thedailyexpress--2020-08-11--Huge number of French admit Brexit Britain made the correct choice in leaving the EU

The results of the Redfield and Wilton Strategies poll comes ahead of next week 's round of post-Brexit trade talks in Brussels .
Just 11 percent of the French voters surveyed said Britain would not gain any long-term benefits from Brexit .
A total of 6,000 people across France , Italy , Spain and Germany - 1,500 in each country - participated in the poll between July 17 and 18 .
One of the questions posed was : `` The UK will benefit from leaving the EU in the long-term even if it suffers in the short-term , agree or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed while 14 percent strongly agreed with the statement .
Twenty-eight percent said they neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement .
Just three percent disagreed and three percent strongly disagreed .
Sixteen percent said they did n't know in the poll commissioned by Euronews .
France has been at the centre of the post-Brexit fishing row between the UK and Brussels .
In July the new French minister for Europe , Clement Beaune , vowed his country would not be `` intimidated '' by threats from the British and would stand up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK second wave fears quashed ?
Britain almost 'reaching herd immunity' The countdown to the end of the Brexit transition period is heating up ahead of next week 's round of discussions .
Negotiators will gather in Brussels from Monday in the hope of hammering out a deal to bring an end to the deadlock which has blighted talks since March .
It comes as the UK is seeking help from French authorities in trying to stem the flow of migrant boats across the English Channel .
After talks with French officials , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new , comprehensive action plan '' to stop the boats .
Chris Philp and newly appointed clandestine channel threat commander Dan O'Mahoney travelled to Paris on Tuesday to seek stronger enforcement measures as Border Force continued to deal with crossings along the south coast of the UK .
It comes as lawyers representing asylum seekers who arrived in the UK by crossing the Channel on small boats launched legal action to halt their deportation , which is due to take place on Wednesday .

Brexit: Policy needed to avoid unsustainable fishing warns expert
The results of the Redfield and Wilton Strategies poll comes ahead of next week's round of post-Brexit trade talks in Brussels. Just 11 percent of the French voters surveyed said Britain would not gain any long-term benefits from Brexit.
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A total of 6,000 people across France, Italy, Spain and Germany - 1,500 in each country - participated in the poll between July 17 and 18. One of the questions posed was: "The UK will benefit from leaving the EU in the long-term even if it suffers in the short-term, agree or disagree? Thirty-one percent of the French agreed while 14 percent strongly agreed with the statement. Twenty-eight percent said they neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement.
A new poll has shown four in 10 French people believe in the benefits of Brexit for the UK
Four in 10 French people say Britain will benefit from Brexit
Just three percent disagreed and three percent strongly disagreed. Sixteen percent said they didn't know in the poll commissioned by Euronews. France has been at the centre of the post-Brexit fishing row between the UK and Brussels. In July the new French minister for Europe, Clement Beaune, vowed his country would not be "intimidated" by threats from the British and would stand up for their fishermen. READ MORE: UK second wave fears quashed? Britain almost 'reaching herd immunity'
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French President Emmanuel Macron
The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier
Michel Barnier will take part in the next round of trade talks next week
The countdown to the end of the Brexit transition period is heating up ahead of next week's round of discussions. Negotiators will gather in Brussels from Monday in the hope of hammering out a deal to bring an end to the deadlock which has blighted talks since March. It comes as the UK is seeking help from French authorities in trying to stem the flow of migrant boats across the English Channel.
Diane Abbott labels Tory MPs ‘deluded’ over migrant crossings
After talks with French officials, the UK immigration minister promised a "new, comprehensive action plan" to stop the boats. Chris Philp and newly appointed clandestine channel threat commander Dan O'Mahoney travelled to Paris on Tuesday to seek stronger enforcement measures as Border Force continued to deal with crossings along the south coast of the UK. It comes as lawyers representing asylum seekers who arrived in the UK by crossing the Channel on small boats launched legal action to halt their deportation, which is due to take place on Wednesday.
Macron gives to thumbs up to footballers


thedailyexpress--2020-08-11--Economist details exactly why UK-EU trade WON’T collapse overnight without a Brexit deal

The UK formally left the European Union back in January but negotiations are currently at a standstill with neither side able to break the deadlock .
Concerns over a no deal outcome have been raised with seemingly no progress made in recent weeks .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has vowed to leave by the end of the transition period in December , with or without a deal in place .
Although businesses have been told to prepare for a no deal outcome , an economist has detailed why UK-EU trade will not collapse overnight without a deal .
Economist Catherine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement and points out the EU ’ s biggest markets are the US and China .
She added an agreement does not “ generate trade ” but the consumer demand and business suppliers do .
Ms McBride said : “ The idea that trade or financial ties between the EU and the UK would ‘ collapse overnight ’ without an agreement is not something you would expect to read in the financial media .
“ Trade agreements do not generate trade - consumer demand and business suppliers do .
“ Trade agreements can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to buy something , then that demand will be supplied with or without a trade agreement - even if the product is banned by the government.
” Ms McBride also claimed the very worst outcome would see tariffs added to products crossing from the EU into the UK and vice versa .
READ MORE : Abbott slams 'delusional ' Brexiteer claim UK can tackle crisis out EU But she argued it would become a bigger problem for the EU .
She said : “ At the very worse , if tariffs are added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK and vice versa , then EU-UK trade would merely become more expensive .
“ But this would be a bigger problem for the EU than the UK because the UK is a net importer of goods from the EU .
“ It is the UK that provides a lucrative market for EU merchandise.
” DO N'T MISS I stopped Brexit Party ending Tories , now Boris MUST fight EU - FARAGE [ REVEAL ] Brexit BETRAYAL : Boris accused of costly sacrifices for EU trade deal [ INSIGHT ] Italexit : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if Brexit a success [ REVEAL ] Ms Mcbride ended her comment piece in Briefings for Britain by saying trade between the UK and EU will not collapse but will become “ ever so slightly more expensive ” .
Negotiations between Britain and the EU are currently ongoing , with the deadline to agree on terms now extending to October due to the coronavirus pandemic .
However , one of the main issues in these crucial talks is fishing as the EU wants to maintain its rights to Britain ’ s fishing waters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CFP ) , all members states are given access to EU waters via quotas .
The controversial policy has widely been criticised after critics argued the system is unfair due to the UK ’ s large coastal area .

Brexit: Widdecombe says Johnson has 'created another' problem
The UK formally left the European Union back in January but negotiations are currently at a standstill with neither side able to break the deadlock. Concerns over a no deal outcome have been raised with seemingly no progress made in recent weeks.
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson has vowed to leave by the end of the transition period in December, with or without a deal in place. Although businesses have been told to prepare for a no deal outcome, an economist has detailed why UK-EU trade will not collapse overnight without a deal. Economist Catherine McBride claimed trade does not need an agreement and points out the EU’s biggest markets are the US and China. She added an agreement does not “generate trade” but the consumer demand and business suppliers do.
Economist says UK-EU trade won't collapse
UK's chief Brexit negotiator David Frost
Ms McBride said: “The idea that trade or financial ties between the EU and the UK would ‘collapse overnight’ without an agreement is not something you would expect to read in the financial media. “Trade agreements do not generate trade - consumer demand and business suppliers do. “Trade agreements can make trade easier but if consumers want to buy something, then that demand will be supplied with or without a trade agreement - even if the product is banned by the government.” Ms McBride also claimed the very worst outcome would see tariffs added to products crossing from the EU into the UK and vice versa. READ MORE: Abbott slams 'delusional' Brexiteer claim UK can tackle crisis out EU
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Boris aims to leave with or without a deal
Economic loss per EU state in case of no deal
Ms Mcbride ended her comment piece in Briefings for Britain by saying trade between the UK and EU will not collapse but will become “ever so slightly more expensive”. Negotiations between Britain and the EU are currently ongoing, with the deadline to agree on terms now extending to October due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, one of the main issues in these crucial talks is fishing as the EU wants to maintain its rights to Britain’s fishing waters.
Under the Commons Fisheries Policy (CFP), all members states are given access to EU waters via quotas. The controversial policy has widely been criticised after critics argued the system is unfair due to the UK’s large coastal area.
Fishing is a main issue for stalemate negotiations


thedailyexpress--2020-08-11--SNP told university places must go to most 'disadvantaged students' after exams farce

