• Lexington
  • Rockbridge
  • Buena Vista
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Regional
  • In-Depth Reporting
  • About Us
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Rockbridge Report
Rockbridge Report
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn
  • Lexington
  • Rockbridge
  • Buena Vista
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Regional
  • In-Depth Reporting
  • About Us
Tuesday, September 26
Rockbridge Report
Home»All Topics»Politics»Brexit plan falls flat on EU

Brexit plan falls flat on EU

October 3, 20195 Mins Read

 

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sought Thursday to build a coalition at home to back his new Brexit approach even as key European leaders declared that the measures he just proposed fall far short of the concessions needed to forge a deal.

Johnson offered a strikingly more conciliatory tone Thursday than in his previous tempestuous appearances in the House of Commons, arguing that the changes his government just offered on regulating trade between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit represented a significant compromise. Johnson thinks the concessions should resolve the concerns that prompted British lawmakers to reject the previous Brexit deal three times.

“We have made genuine effort to bridge the chasm, to reconcile the apparently irreconcilable and to go the extra mile as time runs short,’’ he said.

 

Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives a statement to the House of Commons in London, Thursday Oct. 3 (Photo Credit: AP)

Britain is set to leave the EU on Oct. 31 unless it seeks an extension and one is granted. Johnson has said he plans to leave on that day with or without a Brexit divorce agreement, yet the British Parliament has passed a law requiring him to seek an extension if no Brexit deal is reached. It’s not yet clear how Johnson can reconcile that directive with his plans to leave the EU.

Economists and Johnson’s own government say a no-deal Brexit could lead to significant trade disruptions for Britain, including shortages of medicine and fresh produce.

The new proposals from Johnson’s government, delivered to the EU on Wednesday, focus on maintaining an open border between the U.K.’s Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland _ the key sticking point to a Brexit deal. The U.K. proposes to do that by keeping Northern Ireland closely aligned to EU rules for trade in goods, possibly for an extended period.

As the day wore on, however, key EU figures expressed ever more skepticism over the new U.K. proposals.

European Union leader Donald Tusk said he was “still unconvinced” about the British proposals to unblock the stalled Brexit negotiations even after having a phone call with Johnson to discuss them.

Irish leader Leo Varadkar told reporters that the new Brexit plans “fall short in a number of aspects.’’

The European parliament supervisory Brexit group issued the most damning verdict, arguing that the new U.K. proposals “do not match even remotely” what is needed for a compromise. After being briefed by EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, the Brexit group declared the proposals were a step back towards an overall deal. The group unites experts from all major groups in the European Parliament, which must approve any final Brexit deal.

British voters narrowly chose to leave the EU, but the country remains deeply divided over how to do it. Johnson has warned of “grave consequences for trust in our democracy” if Britain doesn’t leave the EU on the scheduled date of Oct. 31.

Johnson reached out Thursday to both the EU and to the House of Commons with a softer tone, despite the fact the proposals were once been billed by his own office as a take-it-or-leave it “final offer.” Johnson sought mightily to lower the temperature of Parliament’s heated Brexit debates in recent weeks _ commenting that he was “disappointed’’ by the tone used by other lawmakers sharply questioning his proposals.

Unrepentant British lawmakers attacked the new Brexit plan and Johnson, accusing him of deliberately proposing a deal he knows won’t work. The Scottish National Party’s parliamentary leader, Ian Blackford, said Johnson’s proposals simply push the country closer to a no-deal Brexit by offering a plan that the EU is likely to reject.

“These proposals are unacceptable. They are unworkable. They are undeliverable. And it’s all about blaming someone else _ in this case, the European Union when the plan was rejected,’’ Blackford said. “Mr. Speaker, it is a plan designed to fail, but of course, the prime minister knows that. By his own desire, this take-it-or-leave-it threat is yet another push towards a catastrophic no-deal Brexit.”

Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said no Labour Party lawmaker can back Johnson’s new Brexit plan, calling it just a “rehashed version” of previously rejected proposals.

The proposal would create “an all-island regulatory zone on the island of Ireland, covering all goods including agrifood.” That would keep Northern Ireland in a regulatory zone with the EU for food, agricultural and industrial products, removing the need for border checks.

