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Commemorating Brexit Day in the UK

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The Prime Minister has today (26 January 2020) unveiled the government’s full plans to commemorate Brexit day on the 31st January 2020.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/brexit-coin-light-display-and-ready-to-trade-campaign-among-plans-to-mark-31-january-reveals-pm

The commemorative 50p coin will come into circulation on the day the UK leaves the EU. The public will see 3 million of these coins enter their banks, shops and restaurants from the 31 January, with a further 7 million entering circulation later this year. The Prime Minister will be one of the first to receive the new Brexit coin, which reads “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations”. 13,000 people have already registered their interest in the coin with The Royal Mint.

On 31 January, the Prime Minister and all of his Cabinet will begin the day in the North of England for a special Cabinet. They will discuss the PM’s levelling up agenda and how best to spread prosperity and opportunity across all corners of the UK, as the country looks ahead to the next decade. Later in the evening, the Prime Minister will deliver a special address to the people across the United Kingdom at 10pm.

Number 10 is set to mark the hour itself with a commemorative light display in Downing Street. This will take place ahead of 11pm, which is the hour that the UK will officially leave the European Union. A countdown clock will be projected onto its black bricks from 10pm and the light display will symbolise the strength and unity of our four nations.

On 1 February, the new GREAT “Ready to Trade” campaign will launch in 17 cities across 13 countries outside the EU, as the UK seeks to deepen our relationships with future global partners. Here at home, from Monday 27 January, a new short campaign aimed at businesses and citizens will launch with the message “This Friday the UK leaves the EU”. It will urge them to check for any changes they need to make ahead of January 2021.

Union Jack flags will also line Parliament Square and the Mall on 31 January and the public will see government buildings in Whitehall lit up in red, white and blue colours throughout the evening.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

Next Friday marks an important moment in the history of our United Kingdom. No matter how you voted in 2016, it is the time to look ahead with confidence to the global, trail-blazing country we will become over the next decade and heal past divisions. That is what I will be doing on 31 January and I urge everyone across the UK to do the same.

Throughout next week, the Prime Minister and ministers across government will meet with people and businesses across the UK encouraging the whole country to look ahead.

The Prime Minister will host a “People’s PMQs” session on Wednesday 29 January and children will be invited to Downing Street on Thursday, giving them the chance to ask the Prime Minister questions about the future he intends to build for the next generation. Ministers will continue to focus on the Government’s domestic priorities in the run up to 31 January.

UK – EU Withdrawal Agreement

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On 24 January 2020, following the Royal Assent given for the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has signed the Withdrawal Agreement – formerly known as “The Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community“.

Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said:

The signing of the Withdrawal Agreement is a fantastic moment, which finally delivers the result of the 2016 referendum and brings to an end far too many years of argument and division.

We can now move forward as one country – with a Government focused upon delivering better public services, greater opportunity and unleashing the potential of every corner of our brilliant United Kingdom, while building a strong new relationship with the EU as friends and sovereign equals.

In Brussels, EU Council President Charles Michel and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also signed the Withdrawal Agreement.

The Withdrawal Agreement is an international treaty between the UK and the EU.

The EU Parliament will hold a vote on the agreement on 29 January. Once the EU Parliament has given its consent, the Council will adopt, by written procedure, the decision on the conclusion of the agreement on behalf of the EU.

A copy of the agreement, as published in the The Official Journal of the European Union Volume 62, 12 November 2019 is available from

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:C:2019:384I:FULL&from=EN
and a local copy is available

Official Journal of the European Union C 384 I (pdf)

Further information is available on the UK Government website at

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-withdrawal-agreement-and-political-declaration

PM statement in Downing Street: 13 December 2019

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s first statement upon returning to Downing Street on 13 December 2019.

