The British government has no overarching plan for Brexit and may take another six months to agree&nbsp;to a negotiating strategy, according to a leaked memo on Tuesday.

Civil servants are struggling to cope with more than 500 Brexit-related projects and an extra 30,000 extra staff may be needed to handle the workload, according to the memo published by The Times, reportedly prepared for the government by a consultant.

The document, dated November 7 and titled &quot;Brexit update&quot;, says &quot;no common strategy has emerged&quot; for leaving the European Union, despite lengthy debate among senior officials.

The government of Prime Minister Theresa May denied the claims and said it did not commission the report.

&quot;This is not a government report and we don&#39;t recognise the claims made in it,&quot; a spokesman for May&#39;s office said.

&quot;We are focused on getting on with the job of delivering Brexit and making a success of it,&quot; he said.

It could take another six months for the British government to agree on its priorities for Brexit, the memo, also seen by the BBC, suggests.

Although each government department has developed plans to cope with the departure, &quot;this falls considerably short of having a &#39;Government plan for Brexit&#39; because it has no prioritisation and no link to the overall negotiation strategy,&quot; the memo reportedly states.

It criticises May&#39;s approach, accusing her of &quot;drawing in decisions and details to settle matters herself&quot;.

May has promised to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty by the end of March next year to formally start the process of leaving the EU, but she has so far given few details of her strategy.

The leaked memo also says big businesses are expected to &quot;point a gun at the government&#39;s head&quot; after the government assured carmaker Nissan that it would not lose out on investment after Britain leaves the EU.

May used a key address in the City of London late yesterday to say that Britain will seize on Brexit to become a global leader on free trade and &quot;forge new and dynamic trading agreements&quot;.

(AFP)

The document titled 'Brexit update' said it could take another six months for the British government to agree on its priorities for Brexit

The British government has no overarching plan for Brexit and may take another six months to agree to a negotiating strategy, according to a leaked memo on Tuesday. Civil servants are struggling to cope with more than 500 Brexit-related projects and an extra 30,000 extra staff may be needed to handle the workload, according to the memo published by The Times, reportedly prepared for the government by a consultant. The document, dated November 7 and titled "Brexit update", says "no common strategy has emerged" for leaving the European Union, despite lengthy debate among senior officials. The government of Prime Minister Theresa May denied the claims and said it did not commission the report. "This is not a government report and we don't recognise the claims made in it," a spokesman for May's office said. "We are focused on getting on with the job of delivering Brexit and making a success of it," he said. It could take another six months for the British government to agree on its priorities for Brexit, the memo, also seen by the BBC, suggests. Although each government department has developed plans to cope with the departure, "this falls considerably short of having a 'Government plan for Brexit' because it has no prioritisation and no link to the overall negotiation strategy," the memo reportedly states. It criticises May's approach, accusing her of "drawing in decisions and details to settle matters herself". May has promised to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty by the end of March next year to formally start the process of leaving the EU, but she has so far given few details of her strategy. The leaked memo also says big businesses are expected to "point a gun at the government's head" after the government assured carmaker Nissan that it would not lose out on investment after Britain leaves the EU. May used a key address in the City of London late yesterday to say that Britain will seize on Brexit to become a global leader on free trade and "forge new and dynamic trading agreements". (AFP)

Britain has no Brexit plan, leaked memo claims

Britain&#39;s top court has set four days starting December 5 for the government&#39;s appeal against a ruling that requires the parliament&#39;s approval to trigger the Brexit process.

A court statement said that 11 Supreme Court judges will hear the case and deliver their judgement &quot;probably in the New Year&quot;, AFP reported.

A high court ruled last week that Prime Minister Theresa May&#39;s government alone cannot trigger Article 50 of Lisbon treaty, which begins Britain&#39;s exit from the European Union (EU).

The Conservative government is appealing against the ruling that could delay Britain&#39;s withdrawal from the EU.

The judgement prompted outrage among people and the justice minister was forced to issue a statement defending the independence of the judiciary.

On Friday, May asserted in phone calls to EU leaders that the Brexit process will go ahead as planned regardless of the court&#39;s decision.

&quot;This timetable remains consistent with our aim to trigger Article 50 by the end of March next year,&quot; Brexit minister David Davis said on Monday.

&quot;We won&#39;t achieve a good negotiation outcome if this is a negotiation being run by 650 people in this House of Commons or nearly 900 in the Lords,&quot; Davis repeated the government&#39;s refusal to set out its strategy to MPs in advance, saying it would &quot;wreck the negotiation&quot;.

&quot;Indeed, if parliament insists on setting out a detailed minimum negotiating position, that will quickly become the maximum possible offer from the negotiating partners.&quot;

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has stressed on Scotland Parliament&#39;s consent in triggering Article 50. She said that her government will join to seek the court case to secure a vote for the Scottish parliament.

&quot;Let me be clear -- I recognise and respect the right of England and Wales to leave the European Union. This is not an attempt to veto that process,&quot; Sturgeon told reporters. &quot;But the democratic wishes of the people of Scotland and the national parliament of Scotland cannot be brushed aside as if they do not matter.&quot;

Scotland had voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU bloc in the June 23 referendum.

The Supreme Court noted that length of next month&#39;s hearing &quot;will depend on further submissions received from the parties on the precise legal arguments to be considered, the number of interveners and whether any other related cases are joined to this one&quot;.

(With inputs from AFP)

All 11 Supreme Court judges will hear the case and deliver their judgement 'probably in the New Year'

Britain's top court has set four days starting December 5 for the government's appeal against a ruling that requires the parliament's approval to trigger the Brexit process. A court statement said that 11 Supreme Court judges will hear the case and deliver their judgement "probably in the New Year", AFP reported. A high court ruled last week that Prime Minister Theresa May's government alone cannot trigger Article 50 of Lisbon treaty, which begins Britain's exit from the European Union (EU). The Conservative government is appealing against the ruling that could delay Britain's withdrawal from the EU. The judgement prompted outrage among people and the justice minister was forced to issue a statement defending the independence of the judiciary. On Friday, May asserted in phone calls to EU leaders that the Brexit process will go ahead as planned regardless of the court's decision. "This timetable remains consistent with our aim to trigger Article 50 by the end of March next year," Brexit minister David Davis said on Monday. "We won't achieve a good negotiation outcome if this is a negotiation being run by 650 people in this House of Commons or nearly 900 in the Lords," Davis repeated the government's refusal to set out its strategy to MPs in advance, saying it would "wreck the negotiation". "Indeed, if parliament insists on setting out a detailed minimum negotiating position, that will quickly become the maximum possible offer from the negotiating partners." Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has stressed on Scotland Parliament's consent in triggering Article 50. She said that her government will join to seek the court case to secure a vote for the Scottish parliament. "Let me be clear -- I recognise and respect the right of England and Wales to leave the European Union. This is not an attempt to veto that process," Sturgeon told reporters. "But the democratic wishes of the people of Scotland and the national parliament of Scotland cannot be brushed aside as if they do not matter." Scotland had voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU bloc in the June 23 referendum. The Supreme Court noted that length of next month's hearing "will depend on further submissions received from the parties on the precise legal arguments to be considered, the number of interveners and whether any other related cases are joined to this one". (With inputs from AFP)

Brexit appeal: UK top court to hear case in December

British Prime Minister Theresa May offered India a possible improved visa deal on Monday, as the two countries kicked off talks on boosting trading links ahead of Britain&#39;s departure from the European Union.

May, making her first bilateral trip outside Europe since Britons voted on June 23 to quit the bloc, described as &quot;limitless&quot; the potential of the relationship with India and its market of 1.3 billion people.

She attached a condition to a better deal, however: progress in sending home Indians who have outstayed their visas. That harked back to her tough line as interior minister and the mandate she says the Brexit vote gave on curbing immigration.

&quot;The UK will consider further improvements to our visa offer if, at the same time, we can step up the speed and volume of returns of Indians with no right to remain,&quot; May told reporters in New Delhi after talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A source in May&#39;s office said any improvements would be about the visa process, such as cost and speed, rather than criteria applicants must meet.

In Modi, May found a host keen to link market access to freedom of movement - the very issue that will complicate her own efforts to extract Britain from the EU without being cut off from the bloc&#39;s lucrative single market.

&quot;We believe that such a group should not only focus on ways to increase trade in goods, but also on the expansion of services trade, including through greater mobility of skilled professionals,&quot; Modi told reporters.

His comments highlighted the interests of India&#39;s burgeoning IT services sector whose main base is Bengaluru. May visits the south Indian city, known as the world&#39;s back office, on Tuesday.

Aspirational India

May endorsed India&#39;s aspirations as a rising 21st-century power, backing its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and promising to cooperate on cyber security to counter violent extremists.

But she did not go as far as her predecessor, David Cameron, who on a 2010 visit said that Pakistan, India&#39;s regional arch rival, should not &quot;promote the export of terrorism&quot;.

Modi said he had conveyed to May his deep concern regarding cross-border terrorism and the need for the international community to take strong action against states that support and sponsor it.

He did not refer directly to Pakistan but tension has been running high for months, after street protests in Indian-ruled Kashmir, an attack on an Indian army base near the frontier in September, and a series of ensuing border clashes.

Post-Brexit Britain

Looking ahead to a post-Brexit world, May said she wanted Britain to be a committed advocate of free trade.

&quot;It&#39;s why - as Britain leaves the EU - we&#39;re determined not to turn our backs on the world but to forge a new, global, outward-looking role for ourselves,&quot; she earlier told an India-UK Tech Summit.

&quot;Because we know from history what happens when countries do not embrace the opportunities of the world. They stagnate. They get poorer. They don&#39;t protect their people. They get worse off.&quot;

Britain will offer new services to improve business travel for Indian visitors, including faster clearance through UK border controls. A select group of high-net-worth Indians, nominated by New Delhi, will also gain access to a &quot;bespoke&quot; visa and immigration service, May&#39;s office said.

