Displaying items by tag: Brexit

A draft section of the UK and EU withdrawal agreement, reflecting the EU’s stated directives (yet to be finalised), was leaked to the media. It said that the EU wants to restrict the UK's access to the single market in the transition phase if there is a difference of opinion after Brexit. There will be an EU summit at the end of March. Between now and then Theresa May and her government will be discussing options and deciding the best proposals for a way forward which would avoid having tariffs imposed on British goods. Speaking on Radio 4, Bernard Jenkin, chair of the Commons public administration committee, said it would be utterly perverse if the EU imposed tariffs on British goods, and its comments indicate how fearful it is - so much so that it has to make these silly threats.

Downing Street said there was ‘some distance’ between what the UK wants for the Brexit transition and what the EU wants. Pray for grace and strength for all our politicians who are involved in the negotiations, both now and in the weeks to come. When the EU Bill was debated in the House of Lords it was said to be 'constitutionally unacceptable'. Pray for clarity of thought to replace confusion and God-inspired debate to replace controlling attitudes that dominate debate; also that the doubts about Theresa May’s leadership which have been expressed this week do not adversely affect the Brexit negotiations.

Ireland's Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, said Britain should be offered a bespoke trade deal with the EU after Brexit, rather than an ‘off-the-shelf’ agreement. He added that Ireland would like Britain to ‘stay closer in the EU’s orbit’ than non-member states, and mentioned the example of Norway, which currently implements EU single market rules with free movement within the bloc. He also suggested that although Theresa May had pledged to leave the EU customs union and single market, ‘perhaps we can negotiate something that isn’t very different from that’. Brussels wants the UK’s future relationship with the EU to be either Norwegian-style implementation of all EU rules, or a Canadian style free-trade agreement that would not cover large areas of the economy, including services. British negotiators have been given until March to decide what they want the future relationship with the EU to look like.

International trade secretary Liam Fox wants to develop bilateral trade agreements with key partners such as Australia, New Zealand and the USA. This would mean linking into the multi-nation Pacific Free Trade Zone after Brexit. He is currently holding informal talks on joining the eleven members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), according to the Financial Times. Donald Trump withdrew the US from the partnership last year, reversing Barack Obama’s policy. The TPP is currently being re-negotiated under a new title, which will require authorising by all current signatories. Mr Fox, at present visiting China, said he was interested in seeing what the reconstituted TPP would look like. Pray for stronger links with Asia-Pacific markets and for God’s lead as we move into future intercontinental trade.

The problems over the Irish border dispute seem to have been resolved, after intense negotiations between London, Brussels, Dublin and Belfast. We can pray for God to bless everyone powerfully with the wisdom and discernment needed to bring about His purposes in all future discussions. May each nation prosper and flourish in its different Christian heritage. Pray that the UK will prosper as a result of what is negotiated in the days to come. Pray for Ireland, Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK to be in unity and not divided; pray for Stormont, Scotland’s parliament, and the Welsh assembly to work in co-operation with Westminster; pray for God to be the author of all lawmaking, boundaries and borders.

(Linda Digby – Prayer Alert Team)

Ireland has said it will block progress of Brexit negotiations in December, unless the UK gives a formal written guarantee there will be no hard border with Northern Ireland. Michel Barnier told the Centre for European Reform, ‘We need to preserve stability and dialogue on the island of Ireland. We need to avoid a hard border. I know that this point is politically sensitive in the UK, it is not less sensitive in Ireland.’ Ireland will be staying in the EU, The UK will be leaving, but neither side wants to tear up the Good Friday agreement and put a hard border.  We can pray for all who are involved in border issues and discussions to have God inspired solutions to every challenge facing them now and in the future. Pray for inventive, original technological solutions that will maintain peaceful co-operation between North and South and provide even more new opportunities for cross border trade. (Linda Digby, Prayer Alert)

At the second of eight late-night Commons sittings on the EU Withdrawal Bill, on 15 November, proposals were put forward for transposing EU law onto the UK statute book after Brexit. The expected backbench rebellion did not happen, but similar issues will be debated again in coming weeks. It appears that the problems arise from the same challenge (how Government approaches and drafts legislation). Pray for the Prime Minister, ministers, civil servants, and advisors to have supernatural support and strength to complete the task ahead in God’s timing, and not go in ever-decreasing circles to achieve answers and agreements. Pray for the ministers to follow God’s template for the transition. May all government departments have Kingdom answers and God’s approval as they face the depth and scope of the task ahead.

(Linda Digby, Prayer Alert)

At the time of writing, ambassadors from the 27 other EU member states have been discussing how to negotiate the transition that will start when Britain parts with Brussels in 17 months’ time. Insiders say the opinion is that London will fail to meet the EU conditions for opening further talks on 14 December, with Germany and France insisting Theresa May must first agree in principle to pay a multi-billion-euro exit bill to Brussels. We can pray for clarity in all decision-making, and for Godly decisions which will turn the situation around. We pray for those who work in government, finance and the law to work towards practical solutions according to God’s instructions ‘to acknowledge bills that need payment, to fulfil all financial commitments and use honest scales and weights’ (Proverbs 16:11).

(Linda Digby, Prayer Alert)

An online poll conducted by the Observer found that British voters would back a no-deal Brexit rather than another referendum on EU membership. People are now more pessimistic about the process than optimistic. In the poll, 54% agreed that ‘Brexit is a good idea in theory, but is being badly executed’. Pray for clarity, not confusion in Whitehall; pray for an end to disagreements within the Cabinet and disarray amongst backbenchers. Ask God to replace uncertainty in our politics with a double portion of wisdom and the firmness that comes from being in His will and fulfilling His purposes. May this be communicated not only to our nation but to the other EU nations with whom we are trying to negotiate an exit treaty.

In 1947 people suspected of un-American activities were asked by Senator Joe McCarthy, ‘Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?’ Recently, Conservative government whip Chris Heaton Harris asked vice-chancellors for the names of professors who favour Brexit. A number of academics think that the staunch Brexiteer’s letter smacked of McCarthyism when he asked for copies of the syllabus and links to the online lectures which relate to this area. Many believe it contained an implied threat that universities would be challenged for any bias.