Displaying items by tag: EU

On 15 November, the day after Theresa May persuaded her cabinet to endorse the draft EU agreement, two cabinet ministers (including Dominic Raab, the Brexit secretary) and three junior ministers resigned in protest, and Mrs May had to defend her actions against a chorus of criticism by MPs. At the time of writing her survival was far from certain. However, she resolutely defended the deal, saying, ‘The course I have set out is the right one for our country and all our people. Am I going to see this through? Yes.’ Meanwhile, Michel Barnier and his colleagues also have to ask the 27 EU members to approve the draft agreement, which might raise further difficulties. On 25 November, the draft deal will go to an EU summit, and in December it will need to be approved by Parliament.  Given the degree of turmoil, your prayers are needed more than ever. To help you in this, you might want to use the declaration issued by Passion for the Nation, entitled ‘The Mother of Parliaments’. See http://passionforthenation.uk/

The UK will join Italy next year as the slowest-growing economy in Europe, before holding that title alone in 2020, according to a European Commission forecast. These gloomy predictions are based on a soft Brexit - meaning that Britain is expected to lag behind all its EU peers even if Theresa May can reach a deal with Brussels before 29 March.  The commission expects consumer spending growth to remain weak, continuing a poor performance since the June 2016 referendum. The result will be GDP growth of only 1.2% in 2019 and 2020. The forecast came as the IMF sounded the alarm over the mounting risks to the European economy from a no-deal Brexit, the escalation of trade disputes around the world, and high levels of Italian government debt.

The UK government is demanding action from the EU amid strong frustration over the lack of proposals from Brussels on a post-Brexit relationship. Speaking to CNBC recently, several members of the Government appeared frustrated about the EU’s attitude. Chris Grayling said, ‘At the moment, it is very much a question of Europe responding with its proposals. Currently there is nothing on the table.’ Trade secretary Liam Fox said it is the EU's ‘duty’ to help the UK and put forward their proposals. ‘They said they were not very happy with what the UK offered; in which case let them bring forward their own proposals. Under Article 50 we have the right to leave the EU, and they have a duty to help us in that future relationship. Let's see them now deliver what they promised to do in that treaty.’

The Prime Minister used a dinner in Salzburg to make the case for her Chequers strategy for future relations, and told the EU they must ‘evolve’ their stance on the Irish border. Before the event, she said Chequers was the only credible plan to allay concerns on the Irish border and trade disruption. However, the EU chief told Theresa May her Brexit plan needs to be reworked. We can pray for God to pour His wise insights into all European and British leaders as they continue to create workable plans for the future. May God powerfully bring about His purposes for the nations through what is agreed and done at this time. The media are saying that leaders do not want to disclose their thoughts and plans fully at this stage for fear of their being rejected, and caution will result in decisions not being made until the very last minute. See also

The European parliament voted to sanction Hungary for neglecting norms on democracy, civil rights and corruption. Since 2010, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban has pressurised courts, media and non-government groups to prevent migrants entering Hungary. He has also led opposition to Angela Merkel and others who want Europe to take in more Muslim refugees. Poland, the biggest former communist country in the EU, will oppose any sanctions imposed by the bloc on Hungary. Its prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, said, ‘Every country has its sovereign right to make internal reforms it deems appropriate, and actions aimed against member states serve only to deepen divides in the EU and increase citizens’ current lack of confidence to European institutions.’ A BBC report says that Mr Orban appears increasingly isolated among European conservatives, but is being applauded by nationalist parties.

Jeremy Hunt began his European tour in Berlin as he and Theresa May started a summer plan to visit all 27 EU capitals. The new Foreign Secretary previewed his trip by warning, ‘Our European partners must show much more flexibility and creativity in negotiations if we are to avoid a no-deal by accident scenario’. The PM visited Austria, the Czech Republic and Estonia this week to sell the Chequers plan. The Financial Times reported Barnier telling colleagues that he couldn’t accept the plans for City of London access to European markets. He claimed that the proposals would rob the EU of its ‘decision-making autonomy’. Talks on the future UK-EU partnership deal will be fraught. Pray for new networks of trade and financial services to open up in London, as the City prepares for positive changes.

Dominic Raab, the UK’s new Brexit secretary, is settling into his new job. We can pray for all his conversations to be directed and strengthened by heaven. May Mr Barnier adopt encouraging tones with Mr Raab as they work towards signing off the remaining 20% of the withdrawal agreement between the EU and UK. Pray for Mr Raab’s mantle of authority to be strengthened by God, ensuring his voice is heard clearly above all other voices within the European Commission. As he faces questions and negotiations around UK’s exit, may he have eloquence and clarity on every detail. Ask God to anoint him with a double portion of grace and strength to deliver UK’s parliamentary decisions and amendments. We can pray for the decisions made in future meetings to be in line with God’s purposes for our nations, as politicians’ thoughts and words come into line with heaven’s wisdom.

Home secretary Sajid Javid, after unveiling a new ID scheme for EU citizens living in Britain, has called on EU leaders to publish concrete plans to preserve the rights of British citizens living on the continent post-Brexit. He is concerned that other EU member states have not stated how they are going to support Britons in Europe, when the Government has advanced plans for a new status for the estimated 3.4 million EU citizens living in the UK. The European parliament’s chief Brexit coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, said there were ‘serious concerns’ over all citizens impacted and affected by Brexit. ‘British in Europe’ complained last week that they represented the forgotten victims of Brexit, with neither Brussels nor London taking up their fight to retain their rights to maintain free movement and continue to work freely and offer services across the continent. The ‘right of return’ to the UK without any immigration barriers was also raised.

The House of Lords, by 245 votes to 218, has voted for the UK effectively to remain in the EU's single market after Brexit, even though neither the government nor the Labour leadership backed the move. Ministers warned that staying in the European Economic Area (EEA) would not give the UK ‘control of our borders or our laws’. The issue will now return to the Commons, where pro-EU MPs said they were hopeful of getting the support needed to prevent the changes being overturned. Under what is known as the ‘Norway model’ (Norway is one of three countries outside the EU which belong to the EEA) free movement laws would also apply, so that EU citizens could move to all EEA countries to work and live. The government's Brexit bill also suffered a series of other defeats in the Lords.

At the time of writing Brexit talks are continuing between the EU and British officials. Time is limited to solve the Irish border issue, with just four more rounds of meetings scheduled before the summit. Pray for David Davis and Olly Robbins leading the negotiations for the UK and Sabine Weyand, Michel Barnier’s deputy, negotiating for the EU. Brussels wants the whole withdrawal agreement, including citizens’ rights, the financial settlement, transition period, and Northern Ireland border to be agreed by the October meeting of the European Council, so that they can be scrutinised and approved by the European parliament. DUP leader Arlene Foster accused Mr Barnier of not understanding the Unionist position on the border.