2016 – Since the Brexit

European Commission International Politics

Free Movement Hailed As The Most Positive Achievement Of The EU

August 2, 2016 admineurobarometer, european citizenship, nigel farage, poll0 comment

A recent Eurobarometer poll with 31,946 respondents from all 28 European Union member states has shown a massive support for free movement of people, goods and services within the union. Even in the United Kingdom there appears to be a clear majority of 63% supporting free movement, making the on-going Brexit negotiations even more challenging. While the support for free movement in the UK pales in comparison to the 95% of Latvians supporting it, it is still a surprising number considering that many commentators and politicians have interpreted the narrow UK rejection of the…

European Commission International Politics

Commission appoints Barnier as Chief Brexit Negotiator

July 29, 2016 adminBrexit, didier seeuws, michel barnier0 comment

The European Commission has appointed French career politician Michel Barnier, a former Minister of France and two times European Commissioner, as the Commission’s chief negotiator with the UK over the Brexit. Barnier’s appointment has drawn criticism from several quarters, with one analyst noting, that this is the Commission’s first decision since the Brexit vote, and it is a bad one. Although an experienced politician, who was first elected Member of the French parliament aged 27 in 1978, Barnier is also known as mono-linguist with a limited working knowledge of English. From…

European Commission International Politics

UK to Refuse Taking Up the EU Presidency in 2017

July 20, 2016 adminDavid Davis, Donald Tusk, EU Presidency, theresa may0 comment

One of the first direct consequences of the Brexit on the workings of the European Union has come to light, as UK Prime Minister Theresa May has told EU President Donald Tusk, that the UK will not take up the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2017 as otherwise planned. The Presidency of the Council of the European Union is rotating between the member states every half year, and it has yet to be decided who will take up the presidency instead of…

International Politics UK Politics

Clearly British humour has no boundaries

July 14, 2016 adminboris johnson, theresa may0 comment

“Clearly British humour has no boundaries” was the immediate reaction of former Belgian PM and leader of the European Liberals, Guy Verhofstadt, to the appointment of Boris Johnson as the new UK Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Verhofstadt’s view was echoed by other leading politicians, including Labour leadership contender Angela Eagle and SNP spokesman Pete Wishart. The latter said that “We thought the new prime minister [Theresa May] didn’t have a sense of humour – she’s only gone and proven that totally wrong”. Several British and international media outlets have begun publishing…

UK Politics

Theresa May to Become PM in Yet Another Brexit Surprise

July 11, 2016July 11, 2016 adminandrea leadsom, David Cameron, theresa may, tory leadership election 20160 comment

There seems to be no bounds to the surprises that the aftermath of the Brexit referendum will yield. Before the results of the Brexit referendum became known, David Cameron was expected to stay on at least for the preliminary negotiations with the EU about the UK steeping out. As the result became clear, Cameron announced his intention to stand down as PM with a successor being appointed at the Conservative party conference in October. Former Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, was widely expected to stand for the leadership, but following…

UK Politics

Leadsom retires from Tory Leadership Race – May Poised to become PM

July 11, 2016 adminandrea leadsom, Brexit, theresa may, tory leadership election 20160 comment

Tory Brexitter and leadership contender Andrea Leadsom has withdrawn from the Conservative Party leadership race, leaving Theresa May as the only candidate and probable next PM of the United Kingdom. Leadsom was seen as a new bright star of the Conservative party following her contribution to the Leave campaign, and she was not tainted by the post-referendum in-fight between former allies Michael Gove and Boris Johnson. Although Theresa May had the support of the majority of the Conservative parliamentary party, Leadsom was considered to have a good chance of securing a majority…

International Politics UK Politics

Cameron rejects New Brexit Referendum

July 9, 2016July 9, 2016 adminandrea leadsom, Brexit, theresa may0 comment

In a ironic twist of circumstances, David Cameron today rejected calls for a new Brexit referendum. Cameron’s rejection comes despite 4 mio. signatures calling for a new referendum to take place, and without the matter having been formally discussed in cabinet or in the House of Commons. Ironically, while many UK politicians have critized the EU for being un-democratic, it only takes 1 mio signatures for a citizens’ initiative to be taken up for discussion in the European Commission, while apparently 4 mio signatures is not enough to take something…

Financial Markets UK Politics

Waters have Settled amid Huge Doubts about Brexit

July 6, 2016July 6, 2016 adminBrexit, corbyn, farage, gove, leadership, leadsom, may0 comment

Almost two weeks after the crucial Brexit vote, the waters seems to have settled down a bit both in the UK and in the rest of the European Union. Paradoxically, however, the number of unknown factors have increased significantly since the vote, and how it will all turn out in the end is anybody’s guess. The major UK parties are all but leaderless, as David Cameron has announced his intention to resign, and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is basically without support among his own MPs, making any opinion he may…

UK Politics

Tories in Shock as Boris Declines to Stand for PM

June 30, 2016June 30, 2016 adminborexit, gove, johnson, tory leadership election 20160 comment

In a move,which seemed to surprise even his closest colleagues and supporters, Boris Johnson earlier today declined to stand as leader of the Conservative Party and as the next PM of the United Kingdom. Johnson announced his intention not to stand at a much anticipated press conference expected to be his campaign launch. He began his speech, held at St. Ermin’s Hotel close to the Palace of Westminster, by outlining what he called “the agenda for the next Prime Minister of this country”. But just as cheers and celebrations were…

European Commission International Politics

Brexit Discussions in Bruxelles

June 29, 2016June 29, 2016 adminBrexit, Cameron, European Parliament, farage, Guy Verhofstadt, Juncker0 comment

The discussions about what to do after the Brexit referendum has moved to Bruxelles, where there has been a number of meetings in the Council of Ministers, the European Parliament and the European Commission in recent days. At a meeting in the European Parliament, a smug and bellicose Nigel Farage told his fellow parliamentarians that Isn’t it funny? When I came here 17 years ago and I said that I wanted to lead a campaign go get Britain out of the European Union, you all laughed at me. Well, I…