divergence can we have within the UK? At one level, this ‘hybrid’ idea may offer a path through the backstop impasse. Yet it also raises the spectre of growing regulatory differentiation between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom – and one which is essentially imposed. There are already precedents for certain phytosanitary checks between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, as well as other areas where policy is devolved. However, a wider regulatory divergence could alter the constitutional balance between the regions of the United Kingdom, as well as raising demands for other such privileges to be afforded to Scotland.Ultimately the overall problem of divergence between Northern Ireland and Great Britain is only resolvable if the EU and UK agree two sorts of relationship – one a wide ranging mutual recognition agreement of the sort the EU side has been clear is not possible, or something approaching Chequers where the UK operates either within EU rules or is allowed (in whole or in part) to operate a dual regulatory regime for goods. – Henry Newman for Open Europe Comment in Brief The Brexit withdrawal agreement may violate the European Convention on Human Rights – George Peretz QC for Prospect A no-deal Brexit? The NHS will be right as rain in no time – Michael Deacon for the Telegraph (£) News in Brief Prime Minister hails new era of Dutch-UK security cooperation post-Brexit – Gov.UK UK border ‘may not be ready’ for no-deal Brexit warns watchdog – The Mirror Brexit leaves UK vulnerable to invasive alien species and diseases, Lords warn – Independent UK to remain BlackRock’s EMEA HQ after Brexit – Reuters ‘Brexit-busting’ rail freight terminal opens in Wolverhampton – Business Desk NFU calls for Chancellor to implement 8 measures to Brexit-proof farms – AgriLand