This morning I went to Buckingham Palace. I am forming a new government and on Monday MPs will arrive at Westminster to form a new parliament. I am proud to say that members of our new one nation government – a people’s government – will set out from constituencies that have never returned a Conservative MP for 100 years and yes they will have an overwhelming mandate, from this election, to get Brexit done and we will honour that mandate by Jan 31.

So in this moment of national resolution I want to speak directly to those who made it possible and to all those who voted for us, for the first time, all those whose pencils may have wavered over the ballot and who heard the voices of their parents and their grandparents whispering anxiously in their ears, I say thank you for the trust you have placed in us and in me. We will work round the clock to repay your trust and to deliver on your priorities with a parliament that works for you.

Then I want to speak also to those who did not vote for us or for me and who wanted, and perhaps still want to, remain in the EU. I want you to know that we in this one nation conservative government will never ignore your good and positive feelings of warmth and sympathy towards the other nations of Europe.

Because now is the moment, precisely as we leave the EU, to let those natural feelings find renewed expression in building a new partnership, which is one of the great projects for next year, as we work together with the EU as friends and sovereign equals, in tackling climate change and terrorism, in building academic and scientific cooperation, redoubling our trading relationship.

I frankly urge everyone on either side of what after three and a half years after all an increasingly arid argument I urge everyone to find closure and to let the healing begin because I believe, in fact I know, because I have heard it loud and clear from every corner of the country, that the overwhelming priority of the British people now is that we should focus above all on the NHS. That simple and beautiful idea that represents the best of our country with the biggest ever cash boost 50,000 more nurses, 40 new hospitals as well as providing better schools, safer streets.

In the next few weeks and months we will be bringing forward proposals to transform this country with better infrastructure, better education, better technology and if you ask yourselves what is this new government going to do, what is he going to do with his extraordinary majority

I will tell you that is what we are going to do – we are going to unite and level up – unite and level up – bringing together the whole of this incredible United Kingdom – England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland together taking us forward, unleashing the potential of the whole country delivering opportunity across the entire nation.

Since I know that after five weeks frankly of electioneering this country deserves a break from wrangling, a break from politics, and a permanent break from talking about Brexit.

I want everyone to go about their Christmas preparations happy and secure in the knowledge that here in this people’s government the work is now being stepped up to make 2020 a year of prosperity and growth and hope and to deliver a Parliament that works for the people.

Thank you all very much and happy Christmas.

from https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-in-downing-street-13-december-2019

Parliament rejects call for General Election

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Today, Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, called for an early General Election to be held on 12 December 2019.

Because of the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, the motion requires 2/3 of all MPs to agree in order to pass. Following debate, a vote was taken with the result 299 votes in favour and 70 votes against. Although there was a majority in favour, the numbers did not reach the majority required under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act and thus fails.

Following the vote, the PM notified Parliament of the Governments intention to present a short (one-line) Bill calling for a General Election to be held on Thursday 12 December 2019. If this Bill is passed, only requiring a majority of votes, it will circumvent the requirements of the Fixed Term Parliament Act and allow a General Election to be held.

PM to Donald Tusk 19/10/19

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The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson wrote another letter to Donald Tusk in addition to the one demanded by Parliament requesting an extension.

In this letter, he distances himself from the letter requesting an extension, outlining his and the Government’s position as follows:

“While it is open to the European Council to accede to the request mandated by Parliament or to offer an alternative extension period, I have made clear since becoming Prime Minister, and made clear to Parliament again today, my view, and the Government’s position, that a further extension would damage the interests of the UK and our EU partners, and the relationship between us. We must bring this process to a conclusion so that we can move to the next phase and build our new relationship on the foundations of our long history as neighbours and friends in this continent our people’s share. I am passionately committed to that endeavour.”

It is not clear, whether this letter will be interpreted to mean that the PM is attempting to frustrate the “Surrender Law” (EU (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019) and future court action may be taken by his opponents to establish whether this is the case.

The letter in full is here:

PM to Donald Tusk 19 October 2019 (pdf)

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