May also said that more 1 billion pounds ($1.24 billion) in deals would be signed during her trip, and by partnering with Modi&#39;s initiative to build 100 &quot;smart&quot; cities, British business could unlock a further 2 billion pounds over five years.

Sticking points

Modi, addressing the tech summit, called for &quot;greater mobility and participation of young people in educational and research opportunities&quot; - a reference to the sharp fall in the number of Indian nationals studying in Britain.

In the five years that May was interior minister, the number of Indian students in Britain fell to 11,864 in June 2015 from 68,238.

Some of May&#39;s cabinet colleagues and business leaders in both countries have urged May to exclude foreign students from Britain&#39;s statistics on net migration, which May has vowed to bring below 100,000 a year, from 336,000 in 2015.

Responding, the head of the Indian government&#39;s policy think tank said that, while India was opening up its manufacturing and defence sectors to foreign investors, its professionals faced restrictions on working in Britain and other Western countries.

&quot;There is no such thing as selective free trade,&quot; Amitabh Kant, best known as the originator of the &quot;Incredible India&quot; tourism promotion, told the tech summit, when asked about May&#39;s emphasis on striking a free trade deal with India.

($1=0.8054 pounds)

(Reuters)

A source in May's office said any improvements would be about the visa process, such as cost and speed, rather than criteria

British Prime Minister Theresa May offered India a possible improved visa deal on Monday, as the two countries kicked off talks on boosting trading links ahead of Britain's departure from the European Union. May, making her first bilateral trip outside Europe since Britons voted on June 23 to quit the bloc, described as "limitless" the potential of the relationship with India and its market of 1.3 billion people. She attached a condition to a better deal, however: progress in sending home Indians who have outstayed their visas. That harked back to her tough line as interior minister and the mandate she says the Brexit vote gave on curbing immigration. "The UK will consider further improvements to our visa offer if, at the same time, we can step up the speed and volume of returns of Indians with no right to remain," May told reporters in New Delhi after talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A source in May's office said any improvements would be about the visa process, such as cost and speed, rather than criteria applicants must meet. In Modi, May found a host keen to link market access to freedom of movement - the very issue that will complicate her own efforts to extract Britain from the EU without being cut off from the bloc's lucrative single market. "We believe that such a group should not only focus on ways to increase trade in goods, but also on the expansion of services trade, including through greater mobility of skilled professionals," Modi told reporters. His comments highlighted the interests of India's burgeoning IT services sector whose main base is Bengaluru. May visits the south Indian city, known as the world's back office, on Tuesday. Aspirational India May endorsed India's aspirations as a rising 21st-century power, backing its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and promising to cooperate on cyber security to counter violent extremists. But she did not go as far as her predecessor, David Cameron, who on a 2010 visit said that Pakistan, India's regional arch rival, should not "promote the export of terrorism". Modi said he had conveyed to May his deep concern regarding cross-border terrorism and the need for the international community to take strong action against states that support and sponsor it. He did not refer directly to Pakistan but tension has been running high for months, after street protests in Indian-ruled Kashmir, an attack on an Indian army base near the frontier in September, and a series of ensuing border clashes. Post-Brexit Britain Looking ahead to a post-Brexit world, May said she wanted Britain to be a committed advocate of free trade. "It's why - as Britain leaves the EU - we're determined not to turn our backs on the world but to forge a new, global, outward-looking role for ourselves," she earlier told an India-UK Tech Summit. "Because we know from history what happens when countries do not embrace the opportunities of the world. They stagnate. They get poorer. They don't protect their people. They get worse off." Britain will offer new services to improve business travel for Indian visitors, including faster clearance through UK border controls. A select group of high-net-worth Indians, nominated by New Delhi, will also gain access to a "bespoke" visa and immigration service, May's office said. May also said that more 1 billion pounds ($1.24 billion) in deals would be signed during her trip, and by partnering with Modi's initiative to build 100 "smart" cities, British business could unlock a further 2 billion pounds over five years. Sticking points Modi, addressing the tech summit, called for "greater mobility and participation of young people in educational and research opportunities" - a reference to the sharp fall in the number of Indian nationals studying in Britain. In the five years that May was interior minister, the number of Indian students in Britain fell to 11,864 in June 2015 from 68,238. Some of May's cabinet colleagues and business leaders in both countries have urged May to exclude foreign students from Britain's statistics on net migration, which May has vowed to bring below 100,000 a year, from 336,000 in 2015. Responding, the head of the Indian government's policy think tank said that, while India was opening up its manufacturing and defence sectors to foreign investors, its professionals faced restrictions on working in Britain and other Western countries. "There is no such thing as selective free trade," Amitabh Kant, best known as the originator of the "Incredible India" tourism promotion, told the tech summit, when asked about May's emphasis on striking a free trade deal with India. ($1=0.8054 pounds) (Reuters)

May offers improved visa deal as India, UK launch trade talks

Looking to strengthen trade ties with India, British Prime Minister Theresa May said Monday that Indian business travellers would be offered easier access to the UK.

Speaking at the India-UK Tech Summit in Delhi, May said: &quot;So we will offer, for the first time to any country that needs visas to enter Britain, what we called &#39;Registered Traveller Scheme&#39;.

&quot;That means the Indian nationals who frequently come to the UK and to fuel growth in both our countries, the entry process will become significantly easier,&quot; she said.

May said businessmen would have to fill fewer forms, and that they would get access to EU-EEA (European Economic Area) passport control and swifter passage through British airports.

&quot;In short, more opportunities for Britain and India and a clear message that Britain is very much open for business,&quot; she added.

May referred to the potential of the British-Indian relationship as &quot;limitless&quot;.&nbsp;

The Prime Minister&#39;s two-day visit aims to reduce trade barriers and make way for a post-Brexit free deal. &nbsp;

&quot;I will be discussing with Prime Minister Modi how we can increase the detail and depth of our trade and investment discussions, and identify what more we can do, now, to unleash our businesses, industries, exporters and investors,&quot; she said

&quot;This does not need to wait for us to leave the EU,&quot; she added.&nbsp;

The easier access deal will not to be extended to students and skilled employees.&nbsp;

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was also at the India-UK Tech Summit, did hint at the sharp decline in Indian students studying in the UK since 2010, asking for &nbsp;&quot;greater mobility and participation of young people in educational and research opportunities&quot;.&nbsp;

(WION)

On her first visit to India, she described the potential of the British-Indian relationship as 'limitless'

Looking to strengthen trade ties with India, British Prime Minister Theresa May said Monday that Indian business travellers would be offered easier access to the UK. Speaking at the India-UK Tech Summit in Delhi, May said: "So we will offer, for the first time to any country that needs visas to enter Britain, what we called 'Registered Traveller Scheme'. "That means the Indian nationals who frequently come to the UK and to fuel growth in both our countries, the entry process will become significantly easier," she said. May said businessmen would have to fill fewer forms, and that they would get access to EU-EEA (European Economic Area) passport control and swifter passage through British airports. "In short, more opportunities for Britain and India and a clear message that Britain is very much open for business," she added. May referred to the potential of the British-Indian relationship as "limitless". The Prime Minister's two-day visit aims to reduce trade barriers and make way for a post-Brexit free deal. "I will be discussing with Prime Minister Modi how we can increase the detail and depth of our trade and investment discussions, and identify what more we can do, now, to unleash our businesses, industries, exporters and investors," she said "This does not need to wait for us to leave the EU," she added. The easier access deal will not to be extended to students and skilled employees. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was also at the India-UK Tech Summit, did hint at the sharp decline in Indian students studying in the UK since 2010, asking for "greater mobility and participation of young people in educational and research opportunities". (WION)

Indian business travellers to be cleared faster at UK borders: Theresa May

British Prime Minister Theresa May&#39;s three-day visit to India will begin Sunday night in an attempt to strengthen trade ties with the country in her first bilateral trade trip since taking office.

May&#39;s office said the visit would focus on breaking down barriers to trade and investment and paving the way for a free trade deal as soon as possible after Brexit, news agency Reuters reported.

&quot;It matters now more than ever. India is the fastest-growing major economy,&quot; an Indian government official said, explaining why India was chosen.

&quot;One of our most important and closest friends has to be India, a leading power in the world, with whom we share so much history, culture and so may values, and which is led by a Prime Minister who is undertaking a far-reaching programme of reform,&quot; May wrote in an article published in the Sunday Telegraph.

&quot;This is a partnership about our shared security and shared prosperity. It is a partnership of potential. And on this visit I intend to harness that potential, rebooting an age-old relationship,&quot; she said in a statement ahead of the visit, reported Reuters.

The British premier will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow. May, accompanied by trade ministers Liam Fox and Greg Hands and around 40 business representatives mainly from small- and medium-sized technology and healthcare firms, will address a technology summit, have a working lunch with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and meet businesses, Reuters said.

&quot;I will be using this visit to reaffirm the importance of the strategic partnership we already have, which delivers huge benefits for both our countries, and to work with Prime Minister Modi to agree concrete steps to realise our shared vision of going even further in our cooperation across trade, investment, defence and security,&quot; said the 60-year-old leader of the conservative party, Press Trust of India reported.

Britain cannot sign trade deals with third countries until it exits from the European Union. However, the government is keen to hold preparatory discussions.

&quot;There is a great deal we can do right now to break down barriers to trade, open up new markets for British businesses and prepare the ground for ambitious free trade agreements once we have left the EU,&quot; May said.&nbsp;

A British official refuted the arguement that Britain can sign deals only if it leaves the EU.

&quot;Turkey is in the customs union but has trade agreements with third countries,&quot; the official said.

May will visit New Delhi and Bengaluru during her visit. A total of 1,370 jobs in the UK are expected to be created through the commercial deals signed during the trip, may&#39;s office said.

Turkey has free trade agreements with 18 countries including in Asia, north Africa and South America, while another 12 including Japan and Mexico are actively under discussion, according to the Turkish economy ministry website, reported Reuters.