A report released today by the National Articulation Forum ( NAF ) , a body of college and university reps , suggests Universities should “ ring-fence ” degree places for disadvantaged students .
These would be achieved by higher education establishments giving a guarantee of places for college students on undergraduate and graduate apprenticeship degrees which would give students more certainty about going to university .
This move , the report says , will help open up fresh higher education opportunities for thousands of “ disadvantaged youngsters ” and allow more students to progress seamlessly between a Higher National qualification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following the SQA ’ s higher results crisis which saw thousands of grades downgraded with disadvantaged students hit the most .
There were no exams sat this year due to the coronavirus pandemic so the Scottish Qualifications Authority applied a methodology which saw grades estimated by teachers downgraded .
However , the system caused a backlash from distraught teenagers after the system was branded `` fundamentally unfair '' .
SQA figures showed it downgraded 124,564 pupils ' results despite no exams being sat - 93.1 percent of all the moderated grades .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of grades were moderated by the SQA , a total of 133,762 , while 377,308 entries were accepted unchanged .
However , pupils from the most deprived areas of Scotland had their grades reduced by 15.2 percent compared with 6.9 percent in the most affluent parts of the country .
As well as this , the report also called for an acceleration of action to develop pathways from college into a university , to help more students avoid repeating levels of study across different qualifications by recognising their credit for previous learning .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sector as “ articulation ” and would allow more students from disadvantaged backgrounds to study at university .
The report said : “ The report ’ s recommendations take on even greater significance in the context of the recovery following the coronavirus pandemic and its disproportionate impact on young people and those who are already disadvantaged .
“ The recommendations are focused on creating more flexible opportunities for learners as well as closer collaboration between colleges and universities to meet learner demand in the post-pandemic economy.
” It stressed the issue was “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ N'T MISS : Lord Hague sets out three-point plan to remove Nicola Sturgeon [ REVEAL ] Fears Nicola Sturgeon 's new hate crime law could criminalise writing [ INSIGHT ] Nicola Sturgeon humiliated as SNP set for major U-turn [ LATEST ] The latest Scottish Government figures shows around 15.9 percent of Scotland ’ s higher education was from the most deprived 20 percent of the population .
This was equivalent to around 5,200 however the Scottish Government ’ s hopes to increase these by 2021 .
Professor Nigel Seaton , Joint Convener @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Abertay University , said : `` The Forum wants to increase the opportunities available to students to articulate from college to university , and our report makes a series of recommendations that we believe will achieve this .
`` Whilst the pandemic has brought much uncertainty , I can only see a greater role for articulation in Scotland ’ s post-pandemic future . ''

Scotland: EU ‘wouldn’t want to take on any burdens’ says expert
A report released today by the National Articulation Forum (NAF), a body of college and university reps, suggests Universities should “ring-fence” degree places for disadvantaged students. These would be achieved by higher education establishments giving a guarantee of places for college students on undergraduate and graduate apprenticeship degrees which would give students more certainty about going to university.
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This move, the report says, will help open up fresh higher education opportunities for thousands of “disadvantaged youngsters” and allow more students to progress seamlessly between a Higher National qualification into a university degree. It comes following the SQA’s higher results crisis which saw thousands of grades downgraded with disadvantaged students hit the most. There were no exams sat this year due to the coronavirus pandemic so the Scottish Qualifications Authority applied a methodology which saw grades estimated by teachers downgraded. However, the system caused a backlash from distraught teenagers after the system was branded "fundamentally unfair".
The Scottish Government have been urged to help more disadvantaged students
The report was released today
SQA figures showed it downgraded 124,564 pupils' results despite no exams being sat - 93.1 percent of all the moderated grades. More than a quarter (26.2 percent) of grades were moderated by the SQA, a total of 133,762, while 377,308 entries were accepted unchanged. However, pupils from the most deprived areas of Scotland had their grades reduced by 15.2 percent compared with 6.9 percent in the most affluent parts of the country. As well as this, the report also called for an acceleration of action to develop pathways from college into a university, to help more students avoid repeating levels of study across different qualifications by recognising their credit for previous learning. READ MORE: John Swinney apologises for SNP's Scottish school exam results chaos
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Edinburgh Napier University
This is known within the tertiary education sector as “articulation” and would allow more students from disadvantaged backgrounds to study at university. The report said: “The report’s recommendations take on even greater significance in the context of the recovery following the coronavirus pandemic and its disproportionate impact on young people and those who are already disadvantaged. “The recommendations are focused on creating more flexible opportunities for learners as well as closer collaboration between colleges and universities to meet learner demand in the post-pandemic economy.” It stressed the issue was “a matter of importance”. DON'T MISS:
Lord Hague sets out three-point plan to remove Nicola Sturgeon [REVEAL]
Fears Nicola Sturgeon's new hate crime law could criminalise writing [INSIGHT]
Nicola Sturgeon humiliated as SNP set for major U-turn [LATEST]
It comes after the SQA grades fiasco
The latest Scottish Government figures shows around 15.9 percent of Scotland’s higher education was from the most deprived 20 percent of the population. This was equivalent to around 5,200 however the Scottish Government’s hopes to increase these by 2021. Professor Nigel Seaton, Joint Convener of the National Articulation Forum and Principal of Abertay University, said: "The Forum wants to increase the opportunities available to students to articulate from college to university, and our report makes a series of recommendations that we believe will achieve this. "Whilst the pandemic has brought much uncertainty, I can only see a greater role for articulation in Scotland’s post-pandemic future."
The Scottish Government want to increase the number of disadvantaged students


thedailyexpress--2020-08-11--Gibraltar preparing for no deal Brexit - govt solidifies plans amid Frost-Barnier deadlock

The Gibraltar Government has stressed that it is still `` confident that a good economic association can be agreed that @ @ @ @ @ British Overseas Territory .
No deal planning was at the centre of the meeting and @ @ @ @ @ Group , which includes different groups of specialists , were examined .
A spokesman for @ @ @ @ @ The planning work for a no deal that had been carried out in 2018 and @ @ @ @ @ and , in some areas , had served as a general rehearsal for the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ the case , for example , of the storage of materials by the Health Authority @ @ @ @ @ oxygen plant in the hospital .

Brexit: Picardo says Gibraltar will ‘thrive’ regardless
Next week the two negotiators will meet for yet another round of meetings following last month's talks which Mr Barnier bemoaned as resulting in "no progress" on key issues. Gibraltarians are wasting no time in planning for a hard Brexit and Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Garcia last week chaired a meeting of the Brexit Strategic Group set up by the Government of the Rock.
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The Gibraltar Government has stressed that it is still "confident that a good economic association can be agreed that will greatly benefit" the British Overseas Territory. No deal planning was at the centre of the meeting and reports by the Brexit Executive Group, which includes different groups of specialists, were examined. A spokesman for the Government said: "The planning work for a no deal that had been carried out in 2018 and 2019 had been very useful and, in some areas, had served as a general rehearsal for the COVID-19 pandemic." This is the case, for example, of the storage of materials by the Health Authority and the establishment of an oxygen plant in the hospital.
The Government of Gibraltar is stepping up no-deal Brexit preparation
Michel Barnier said no progress had been made on key issues in last month's trade talks
In other cases, departments and agencies had drawn up detailed action plans for a no deal Brexit, which were later adopted to deal with the epidemic. Mr Garcia said: "The Government continues to plan for all possible scenarios because this is the responsible strategy. "Clearly, the greater the planning, the more likely it is that problems will be identified and solutions found. "The issues become more tangible as we move towards December 31 and it is expected that all the work done so far will be very useful if no agreement is reached." READ MORE: Fishing fury: MP urges ban on supertrawlers plundering UK waters
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The Gibraltar Government is stepping up no deal planning
The Gibraltarian Government maintains several lines of work including commitments made in relation to the Withdrawal Agreement between the UK and the EU, the Gibraltar Protocol and the accompanying Memoranda of Understanding (MoU). Politicians in the archipelago are also working with the British government to lay out a roadmap for the future relationship with Brussels in the context of the Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).
As the Brexit transition period deadline of December 31 inches closer, the Gibraltarian Government is also seeking an ambitious relationship with EU member states, especially Spain, with whom they held a first official round of talks on June 9. DON'T MISS
Brexit BETRAYAL: Boris accused of costly sacrifices for EU trade deal [INSIGHT]
Italexit: Almost half of Italians would quit EU if Brexit a success [ANALYSIS]
Italy, France, Spain and Germany reveal true extent of anti-EU feeling [REVEALED]
Barnier is set for another round of trade talks next week
Protesters in Belarus after the presidential election
Gibraltar described the talks as "positive and constructive." Meanwhile the EU has been warned it will betray itself if it stands by and lets Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko brazenly hang onto power following the country's election. The election has been marred by claims of vote-rigging as the president claimed to have scooped up more than 80 percent of the vote. Writing in Der Tagesspiegel, a Germany daily newspaper, diplomatic correspondent Christoph Von Marschall said: "Many EU citizens are likely to ask a different question: What do we have in common with the country, what is it to us?
Belarus: Police deploy rubber bullets at protesters in Minsk
"But the debate in Belarus is about something that is part of Europe's identity: democratic elections. "The one on Sunday wasn't democratic. Election observers were not allowed. "Opposition representatives were not allowed to be present during the count. "Lukashenko switched off the Internet in order to make it difficult to exchange information and organise protests."
President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko


thedailyexpress--2020-08-11--SNP humiliated: Swinney makes embarrassing exam results u-turn as he scrambles to save job

