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Prime Minister Theresa May is fighting for national support for her Brexit deal and is appealing directly to voters instead of politicians.
Key developments:
Gibraltar appeared as a last-minute snafu while the May races to finish the race can raise awareness directly to the public to try to find support. Many war games are going on to find out how she can get an agreement in Parliament.
Government launches Brexit Rebuttal Blog (5:12 pm)
Theresa May's government took the unusual step of launching a blog to "offer a rebuttal to criticism and inaccurate information in the light of Parliament's meaningful vote" on the Prime Minister's Brexit deal.
Until now, the blog contains responses to a City A.M article on "The 10 capitulations of Theresa May" and an article by the viewer giving the "legal verdict" of the May agreement. He rejects various statements in both articles as "incorrect" and "false".
Hunting can be the "hardest work" in the Western world (4:40 pm)
US Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt said on Friday that he had received a "large number" of e-mails on his contract with Brexit and on its eventual success.
He said that it offered what people had voted and that they should ask themselves. Now that they have seen the political statement and the withdrawal agreement, "can this deal be a staging of what you want?", He added. the most difficult job of any leader in the western world.
Sanchez has an eye on the elections in Andalusia (15h)
It should be recalled that there is a national political context to the position of Spain in Gibraltar: the elections of December 2 in Andalusia, traditional stronghold of the Socialist Party of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Fitch Solutions highlighted this point in a research note claiming that Sanchez's frank position on the text of the Gibraltar text could enhance its appeal to voters in a neighboring region of the Rock.
Spain declares that the United Kingdom is interested in Gibraltar (13:52)
Spain might have skipped the gun. Marco Aguiriano, Deputy Minister for European Affairs, said: "We have a commitment or a promise from the British government to declare that they share the interpretation" of Spain with regard to Gibraltar, but there is no indication that the UK has moved on this issue, an EU diplomat said the United Kingdom had been asked to make a statement but there was no guarantee that the United Kingdom would make a statement. he would do it.
In Bloomberg's draft summit conclusions, there are two placeholders for sections that are left blank. The first placeholder is entitled "Art. 184 of the withdrawal agreement "and the second" territorial scope of future agreements ". Both seem to be related to Gibraltar and are the only elements outstanding in an agreement reached. A draft text on these sections will be distributed tonight, says the EU diplomat, whether there is a statement from the United Kingdom or not.
Maybe the UK can build a better future (12:57)
While his former secretary at Brexit said earlier Friday that the May deal was worse than staying in the European Union, even the prime minister could not be forced to provide resounding support for Brexit.
Asked by a BBC listener if Britain would be better off after Brexit, she hesitated before saying that Britain could build a better future outside of the EU.
"It's a different environment and a different approach that we will adopt," said May. "What will improve us is not so much whether we are in the EU or not, but what we can do."
Back to Square One (12:50)
May was asked in a BBC phone call what happened if the agreement did not go to Parliament the first time. This is widely considered a risk.
"If this deal does not succeed, we will be back to square one," said May. "What we get is more uncertainty and more division, frankly."
She ruled out that the European Union is willing to renegotiate the agreement and said: "It is the agreement".
Declaration approved without amendment seen (12h30)
Senior leaders of European leaders met this morning in Brussels and, as expected, they approved the political declaration on the future relations between the bloc and the United Kingdom, said an official aware of the meeting behind closed doors . As the text is now considered stable, it is unlikely that EU governments will accept the amendments, either after the May visit to Brussels or to convince Spain of Gibraltar.
In Gibraltar, the sherpas have not resulted in the drafting of a separate statement to be published at Sunday's summit that aimed to address the concerns of Spain, said the official. Two other officials said the work was going on and that even though we are not there yet, the light is at the end of the tunnel, as new discussions are scheduled for this afternoon.
"We are working hard," said Michel Barnier, questioned at the end of the meeting.
Officials also added additional reservations to a separate addendum to be attached to Sunday's EU summit decision. The annex recalls an EU-UK agreement. fisheries agreement "on existing reciprocal access and quota shares", and that any decision on the extension of the transitional period will take into account compliance with the United Kingdom's obligations under the the withdrawal agreement, including its Northern Ireland protocol. EU governments will engage directly in any decision to grant an extension of the transitional period.
Barnier says the compromise is sought in Gibraltar (12:09)
"We are working hard," said Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator for Brexit, following the conclusion of a compromise on Gibraltar.
European and Spanish officials will continue to work on a satisfactory solution that must be reflected in the EU statement Sunday after their collaborators have not finalized an agreement on Gibraltar at a meeting on Friday. morning in Brussels to discuss Brexit.
Luis Marco Aguiriano, Spanish Secretary of State for the European Union, told Onda Cero radio this morning that the chances of reaching an agreement were six out of ten.
The EU tight on the Gibraltar problem (11:40)
A spokesman for the European Commission ducked journalists' questions about Gibraltar during the daily press conference in Brussels. Alexander Winterstein said: "I'm waiting for that to happen."
Responding to criticism from the Commission and Brexit Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier on the Gibraltar issue, he said they had "negotiated in good faith". He said the text of the Brexit agreement had been approved "in principle" and that national governments still had to approve it. .
Strategies for negotiating with Parliament (11:23)
Seeing now how May will challenge parliamentary calculations to get her market right, her spokesperson was questioned about a process now known as the two-step voting process. This would essentially involve preparing the government for defeat the first time, watching the markets collapse, and then putting it to the vote after scare legislators to submit.