(With inputs from agencies)

May's office said the visit would focus on breaking down barriers to trade and paving the way for a free trade deal soon after Brexit

British Prime Minister Theresa May's three-day visit to India will begin Sunday night in an attempt to strengthen trade ties with the country in her first bilateral trade trip since taking office. May's office said the visit would focus on breaking down barriers to trade and investment and paving the way for a free trade deal as soon as possible after Brexit, news agency Reuters reported. "It matters now more than ever. India is the fastest-growing major economy," an Indian government official said, explaining why India was chosen. "One of our most important and closest friends has to be India, a leading power in the world, with whom we share so much history, culture and so may values, and which is led by a Prime Minister who is undertaking a far-reaching programme of reform," May wrote in an article published in the Sunday Telegraph. "This is a partnership about our shared security and shared prosperity. It is a partnership of potential. And on this visit I intend to harness that potential, rebooting an age-old relationship," she said in a statement ahead of the visit, reported Reuters. The British premier will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow. May, accompanied by trade ministers Liam Fox and Greg Hands and around 40 business representatives mainly from small- and medium-sized technology and healthcare firms, will address a technology summit, have a working lunch with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and meet businesses, Reuters said. "I will be using this visit to reaffirm the importance of the strategic partnership we already have, which delivers huge benefits for both our countries, and to work with Prime Minister Modi to agree concrete steps to realise our shared vision of going even further in our cooperation across trade, investment, defence and security," said the 60-year-old leader of the conservative party, Press Trust of India reported. Britain cannot sign trade deals with third countries until it exits from the European Union. However, the government is keen to hold preparatory discussions. "There is a great deal we can do right now to break down barriers to trade, open up new markets for British businesses and prepare the ground for ambitious free trade agreements once we have left the EU," May said. A British official refuted the arguement that Britain can sign deals only if it leaves the EU. "Turkey is in the customs union but has trade agreements with third countries," the official said. May will visit New Delhi and Bengaluru during her visit. A total of 1,370 jobs in the UK are expected to be created through the commercial deals signed during the trip, may's office said. Turkey has free trade agreements with 18 countries including in Asia, north Africa and South America, while another 12 including Japan and Mexico are actively under discussion, according to the Turkish economy ministry website, reported Reuters. (With inputs from agencies)

British PM Theresa May to boost trade ties with India during three-day-visit

British Prime Minister Theresa May warned lawmakers Sunday not to block Brexit, after the High Court ruled this week that the UK&#39;s leaving of the European Union would have to be approved by Parliament.

In a statement published ahead of a trade mission to India, May cautioned members of parliament against using the ruling to undermine the result of the June referendum, reported AFP.

&quot;The result was clear. It was legitimate. MPs and peers who regret the referendum result need to accept what the people decided,&quot; she said in the statement.

The Conservative government has said it will appeal Thursday&#39;s court decision.

The High Court ruled: &ldquo;The government does not have power under the crown&rsquo;s prerogative to give notice pursuant to article 50 for the UK to withdraw from the European Union.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The High Court decision has also fuelled speculation that May might call an early election to strengthen her support in the House of Commons before the EU vote.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

'The result was clear. It was legitimate. MPs and peers who regret the referendum result need to accept what the people decided,' she said

British Prime Minister Theresa May warned lawmakers Sunday not to block Brexit, after the High Court ruled this week that the UK's leaving of the European Union would have to be approved by Parliament. In a statement published ahead of a trade mission to India, May cautioned members of parliament against using the ruling to undermine the result of the June referendum, reported AFP. "The result was clear. It was legitimate. MPs and peers who regret the referendum result need to accept what the people decided," she said in the statement. The Conservative government has said it will appeal Thursday's court decision. The High Court ruled: “The government does not have power under the crown’s prerogative to give notice pursuant to article 50 for the UK to withdraw from the European Union.” The High Court decision has also fuelled speculation that May might call an early election to strengthen her support in the House of Commons before the EU vote. (WION with inputs from AFP)

British PM Theresa May warns lawmakers against blocking Brexit

British Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday assured her European counterparts that the timetable for Brexit negotiations &quot;remains unchanged&quot;.&nbsp;

England&#39;s High Court on Thursday had ruled that Article 50 cannot be triggered without the approval of the Parliament.&nbsp;

May told German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU President Jean-Claude Juncker that the British government was confident about Supreme Court ruling in their favor next month, AFP reported.&nbsp;

She assured the same to French President Francois Hollande and European Council president Donald Tusk.&nbsp;

British foreign secretary Boris Johnson downplaying the court&#39;s ruling told his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier &quot;The British people voted to leave the European Union, and leave the treaties of the European Union, and that is what we are going to get on and do.&quot;

Stephen Phillips, a pro-Brexit Conservative lawmaker resigned as an MP regarding May&#39;s decision to not consult the Parliament.&nbsp;

He cited &quot;irreconcilable policy differences with the current government&quot; and said he could live with the label of a &quot;quitter&quot; than a &quot;conservative,&quot; Reuters reported.&nbsp;

There has been growing public anger over High Court&#39;s verdict with pro-Brexit newspapers calling the three judges as &quot;enemies of the people&quot;, and criticised people on social media who supported staying in EU, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

Since taking office, May has been pushing forward for Brexit as quickly as possible to show she will implement the referendum despite voting to stay in EU.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

England's High Court had recently ruled that Parliament must approve the country's leaving of the EU

British Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday assured her European counterparts that the timetable for Brexit negotiations "remains unchanged". England's High Court on Thursday had ruled that Article 50 cannot be triggered without the approval of the Parliament. May told German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU President Jean-Claude Juncker that the British government was confident about Supreme Court ruling in their favor next month, AFP reported. She assured the same to French President Francois Hollande and European Council president Donald Tusk. British foreign secretary Boris Johnson downplaying the court's ruling told his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier "The British people voted to leave the European Union, and leave the treaties of the European Union, and that is what we are going to get on and do." Stephen Phillips, a pro-Brexit Conservative lawmaker resigned as an MP regarding May's decision to not consult the Parliament. He cited "irreconcilable policy differences with the current government" and said he could live with the label of a "quitter" than a "conservative," Reuters reported. There has been growing public anger over High Court's verdict with pro-Brexit newspapers calling the three judges as "enemies of the people", and criticised people on social media who supported staying in EU, Reuters reported. Since taking office, May has been pushing forward for Brexit as quickly as possible to show she will implement the referendum despite voting to stay in EU. (WION with inputs from agencies)

UK PM says Brexit timetable 'unchanged' despite shock ruling

In a landmark constitutional decision, the England&#39;s high court on Thursday ruled that the UK Parliament must hold a vote on beginning the process of leaving the European Union.&nbsp;

The British government said it will appeal the shock ruling that parliament, and not the government, must approve the start of Britain&#39;s withdrawal from the European Union.

&quot;We will appeal this judgment,&quot; said a statement from Prime Minister Theresa May&#39;s office. &quot;The country voted to leave the European Union in a referendum approved by Act of Parliament.&quot;

May had said she intends to use her right of &quot;historic prerogative powers&quot; and begin the formal exit talks by March end, but the latest verdict means the government must conduct a parliamentary vote in order to trigger the Article 50.&nbsp;

Most members of the House of Commons campaigned for Britain to stay in the EU in the June referendum, and there is speculation they could push for a softer break with the bloc and the parliamentary vote could delay the Brexit by months.

May has accused those involving the court of seeking to frustrate the process and delay the discussions with the EU, which could affect her negotiating stance.&nbsp;

The campaigners argue that Britain was taken into the EU by parliament, and only the parliament can make the decision to leave.

&quot;This is not about whether we should stay or leave, this is actually about how we leave,&quot; Gina Miller, the co-founder of investment fund SCM Private and the lead claimant in the case, told AFP last month.

She added: &quot;If we bypass or we set a precedent... that a prime minister can decide what rights we have and what rights we don&#39;t, then basically we go back to being a dictatorship and we roll back democracy 400 years.&quot;

The government is expected to challenge the ruling and appeal to the Supreme Court for final deliberation before the end of the year.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

In a major upset for Theresa May's Brexit plans, the high court said the UK govenment must take parliamentary approval to trigger Article 50

In a landmark constitutional decision, the England's high court on Thursday ruled that the UK Parliament must hold a vote on beginning the process of leaving the European Union. The British government said it will appeal the shock ruling that parliament, and not the government, must approve the start of Britain's withdrawal from the European Union. "We will appeal this judgment," said a statement from Prime Minister Theresa May's office. "The country voted to leave the European Union in a referendum approved by Act of Parliament." May had said she intends to use her right of "historic prerogative powers" and begin the formal exit talks by March end, but the latest verdict means the government must conduct a parliamentary vote in order to trigger the Article 50. Most members of the House of Commons campaigned for Britain to stay in the EU in the June referendum, and there is speculation they could push for a softer break with the bloc and the parliamentary vote could delay the Brexit by months. May has accused those involving the court of seeking to frustrate the process and delay the discussions with the EU, which could affect her negotiating stance. The campaigners argue that Britain was taken into the EU by parliament, and only the parliament can make the decision to leave. "This is not about whether we should stay or leave, this is actually about how we leave," Gina Miller, the co-founder of investment fund SCM Private and the lead claimant in the case, told AFP last month. She added: "If we bypass or we set a precedent... that a prime minister can decide what rights we have and what rights we don't, then basically we go back to being a dictatorship and we roll back democracy 400 years." The government is expected to challenge the ruling and appeal to the Supreme Court for final deliberation before the end of the year. (WION with inputs from AFP)

UK parliament must hold vote to open Brexit talks, rules high court

EU leaders on Friday backed down from imposing sanctions against Russia for bombing Aleppo, but warned that &quot;all available options&quot; will be considered if Moscow continues bombing Syria.&nbsp;

The European Union leaders had&nbsp;gathered in Brussels to discuss the situation in Syria and&nbsp;Russian &quot;airspace violations, disinformation campaigns, cyber-attacks, interference in political processes in the Balkans and beyond&quot; among other issues, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

After the two-day summit in Brussels, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi demanded&nbsp;the removal of sanctions against Russia from a statement issued after the summit.&nbsp;EU president Donald Tusk said&nbsp;EU leaders wished to &quot;keep the unity of the EU&quot; over Russia.&nbsp;

The altered statement said the EU &quot;strongly condemns the attacks by the Syrian regime and its allies, notably Russia, on civilians in Aleppo&quot; and called for an &quot;immediate cessation of hostilities&quot;.