Speaking to MSPs , Mr Swinney said that he had spoken to a number of young people who had protested against their results last week , which saw thousands of teacher estimates downgraded .
Consequently , Mr Swinney said more than 124,000 exam results downgraded by a controversial moderation process will revert to the grades estimated by pupils ' teachers .
As a result of the pandemic , exams were cancelled and a new grading system put in place , with teachers ' estimates of pupils ' attainment moderated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority ( SQA ) .
More than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grades were moderated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority ( SQA ) , a total of 133,762 , while 377,308 entries were accepted unchanged .
Figures released by the SQA also show that pass rates for pupils in the most deprived data zones were reduced by 15.2 percent in comparison with 6.9 percent for pupils from the most affluent backgrounds .
Mr Swinney said : `` I can confirm to Parliament today that all downgraded awards will be withdrawn .
`` Using powers available to me in the Education ( Scotland ) Act 1996 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reissue those awards based solely on teacher or lecturer judgment .
`` Schools will be able to confirm the estimates they provided for pupils to those that are returning to school this week and next . ''
The Education Secretary faced severe criticism from pupils , parents and teachers , with opposition politicians calling for him to resign .
It comes as he faces a vote of no confidence later this week , tabled by Scottish Labour and supported by the Conservatives .
Jamie Greene MSP , Scottish Conservatives Education spokesperson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in history minus the resignation . ''
He added : `` Mr Swinney promised us an exam system which would disadvantage no one , he promised dialogue , fairness and openness for all .
READ MORE : Fears Nicola Sturgeon 's new hate crime law could criminalise writing '' But what do we get instead , a methodology clouded in secret , a lack of transparency and engagement , teachers were ignored , a grading process which puts the system ahead of the individual , an endless denial that there was a problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both of them [ John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon ] forced into an apology in this humiliating U-turn '' .
Ross Greer MSP , Scottish Greens education spokesman , said : “ I warned for four months that this would happen , and that it would be unacceptable .
Unfortunately , the Education Secretary and SQA refused to listen then , but I am glad that they are listening now .
“ The Scottish Government has agreed to implement the solutions demanded by the Greens , starting with the restoration of 124,565 grades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s discriminatory ‘ moderation ’ system . ''
DO N'T MISS : Thousands of Scottish NHS patients ‘ forced ’ to travel to England [ REVEAL ] Sturgeon humiliated : Hundreds of students gather in protest chanting [ INSIGHT ] Scot leader admits party disputes a massive 'risk to SNP success ' [ LATEST ] Iain Gray MSP , Scottish Labour 's education representative , said : “ A belated and forced apology is not good enough .
`` We need an immediate return to the grades recommended by teachers for those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s time pupils and teachers got justice and Swinney got his jotters.
” The new exams system forced students to take to the streets of Glasgow to protest against their grades with many claiming their career dreams had been shattered .
Erin Bleakley , 17 , who organised the protest of around 100 students in Glasgow 's George Square , said of the result : `` I think we would all like to say a generous thank you for not only the apology but the results being reverted back to teacher estimates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day would come . ''
As a result of the changes , the National 5 pass rate is now 88.9 percent , the Higher pass rate is 89.2 percent and the Advanced Higher pass rate of 93.1 percent - up from 78.2 percent , 74.8 percent and 79.4 percent respectively in 2019 .
Compared with the moderated results , these have increased by 7.8 , 10.3 and 5.5 percentage points respectively .
Adding in Holyrood , Mr Swinney said the backlash from angry pupils and parents at the methodology that disproportionately affected pupils @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scottish Government 's desire to suppress grade inflation .
He added : `` We now accept that concern , which is not without foundation , is outweighed by the concern that young people , particularly from working-class backgrounds , may lose faith in the education system and form the view that no matter how hard you work , the system is against you . ''
Professor Mark Priestley , of the University of Stirling , has now been asked to conduct a review of the situation and make recommendations for the coming year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five weeks .
Fiona Robertson , Chief Executive of the SQA and Scotland ’ s Chief Examining Officer , told Express.co.uk today : “ Everyone at SQA fully acknowledges the strength of feeling about last week ’ s results among individual learners , their parents and carers - and among wider colleagues in the education system .
“ We will co-operate fully and positively with the review of the awarding process for National Qualifications 2020 and the OECD Review .
“ Our core aim is to support the efforts of learners throughout Scotland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard to ensure we fully implement the steps outlined in the Deputy First Minister ’ s statement to the Scottish Parliament .
”

John Swinney announces downgraded results will be ‘withdrawn’
Speaking to MSPs, Mr Swinney said that he had spoken to a number of young people who had protested against their results last week, which saw thousands of teacher estimates downgraded. Consequently, Mr Swinney said more than 124,000 exam results downgraded by a controversial moderation process will revert to the grades estimated by pupils' teachers. As a result of the pandemic, exams were cancelled and a new grading system put in place, with teachers' estimates of pupils' attainment moderated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). More than a quarter (26.2 percent) of grades were moderated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), a total of 133,762, while 377,308 entries were accepted unchanged.
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Figures released by the SQA also show that pass rates for pupils in the most deprived data zones were reduced by 15.2 percent in comparison with 6.9 percent for pupils from the most affluent backgrounds. Mr Swinney said: "I can confirm to Parliament today that all downgraded awards will be withdrawn. "Using powers available to me in the Education (Scotland) Act 1996, I am today directing the SQA to reissue those awards based solely on teacher or lecturer judgment. "Schools will be able to confirm the estimates they provided for pupils to those that are returning to school this week and next."
John Swinney spoke in Holyrood today
John Swinney is facing calls to step down
The Education Secretary faced severe criticism from pupils, parents and teachers, with opposition politicians calling for him to resign. It comes as he faces a vote of no confidence later this week, tabled by Scottish Labour and supported by the Conservatives. Jamie Greene MSP, Scottish Conservatives Education spokesperson, branded it the "longest resignation speech in history minus the resignation." He added: "Mr Swinney promised us an exam system which would disadvantage no one, he promised dialogue, fairness and openness for all. READ MORE: Fears Nicola Sturgeon's new hate crime law could criminalise writing
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Nicola Sturgeon also apologised yesterday
Exams were suspended this year
Iain Gray MSP, Scottish Labour's education representative, said: “A belated and forced apology is not good enough. "We need an immediate return to the grades recommended by teachers for those who saw their grades reduced. "It’s time pupils and teachers got justice and Swinney got his jotters.” The new exams system forced students to take to the streets of Glasgow to protest against their grades with many claiming their career dreams had been shattered.
Jamie Greene took a swipe at Mr Swinney this afternoon in Holyrood
Erin Bleakley, 17, who organised the protest of around 100 students in Glasgow's George Square, said of the result: "I think we would all like to say a generous thank you for not only the apology but the results being reverted back to teacher estimates. "I did not think this day would come." As a result of the changes, the National 5 pass rate is now 88.9 percent, the Higher pass rate is 89.2 percent and the Advanced Higher pass rate of 93.1 percent - up from 78.2 percent, 74.8 percent and 79.4 percent respectively in 2019. Compared with the moderated results, these have increased by 7.8, 10.3 and 5.5 percentage points respectively.
Douglas Ross has also called for John Swinney to resign


thedailyexpress--2020-08-12--'Ridiculous' Nicola Sturgeon scolded by Ruth Davidson over exam fiasco with her OWN words

Addressing Nicola Sturgeon in the Scottish Parliament during First Minister 's Questions ( FMQs ) , former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson called on the SNP leader to publish all correspondence between Education Secretary John Swinney and the SQA ahead of the publication of exam results .
She said : `` The idea that we 're at the 12th of August over a week after results were issued and people still are n't clear what 's happening with university places , is ridiculous .
`` One way to build trust back is to be more transparent .
`` When the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nicola Sturgeon was in opposition and she insisted that the then Education Secretary and I quote 'give the Parliament a categoric reassurance that he will make available all papers and correspondence and notes and meetings and phone calls within his department and between his department and the SQA since the start of this year ' .
`` The same thing needs to happen now .
We know that this Government does n't have the best record in making documents available but will she today give that guarantee and will she start by confirming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back the SQA deeply flawed model ? ''
Ms Sturgeon replied : `` On the issue of university places , in any year the process of university admission goes on for a period of time .
READ MORE : Lord Hague sets out three-point plan to remove Nicola Sturgeon '' This year , we 're going to ensure that more places are available for young people and I think that is a good thing .
`` That 's a positive thing that should be welcomed across the country .
`` In terms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Government , we 'll make whatever Parliament wants available to Parliament .
`` But I really don ' think , perhaps the Opposition understandably given the experience with Governments elsewhere , are really struggling to grasp a key element of this .
`` The Government is not trying to pass responsibility to the SQA .
The Government is taking responsibility itself . ''
The FMQs clash comes after Scotland 's Education Secretary , John Swinney , announced that moderated grades would be scrapped following a massive outcry after more than 124,000 results were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ model '' of exam results was only changed because of the `` anguish '' coronavirus has caused rather than the disproportionate impact of moderation on poorer children , according to Mr Swinney .
The 124,564 results downgraded by the moderation system requested by the Scottish Government will revert to the marks estimated by teachers after a U-turn by the Education Secretary on Tuesday .
Despite ordering the moderated grades to be withdrawn , Mr Swinney insisted the process was fair and the Scottish Qualification Authority followed his instructions to `` maintain standards from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U-turn , Mr Swinney and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had argued the system would not be `` credible '' if they accepted teacher estimates .
DO N'T MISS : Grades fiasco latest in long line of SNP failures , says JAMIE GREENE [ COMMENT ] 'Absolute shambles ' Tory MSP claims Sturgeon was warned of exam chaos [ VIDEO ] Scotland POLL : Should Sturgeon resign after embarrassing U-turn ?
VOTE [ POLL ] But it was the `` heartfelt pleas of young people '' about COVID-19 's impact , rather than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in affluent and deprived areas , that caused Mr Swinney 's `` change of mind '' .
He said : `` The approach that had been taken , which was a perfectly fair model the SQA had put in place , emphasised heavily the importance of maintaining standards from previous years to this year . ''
Speaking on the BBC 's Good Morning Scotland programme , Mr Swinney added : `` The conclusion I came to - having listened to the heartfelt pleas of young people and the anguish experienced by young people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into account not just the need to maintain standards but to recognise that 2020 is an absolutely unique and extraordinary year in which many people in our country have experienced suffering and our young people have experienced suffering in a whole variety of different ways .
`` I concluded that we had not taken enough account of the trauma and the difficulty created by Covid-19 in the lives of those young people and accordingly I said that we should respect and apply the judgments made by individual teachers . ''