May's spokeswoman, Alison Donnelly, said this was absolutely not the government's strategy. A manager, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it would be a totally irresponsible enterprise.
It is there that this particular rumor has begun.
Give us our money (10h52)
British lawmakers, angered by payments to the EU after Brexit, are trying to find ways to recover the money. The Defense Committee of Parliament and the European Monitoring Committee this week witnessed the testimony of Deputy Defense Minister Stuart Andrew, who told them that Britain had paid 1.15 billion euros ( $ 1.3 billion) to the European Galileo satellite navigation program.
The EU refuses to give Britain full access to the secure elements of the program after Brexit. The United Kingdom is therefore committed to doing it alone with its own network of navigation satellites. The two committees, Julian Lewis and Bill Cash, reported the expense in a statement released on Thursday, and Lewis said, "We should demand a discount, with interest, of this amount."
Conservatives risk losing voters with Brexit plan: Davis (10:36 am)
Former Brexit Secretary David Davis is the last to ask in May to rethink his plan for Brexit, stating in a blog post on the Huffington Post news website that the Conservatives risked losing next general election otherwise.
"If this statement is upheld and the withdrawal agreement is passed, we will not be easily forgiven and we will inevitably sink in the electoral defeat in the next general election," he said.
Davis added that the proposed deal would mean that the UK "will not really leave in March" and will instead be trapped and tied to EU institutions.
EU officials meet in Brussels to sign an agreement (10:20)
Sherpas are meeting today in Brussels to sign the agreement on future relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union. The meeting, which began at 10 am CET, should hopefully pave the way for Sunday's summit to endorse the agreement.
The risk is that after the Commission has sought to remove the objections of some countries by canceling the deal on Thursday, some may use the Sunday meeting to make their objections heard.
Avoid the Brexit "Thelma and Louise", says the leader of Gibraltar (9 hours)
While Spain threatened to veto the agreement on Brexit (which it could not) on the Gibraltar issue, the chief minister of the territory, Fabian Picardo called for calm. If Spain succeeds in reopening the text of the agreement at a summit this weekend, it will allow the conservatives in London and the French government and others to also demand changes in the country. 'agreement. It could undo the whole process, he said.
Picardo told BBC Radio 4's Today Today that MPs should support the deal rather than lead the UK to a chaotic exit. "We are paid to bring certainty to people's lives and business prospects," he said. "Anyone who says my political point of view, my political goal, is that we should drive on this cliff as a policy," Thelma and Louise do not think of the best interests of the people of the United Kingdom or Gibraltar. "
Hinds says Parliament will block Brexit "No Deal" (8:20)
May sent his secretary of education, Damian Hinds, on the air on Friday to defend his plan and gain his support. He did not feel that MPs would support the package, saying only that even if he seemed to lack support, he would gain "more weight" before the vote.
Crucially, Hinds subscribed to the view that Parliament would not allow the UK to leave the EU without an agreement. It's probably true that there is no parliamentary majority for the lack of agreement, he told BBC Radio's Today.
The minister also admitted that the outline of a future trade deal – released Thursday – does not repeat May's promise to establish a "friction free" trade between the UK and the EU.
Raab says the case will be voted down (07:50)
Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab predicted that the May deal would be "inevitably" rejected when Parliament has a say. At this stage, alternative plans – including exit without agreement – will have to be considered, he said.
The former minister – who left May's cabinet in protest over his plans last week – reiterated his criticism of his contract in an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today program. He added that the EU wanted to lock the United Kingdom into its trade regime with no control over the rules, so that Britain could not get a "competitive advantage" over the bloc. "We should bow down to them."
May calls to the public (7:30)
May will try to sell his Brexit deal directly to the public on Friday, with a simultaneous Q & A session on BBC radio and television.
His plan seems to be to urge the public to pressure MPs to vote in favor of her agreement when she submits it to the House of Commons – probably in December.
On the current show, it seems that May is struggling to convince her party to win this so-called "meaningful vote".
Brexiteer veteran Iain Duncan Smith – who has influence with other Eurosceptic conservatives – said his EU framework agreement for future trade talks was not enough to convince him to vote in favor of the EU's global package. Prime Minister.
Former Minister Greg Hands told German radio that there were about 80 Conservative MPs who opposed or did not vote for it. He is skeptical, but will not vote "necessarily" against.
DUP from Northern Ireland search (7.30am)
The DUP's legislator, Jeffrey Donaldson, said the parliament would reject the May Brexit agreement, with some elements being "unacceptable". In an interview with broadcaster RTE, he veiled the party's continued support of May's minority government. "For now" but Brexit is a "crucial" part of the deal.
To come up:
May will visit Brussels Saturday to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker
Earlier:
The Brexit Negotiations That Worked: Avoiding a Lehman Moment for Banks: How Surprised and Assisted European Capitals Can Cross the Brexit LineThe Brexit Declaration on Future Links: The Failure Bulletin: "Traitors"
– With the help of Charlie Devereux.
To contact the reporters on this story: Tim Ross in London at [email protected], Charlotte Ryan in London at [email protected], Jessica Shankleman in London at [email protected], Ian Wishart in Brussels at iwishart @ bloomberg. net; Alex Morales in London at [email protected]
To contact the makers of this story: Emma Ross-Thomas at [email protected], Heather Harris at [email protected], Thomas Penny
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