The statement also read that the EU will &quot;consider all available options, should the current atrocities continue&quot;, AFP reported.&nbsp;

Russia on the same day announced it would stop its onslaught on Aleppo, and the ceasefire was called in for 24 hours.&nbsp;

However, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Holland called for sanctions to remain after their meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Merkel said the EU &quot;cannot accept these inhuman bombardments&quot;,&nbsp;adding that &quot;if this kind of violation continues, of course, we will envisage all available measures in order to react to this,&quot; she told reporters.&nbsp;

While Hollande said, &quot;all options are open&nbsp;for as long as there is not a ceasefire that is respected and for as long as there is an intention to destroy this town, Aleppo, a town of martyrs&quot;.&nbsp;

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said the priority was to &quot;make all possible efforts to find a peace deal in Syria&quot;.

British Prime Minister Theresa May called for a &quot;robust and united&quot; move by the EU against the &quot;sickening atrocities&quot; taking place in Syria. This is May&#39;s first EU summit after Brexit.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The new statement called for 'immediate cessation of hostilities' and 'will consider all available options should the atrocities continue'

EU leaders on Friday backed down from imposing sanctions against Russia for bombing Aleppo, but warned that "all available options" will be considered if Moscow continues bombing Syria. The European Union leaders had gathered in Brussels to discuss the situation in Syria and Russian "airspace violations, disinformation campaigns, cyber-attacks, interference in political processes in the Balkans and beyond" among other issues, Reuters reported. After the two-day summit in Brussels, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi demanded the removal of sanctions against Russia from a statement issued after the summit. EU president Donald Tusk said EU leaders wished to "keep the unity of the EU" over Russia. The altered statement said the EU "strongly condemns the attacks by the Syrian regime and its allies, notably Russia, on civilians in Aleppo" and called for an "immediate cessation of hostilities". The statement also read that the EU will "consider all available options, should the current atrocities continue", AFP reported. Russia on the same day announced it would stop its onslaught on Aleppo, and the ceasefire was called in for 24 hours. However, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Holland called for sanctions to remain after their meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. Merkel said the EU "cannot accept these inhuman bombardments", adding that "if this kind of violation continues, of course, we will envisage all available measures in order to react to this," she told reporters. While Hollande said, "all options are open for as long as there is not a ceasefire that is respected and for as long as there is an intention to destroy this town, Aleppo, a town of martyrs". Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said the priority was to "make all possible efforts to find a peace deal in Syria". British Prime Minister Theresa May called for a "robust and united" move by the EU against the "sickening atrocities" taking place in Syria. This is May's first EU summit after Brexit. (WION with inputs from AFP)

EU backs down on sanctions against Russia over Aleppo bombing

Britain&#39;s jobless rate held at 4.9 percent in the three months to the end of August, official data showed Wednesday, signalling little impact thus far from the shock Brexit vote.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the June-August rate -- a low for 11 years -- matched the 4.9-percent figure for the three-month period that ended in July.

The nation&#39;s jobless total meanwhile stood at 1.66 million people over the same period. That was 118,000 fewer than a year earlier.&nbsp;

&quot;All in all this (data) suggests that Brexit has hardly had any measurable impact on the UK labour market yet,&quot; noted economist Kay Daniel Neufeld, at the Centre for Economics and Business Research think tank.

&quot;Unemployment has been low throughout the year and wages continue to grow at a subdued but steady rate.&quot;

British Prime Minister Theresa May has already stated that she will trigger the two-year process to exit the European Union by the end of March 2017, after the surprise approval of the Brexit referendum on June 23.

Commentators also warn that the jobless rate could head higher before the end of this year.

&quot;We suspect both the economy and the labour market will be increasingly pressurised by mounting uncertainties over the coming months -- particularly once the government triggers Article 50,&quot; said IHS Markit economist Howard Archer.

&quot;We also expect growth to slow as consumer purchasing power is increasingly squeezed.

&quot;Consequently, we see the unemployment rate starting to trend up before too long and suspect that it could reach 5.0 percent by the end of 2016.&quot;

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, British building materials supplier Travis Perkins said that up to 600 jobs were at risk from the uncertain economic outlook arising from Brexit. 
&nbsp;

(AFP)

UK's jobless rate stood at 4.9% in three months to end of August, signalling little impact from the shock of Brexit vote

Britain's jobless rate held at 4.9 percent in the three months to the end of August, official data showed Wednesday, signalling little impact thus far from the shock Brexit vote. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the June-August rate -- a low for 11 years -- matched the 4.9-percent figure for the three-month period that ended in July. The nation's jobless total meanwhile stood at 1.66 million people over the same period. That was 118,000 fewer than a year earlier. "All in all this (data) suggests that Brexit has hardly had any measurable impact on the UK labour market yet," noted economist Kay Daniel Neufeld, at the Centre for Economics and Business Research think tank. "Unemployment has been low throughout the year and wages continue to grow at a subdued but steady rate." British Prime Minister Theresa May has already stated that she will trigger the two-year process to exit the European Union by the end of March 2017, after the surprise approval of the Brexit referendum on June 23. Commentators also warn that the jobless rate could head higher before the end of this year. "We suspect both the economy and the labour market will be increasingly pressurised by mounting uncertainties over the coming months -- particularly once the government triggers Article 50," said IHS Markit economist Howard Archer. "We also expect growth to slow as consumer purchasing power is increasingly squeezed. "Consequently, we see the unemployment rate starting to trend up before too long and suspect that it could reach 5.0 percent by the end of 2016." Meanwhile, on Wednesday, British building materials supplier Travis Perkins said that up to 600 jobs were at risk from the uncertain economic outlook arising from Brexit. (AFP)

Despite Brexit, Britain unemployment rate at 11-year low

British Prime Minister Theresa May will visit India next month with an ambition to forge new global role for Britain after it leaves the European Union, May&#39;s Downing Street office said in a statement.

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The November 6-8 trip will be her first ever bilateral visit to a country outside Europe after she took office in July, international news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A number of commercial deals are expected to be signed &nbsp;between India and Britain as the heads of the two states -- May and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- meet to inaugurate a tech summit in Delhi.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;As we embark on the trade mission to India we will send the message that the UK will be the most passionate, most consistent, and most convincing advocate for free trade,&quot; May was quoted as saying.

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Liam Fox, Britain&#39;s secretary of state for international trade, will join the visit.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)&nbsp; 
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A number of commercial deals are expected to be signed ?between India and Britain during May's visit

British Prime Minister Theresa May will visit India next month with an ambition to forge new global role for Britain after it leaves the European Union, May's Downing Street office said in a statement. The November 6-8 trip will be her first ever bilateral visit to a country outside Europe after she took office in July, international news agency Reuters reported. A number of commercial deals are expected to be signed between India and Britain as the heads of the two states -- May and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- meet to inaugurate a tech summit in Delhi. "As we embark on the trade mission to India we will send the message that the UK will be the most passionate, most consistent, and most convincing advocate for free trade," May was quoted as saying. Liam Fox, Britain's secretary of state for international trade, will join the visit. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Britain's PM May to visit India in first trade mission after taking office

All European Union&nbsp;citizens currently living in Britain will be able to stay after Brexit, a newspaper reported on Saturday citing unnamed cabinet ministers, despite the government&#39;s refusal to publicly guarantee their status.

Official research suggests that more than 80 per cent of the 3.6 million EU citizens living in Britain would be eligible for residency by the time Britain is expected to leave the European Union in 2019, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Under plans being drawn up by the interior ministry, the remainder would be offered some kind of amnesty involving the right to permanently stay in Britain, it said.

Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May has said she &quot;fully expects&quot; to be able to guarantee the rights of EU citizens to stay in Britain, but said it was dependent on the rights accorded to Britons living elsewhere in the EU.

Earlier this week, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox repeated her position, and said that their fate was part of Britain&#39;s negotiating hand.

&quot;To give that away before we get into the negotiation would be to hand over one of our main cards in that negotiation and doesn&#39;t necessarily make sense at this point,&quot; he told a fringe meeting at the Conservative party conference.

After a referendum campaign fought on the issue of control over EU migration, the conference was dominated by tough talk on immigration, including proposals to make firms declare foreign workers, which were widely condemned.

May has said she intends to begin the two-year Brexit process by March 2017, putting Britain on course to end its membership of the EU by early 2019. 
&nbsp;

(AFP)

Official research suggests that more than 80% of the EU citizens would be eligible for residency by the time Britain leaves EU in 2019

All European Union citizens currently living in Britain will be able to stay after Brexit, a newspaper reported on Saturday citing unnamed cabinet ministers, despite the government's refusal to publicly guarantee their status. Official research suggests that more than 80 per cent of the 3.6 million EU citizens living in Britain would be eligible for residency by the time Britain is expected to leave the European Union in 2019, the Daily Telegraph reported. Under plans being drawn up by the interior ministry, the remainder would be offered some kind of amnesty involving the right to permanently stay in Britain, it said. Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May has said she "fully expects" to be able to guarantee the rights of EU citizens to stay in Britain, but said it was dependent on the rights accorded to Britons living elsewhere in the EU. Earlier this week, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox repeated her position, and said that their fate was part of Britain's negotiating hand. "To give that away before we get into the negotiation would be to hand over one of our main cards in that negotiation and doesn't necessarily make sense at this point," he told a fringe meeting at the Conservative party conference. After a referendum campaign fought on the issue of control over EU migration, the conference was dominated by tough talk on immigration, including proposals to make firms declare foreign workers, which were widely condemned. May has said she intends to begin the two-year Brexit process by March 2017, putting Britain on course to end its membership of the EU by early 2019. (AFP)

Britain 'will allow EU citizens to stay' after Brexit: Media report

&nbsp;

Britain today announced plans to allow its soldiers to opt out of European human rights law, in a move Prime Minister Theresa May said would end &quot;the industry of vexatious claims&quot; against troops.