Sturgeon slammed by Davidson on ‘ridiculous’ exam ‘fiasco’
Addressing Nicola Sturgeon in the Scottish Parliament during First Minister's Questions (FMQs), former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson called on the SNP leader to publish all correspondence between Education Secretary John Swinney and the SQA ahead of the publication of exam results. She said: "The idea that we're at the 12th of August over a week after results were issued and people still aren't clear what's happening with university places, is ridiculous.
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"One way to build trust back is to be more transparent. "When the last SQA fiasco happened in 2000, Nicola Sturgeon was in opposition and she insisted that the then Education Secretary and I quote 'give the Parliament a categoric reassurance that he will make available all papers and correspondence and notes and meetings and phone calls within his department and between his department and the SQA since the start of this year'. "The same thing needs to happen now. We know that this Government doesn't have the best record in making documents available but will she today give that guarantee and will she start by confirming that the Education Secretary did indeed formally back the SQA deeply flawed model?" Ms Sturgeon replied: "On the issue of university places, in any year the process of university admission goes on for a period of time. READ MORE: Lord Hague sets out three-point plan to remove Nicola Sturgeon
Nicola Sturgeon scolded by Ruth Davidson over exam results fiasco
Nicola Sturgeon was urged by Ruth Davidson to publish all correspondence with SQA
"This year, we're going to ensure that more places are available for young people and I think that is a good thing. "That's a positive thing that should be welcomed across the country. "In terms of the responsibility of the SQA and the Government, we'll make whatever Parliament wants available to Parliament. "But I really don' think, perhaps the Opposition understandably given the experience with Governments elsewhere, are really struggling to grasp a key element of this. "The Government is not trying to pass responsibility to the SQA. The Government is taking responsibility itself."
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Nicola Sturgeon apologises to students over SQA test results
The FMQs clash comes after Scotland's Education Secretary, John Swinney, announced that moderated grades would be scrapped following a massive outcry after more than 124,000 results were downgraded. Scotland's "perfectly fair model" of exam results was only changed because of the "anguish" coronavirus has caused rather than the disproportionate impact of moderation on poorer children, according to Mr Swinney. The 124,564 results downgraded by the moderation system requested by the Scottish Government will revert to the marks estimated by teachers after a U-turn by the Education Secretary on Tuesday. Despite ordering the moderated grades to be withdrawn, Mr Swinney insisted the process was fair and the Scottish Qualification Authority followed his instructions to "maintain standards from year to year". Before the U-turn, Mr Swinney and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had argued the system would not be "credible" if they accepted teacher estimates. DON'T MISS:
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'Absolute shambles' Tory MSP claims Sturgeon was warned of exam chaos [VIDEO]
Scotland POLL: Should Sturgeon resign after embarrassing U-turn? VOTE [POLL]


thedailyexpress--2020-08-12--Boris Johnson issues stark warning to brace for ‘bumpy’ months ahead

The number of people in work fell by 220,000 between April and June - the sharpest drop since the financial crash , official statistics showed .
So far the virus crisis has already cost around a million workers their livelihoods .
About 730,000 - almost 4,800 every day - left firms ' payrolls between March and the end of July .
And the number of selfemployed slumped by a record 238,000 between March and June , with many throwing in the towel because their work dried up overnight .
Debenhams has added to the grim picture by announcing it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warehouses .
And economists warn there is worse to come when the furlough scheme ends in October .
Figures out today are expected to confirm Britain is in recession in the worst slump on record after being shut down to stem the spread of coronavirus .
Mr Johnson said there is a `` long , long way to go '' but insisted he is committed to making `` colossal investments '' needed to rebuild the economy .
The PM said : `` We always knew that this was going to be a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are going to have to do is to keep going with our plan to 'build , build , build ' and build back better , and ensure that we make the colossal investments that we can now make in the UK economy to drive jobs and growth .
Some parts of the economy are undoubtedly showing great resilience but there are going to be bumpy months ahead and a long , long way to go . ''
Claims for universal credit by people who are unemployed or on low pay went up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March and July .
The official unemployment rate remains flat at 3.9 percent , but the figure is masking much higher rates of joblessness as only those actively seeking work are counted .
The drop in the number of people in work hit the young , old and manual workers the hardest .
Around 7.5 million people were estimated to be temporarily away from work in June this year , most of them on the Government 's furlough scheme , according to the Office for National Statistics .
Around three million had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the number of vacancies jumped 10 percent in May to July at 370,000 from a record low in April to June .
Total pay , including bonuses , went down by 1.2 percent in the three months to June .
As the figures were released Debenhams announced its plans to axe thousands of jobs four months after it collapsed into administration .
A spokesman said : `` The trading environment is clearly a long way from returning to normal and we have to ensure our store costs are aligned with realistic expectations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job retention scheme in October but has promised a £1,000 bonus for every furloughed employee a company brings back and keeps paying until January .
Experts say unemployment will spiral when the support is axed .
Ruth Gregory , senior UK economist at Capital Economics , called the latest employment figures `` the lull before the storm '' .

Boris Johnson issues stark warning to brace for ‘bumpy’ months ahead
The number of people in work fell by 220,000 between April and June - the sharpest drop since the financial crash, official statistics showed. So far the virus crisis has already cost around a million workers their livelihoods.
About 730,000 - almost 4,800 every day - left firms' payrolls between March and the end of July. And the number of selfemployed slumped by a record 238,000 between March and June, with many throwing in the towel because their work dried up overnight. Debenhams has added to the grim picture by announcing it will axe 2,500 jobs in its stores and warehouses. And economists warn there is worse to come when the furlough scheme ends in October. Figures out today are expected to confirm Britain is in recession in the worst slump on record after being shut down to stem the spread of coronavirus. Mr Johnson said there is a "long, long way to go" but insisted he is committed to making "colossal investments" needed to rebuild the economy.
Debenhams has announced it will axe 2,500 jobs in its stores and warehouses
The PM said: "We always knew that this was going to be a very tough time for people. "What we are going to have to do is to keep going with our plan to 'build, build, build' and build back better, and ensure that we make the colossal investments that we can now make in the UK economy to drive jobs and growth. Some parts of the economy are undoubtedly showing great resilience but there are going to be bumpy months ahead and a long, long way to go." Claims for universal credit by people who are unemployed or on low pay went up by 117 percent to 2.7 million between March and July. The official unemployment rate remains flat at 3.9 percent, but the figure is masking much higher rates of joblessness as only those actively seeking work are counted. The drop in the number of people in work hit the young, old and manual workers the hardest. Around 7.5 million people were estimated to be temporarily away from work in June this year, most of them on the Government's furlough scheme, according to the Office for National Statistics. Around three million had been away for three months or more.
Around 7.5 million people were estimated to be temporarily away from work in June this year
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But the number of vacancies jumped 10 percent in May to July at 370,000 from a record low in April to June. Total pay, including bonuses, went down by 1.2 percent in the three months to June. As the figures were released Debenhams announced its plans to axe thousands of jobs four months after it collapsed into administration. A spokesman said: "The trading environment is clearly a long way from returning to normal and we have to ensure our store costs are aligned with realistic expectations." The Government is ending its job retention scheme in October but has promised a £1,000 bonus for every furloughed employee a company brings back and keeps paying until January. Experts say unemployment will spiral when the support is axed. Ruth Gregory, senior UK economist at Capital Economics, called the latest employment figures "the lull before the storm".


thedailyexpress--2020-08-12--Ruth Davidson returns TODAY to frontline politics to fight Sturgeon as help save the Union

