The Freedom Association's 'Better Off Out' campaign has today published six essays that present the positive benefits of a clean Brexit - not just for the UK, but also for free trade across the Commonwealth and the world. Click here to read them There are contributions from Ruth Lea CBE, Economic Adviser, Arbuthnot Banking Group; Daniel Moylan, Former adviser to Boris Johnson as Mayor of London; Chloe Westley, Campaign Manager, TaxPayers' Alliance; Andrea Jenkyns MP, Conservative, Morley and Outwood; Ross Thomson MP, Conservative, Aberdeen South; and Chloe Schendel-Wilson, former Parliamentary researcher and Conservative activist.  Continue reading

Senior Conservative MPs are this evening setting out the alternative written ministerial statement that they believe the Prime Minister should make now that the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration have been rejected by the House of Commons. A Better Deal and A Better Future includes the following: Continue reading

Responding to the story in the Daily Telegraph that Theresa May wants a live televised debate with Jeremy Corbyn, Andrew Allison, Head of Campaigns, said: "This is something we should resist. We are not in the middle of a general election campaign. The broadcasters will love the idea as it is good for them. Instead of debating the issues, they will be billing this as the heavyweight championship of the world with a build up going on for days. It will also be a biased Remain v Remain fight without a Brexiteer in sight. It would be a distraction - one we can do without as the future of our country as a sovereign nation hangs in the balance." ENDS Continue reading

Whilst paragraph 73 of the draft political agreement states that "the United Kingdom will be an independent coastal state", read paragraphs 75 & 76: 75. Within the context of the overall economic partnership the Parties should establish a new fisheries agreement on, inter alia, access to waters and quota shares. 76. The Parties will use their best endeavours to conclude and ratify their new fisheries agreement by 1 July 2020 in order for it to be in place in time to be used for determining fishing opportunities for the first year after the transition period. Continue reading

We know that there isn't going to be an emergency Cabinet meeting today. The withdrawal plan could be discussed at the scheduled Cabinet meeting tomorrow, but I'm not holding my breath. Nor am I holding my breath that an emergency meeting will be called for Wednesday. The chances of a special meeting of the EU27 to ratify a deal later this month are evaporating.  How much of this is the EU demanding more, and how much of it is the Government playing for time, is a question I cannot answer. It is clear that Theresa May's woes got worse on Friday with the departure of Jo Johnson as a Transport Minister. He hinted that there could be more ministerial resignations on the way. We have heard that before, but Johnson's resignation has highlighted how unhappy many Remainer MPs are. As I have said repeatedly, Theresa May has backed herself into a corner, and at some point she is going to realise that she has no room for manoeuvre.  Continue reading