Under the new proposal the British government said it would allow soldiers to sidestep the European Convention on Human Rights during times of conflict, depending on an assessment of the circumstances.

&quot;My government will ensure that our troops are recognised for the incredible job they do. Those who serve on the frontline will have our support when they come home.

&quot;We will repay them with gratitude and put an end to the industry of vexatious claims that has pursued those who served in previous conflicts,&quot; May said in a statement.

The plan, announced during the ruling Conservative Party&#39;s annual conference, is intended to prevent legal claims against members of the armed forces which defence minister Michael Fallon said amounted to &quot;false charges&quot;.

&quot;Our legal system has been abused to level false charges against our troops on an industrial scale.

&quot;It has caused significant distress to people who risked their lives to protect us, it has cost the taxpayer millions and there is a real risk it will stop our armed forces doing their job,&quot; he said.

In their announcement the government said despite the opt-out from European legislation, soldiers would continue to abide by the Geneva Conventions.

Britain set up the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) to investigate allegations by Iraqi civilians of abuse by British soldiers between the US-led invasion in 2003 and 2009 when British combat troops left.

As of March 31, 2016, the team was investigating 1,374 cases, with allegations related to ill treatment, missing persons and deaths.

The ministry of defence said in January that the IHAT had dropped 57 investigations, while the military&#39;s prosecuting authority stopped one additional case.

A total of 326 cases have been settled, with compensation payments totalling 20 million Pounds ($26 million, 23 million Euros).

More broadly, Britain has spent more than 100 million pounds on Iraq-related investigations, inquiries and compensation, the government said on Tuesday.

(AFP)

The government said soldiers would continue to abide by the Geneva Conventions

Britain today announced plans to allow its soldiers to opt out of European human rights law, in a move Prime Minister Theresa May said would end "the industry of vexatious claims" against troops. Under the new proposal the British government said it would allow soldiers to sidestep the European Convention on Human Rights during times of conflict, depending on an assessment of the circumstances. "My government will ensure that our troops are recognised for the incredible job they do. Those who serve on the frontline will have our support when they come home. "We will repay them with gratitude and put an end to the industry of vexatious claims that has pursued those who served in previous conflicts," May said in a statement. The plan, announced during the ruling Conservative Party's annual conference, is intended to prevent legal claims against members of the armed forces which defence minister Michael Fallon said amounted to "false charges". "Our legal system has been abused to level false charges against our troops on an industrial scale. "It has caused significant distress to people who risked their lives to protect us, it has cost the taxpayer millions and there is a real risk it will stop our armed forces doing their job," he said. In their announcement the government said despite the opt-out from European legislation, soldiers would continue to abide by the Geneva Conventions. Britain set up the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) to investigate allegations by Iraqi civilians of abuse by British soldiers between the US-led invasion in 2003 and 2009 when British combat troops left. As of March 31, 2016, the team was investigating 1,374 cases, with allegations related to ill treatment, missing persons and deaths. The ministry of defence said in January that the IHAT had dropped 57 investigations, while the military's prosecuting authority stopped one additional case. A total of 326 cases have been settled, with compensation payments totalling 20 million Pounds ($26 million, 23 million Euros). More broadly, Britain has spent more than 100 million pounds on Iraq-related investigations, inquiries and compensation, the government said on Tuesday. (AFP)

Britain may allow troops to opt out of European human rights law

Britain will want to keep some European Union laws, including on workers` rights and the environment, once it has left the bloc, transport minister and leading Brexit campaigner Chris Grayling said on Sunday.

The government has said it will next year repeal the 1972 act that took Britain into what is now the EU. It will then transpose EU law into British law before deciding on what to keep.

&quot;There`s some things we`ll want to keep: in the area of the environment, for example, in the area of workers` rights. There are other things that we`ll want to get rid of,&quot; Grayling told ITV.

Grayling said the Great Repeal Bill would go through Britain`s parliament between May 2017 and May 2018.

(Reuters)

The government has said it will next year repeal the 1972 act that took Britain into what is now the EU

Britain will want to keep some European Union laws, including on workers` rights and the environment, once it has left the bloc, transport minister and leading Brexit campaigner Chris Grayling said on Sunday. The government has said it will next year repeal the 1972 act that took Britain into what is now the EU. It will then transpose EU law into British law before deciding on what to keep. "There`s some things we`ll want to keep: in the area of the environment, for example, in the area of workers` rights. There are other things that we`ll want to get rid of," Grayling told ITV. Grayling said the Great Repeal Bill would go through Britain`s parliament between May 2017 and May 2018. (Reuters)

Britain to retain some EU laws after Brexit: Minister

Britain&#39;s foreign secretary Boris Johnson announced on Thursday that Britain has plans to trigger Article 50, the formal process for leaving the European Union (EU), early next year.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We are talking to our European friends and partners in the expectation that by the early part of next year, you will see an Article 50 letter. We will invoke that,&quot; he told Britain&#39;s Sky News television in New York. 
 
Theresa May&#39;s Downing Street office, however, denied Johnson&#39;s comments. 
 
&quot;The government&#39;s position has not changed. We will not trigger Article 50 before the end of 2016 and we are using this time to prepare for the negotiations,&quot; a spokesman told AFP.&nbsp; 
 
Europe minister Alan Duncan said he did not believe Johnson really wanted Britain to leave the EU at all, AFP reported. 
 
&quot;I&#39;ve always thought that Boris&#39; wish was to lose by one (vote) so that he could be the heir apparent,&quot; without having to deal with &quot;clearing up all the mess&quot;, Duncan told the BBC. 
 
Johnson has also reportedly denied suggestions that Britain would have to continue allowing free movement of people with EU if it wanted access to the European single market.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;They would have us believe that there is some automatic trade-off between what they call access to the single market and free movement. Complete baloney. Absolute baloney,&quot; &nbsp;AFP quoted him as saying.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The two things have nothing to do with each other. We should go for a jumbo free-trade deal and take back control of our immigration policy.&quot; 
 
Johnson said that even after Brexit the country would continue to play a role in pan-European defence and security measures.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We will continue to be a participant in common European defence discussions, security, foreign policy, counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing and all that kind of thing,&quot; he said. 
 
On Thursday, May met &nbsp;was meeting with Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament, who has urged her to trigger Article 50 as soon as possible. 
 
&quot;The European Parliament favours the earliest possible triggering of Article 50,&quot; he said, AFP reported. 
 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

Europe minister Alan Duncan said he did not believe that Johnson really wanted Britain to leave the EU at all

Britain's foreign secretary Boris Johnson announced on Thursday that Britain has plans to trigger Article 50, the formal process for leaving the European Union (EU), early next year. "We are talking to our European friends and partners in the expectation that by the early part of next year, you will see an Article 50 letter. We will invoke that," he told Britain's Sky News television in New York. Theresa May's Downing Street office, however, denied Johnson's comments. "The government's position has not changed. We will not trigger Article 50 before the end of 2016 and we are using this time to prepare for the negotiations," a spokesman told AFP. Europe minister Alan Duncan said he did not believe Johnson really wanted Britain to leave the EU at all, AFP reported. "I've always thought that Boris' wish was to lose by one (vote) so that he could be the heir apparent," without having to deal with "clearing up all the mess", Duncan told the BBC. Johnson has also reportedly denied suggestions that Britain would have to continue allowing free movement of people with EU if it wanted access to the European single market. "They would have us believe that there is some automatic trade-off between what they call access to the single market and free movement. Complete baloney. Absolute baloney," AFP quoted him as saying. "The two things have nothing to do with each other. We should go for a jumbo free-trade deal and take back control of our immigration policy." Johnson said that even after Brexit the country would continue to play a role in pan-European defence and security measures. "We will continue to be a participant in common European defence discussions, security, foreign policy, counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing and all that kind of thing," he said. On Thursday, May met was meeting with Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament, who has urged her to trigger Article 50 as soon as possible. "The European Parliament favours the earliest possible triggering of Article 50," he said, AFP reported. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Boris Johnson claims UK will trigger EU exit process early next year, Downing Street denies

In an attempt to reassure investors after Brexit, British Prime Minister Theresa May met Wall Street finance leaders on Monday to discuss the consequences of the vote. 
 
She met officials from Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and other banks discussing investments for a post-Brexit Europe. 
 
&quot;Every working day in the United Kingdom one million people wake up and go to work for an American company. And every day in the United States one million people wake up and go to work for a UK company,&quot; May told the business leaders. 
 