The former Scottish Tory leader has been given the new title as Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Group at Holyrood and will lead discussions in Holyrood .
A Conservative Party source told Express.co.uk said she would be the “ perfect person ” to “ hold Nicola Sturgeon to account ” in Holyrood stressing that Ruth Davidson is “ an asset to the party ” .
“ The SNP and Nicola Sturgeon should be prepared , ” the source added .
It comes as a battle is emerging for her current Edinburgh Central seat with two SNP bigshots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanting to fight for it .
New Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross had a meeting with Ms Davidson shortly before former leader Jackson Carlaw resigned .
He declined to comment on what happened during the meeting but admitted he asked Ms Davidson to lead First Minister 's Questions for his party on his behalf .
Mr Ross plans to stand for a seat at Holyrood next year .
Speaking to journalists including Express.co.uk , he added : `` What I have said is that I asked Ruth and she agreed to lead First @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become leader only after Jackson resigned .
Ms Davidson called on John Swinney to resign following last week ’ s exam fiasco which shows 124,000 Higher grades downgraded .
Ms Davidson said : `` A total U-turn on the position Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney had doubled down on for days .
READ MORE : Nicola Sturgeon ’ s attempts to keep Scotland linked to Brussels blocked “ Welcome relief for pupils who 've been put through the wringer .
“ But be in no doubt , this is a shambles and an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The former Scottish Tory leader who led the party between 2011 and 2019 also suggested an “ aggressive approach ” to UK nationalism following the 2014 vote was now needed .
The former Scottish Tory leader said : “ Mistakes have been made , and one of these was not sticking the boot in after the 2014 referendum .
DO N'T MISS : SNP told university places must go to most 'disadvantaged students ' [ REVEAL ] John Swinney apologises for SNP 's Scottish school exam results chaos [ INSIGHT ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remove Nicola Sturgeon [ LATEST ]

Nicola Sturgeon slammed by Ruth Davidson over ‘exam fiasco’
The former Scottish Tory leader has been given the new title as Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Group at Holyrood and will lead discussions in Holyrood. A Conservative Party source told Express.co.uk said she would be the “perfect person” to “hold Nicola Sturgeon to account” in Holyrood stressing that Ruth Davidson is “an asset to the party”.
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“The SNP and Nicola Sturgeon should be prepared,” the source added. It comes as a battle is emerging for her current Edinburgh Central seat with two SNP bigshots, Angus Robertson and Marco Biagi, wanting to fight for it. New Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross had a meeting with Ms Davidson shortly before former leader Jackson Carlaw resigned. He declined to comment on what happened during the meeting but admitted he asked Ms Davidson to lead First Minister's Questions for his party on his behalf.
Ruth Davidson has made a return to frontline politcs
Angus Robertson could be set to take Ms Davidson's seat
Mr Ross plans to stand for a seat at Holyrood next year. Speaking to journalists including Express.co.uk, he added: "What I have said is that I asked Ruth and she agreed to lead First Minister's Questions for me if I become leader only after Jackson resigned. Ms Davidson called on John Swinney to resign following last week’s exam fiasco which shows 124,000 Higher grades downgraded. Ms Davidson said: "A total U-turn on the position Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney had doubled down on for days. READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon’s attempts to keep Scotland linked to Brussels blocked
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Ruth Davidson led the Scottish Tories between 2011 and 2019
“Welcome relief for pupils who've been put through the wringer. “But be in no doubt, this is a shambles and an honourable man would have offered his resignation." The former Scottish Tory leader who led the party between 2011 and 2019 also suggested an “aggressive approach” to UK nationalism following the 2014 vote was now needed. The former Scottish Tory leader said: “Mistakes have been made, and one of these was not sticking the boot in after the 2014 referendum. DON'T MISS:
SNP told university places must go to most 'disadvantaged students' [REVEAL]
John Swinney apologises for SNP's Scottish school exam results chaos [INSIGHT]
Lord Hague sets out three-point plan to remove Nicola Sturgeon [LATEST]
Ruth Davidson is now on the Holyrood front bench


thedailyexpress--2020-08-12--‘Overpriced junk food!’ Home Office hits back after Ben and Jerry’s attacks Priti Patel

Ben & Jerry ’ s criticised the “ lack of humanity ” shown to people making illegal Channel crossings in a series of messages to the Home Secretary .
But Home Office sources slapped down the “ overpriced junk food ” producer for its social media outburst .
Ms Patel has been at the heart of the government ’ s response to the surge in numbers of migrants making the journey during the calmer summer conditions at sea .
Criminal gangs demand thousands of pounds for passage on overfilled small boats that often only have enough fuel to reach British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patel would not be deterred from tackling the crisis by an ice cream firm .
“ Priti is working day and night to bring an end to these small boat crossings , which are facilitated by international criminal gangs and are rightly of serious concern to the British people , ” the source said .
“ If that means upsetting the social media team for a brand of overpriced junk food then so be it.
” Ben & Jerry ’ s posted a series of messages on Twitter attacking the Home Secretary after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to crackdown on the illegal crossings .
It wrote : “ Hey Priti Patel , we think the real crisis is our lack of humanity for people fleeing war , climate change and torture .
“ People wouldn ’ t make dangerous journeys if they had any other choice.
” It went on : “ Stronger ’ borders aren ’ t the answer and only puts more lives at risk .
”

Ben and Jerry's criticised following Priti Patel Twitter attack
Ben & Jerry’s criticised the “lack of humanity” shown to people making illegal Channel crossings in a series of messages to the Home Secretary. But Home Office sources slapped down the “overpriced junk food” producer for its social media outburst.
Ms Patel has been at the heart of the government’s response to the surge in numbers of migrants making the journey during the calmer summer conditions at sea. Criminal gangs demand thousands of pounds for passage on overfilled small boats that often only have enough fuel to reach British waters. Home Office sources said Ms Patel would not be deterred from tackling the crisis by an ice cream firm. “Priti is working day and night to bring an end to these small boat crossings, which are facilitated by international criminal gangs and are rightly of serious concern to the British people,” the source said.
Home Office hits back after Ben and Jerry’s attacks Priti Patel
Criminal gangs demand thousands of pounds for passage on overfilled small boats
“If that means upsetting the social media team for a brand of overpriced junk food then so be it.” Ben & Jerry’s posted a series of messages on Twitter attacking the Home Secretary after criticism from left-wing MPs and campaigners about plans to crackdown on the illegal crossings. It wrote: “Hey Priti Patel, we think the real crisis is our lack of humanity for people fleeing war, climate change and torture. “People wouldn’t make dangerous journeys if they had any other choice.” It went on: “Stronger’ borders aren’t the answer and only puts more lives at risk.”


thedailyexpress--2020-08-12--Brexit LIVE: Farage predicts what Brexit will look like on Jan 1 – will anger Leave voters