The U.K. proposal doesn’t put a time limit on that status, although it would have to be renewed every four years by the Northern Ireland Assembly. However, that assembly has been suspended for more than two years by a dispute between the main Unionist and Nationalist power-sharing parties.

Under the new U.K. plan, there would still need to be customs checks, but Johnson suggested they could be carried out away from the border at “other points on the supply chain.”

 

Related

Apr. 6, 2023 Newscast
Apr. 4, 2023 News Update

rockbridgereport

The commonwealth’s attorney for Rockbridge Count The commonwealth’s attorney for Rockbridge County and Lexington said he wants victims of sexual assault at Washington and Lee University to seek help from police and prosecutors who can investigate and file criminal charges. 

In the past month, two former W&L students have faced sexual assault charges.

Read Ned Newton’s full story on our website, rockbridgereport.wlu.edu.
Lexington’s City Council has given the go-ahead Lexington’s City Council has given the go-ahead for a developer to begin drafting plans to build apartments off Spotswood Drive. 

The new permit approval comes after months of controversy about the design. 

Read Andrew Arnold’s full story on our website, rockbridgereport.wlu.edu.
A new, 24-hour EMS crew will help in providing bac A new, 24-hour EMS crew will help in providing backup services to Glasgow and other nearby cities and towns.

For more details on the new EMS crew, visit: https://youtu.be/k03HNBKB978.
Buddy, the horse, and Police Chief Angela Greene l Buddy, the horse, and Police Chief Angela Greene led the Lexington Christmas Parade. Buddy is one of the future Mounted Police Unit horses working with the Lexington police. 

Watch Buddy and the latest broadcast of the Rockbridge Report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDZ4A6xuk-4
A developer sought final city approval this week t A developer sought final city approval this week to build 62 apartment units on Lexington’s Spotswood Drive.

Echelon Resources went before the city’s planning commission Thursday to request a permit allowing the developer company to construct multi-family housing at the Spotswood site. The planning commission will offer a recommendation for approval or denial to the Lexington City Council. The city council will likely have a final vote on the permit in early January.

The proposal received some pushback from Lexington residents who fear the development will significantly increase traffic, impede the local hospital, or strain the city’s water and sewer systems. 

For more details on the Spotswood proposal visit: https://rockbridgereport.academic.wlu.edu/2022/12/08/spotswood-drive-apartment-complex-moves-forward/
Lexington’s city manager is searching for a full Lexington’s city manager is searching for a full-time city attorney. The previous city attorney, Jared Jenkins, no longer serves in the position following his split from Mann Legal Group.

Learn more by visiting the Rockbridge Report website: https://rockbridgereport.academic.wlu.edu/2022/12/08/lexington-replaces-city-attorney/
Two students at Virginia Military Institute and Wa Two students at Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University posted bomb threats on anonymous social media platforms last week.

After investigations, both posts proved to be false alarms. Disciplinary measures for the students are unclear. 

Read the full story here: https://rockbridgereport.academic.wlu.edu/2022/12/08/two-university-bomb-threats-posted-on-anonymous-social-media-proved-false/
Local nonprofits, like the Rockbridge Area Relief Local nonprofits, like the Rockbridge Area Relief Association (RARA) and Washington and Lee’s Campus Kitchen, will provide extra support for families facing food insecurity during the holidays.

Read more about this on the Rockbridge Report website: https://rockbridgereport.academic.wlu.edu/2022/12/08/community-groups-to-offer-food-to-students-and-their-families-during-holiday-break/
“Normal people can’t afford that." Lexington “Normal people can’t afford that."

Lexington is Stacey Dickerson-Suggs’ hometown, but the single mother can’t afford to live here. Virginia house prices are going up about 10% each year. In Lexington, the median price of a home has increased 27% in the past year.

Read more about this on the Rockbridge Report website: https://rockbridgereport.academic.wlu.edu/2022/12/08/lexington-renters-buyers-cant-find-affordable-housing/
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Twitter
My Tweets
Reporters
Producers
Supervisors

Kevin Finch

Toni Locy

Alecia Swasy

Michael Todd

Rockbridge Report
© 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Go to mobile version
 

Loading Comments...