&quot;So you see there is reciprocity,&quot; said May, who is in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly. &quot;The UK is going to be out there. We will be looking &lrm;for business. And ladies and gentlemen, please feel free to invest in the UK.&quot; 
 
May asked the business leaders what issue they wanted to be addressed in the Brexit negotiations. She expressed confidence that she would yield a good trade deal with the European Union.&nbsp; 
 
The United States is the largest single inward investor into Britain. Five of its largest banks have already started talks with European regulators about procedures for obtaining banking licenses and meeting capital requirements in EU countries post Britain&#39;s exit.&nbsp; 
 
London and Brussels are expected to conduct lengthy talks after May triggers the EU treaty&#39;s Article 50. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
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May sought to rebuild economic confidence among US businesses, the largest investors in Britain

In an attempt to reassure investors after Brexit, British Prime Minister Theresa May met Wall Street finance leaders on Monday to discuss the consequences of the vote. She met officials from Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and other banks discussing investments for a post-Brexit Europe. "Every working day in the United Kingdom one million people wake up and go to work for an American company. And every day in the United States one million people wake up and go to work for a UK company," May told the business leaders. "So you see there is reciprocity," said May, who is in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly. "The UK is going to be out there. We will be looking ‎for business. And ladies and gentlemen, please feel free to invest in the UK." May asked the business leaders what issue they wanted to be addressed in the Brexit negotiations. She expressed confidence that she would yield a good trade deal with the European Union. The United States is the largest single inward investor into Britain. Five of its largest banks have already started talks with European regulators about procedures for obtaining banking licenses and meeting capital requirements in EU countries post Britain's exit. London and Brussels are expected to conduct lengthy talks after May triggers the EU treaty's Article 50. (WION with inputs from agencies)

British PM Theresa May meets Wall Street banks to discuss post-Brexit investments

Britain is one of the most unequal developed countries where the gap between the rich and the poor has 
increased and the richest 10% own more than half of the country&#39;s wealth, the Guardian reported quoting a survey by Oxfam.&nbsp; 
 
The survey says it is this &quot;distrust and disconnection with political processes&quot; that led many people to vote for a change and opt out of the European Union &quot;in the hope that it would improve their economic position.&quot; 
 
The top 1% own just less than a quarter of the country&#39;s total wealth while the poorest 20% share just &nbsp;0.8% of the wealth between them. The combined wealth of the richest 1% is more than 20 times that of the poorest fifth, the report stated using data from investment bank Credit Suisse. 
 
As per The Guardian, the report states, &ldquo;The UK is one of the most unequal developed countries in the world. Three decades of high-level inequality have had a profound impact, leading many people to believe that they have little stake in society and to feel locked out of politics and economic opportunity. 
 
The anti-poverty charity has called on the Theresa May-led government to bridge the gap between the &quot;have&quot; and the &quot;have nots&quot;. 
 
The Guardian attributes this inequality to the rise in property prices in the last 20 years and substantive retirement wages for the wealthy with no such benefits for the poor. 
 
The Oxfam paper called for an overhaul of the tax system so the richest members of society including major corporations paid their fair share of tax. It also called for curbs on excessive pay, extra funding for skills training and greater worker representation on boards.

(WION) 
 
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An Oxfam survey states it is this "distrust and disconnection with political processes" that led many people to vote for a change and opt out of the EU

Britain is one of the most unequal developed countries where the gap between the rich and the poor has increased and the richest 10% own more than half of the country's wealth, the Guardian reported quoting a survey by Oxfam. The survey says it is this "distrust and disconnection with political processes" that led many people to vote for a change and opt out of the European Union "in the hope that it would improve their economic position." The top 1% own just less than a quarter of the country's total wealth while the poorest 20% share just 0.8% of the wealth between them. The combined wealth of the richest 1% is more than 20 times that of the poorest fifth, the report stated using data from investment bank Credit Suisse. As per The Guardian, the report states, “The UK is one of the most unequal developed countries in the world. Three decades of high-level inequality have had a profound impact, leading many people to believe that they have little stake in society and to feel locked out of politics and economic opportunity. The anti-poverty charity has called on the Theresa May-led government to bridge the gap between the "have" and the "have nots". The Guardian attributes this inequality to the rise in property prices in the last 20 years and substantive retirement wages for the wealthy with no such benefits for the poor. The Oxfam paper called for an overhaul of the tax system so the richest members of society including major corporations paid their fair share of tax. It also called for curbs on excessive pay, extra funding for skills training and greater worker representation on boards. (WION)

10% of Britons own more than half the country's wealth: Survey

British Prime Minister Theresa May warned of possible &quot;difficult times ahead&quot; for Britain&#39;s economy as she arrived at the G20 summit of world leaders in China on Saturday.&nbsp; 
 
She said there may be difficult times ahead, but also voiced her optimism about Britain&rsquo;s health. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m not going to pretend that it&#39;s all going to be plain sailing,&quot; she said. &quot;I think we must be prepared for the fact that there may be some difficult times ahead. But what I am is optimistic.&quot; 
 
May also confirmed Downing Street briefings that she is not intending to call a general election soon. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m not going to be calling a snap election,&quot; May said.&nbsp; 
 
She added, &quot;I&#39;ve been very clear that I think we need that period of time, that stability, to be able to deal with the issues that the country is facing and have that election in 2020.&quot; 
 
May is meeting world leaders including US President Barack Obama and China&#39;s Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in China. 
 
She had been hoping to pitch the UK as a global leader in free trade during her first major outing on the world stage at the G20 summit. 
 
But, she was faced with a difficult start.&nbsp; 
 
President Barack Obama said the UK would not be the priority for a US trade deal and Japan issued an unprecedented 15-page warning about the consequences of Brexit. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

May said, 'I think we must be prepared for the fact that there may be some difficult times ahead. But what I am is optimistic'

British Prime Minister Theresa May warned of possible "difficult times ahead" for Britain's economy as she arrived at the G20 summit of world leaders in China on Saturday. She said there may be difficult times ahead, but also voiced her optimism about Britain’s health. "I'm not going to pretend that it's all going to be plain sailing," she said. "I think we must be prepared for the fact that there may be some difficult times ahead. But what I am is optimistic." May also confirmed Downing Street briefings that she is not intending to call a general election soon. "I'm not going to be calling a snap election," May said. She added, "I've been very clear that I think we need that period of time, that stability, to be able to deal with the issues that the country is facing and have that election in 2020." May is meeting world leaders including US President Barack Obama and China's Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in China. She had been hoping to pitch the UK as a global leader in free trade during her first major outing on the world stage at the G20 summit. But, she was faced with a difficult start. President Barack Obama said the UK would not be the priority for a US trade deal and Japan issued an unprecedented 15-page warning about the consequences of Brexit. (WION with inputs from agencies)

May warns of 'difficult times' for UK economy

British Prime Minister Theresa May is being accused of displaying a monarch-like arrogance over her reported intention to deny a parliamentary vote on Brexit before beginning the formal process of pulling the United Kingdom out of the European Union (EU). 
 
May is allegedly planning to prevent Members of Parliament from voting on the decision to leave the EU before Article 50, the legislation that will trigger the UK&#39;s formal exit from the bloc, is triggered, reports The Guardian. 
 
There has been a post-referendum debate over whether the result is merely advisory, as the act that created it did not specify whether the result would be binding. Some have argued a vote should be held in parliament to ratify the result. 
 
Reportedly, May had been told by government lawyers that she did not need parliamentary approval to trigger the procedure, but it is believed she could face legal challenges over the decision. 
 
The vast majority of MPs - up to 480 - and most peers in the House of Lords have opposed the UK&#39;s decision to leave the EU. 
 
Owen Smith, who is challenging Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership of the Labour Party, suggested that May would avoid a parliamentary debate because there was insufficient support for Brexit. 
 
&quot;Theresa May is clearly running scared from parliamentary scrutiny of her Brexit negotiations. She&#39;s looked at the numbers and she knows she might not win a vote in parliament,&quot; he said. 
 
Tottenham labour MP David Lammy, who has been campaigning for a second referendum over Brexit, tweeted that the plans were a &quot;stitch-up&quot;, adding that, &quot;In our democracy, parliament is sovereign and must vote ahead of any decision to Brexit.&quot; 
 
May came to power after elected British prime minister David Cameron resigned post the win of the Brexit vote. 
 
Cameron had urged people to vote in favour of staying with the EU but was left distraught by the narrow 52 percent vote win to leave the grouping. 
 
(ANI)

May is allegedly planning to prevent Members of Parliament from voting on the decision to leave the EU before Article 50

British Prime Minister Theresa May is being accused of displaying a monarch-like arrogance over her reported intention to deny a parliamentary vote on Brexit before beginning the formal process of pulling the United Kingdom out of the European Union (EU). May is allegedly planning to prevent Members of Parliament from voting on the decision to leave the EU before Article 50, the legislation that will trigger the UK's formal exit from the bloc, is triggered, reports The Guardian. There has been a post-referendum debate over whether the result is merely advisory, as the act that created it did not specify whether the result would be binding. Some have argued a vote should be held in parliament to ratify the result. Reportedly, May had been told by government lawyers that she did not need parliamentary approval to trigger the procedure, but it is believed she could face legal challenges over the decision. The vast majority of MPs - up to 480 - and most peers in the House of Lords have opposed the UK's decision to leave the EU. Owen Smith, who is challenging Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership of the Labour Party, suggested that May would avoid a parliamentary debate because there was insufficient support for Brexit. "Theresa May is clearly running scared from parliamentary scrutiny of her Brexit negotiations. She's looked at the numbers and she knows she might not win a vote in parliament," he said. Tottenham labour MP David Lammy, who has been campaigning for a second referendum over Brexit, tweeted that the plans were a "stitch-up", adding that, "In our democracy, parliament is sovereign and must vote ahead of any decision to Brexit." May came to power after elected British prime minister David Cameron resigned post the win of the Brexit vote. Cameron had urged people to vote in favour of staying with the EU but was left distraught by the narrow 52 percent vote win to leave the grouping. (ANI)

British Prime Minister criticised for her denial to vote on Brexit

Prime Minister Theresa May wants to trigger Britain&#39;s withdrawal from the European Union without a vote in parliament beforehand, a report said Saturday. 
 
A source in her Downing Street office said the Daily Telegraph report was speculation but added that May was &quot;committed to delivering on the verdict the public gave&quot; in the June referendum, when 52 percent voted for Britain to leave the EU. 
 
May&#39;s government already faces a legal challenge to stop it beginning the process of leaving the EU without an act of parliament. 
 
Lawyers from the Mishcon de Reya lawfirm are poised to challenge the government in the English High Court, arguing that May cannot trigger Article 50 of the EU&#39;s Lisbon Treaty -- the legal process for leaving the bloc -- without a parliamentary debate and vote authorising it to do so. 
 
A majority of members of parliament&#39;s lower House of Commons campaigned for Britain to remain in the EU, including May. 
 
Once Article 50 is triggered, it would start a two-year countdown on Britain&#39;s exit from the EU. 
 