He warned the UK would still have “ financial liabilities ” through the European Investment Bank and would never be free in areas such as state aid .
Mr Farage said : “ My own guess is that a deal will be reached in the coming months but one in which we have continued financial liabilities through the European Investment Bank and one in which we will not truly be free in areas such as state aid .
“ The year 2020 will be remembered in history as the year we finally left the European Union , but the final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the true freedom that many of us had fought for decades.
” Speaking about Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s Brexit deal in October , he said it was no better than the agreement reached by his predecessor Theresa May .
He added : “ I sat for hours that morning with my lawyer in Brussels and went through the document line-by-line , even memorising some of the articles .
“ It was clear that this deal was little better than Mrs May ’ s.Not only was Northern Ireland to become a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Justice would have a continued say in British public life .
`` There were also clever legal wordings that would keep us within the common fisheries policy and commitments to continued regulatory alignment .
In short , I felt it was not Brexit . ''
12.40pm update : Britian must take back waters and not capitulate to EU bullying Jane Mummery , former Brexit Party MEP , wrote for Express.co.uk : `` Taking back full control of our waters has never been so important than today , with the announcement of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only is fish a valuable and healthy food source , the industry is a lifeline for coastal communities that are deprived and in desperate need of employment .
Today 's announcement of the arrival of Britain 's deepest recession on record only deepens the need for dramatic and far-reaching action in our fishing industry which will help rejuvenate the nation .
The fishing industry has the potential to create 100,000 skilled coastal community jobs - worth up to £6.6billion to the exchequer annually .
`` This is why we must re-establish the economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities . ''
11.55am update : Sturgeon ’ s attempts to keep Scotland linked to Brussels post-Brexit in tatters An SNP bid to keep Scotland linked with the EU after Brexit will not work , the Holyrood Government has admitted .
Constitution Secretary Mike Russell MSP said the new Bill will mean , on devolved matters , Scottish law can keep in line with those in Europe `` when appropriate and practicable to do so '' .
But the Scottish Government ’ s Chief Constitution Manager admitted she could struggle to see how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brexit voter “ tribes ” that were created during the 2016 EU referendum , and that culminated in Boris Johnson ’ s general election victory last December , are already fading , according to a new poll .
Research by the European Council on Foreign Relations said the coronavirus has changed Britons ’ attitudes to the world , Europe , and the state .
It suggests that the pandemic may be bringing the “ Brexit era ” of British politics to a close – ending a four-year escape from normal politics .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to revive its fortunes , the paper argues – including in the Red Wall constituencies that were so crucial to the Conservative Party ’ s landslide victory in 2019 .
Significantly , the data shows that UK voters are increasingly looking towards international cooperation as means of recovery from COVID-19 .
It finds , for example , that two-thirds of respondents believe in the need for more cooperation , with international partners , such as the EU , in their fight with the virus – and that just 18 percent think globalisation has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also data reveals that , despite this call for a more coordinated response to the current health pandemic , faith in the UK ’ s traditional ally , the United States , has “ worsened ” significantly .
Similar attitudes were expressed towards China , too , where COVID-19 is believed to have originated .
10.02am update : Italexit could be final straw to destroy the bloc after 'fatal mistake ' ITALY 's departure from the European Union could be the final straw which destroys the bloc - with support for Italexit rising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Singling out the country of his birth , Hungary , led by Viktor Orban , and Poland for specific criticism , billionaire financier George Soros stressed : `` But actually my biggest concern is Italy .
`` A very popular anti-European leader , Matteo Salvini , was gaining ground until he overestimated his success and broke up the government .
`` That was a fatal mistake .
His popularity is now declining .
But he has actually been replaced by Giorgia Meloni of Fratelli d ’ Italia , who is even more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ above $ 1.30 on Wednesday , clinging on to recent gains on the back of dollar weakness , which outweighed the impact of a record drop in Britain 's economic output .
The Pound was steady at $ 1.3048 , close to the five-month high of near $ 1.32 it rose to last week , and at 90.02 pence against the euro .
8.52am update : Sunak 'Brexit extension is not right thing to do ' Chancellor Rishi Sunak said good progress had been made in several areas of the negotiations for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were gaps on `` a couple of big issues . ''
He said asking Brussels for an extension of Britain 's no-change transition period - which is due to expire on December 31 - was not the right thing to do and the government had to prepare for all eventualities .
Boris Johnson 's uncompromising leadership of the Conservative Party was an instant contrast to the `` shambles '' associated with predecessor Theresa May - and it forced Ireland 's then-Taoiseach Leo Varakar into his dramatic Brexit climbdown towards the end of last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After Mrs May tried and failed three times to get her Withdrawal Agreement through the Houses of Parliament , she resigned as Prime Minister on July 24 , with newly elected Tory leader Mr Johnson replacing her .
Ray Bassett , Ireland 's former ambassador to Canada , Jamaica and the Bahamas , said Mr Johnson 's arrival in Number 10 rapidly disabused Fine Gael leader Mr Varadkar and deputy , Simon Coveney , out of their assumption that a no deal Brexit would never be permitted in Westminster .
Writing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EU Post Brexit , Mr Bassett highlighted what he argues is the `` folly '' of Ireland `` hitching its wagon '' to the Backstop plan , a mechanism aimed at preventing a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland by tying the UK to some of the EU 's rules and regulations indefinitely .
7.55am update : Boris Johnson loses the trust of Britons to deliver post-Brexit trade deals Boris Johnson is losing the trust of the public to deliver important trade deals with countries after he promised to obtain advantageous post-Brexit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits and are becoming concerned about deals which might reduce environmental and animal welfare standards in the UK , a government public attitudes study has found .
Support for a trade deal with the US fell by 10 percent over a year .
About a third of the public are concerned that a US trade deal would reduce food standards in the UK and undermine the NHS .
The study also found that for the first time a majority of people no longer thought trade deals would lead to more jobs in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recession for first time in 11 years - GDP crashes 20.4 % The UK has officially entered into recession after the economy contracted by a record 20.4 percent between April and June .
It is the first time the UK has been in recession for 11 years , the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) has said .
The bleak update comes after another ONS update yesterday , warning almost three-quarters-of-a-million jobs had been lost .

