The UK is in the process of finding out what Brexit really means. The result of the 2016 EU referendum is being decided by talks between 100 EU negotiators and their 100 British counterparts. What will these negotiators make of Brexit? Where will there be compromises? Who will get the best deal?
On Wednesday 8 April 2020 the UK submitted its application to accede to the 2007 Lugano Convention after the Brexit transition period ends on Thursday 3t December 2020.
On 15 May 2020 the penultimate round of trade negotiations between the UK-EU ended. Little progress has been made and it seems that a no trade deal outcome is more and more likely. There were two contested points that led to the breakdown of talks. These were the “level playing field” measures wanted by the EU and future fishery rights given.
COVID-19 exposes the reality of the UK’s Brexit immigration policy.
Brexit might not be all doom and gloom for the UK’s economic outlook if the tech industry can convince the country, and more importantly the government to embrace and exploit technology.
Cabinet minister Michael Gove, whose responsibility includes no-deal Brexit preparations, has warned businesses that Brexit will cause friction at borders and divergence from the EU. Gove stated that despite the difficulties businesses will face, the government would make efforts to assist them.
Unemployment levels in the UK fell in the three months between May and July to a 45-year low. Wage growth has been accelerating, with monthly wage growth above 3% since September 2018. Such growth has not been experienced since the financial crisis.
On 11 September 2019, the Scottish Court of Session ruled that the Prime Minister’s prorogation of Parliament for a period of 5 weeks between 9 September 2019 and 14 October 2019 was unlawful. The Government’s appeal against this decision was heard in the Supreme Court last week. At the same time, the Supreme Court also considered an appeal from a challenge made in the English High Court in which it was held the matter was non-justiciable. On 24 September 2019 the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the decision of the Scottish Court, rejected the decision of the English High Court and found the prorogation unlawful.
High Court judges have rejected Gina Miller’s case arguing that Boris Johnson’s suspension of Parliament was “an unlawful abuse of power” but permitted an immediate appeal to the Supreme Court on 17th September due to the important points of law at stake.
The new Greek prime minister has proposed a pragmatic deal to end a historic battle over the Parthenon marbles (a collection of Classical Greek marble structures).This could signal an opportunity for France and Germany to strengthen the support for a united EU, against Britain’s euroscepticism.