May has said it will not be triggered this year, the government needing time to shape Britain&#39;s exit objectives first. 
 
Meanwhile Gus O&#39;Donnell, the former head of the civil service, said Brexit was not inevitable and Britain could still remain a part of a changed EU. 
 
&quot;It very much depends what happens to public opinion and whether the EU changes&quot; before Britain was ready to leave, he told The Times newspaper. 
 
&quot;It might be that the broader, more loosely aligned group, is something that the UK is happy being a member of.&quot; 
 
He told BBC radio that elections in France and Germany next year meant &quot;it is not even clear which leaders our prime minister will be negotiating with, so I don&#39;t think there&#39;s any great rush to do it&quot;. 
 
Bookmakers believe there is a one in eight chance of a second Brexit referendum before the end of 2020. 
 
(AFP)

A source in her office said the news report was speculation but added that May was 'committed to delivering on the verdict the public gave'

Prime Minister Theresa May wants to trigger Britain's withdrawal from the European Union without a vote in parliament beforehand, a report said Saturday. A source in her Downing Street office said the Daily Telegraph report was speculation but added that May was "committed to delivering on the verdict the public gave" in the June referendum, when 52 percent voted for Britain to leave the EU. May's government already faces a legal challenge to stop it beginning the process of leaving the EU without an act of parliament. Lawyers from the Mishcon de Reya lawfirm are poised to challenge the government in the English High Court, arguing that May cannot trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty -- the legal process for leaving the bloc -- without a parliamentary debate and vote authorising it to do so. A majority of members of parliament's lower House of Commons campaigned for Britain to remain in the EU, including May. Once Article 50 is triggered, it would start a two-year countdown on Britain's exit from the EU. May has said it will not be triggered this year, the government needing time to shape Britain's exit objectives first. Meanwhile Gus O'Donnell, the former head of the civil service, said Brexit was not inevitable and Britain could still remain a part of a changed EU. "It very much depends what happens to public opinion and whether the EU changes" before Britain was ready to leave, he told The Times newspaper. "It might be that the broader, more loosely aligned group, is something that the UK is happy being a member of." He told BBC radio that elections in France and Germany next year meant "it is not even clear which leaders our prime minister will be negotiating with, so I don't think there's any great rush to do it". Bookmakers believe there is a one in eight chance of a second Brexit referendum before the end of 2020. (AFP)

British PM to trigger EU pull-out 'without parliament vote': Telegraph

Britain&#39;s departure from the EU could be delayed until late 2019 as civil servants struggle with the task and French and German elections may hold up the start of exit negotiations, a report said on Sunday. 
 
Prime Minister Theresa May&#39;s government has indicated that it is planning to trigger Article 50 of the EU&#39;s Lisbon Treaty, which would start a two-year countdown to leaving the bloc, early in 2017. 
 
But the Sunday Times newspaper said ministers had privately warned senior figures in the City of London financial sector that this may not now happen until later in the year, delaying Brexit until late 2019. 
 
&quot;Ministers are now thinking the trigger could be delayed to autumn 2017,&quot; said one City source who had spoken to two senior ministers on the issue. 
 
&quot;They don&#39;t have the infrastructure for the people they need to hire. They say they don&#39;t even know the right questions to ask when they finally begin bargaining with Europe.&quot; 
 
An unnamed cabinet minister told the paper there were &quot;some challenges&quot; in the German and French electoral timetables. 
 
France has presidential elections in April and May next year, and Germany has elections in the autumn. 
 
May created a new ministry to oversee Brexit talks following the June 23 referendum vote to leave the EU, but the minister in charge, 
David Davis, has reportedly only hired about half of the staff that he needs. 
 
Another new department, the ministry for international trade under Liam Fox, also has an uphill task to recruit experts after decades of leaving the job to Brussels left Britain with only a handful of experienced negotiators. 
 
(AFP)

Theresa May's government plans to initiate exit process not before 2017, said a source who has spoken to two senior ministers on the issue

Britain's departure from the EU could be delayed until late 2019 as civil servants struggle with the task and French and German elections may hold up the start of exit negotiations, a report said on Sunday. Prime Minister Theresa May's government has indicated that it is planning to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, which would start a two-year countdown to leaving the bloc, early in 2017. But the Sunday Times newspaper said ministers had privately warned senior figures in the City of London financial sector that this may not now happen until later in the year, delaying Brexit until late 2019. "Ministers are now thinking the trigger could be delayed to autumn 2017," said one City source who had spoken to two senior ministers on the issue. "They don't have the infrastructure for the people they need to hire. They say they don't even know the right questions to ask when they finally begin bargaining with Europe." An unnamed cabinet minister told the paper there were "some challenges" in the German and French electoral timetables. France has presidential elections in April and May next year, and Germany has elections in the autumn. May created a new ministry to oversee Brexit talks following the June 23 referendum vote to leave the EU, but the minister in charge, David Davis, has reportedly only hired about half of the staff that he needs. Another new department, the ministry for international trade under Liam Fox, also has an uphill task to recruit experts after decades of leaving the job to Brussels left Britain with only a handful of experienced negotiators. (AFP)

Brexit could be delayed till 2019 due to 'lack of infrastructure'

Estonia will take over the rotating EU presidency from Britain in late 2017 after London pulled out to focus on negotiations to leave the bloc, the 28 members of the union said yesterday. 
 
In the first major step towards Brexit after last month&#39;s shock referendum result, Prime Minister Theresa May announced that Britain would no longer take up its scheduled six-month stint next July. 
 
Ambassadors of the 28 member states had reached a &quot;broad agreement&quot; on July 20 to bring forward Estonia&#39;s presidency by six months to take Britain&#39;s place, a spokesman for European Council president Donald Tusk said last week. 
 
A statement on yesterday said that decision was formalised. 
 
Croatia, which in 2013 became the latest state to join the EU, will take over the presidency in the first semester of 2020, the members&#39; statement added. 
 
Slovakia currently holds the presidency and will be followed by Malta in the first half of 2017. 
 
(AFP)

Britain will not take up its scheduled six-month term next July. Estonia will take control over the rotating presidency in late 2017

Estonia will take over the rotating EU presidency from Britain in late 2017 after London pulled out to focus on negotiations to leave the bloc, the 28 members of the union said yesterday. In the first major step towards Brexit after last month's shock referendum result, Prime Minister Theresa May announced that Britain would no longer take up its scheduled six-month stint next July. Ambassadors of the 28 member states had reached a "broad agreement" on July 20 to bring forward Estonia's presidency by six months to take Britain's place, a spokesman for European Council president Donald Tusk said last week. A statement on yesterday said that decision was formalised. Croatia, which in 2013 became the latest state to join the EU, will take over the presidency in the first semester of 2020, the members' statement added. Slovakia currently holds the presidency and will be followed by Malta in the first half of 2017. (AFP)

Estonia to take over EU presidency from UK

French President Francois Hollande said on Thursday he wanted Britain to open talks fast on quitting the European Union and would seek explanation from British Prime Minister Theresa May for any foot-dragging. 
 
Hollande, who is due to meet Theresa May in Paris later on Thursday, told a news conference during a visit to Ireland: &quot;I will meet Theresa May tonight. That will be the opportunity to hear the arguments. What is the interest of delaying? I would like justifications.&quot; 
 
The French leader, who was speaking in Dublin where he and Irish Prime minister Enda Kenny issued a joint statement urging rapid exit talks, also said he would confer with German leader Angela Merkel after his meeting with May. 
 
There should be no pre-negotiations before full and formal exit talks, he said. 
 
Hollande added that Britain should not be able to access the EU`s single market without allowing free movement of EU citizens. 
 
&quot;Access to the single market cannot be guaranteed unless free movement of workers is respected,&quot; Hollande said following talks with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny in Dublin. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

French President Francois Hollande insisted that Britain cannot acces EU's single market without allowing free movement of EU citizens

French President Francois Hollande said on Thursday he wanted Britain to open talks fast on quitting the European Union and would seek explanation from British Prime Minister Theresa May for any foot-dragging. Hollande, who is due to meet Theresa May in Paris later on Thursday, told a news conference during a visit to Ireland: "I will meet Theresa May tonight. That will be the opportunity to hear the arguments. What is the interest of delaying? I would like justifications." The French leader, who was speaking in Dublin where he and Irish Prime minister Enda Kenny issued a joint statement urging rapid exit talks, also said he would confer with German leader Angela Merkel after his meeting with May. There should be no pre-negotiations before full and formal exit talks, he said. Hollande added that Britain should not be able to access the EU`s single market without allowing free movement of EU citizens. "Access to the single market cannot be guaranteed unless free movement of workers is respected," Hollande said following talks with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny in Dublin. (Reuters)

Hollande urges Britain to open EU exit talks

British Prime Minister Theresa May is heading to Berlin on Wednesday and Paris on Thursday to start thrashing out the roadmap for Britain&#39;s departure from the EU. 
 
In her first foreign visits, a week since taking over as Britain&#39;s premier, May will plunge straight into laying out the Brexit groundwork in talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande. 
 
May&#39;s Downing Street office said she would try to establish a personal relationship and explain how her government needed time to consult before sculpting its objectives for Britain&#39;s divorce from Brussels. 
 
&quot;I am determined that Britain will make a success of leaving the European Union and that&#39;s why I have decided to visit Berlin and Paris so soon after taking office,&quot; May said in a statement. 
 
&quot;I do not underestimate the challenge of negotiating our exit from the EU and I firmly believe that being able to talk frankly and openly about the issues we face will be an important part of a successful negotiation. 
 
&quot;I also want to deliver a very clear message about the importance we attach to our bilateral relationship with our European partners, not just now but also when we have left the EU.&quot; 
 
May will have a meeting and a working dinner with Merkel. 
 
Then on Thursday, she will visit Paris for a meeting with Hollande at the president&#39;s official residence, the Elysee Palace. 
 
Key sticking points in the Brexit negotiations could be freedom of movement and the timetable for triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which starts the two-year countdown to Britain&#39;s formal departure. 
 