Brexit: Nigel Farage says transition extension would 'drag us in'
The Brexit Party leader warned Leave voters the UK “will not truly be free” if Britain and Brussels finally agree to a deal by the end of this year. Writing for the Daily Express, he warned Brexiteers Brexit would not be the “true freedom” that they have “fought for decades”. He warned the UK would still have “financial liabilities” through the European Investment Bank and would never be free in areas such as state aid. Mr Farage said: “My own guess is that a deal will be reached in the coming months but one in which we have continued financial liabilities through the European Investment Bank and one in which we will not truly be free in areas such as state aid. THIS BLOG HAS CLOSED. CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S LIVE UPDATES.
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“The year 2020 will be remembered in history as the year we finally left the European Union, but the final shape of our withdrawal looks unlikely to be the true freedom that many of us had fought for decades.” Speaking about Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal in October, he said it was no better than the agreement reached by his predecessor Theresa May. He added: “I sat for hours that morning with my lawyer in Brussels and went through the document line-by-line, even memorising some of the articles. READ: NIGEL FARAGE'S FULL COMMENT HERE
Nigel Farage has made a Brexit prediction
Brexit timeline revealed
“It was clear that this deal was little better than Mrs May’s.Not only was Northern Ireland to become a different entity, but the European Court of Justice would have a continued say in British public life. "There were also clever legal wordings that would keep us within the common fisheries policy and commitments to continued regulatory alignment. In short, I felt it was not Brexit." THIS BLOG IS NOW CLOSED - FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS CLICK HERE READ MORE: Fishing fury: MP urges ban on supertrawlers plundering UK waters
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5.30am update: European challenger bank leaves UK Finnish challenger Holvi announced plans to exit the UK market on 31 October 2020, mirroring UK’s initial departure date from the EU. Speaking to Finance Forward, Antti-Jussi Suominen, CEO of Holvi said: “Great Britain is a challenging market - and we were ready to rise to this challenge." “However, the speed with which market conditions are rewritten has changed. We are reacting to the new realities by strengthening our core business in Europe, investing in our product and leaving the UK market. " 2.30am update: New Zealand's Deputy PM says British negotiators are 'not match fit' for negotiations New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters, said Britain is not 'match fit' to thrash out international agreements. According to the Telegraph, Mr Peters blamed Boris Johnson and his team for the slow advance towards post-Brexit deals. 0.30am update: Taoiseach to meet Boris Johnson today Micheál Martin will have his first in-person meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson since becoming Taoiseach during a visit to Northern Ireland today. They are expected to discuss the UK's post-Brexit trade talks with the EU and the pandemic crisis, as well as developing a sustainable economic recovery strategy. In a statement, the Department of the Taoiseach said: "Today's meeting will be an opportunity to discuss a number of issues of mutual concern. "Covid-19 will top the agenda and the two leaders are expected to discuss their respective experiences of managing the virus and dealing with its economic and societal impact. "They will also discuss Brexit, including the continuing negotiations between the UK and the EU, with less than six months to the end of the transition period."
Newly elected Taoiseach Micheal Martin set to meet Boris Johnson today
10.34pm update: Theresa May criticised for lack of progress on UK-New Zealand deal Speaking today, the country's Deputy Prime Minister stated Mrs May's Government had allowed "inertia" to set in while focusing on Brexit. Winston Peters said: “Where you have a decision to leave the EU and you don’t have leading the exiting party, a prime minister committed to the departure it’s somewhat predictable that inertia would set in. “And that’s what we’ve been witnessing from our part of the world until Boris turned up.” 9.26pm update: 60 percent of Britons fear rise in grocery prices Boris Johnson is under more pressure to secure a free trade agreement, as a new poll has shown 60 percent of Britons believe the cost of shopping goods will rise if no deal is agreed between the UK and EU. A YouGov poll commissioned by pro-EU group Best for Britain, stated 59 percent believe grocery prices will rise. Just three percent said prices will drop. This comes amid concern the new Global Tariff system in place after the transition period would put taxes on EU imports if there is a no deal Brexit.
Brexit live: Michel Barnier
7.52pm update: Using Royal Nay in the Channel "an act of war" The mayor of Calais, Natacha Bouchart told France 3 that the use of the Royal Navy in the Channel to deal with migrant crossings, was "an act of war". She also called on Priti Patel's French counterpart, to press the issue with the UK. The Navy has been used as migrants crossed the Channel for the ninth day in a row. 5.50pm update: Express reader comment Express.co.uk has launched its own reader comment section. Christopher Smithers has written one of the first pieces. Read it here - JUST IN: 'Liberal elite become what they claim to hate, they just want power
Brexit Live: UK-US trade negotiations have hit a snag
5.21pm update: Nicola Sturgeon’s attempts to keep Scotland linked to Brussels post-Brexit in tatters An SNP bid to keep Scotland linked with the EU after Brexit will not work, the Holyrood Government has admitted. Constitution Secretary Mike Russell MSP said the new Bill will mean, on devolved matters, Scottish law can keep in line with those in Europe "when appropriate and practicable to do so". But the Scottish Government’s Chief Constitution Manager admitted she could struggle to see how the published legislation would work. Emma Lopinska, the Scottish Government’s Constitutional Policy Manager at Holyrood’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee said: "The power to align is a discretionary power so it’s not about maintaining absolute alignment with the EU on every subject. “We couldn’t really do that because some of the legislation that comes out of the EU is in reserved areas so the Scottish Parliament cannot legislate. “We have to recognise there’s a lot of EU legislation that only makes sense if you are an EU member state.”
UK-US trade deal: Trump has ‘bigger fish to fry’ says expert
4.39pm update: 80% of UK fishing taken by EU, we need to RECLAIM it to beat recession says JUNE MUMMERY Former Brexit Party MEP, June Mummery has written a common piece for Express.co.uk on the UK's need to reclaim our waters. You can read it here. 4.28pm update: Ireland heading for worst recesssion in history due to Brexit and COVID-19 The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has warned Ireland's economy may have contracted by 21 percent in April. Due to the impact of Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic, the council has warned the contraction could be worse than the UK's 20 percent.
EU-UK negotiations
3.06pm update: UK confirms US trade deal talks suffer fresh delay Follwoing the postponement of trade talks between the UK and US, the Department for International Trade (DIT) has confirmed talks in Boston will be delayed until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Negotiations had been delayed due to tariffs on whisky while both sides have now also agreed to postpone talks until next year amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. A statement from the DIT has insisted the UK's position on whisky is clear while also pledging to continue talks throughout the autumn. It read: "She was clear that the UK considers these tariffs to be unacceptable and continued to push for their immediate removal. “In terms of the timeline of negotiations, it was agreed that they should continue at pace throughout the Autumn. "We hope to rearrange in Spring 2021." Bill McLoughlin takes over from Rebecca Perring.
Boris Johnson is keen to get Brexit done
2.44pm update: Brexit sparks surge in support for collapse of UK says Sinn Féin Brexit negotiations between the UK and the EU are exacerbating demands for a United Ireland in Northern Ireland, claimed deputy first minister Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill. Speaking to The Guardian's Politics Weekly series with Jonathan Freedland, the Northern Ireland deputy first minister claimed both Brexit and coronavirus are pushing people from all sides of the political spectrum to have healthy conversations about the collapse of the UK and the possibility of a United Ireland. The Sinn Féin chief argued that even those who identify as unionists are now engaging in such conversations. She warned: "Brexit is the clearest demonstration of the blatant disregard that the British Government have for the people here. "There isn't anything good for us here in terms of Brexit. We voted to reject Brexit. 2.23pm update: MP urges ban on supertrawlers plundering UK waters Supertrawlers which enter British waters to plunder the UK's fish stocks have been branded "hoovers" by an MP who has backed a comprehensive ban to stop them from entering designated Marine Protected Areas aimed at protecting the marine environment. Sir Roger Gale, Tory MP for North Thanet, has signed a letter coordinated by environmental pressure group Greenpeace, calling for a comprehensive ban which would prevent the massive ships from fishing in any of the conservation areas which surround the UK. He told Express.co.uk: "We have this absurd situation where we have these protected zones around our coast but we are not protecting them from the predations of supertrawlers. "It's as simple as that - there is no point having protected zones if you don't protect them. "These things are huge, massive - they are hoovers. "I thing we need to start taking a firm grip on this now, irrespective of any agreement which might be reached on fishing. 1.52pm update: New Zealand 'frustrated' at slow pace of Brexit talks New Zealand has complained about the lack of progress in trade talks with the UK, claiming the Government was not "match fit" for the negotiations. Winston Peters, New Zealand's deputy prime minister, said he was "very frustrated" with the progress made on a post-Brexit deal. He said the UK's membership of the European Union - which dealt with trade policy - meant it was not ready to engage properly in negotiations once it was able to pursue independent agreements. He said: "We've had to look offshore for a long time and so we are seriously match fit when it comes to that, in a way that I don't believe that the UK is, because the UK has been locked up in the EU all these years. "And in terms of their trading skills and finesse and their firepower - without being critical - they've never had an outing lately. "They've never had a test, so to speak. It's like coming into an Ashes contest when you haven't played for 30 years - it's the same thing in the UK when it comes to this."
Brexiteers will be furious at Nigel Farage's prediction
Brexiteers celebrate the UK's momentous leave vote
12.40pm update: Britian must take back waters and not capitulate to EU bullying Jane Mummery, former Brexit Party MEP, wrote for Express.co.uk: "Taking back full control of our waters has never been so important than today, with the announcement of the deepest recession on record. "Not only is fish a valuable and healthy food source, the industry is a lifeline for coastal communities that are deprived and in desperate need of employment. Today's announcement of the arrival of Britain's deepest recession on record only deepens the need for dramatic and far-reaching action in our fishing industry which will help rejuvenate the nation. The fishing industry has the potential to create 100,000 skilled coastal community jobs - worth up to £6.6billion to the exchequer annually. "This is why we must re-establish the economic link between the fishing industry and coastal communities." 11.55am update: Sturgeon’s attempts to keep Scotland linked to Brussels post-Brexit in tatters An SNP bid to keep Scotland linked with the EU after Brexit will not work, the Holyrood Government has admitted. Constitution Secretary Mike Russell MSP said the new Bill will mean, on devolved matters, Scottish law can keep in line with those in Europe "when appropriate and practicable to do so". But the Scottish Government’s Chief Constitution Manager admitted she could struggle to see how the published legislation would work. 11.28am update: EU poll says Brexiteer tribes are fracturing The Brexit voter “tribes” that were created during the 2016 EU referendum, and that culminated in Boris Johnson’s general election victory last December, are already fading, according to a new poll. Research by the European Council on Foreign Relations said the coronavirus has changed Britons’ attitudes to the world, Europe, and the state. It suggests that the pandemic may be bringing the “Brexit era” of British politics to a close – ending a four-year escape from normal politics. This presents an opportunity for the Labour Party to revive its fortunes, the paper argues – including in the Red Wall constituencies that were so crucial to the Conservative Party’s landslide victory in 2019. Significantly, the data shows that UK voters are increasingly looking towards international cooperation as means of recovery from COVID-19. It finds, for example, that two-thirds of respondents believe in the need for more cooperation, with international partners, such as the EU, in their fight with the virus – and that just 18 percent think globalisation has “gone too far”. It also data reveals that, despite this call for a more coordinated response to the current health pandemic, faith in the UK’s traditional ally, the United States, has “worsened” significantly. Similar attitudes were expressed towards China, too, where COVID-19 is believed to have originated.
Britain has said it will not extend the transition period
Anti-Brexit campaigners rally in London
10.02am update: Italexit could be final straw to destroy the bloc after 'fatal mistake' ITALY's departure from the European Union could be the final straw which destroys the bloc - with support for Italexit rising steadily, a leading europhile has said. Singling out the country of his birth, Hungary, led by Viktor Orban, and Poland for specific criticism, billionaire financier George Soros stressed: "But actually my biggest concern is Italy. "A very popular anti-European leader, Matteo Salvini, was gaining ground until he overestimated his success and broke up the government. "That was a fatal mistake. His popularity is now declining. But he has actually been replaced by Giorgia Meloni of Fratelli d’Italia, who is even more of an extremist." 9.51am update: Sterling holds about US dollar Sterling held above $1.30 on Wednesday, clinging on to recent gains on the back of dollar weakness, which outweighed the impact of a record drop in Britain's economic output. The Pound was steady at $1.3048, close to the five-month high of near $1.32 it rose to last week, and at 90.02 pence against the euro. 8.52am update: Sunak 'Brexit extension is not right thing to do' Chancellor Rishi Sunak said good progress had been made in several areas of the negotiations for a trade deal with the EU but there were gaps on "a couple of big issues." He said asking Brussels for an extension of Britain's no-change transition period - which is due to expire on December 31 - was not the right thing to do and the government had to prepare for all eventualities.
Michel Barnier has warned of a no deal Brexit
Boris Johnson has vowed to get Brexit done


thedailyexpress--2020-08-13--Rishi Sunak vows to put 'foot on accelerator' in message to Express readers

