Europe editor @Telegraph. Reach me on james.crisp@telegraph.co.uk.
Views my own etc. #Breakfastinfluencer (quasi-retired)
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Feb 1 • 23 tweets • 4 min read
What did @duponline leader @J_Donaldson_MP get in his deal with @RishiSunak?
He says substantial change to Irish Sea border, critics say cosmetic change.
What more did he achieve than was already on offer in the Windsor Framework by boycotting Stormont?
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Downing Street says the new deal contains “significant” changes to WF but doesn’t alter “fundamentals”.
EC expects UK to uphold WF & will scrutinise the new agreement to return to Stormont “carefully”.
Here's my attempt to see thru smoke & mirrors.
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Jan 26 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
.@nickgutteridge & I can reveal a bit more detail on Government's offer to DUP here. Basically - unionists will be able to force an investigation into the Brexit border with a majority vote in Stormont. 1/ telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/…
That will sound familiar. The Government has already promised such a report if the consent vote on Protocol/Windsor Framework didn't get cross community support... (the consent vote must be held by end of this year) 2/
Jan 19 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
Exc/ UK offers DUP a patriotic rebrand of the Irish Sea border to to back Rishi Sunak’s N.Ireland Brexit deal & get back to Stormont
Proposed renaming the Windsor Framework’s Green Lane - wait for it - the “UK Internal Market Lane” instead. 1/ telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/…
.@Telegraph can reveal details as BBC reports DUP set to hold “deal or no deal meeting” today, which could end nearly 2 years of Stormont boycott. 2/
Looked into some of retained EU law on the UK books after Brexit yesteday after reports of additional 1,400 lawsbeing unearthed
The following is a snapshot of the 2,400 rules transposed when Brexit took legal effect. Gives a sense of the scale of revising/repealing them..
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Pension rules and maternity pay and regulations on explosive atmospheres in the workplace. Rules for children using adult seatbelts and African Horse Sickness.
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Jun 8, 2022 • 11 tweets • 2 min read
Interesting evidence by Ulster Unionist leader @BeattieDoug to Lords committee on Northern Ireland Protocol.
He says he have visited v many different firms in NI.
“I have gone to many who are absolutely booming because of the protocol. They're absolutely booming.”
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He cites pharma company Almac in UpperBann, an agricultural company and a pet food store which does 60% of trade with Ireland. All are “booming because of the protocol”
BUT...
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Apr 28, 2022 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
.@JamesCleverly is asked what progress has been made in protocol talks at European Scrutiny Committee.
He admits talks are at an “impasse”, which he blames on @MarosSefcovic mandate (while praising Sefco as wanting a deal).
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Pressed on progress, Cleverly says got a good resolution on medicines. Says there a lot of live issues which can only be solved once final issues over integrity of Single Market are ironed out.
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Apr 27, 2022 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Frost on Ireland. He says that over last 5 years “Ireland has chosen to throw his weight behind EU interests and prioritise protecting single market instead of working collaboratively with us to find solutions that can work in Northern Ireland.”
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He says understandable why Ireland did this (to maintain place in SM).
“I hope Ireland feels it got good value from the EU for acting like this. It doesn't look 100% clear to me that it always does and certainly its negotiating capsule on this subject seems close to exhausted.”
Oct 22, 2021 • 16 tweets • 5 min read
A thread on Brexit, British mussels and the New Zealand trade deal, which I’m told is ‘another nail in the coffin’ of a suffering industry.
I love mussels by the way. 1/
The NZ trade deal cuts tariffs on kiwi green lipped mussels to zero from up to 20% over 4 years. This would not be fatal to British mussel farmers if it wasn’t for the fact they have been shut out of its major market - the EU. 2/
Jun 14, 2021 • 13 tweets • 5 min read
Brace yourself folks. It is a Brexit thread on the great British banger battle with Brussels. 1/
UK and EU are at odds over an agreement to replace Northern Ireland Protocol grace period on chilled meats inc sausages. If no deal found by July 1 - sausages from non-EU country UK will not be allowed in NI.
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Mar 24, 2021 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
AstraZeneca spokesman on the 29m doses "hidden" in the Italian factory.
“We would like to clarify some inaccurate statements relating to vaccine doses at the Anagni plant.
There are no exports currently planned other than to COVAX countries.
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There are 13m doses of vaccine waiting for quality control release to be dispatched to COVAX as part of our commitment to supply millions of doses to low income countries, the vaccine was made outside the EU and brought to the Agnani plant to be filled into vials.
