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Tony Connelly @tconnellyRTE
, 4 tweets, 1 min read Read on Twitter
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar gets the full Guernica explanation at the Reine Sofia in Madrid after meeting the new Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez. Will file more details shortly.
Varadkar on UK and Irish backstop: “Putting this off doesn’t make it any easier for the United Kingdom. The European Union is fully united. 27 member states standing together with a common position, led very ably by Michel Barnier and the EU task force.”
Varadkar denies telling FG that Brexit has brought a United Ireland closer. “Talk about a United Ireland isn’t helpful because it gets mixed up with talks around Brexit and there is a concern among the Unionist community that the Irish govt has a hidden agenda.
...or in some ways wants to use Brexit to bring about a united Ireland sooner. That is not the case.”
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Sooo...happy new year all. And back we are with more of the same. So here's a quick thread on this week's Brexit manoevrings:

1) The European Council on Dec 13 was pretty clear: clarification on the backstop, yes - but no legal instrument (Dublin was particularly against that)
2) Theresa May probably received some face to face nod from other EU leaders that there could be further assurances on the backstop, but nothing in writing. So when 2018 ended no meetings were envisaged, and nothing political or legal formally promised
3) There were phone calls in early New Year (May taling to Tusk, Juncker, Rutte etc) and official level contacts, but nothing of real substance appears to have emerged (there may also have been phone calls between @simoncoveney and David Lidington)
Read 13 tweets
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Commission: Today's package includes 14 measures in a limited number of areas where a "no-deal" scenario would create major disruption for citizens and businesses in the EU27. These areas include financial services, air transport, customs, and climate policy, amongst others.
“These measures will not – and cannot – mitigate the overall impact of a "no-deal" scenario, nor do they in any way compensate for the lack of stakeholder preparedness or replicate the full benefits of EU membership or the terms of any transition period, as provided for in the WA
“They are limited to specific areas where it is absolutely necessary to protect the vital interests of the EU and where preparedness measures on their own are not sufficient”
Read 3 tweets
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The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he was "very satisfied" with the EU's position on the Irish backstop at last night's summit meeting.
"We as the EU stand by the Withdrawal Agreement that was negotiated, we don't believe it's up for renegotiation, we're very keen to begin, as soon as it's ratified, talks on the future relationship, because we want to have a close relationship with the United Kingdom,"
"AS Europe we reaffirmed our commitment to the need for a backstop, and not just because it protects Ireland and ensures no hard border between NI and Ireland, thus protecting the peace process and the GFA, but also because it's a European issue too,
Read 6 tweets

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez @sanchezcastejon today at Spain Summit in Madrid

“if there are no changes regarding Gibraltar, Spain will vote No to the agreement on Brexit”.
For Spanish speakers - here is the full clip. He says he can’t accept that in future any discussion of Gibraltar status with EU won’t be settled bilaterally between UK and Spain, won’t accept current wording on Sunday
Although it’s worth noting that he runs a minority Government that may struggle to pass a Budget (!) and was under pressure from Opposition for having conceded too much in bilateral negotiations with UK over Gibraltar / airport
Read 4 tweets
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#Khashoggi Case Thread: I am going to ‘pin’ this post to use it as an ‘Info Thread’ on the #Khashoggi Case. I am in #Turkey. I’ve been following the case closely and with access to sources & experts here. This is a very ‘sensitive’ criminal case due to ‘Diplomatic Booby Traps’!!!
The Evidence Obtained Outside Cameras will not show any evidence of ‘tempering’ but other than license plates of dozens of diplomatic cars (Many with tinted windows-large trunks) with related time stamp, drivers Info, model/year: Nothing.
#Turkish Intel-Investigative Bodies also have the list of all Diplomatic & Private Saudi & “other significant’ Planes in #Turkey for the period of ‘interest.’ Many of the Target airports have their own security cameras & related evidence.
Read 335 tweets
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001/ [article content in this tweet series 001-180 reproduced with permission from Martin Howe QC of Lawyers for Britain @lawyers4britain]
#quote "Leaving the EU on WTO terms: pulling down the barriers to world trade
Introduction: why prices will FALL after Brexit, not rise" /002
002/ #quote "Over the past couple of weeks, the media have been full of lurid scare stories about what will happen if the UK leaves the EU on WTO terms, because negotiations with the EU do not result in a withdrawal agreement." /003
#tariffs #NoDeal #Brexit #WTO #ProjectFear #shortages #food #medicines
003/ #quote "One of the most ridiculous and UNJUSTIFIED of these absurd scare stories is that it will lead to higher prices, and even shortages, of foods and medicines." /004
Read 180 tweets
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#UK Foreign Secretary @BorisJohnson has resigned, according to @10DowningStreet.
"His replacement will be announced shortly," @10DowningStreet spokesman says.
More on the @BorisJohnson resignation:
Read 15 tweets
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1. Thread on cronyism, the abortion industry and the Government.

#savethe8th #loveboth
2. In the midst of the #cervicalcheckscandal other unsavoury details about the Govt. have emerged. These facts help to explain what exactly Tony O'Brien (Director General of the HSE) was doing as a non-executive Director of the Board of Evofem Devices & why Min. Harris approved.
3.This arrangement occurred in the middle of a flu season epidemic in Jan 2018. A peak number of people of 714 were left on trolleys in one day. Mr Varadker is quoted as having supported this unusual decision.
Read 29 tweets
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BREAKING: The White House has said that US President #Trump is canceling his upcoming South America trip to remain in the US "to oversee the American response to Syria." - @NBCNews
This sounds like the US is planning to strike #Syria and Trump will remain in the US to closely monitor responses by #Russia. This is terrible.
BREAKING - British forces are now mobilizing at their bases in #Cyprus for strikes against #Syria. It appears very likely that the US, France and U.K. will strike Syria in the next 24 hours. This is dreadful.
Read 182 tweets

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