In an article for the Daily Express , the Chancellor admits the Government is “ grappling with something never seen before ” in tackling the downturn caused by the coronavirus lockdown .
But he insists the “ resolve and creativity of the British people ” will ensure the country overcomes the crisis .
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics yesterday showed the UK ’ s economic output ( GDP ) shrank by more than a fifth in the three months to the end of last June when the lockdown took hold .
The 20.4 % contraction was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falls in construction , manufacturing and services .
It reduced the economy to its smallest size since 2003 .
Data showed the economy shrank over two successive three-month periods , officially confirming the first recession since the aftermath of the financial crisis over a decade ago .
Yet in a glimmer of more positive news , the figures also showed an 8.7 % rise in GDP in June , suggesting business is surging back as the lockdown restrictions are eased .
In his article for the Daily Express , the Chancellor highlighted his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kickstart Scheme to fund work placements for people aged under 25 and his Eat Out to Help Out discount to offer cut-price meals in pubs and restaurants .
Mr Sunak wrote : “ What we ’ re grappling with is something never seen before , which is why from the start of this crisis I ’ ve been prepared to put aside ideology and do what was right and fair in order to protect people 's jobs , their incomes and businesses .
“ But while it ’ s clear there are difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that with the resolve and creativity of the British people we will get through this together .
“ We have a plan to protect , support and create jobs across the United Kingdom .
From our Kickstart Scheme to support young people who ’ ve been particularly badly affected , to new incentives for training and apprenticeships , or the Eat Out To Help Out initiative to help drive the recovery and protect two million jobs in hospitality .
“ These schemes will not only drive our economic recovery from Covid , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part in our levelling up agenda which is now more important than ever .
“ From Sunderland to Southampton , Taunton to Teesside we are going to put the foot on the accelerator on the agenda we set out in March and make sure everyone has the same opportunity to get on in life .
“ As Chancellor I will make this a key priority and ensure that no one is left without hope or opportunity.
” Mr Sunak also yesterday acknowledged that the country had hit “ hard times ” and faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a statement following the release of the economic data , the Chancellor said : “ I ’ ve said before that hard times were ahead , and today ’ s figures confirm that hard times are here .
Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost their jobs , and sadly in the coming months many more will .
“ But while there are difficult choices to be made ahead , we will get through this , and I can assure people that nobody will be left without hope or opportunity.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Sunak said the UK economy was getting back to a “ new normal ” as lockdown restrictions ease .
“ It ’ s not a sustainable situation to have vast swathes of our economy essentially shut down .
“ And that ’ s why we have been able to successfully reopen bits , and do it in a safe way .
“ And as people get back to going shopping , or going out for a meal , or indeed getting back to their office , they will see that it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a safe normal , ” he said .
Britain ’ s economic slowdown was in line with Bank of England predictions and the news left the City unrattled .
The FTSE 100 share index closed in positive territory last night after traders welcomed a better-than-expected jobs report in the US .
But the figures suggested the UK ’ s downturn could be one of the worst of the world ’ s leading economies .
International data yesterday showed that only Spain , with a 22.1 % fall in GDP , fared worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the ONS , said : “ The recession brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has led to the biggest fall in quarterly GDP on record .
“ The economy began to bounce back in June with shops reopening , factories beginning to ramp up production and housebuilding continuing to recover .
“ Despite this , GDP in June still remains a sixth below its level in February , before the virus struck .
“ Overall , productivity saw its largest-ever fall in the second quarter .
Hospitality was worst hit , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent months.
” Suren Thiru , head of economics at the British Chambers of Commerce ( BCC ) , said : “ With restrictions steadily easing , the second quarter is likely to prove to be the low point for the UK economy .
“ However , the prospect of a swift ‘ V-shaped ’ recovery remains remote as the recent gains in output may fade over the coming months as the economic damage caused by the pandemic increasingly weighs on activity , particularly as the Government support measures wind down .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is needed to immediately inject confidence back into the UK economy .
“ This should include supporting businesses to retain staff through a cut in employer national insurance contributions and targeted support to help businesses placed under local lockdowns.
” Labour ’ s shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds said : “ We ’ ve already got the worst excess death rate in Europe – now we ’ re on course for the worst recession too .
“ That ’ s a tragedy for the British people and it ’ s happened on Boris Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister will say there ’ s only so much he could do during a global pandemic , but that doesn ’ t explain why our economy is tanking so badly compared to other countries .
“ It was his government that snatched away wage support for businesses that hadn ’ t even reopened yet .
And his government that failed to get test , trace and isolate working despite claiming it ’ s a 'world-beating ' system .
“ A downturn was inevitable after lockdown – but Johnson ’ s jobs crisis wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsibility , scrap the one-size-fits-all withdrawal of wage support and bring the health crisis properly under control .
”

UK recession: Rishi Sunak says 'hard times are here'
In an article for the Daily Express, the Chancellor admits the Government is “grappling with something never seen before” in tackling the downturn caused by the coronavirus lockdown. But he insists the “resolve and creativity of the British people” will ensure the country overcomes the crisis.
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Figures released by the Office for National Statistics yesterday showed the UK’s economic output (GDP) shrank by more than a fifth in the three months to the end of last June when the lockdown took hold. The 20.4% contraction was the biggest drop on record, with huge falls in construction, manufacturing and services. It reduced the economy to its smallest size since 2003. Data showed the economy shrank over two successive three-month periods, officially confirming the first recession since the aftermath of the financial crisis over a decade ago. Yet in a glimmer of more positive news, the figures also showed an 8.7% rise in GDP in June, suggesting business is surging back as the lockdown restrictions are eased.
Rishi Sunak vows to put 'foot on accelerator' in message to Express readers
In his article for the Daily Express, the Chancellor highlighted his Budget initiatives to encourage recovery including his Kickstart Scheme to fund work placements for people aged under 25 and his Eat Out to Help Out discount to offer cut-price meals in pubs and restaurants. Mr Sunak wrote: “What we’re grappling with is something never seen before, which is why from the start of this crisis I’ve been prepared to put aside ideology and do what was right and fair in order to protect people's jobs, their incomes and businesses. “But while it’s clear there are difficult choices to be made ahead, I know that with the resolve and creativity of the British people we will get through this together. “We have a plan to protect, support and create jobs across the United Kingdom. From our Kickstart Scheme to support young people who’ve been particularly badly affected, to new incentives for training and apprenticeships, or the Eat Out To Help Out initiative to help drive the recovery and protect two million jobs in hospitality. “These schemes will not only drive our economic recovery from Covid, but they will also play a crucial part in our levelling up agenda which is now more important than ever.
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“From Sunderland to Southampton, Taunton to Teesside we are going to put the foot on the accelerator on the agenda we set out in March and make sure everyone has the same opportunity to get on in life. “As Chancellor I will make this a key priority and ensure that no one is left without hope or opportunity.” Mr Sunak also yesterday acknowledged that the country had hit “hard times” and faced a massive wave of job cuts. In a statement following the release of the economic data, the Chancellor said: “I’ve said before that hard times were ahead, and today’s figures confirm that hard times are here. Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost their jobs, and sadly in the coming months many more will. “But while there are difficult choices to be made ahead, we will get through this, and I can assure people that nobody will be left without hope or opportunity.” In an interview with Sky News, Mr Sunak said the UK economy was getting back to a “new normal” as lockdown restrictions ease.
Tax rates around the world


thedailyexpress--2020-08-13--Brexit Britain gave EU eye-watering £14.4bn in final year of membership -‘Right to leave!’

Treasury data published by the House of Commons Library showed the annual gross contribution to Brussels coffers was one of the highest in the UK ’ s 47 years as a member of the European bloc .
The huge sum from taxpayers - nearly a billion pounds more than the previous year - was equivalent to more than £500 for every household in the UK .
It would have been around £4.5billion higher without the rebate won by the then prime minister Margaret Thatcher during budget negotiations in the 1980s .
Figures showed around £5billion was returned to the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving a total net contribution for 2019 of £9.4billion .
Tory MP Peter Bone , a leading figure in the Brexit campaign , said : “ This is a huge sum of money .
It shows why this country was right to leave the EU .
“ Our contribution was set to rise even higher if we stayed in the EU .
We have basically been subsidising other European countries .
`` My constituents did not consider that a fair and reasonable deal.
” Britain , which formally quit the EU at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pay a similar amount to Brussels this year for continuing EU single market and customs union membership during the transition out of the bloc ’ s rules .
Britain ’ s obligation to contribute to the EU budget is set to end once the transition expires at the end of this year .
READ MORE : 'Fake British ' super-trawlers from EU must be BANNED forever But under the departure deals , the UK could still have to pay money to Brussels for many years .
The House of Commons Library research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EU have some outstanding financial obligations to each other that they are settling through a financial settlement .
“ The obligations arise out of the UK ’ s participation in the EU budget and broader aspects of its EU membership.
” DO N'T MISS Stilton drives wedge between Britain and Japan [ INSIGHT ] 80 % of UK fishing taken by EU - we need to RECLAIM our seas [ ANALYSIS ] Farage predicts what Brexit will look like on Jan 1 [ LIVE BLOG ]

Brexit negotiations are 'not at all bad' claims David Davis
Treasury data published by the House of Commons Library showed the annual gross contribution to Brussels coffers was one of the highest in the UK’s 47 years as a member of the European bloc. The huge sum from taxpayers - nearly a billion pounds more than the previous year - was equivalent to more than £500 for every household in the UK.
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It would have been around £4.5billion higher without the rebate won by the then prime minister Margaret Thatcher during budget negotiations in the 1980s. Figures showed around £5billion was returned to the UK under EU spending schemes last year, giving a total net contribution for 2019 of £9.4billion. Tory MP Peter Bone, a leading figure in the Brexit campaign, said: “This is a huge sum of money. It shows why this country was right to leave the EU.
Brexit news: Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen
The UK left the EU at the end of January
“Our contribution was set to rise even higher if we stayed in the EU. We have basically been subsidising other European countries. "My constituents did not consider that a fair and reasonable deal.” Britain, which formally quit the EU at the end of this year, is expected to pay a similar amount to Brussels this year for continuing EU single market and customs union membership during the transition out of the bloc’s rules. Britain’s obligation to contribute to the EU budget is set to end once the transition expires at the end of this year. READ MORE: 'Fake British' super-trawlers from EU must be BANNED forever
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Work on a future trade agreement is still ongoing
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