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Oct 8, 2020 • 13 tweets • 4 min read
Quick thread on latest below. UK and EU agree commitment to Paris Agreement must be in Brexit trade deal. This is a shift from British position in March, which called for a separate agreement on climate to the FTA. 1/
EU official tells me Brussels expects UK to acquiesce to demand that Paris provision goes into new FTA’s ‘essential elements’, alongside rules against crimes against humanity . This means trade deal can be cancelled if a party leaves the accord.
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Oct 6, 2020 • 11 tweets • 4 min read
EU diplomatic sources have warned Boris Johnson to call the bloc’s leaders in the capitals if he is serious about savlaging the trade negotiations. They accuse the PM of being “absent” and “detached” from Brexit.
Thread through the medium of The Fall 1/
telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/…
"Is he even interested? What does it say to 27 leaders when an issue as important as this is only dealt with by David Frost [chief negotiator]?,”said a senior EU diplomat.
“It’s about time people higher up in the hierarchy start involving themselves.” 2/
Oct 1, 2020 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
There are currently 63 EU infringement proceedings active against France for breaches of, among others, environmental, money laundering and waste regulations
This is the exact same type of legal action now launched against UK for the #InternalMarketBill
Animal charities including RSPCA have written to UK government warning them to stockpile pet food, animal food and get planning for Brexit airlifts of medical supplies after the end of transition period.
Thread 1/
Delays at border and disruption to supply chains could led to shortages - leading to starvation and outbreaks of disease. 4 to 12 weeks of veterinary medicines need to be built up as well as feed and pet food.
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Sep 21, 2020 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
The plot thickens at Mini Europe, the theme park that some people inexplicably love but other, more sensible folk, people like me, think is a massive rip-off.
Mini Europe is going to shut at the end of the year cos of coronavirus & prob also because it isn't v good..
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Its literature proudly boasts that it is run "under the patronage of the EU".
I always assumed this meant it got EU subsidies...
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Sep 15, 2020 • 14 tweets • 4 min read
Brussels warns lobby groups that UK food exports to EU and Northern Ireland could become illegal. A thread on what this could mean - telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/…
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Eu Commission officials, inc member of Barnier’s team, told meeting of trade associations, farmers & animal welfare campaigners on Fri that they cd be forced to ban all UK exports of live animals & animal products such as cheese, beef, eggs, lamb from Jan 1 to EU & N.Ireland.
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Sep 10, 2020 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
European Commission statement after emergency meeting in London:
The EU does not accept the argument that the aim of the draft Bill is to protect the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement. In fact, it is of the view that it does the opposite.
He reminded the UK government that the Withdrawal Agreement contains a number of mechanisms and legal remedies to address violations of the legal obligations contained in the text – which the European Union will not be shy in using.
Sep 9, 2020 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
European Commission's @MarosSefcovic calls for emergency meeting of joint committee on Withdrawal Agreement as soon as possible.
"So that our UK partners, elaborate, and respond to our strong concerns on the deal. "
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Sefcovic is Michael Gove's opposite number of the committee policing the implementation of the WA.
He says EU will study Internal Markets Bill closely and the European Commission president will respond. The joint committee should be forum for further discussion he says.
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Sep 8, 2020 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
EU diplomat on Brandon Lewis and specific law breaking.
"It would be a massive blow to the UK's international reputation and have huge negative consequences on the current talks with the EU.
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2/"It would be in Britains best interest to clarify its plans now urgently and assure the EU that it will continue to honor its commitments under the Withdrawal Agreement under all circumstances."
Aug 5, 2020 • 46 tweets • 12 min read
Determined not to waste the coronavirus lockdown, @Simon1979 & I decided to listen to & rank all The Fall's studio albums (plus selected live ones & MES side projects) & nominate a stand out track from each one. images.app.goo.gl/QF65Rm4ddXQRqA…
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43 albums. Original track listing. So sadly no place for classic Fall singles like Kicker Conspiracy, Oh Brother, CREEP, Man Whose Head Expanded or, my personal favourite, How I Wrote Elastic Man. 2/ open.spotify.com/track/1IaxpzSy…
Aug 4, 2020 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
Here is a thread on why Iain Duncan Smith is wrong about British post-Brexit liabilities to the European Investment Bank 1/
UK has agreed to be liable for investments agreed while it was a member states as part of the Withdrawal Agreement.
Many investments long-term so liabilities will exist for years to come, despite Brexit.
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