&quot;May has to build bridges with her fellow leaders,&quot; Professor Iain Begg, from the European Institute at the London School of Economics university, told AFP. 
 
&quot;It will be getting to know each other combined with trying to put positions on the table. 
 
&quot;May has this reputation as a tough negotiator who says what she wants and wants what she says. She will be anxious to convey that she&#39;s not a soft touch.&quot; 
 
The new British prime minster may well have an easier ride with Merkel than Socialist Hollande, though both have their own domestic election cycles to think about. 
 
Commentators have drawn comparisons between the two female centre-right leaders: both pastor&#39;s daughters with low-profile husbands, no children and a love of Alpine hiking who have risen to the top. 
 
While some EU countries want Britain out of the bloc as soon as possible, Merkel has called for patience with London as it sorts out its Brexit negotiating stance. 
 
However, she has also warned that Britain cannot have continued access to the single market while restricting the freedom of EU citizens to emigrate to Britain, the key issue in the June 23 referendum. 
 
Meanwhile, Hollande has a presidential election looming in April and is coming under pressure from the Front National, which wants France to leave the EU too. 
 
&quot;For Hollande there is manifestly a concern about Brexit contagion to France,&quot; said Begg. 
 
&quot;He will want to impress upon May that she cannot string this along indefinitely or expect great gifts from France because Hollande has domestic politics to think about and he will want to avoid &#39;encourager les autres&#39; (encouraging others).&quot; 
 
Downing Street said it would &quot;take some time&quot; to prepare for the Brexit negotiations, as the government needed to consult with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and with industry sectors to determine the objectives for post-departure relations with the EU. 
 
Nina Schick, communications director at the Open Europe independent EU policy think-tank, said Britain &quot;does have things in its favour&quot; going into the talks. 
 
&quot;Paris and Berlin are quite divided as to what the future of the EU should be,&quot; she told AFP. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think May has the upper hand. She&#39;s the one that&#39;s going to trigger Article 50. There will be a period where Merkel will say there&#39;s no need to rush into it. 
 
&quot;But if the UK does not trigger it until late next year, political goodwill might be lost if the UK waits too long, especially if uncertainty drags on. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Key sticking points in the negotiations could be freedom of movement and a timetable for triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty

British Prime Minister Theresa May is heading to Berlin on Wednesday and Paris on Thursday to start thrashing out the roadmap for Britain's departure from the EU. In her first foreign visits, a week since taking over as Britain's premier, May will plunge straight into laying out the Brexit groundwork in talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande. May's Downing Street office said she would try to establish a personal relationship and explain how her government needed time to consult before sculpting its objectives for Britain's divorce from Brussels. "I am determined that Britain will make a success of leaving the European Union and that's why I have decided to visit Berlin and Paris so soon after taking office," May said in a statement. "I do not underestimate the challenge of negotiating our exit from the EU and I firmly believe that being able to talk frankly and openly about the issues we face will be an important part of a successful negotiation. "I also want to deliver a very clear message about the importance we attach to our bilateral relationship with our European partners, not just now but also when we have left the EU." May will have a meeting and a working dinner with Merkel. Then on Thursday, she will visit Paris for a meeting with Hollande at the president's official residence, the Elysee Palace. Key sticking points in the Brexit negotiations could be freedom of movement and the timetable for triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which starts the two-year countdown to Britain's formal departure. "May has to build bridges with her fellow leaders," Professor Iain Begg, from the European Institute at the London School of Economics university, told AFP. "It will be getting to know each other combined with trying to put positions on the table. "May has this reputation as a tough negotiator who says what she wants and wants what she says. She will be anxious to convey that she's not a soft touch." The new British prime minster may well have an easier ride with Merkel than Socialist Hollande, though both have their own domestic election cycles to think about. Commentators have drawn comparisons between the two female centre-right leaders: both pastor's daughters with low-profile husbands, no children and a love of Alpine hiking who have risen to the top. While some EU countries want Britain out of the bloc as soon as possible, Merkel has called for patience with London as it sorts out its Brexit negotiating stance. However, she has also warned that Britain cannot have continued access to the single market while restricting the freedom of EU citizens to emigrate to Britain, the key issue in the June 23 referendum. Meanwhile, Hollande has a presidential election looming in April and is coming under pressure from the Front National, which wants France to leave the EU too. "For Hollande there is manifestly a concern about Brexit contagion to France," said Begg. "He will want to impress upon May that she cannot string this along indefinitely or expect great gifts from France because Hollande has domestic politics to think about and he will want to avoid 'encourager les autres' (encouraging others)." Downing Street said it would "take some time" to prepare for the Brexit negotiations, as the government needed to consult with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and with industry sectors to determine the objectives for post-departure relations with the EU. Nina Schick, communications director at the Open Europe independent EU policy think-tank, said Britain "does have things in its favour" going into the talks. "Paris and Berlin are quite divided as to what the future of the EU should be," she told AFP. "I don't think May has the upper hand. She's the one that's going to trigger Article 50. There will be a period where Merkel will say there's no need to rush into it. "But if the UK does not trigger it until late next year, political goodwill might be lost if the UK waits too long, especially if uncertainty drags on. (AFP)

May to thrash out Brexit roadmap in Berlin, Paris talks

Britain&#39;s new foreign minister Boris Johnson has given up his lucrative newspaper column, which he had used for years to mock world leaders, his spokesman said today. 
 
The leading Brexit campaigner was paid &pound;250,000 ($330,000, 300,000 euros) a year for his weekly article in The Daily Telegraph broadsheet which he continued writing during his eight-year tenure as mayor of London. 
 
He used the column to showcase his sharp wit, but some of his barbs, including comparing White House hopeful Hillary Clinton to a &quot;sadistic nurse&quot;, came back to haunt him when he was named foreign secretary last week. 
 
Prime Minister Theresa May, who took office following the June-23 referendum vote for Britain to leave the European Union, stunned observers by naming gaffe-prone Johnson as her top diplomat. 
 
His new job comes with a salary of &pound;135,527 a year, which includes &pound;74,962 for being a Member of Parliament. 
 
&quot;Whilst Mr Johnson has enjoyed a close working relationship with The Daily Telegraph for over 20 years, it would not be appropriate for him to continue writing his long-standing column for the newspaper given his new role as foreign secretary,&quot; his spokesman said. 
 
When asked if May had told Johnson to give up the column, the Prime Minister&#39;s spokeswoman said only that it was his decision. 
 
&quot;Boris has been an outstanding columnist for The Daily Telegraph for many years, with a legion of devoted readers,&quot; said Telegraph Media Group editor Chris Evans, adding that he wished him well in his new job. 
 
Johnson, who stepped down as London mayor in May, was in Brussels today for his first talks with EU counterparts. 
 
The fifty-two-year-old was also working on a book on Shakespeare that was due to be published in October, but has now been postponed &quot;for the forseeable future&quot;, publishers Hodder and Stoughton said. 
 
Johnson has received an advance payment of about &pound;90,000 for the book, but it is thought unlikely that he will have to repay it as the commission has not been withdrawn. 
 
&quot;Hodder and Stoughton confirm that they are postponing publication of Boris Johnson&#39;s &#39;Shakespeare: The Riddle of Genius&#39;,&quot; the publishers said in a statement. 
 
Documents released earlier this year showed Johnson earned &pound;987,097 from his Telegraph column over the past four years, while book royalties brought in a further &pound;469,385. 
 
In 2009, Johnson described his Telegraph earnings as &quot;chicken feed&quot;. 
 
 
(AFP)

Johnson had compared White House hopeful Hillary Clinton to a "sadistic nurse" in his column meant to showcase his 'sharp' wit

Britain's new foreign minister Boris Johnson has given up his lucrative newspaper column, which he had used for years to mock world leaders, his spokesman said today. The leading Brexit campaigner was paid £250,000 ($330,000, 300,000 euros) a year for his weekly article in The Daily Telegraph broadsheet which he continued writing during his eight-year tenure as mayor of London. He used the column to showcase his sharp wit, but some of his barbs, including comparing White House hopeful Hillary Clinton to a "sadistic nurse", came back to haunt him when he was named foreign secretary last week. Prime Minister Theresa May, who took office following the June-23 referendum vote for Britain to leave the European Union, stunned observers by naming gaffe-prone Johnson as her top diplomat. His new job comes with a salary of £135,527 a year, which includes £74,962 for being a Member of Parliament. "Whilst Mr Johnson has enjoyed a close working relationship with The Daily Telegraph for over 20 years, it would not be appropriate for him to continue writing his long-standing column for the newspaper given his new role as foreign secretary," his spokesman said. When asked if May had told Johnson to give up the column, the Prime Minister's spokeswoman said only that it was his decision. "Boris has been an outstanding columnist for The Daily Telegraph for many years, with a legion of devoted readers," said Telegraph Media Group editor Chris Evans, adding that he wished him well in his new job. Johnson, who stepped down as London mayor in May, was in Brussels today for his first talks with EU counterparts. The fifty-two-year-old was also working on a book on Shakespeare that was due to be published in October, but has now been postponed "for the forseeable future", publishers Hodder and Stoughton said. Johnson has received an advance payment of about £90,000 for the book, but it is thought unlikely that he will have to repay it as the commission has not been withdrawn. "Hodder and Stoughton confirm that they are postponing publication of Boris Johnson's 'Shakespeare: The Riddle of Genius'," the publishers said in a statement. Documents released earlier this year showed Johnson earned £987,097 from his Telegraph column over the past four years, while book royalties brought in a further £469,385. In 2009, Johnson described his Telegraph earnings as "chicken feed". (AFP)

Britain's foreign minister Boris Johnson quits controversial newspaper column

In Boris Johnson, Britain has appointed a liar with his back against the wall as its new foreign secretary at a time when somebody reliable is needed in the role, his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault said today.&nbsp; 
 
Johnson campaigned successfully for Britons to vote to leave the European Union last month. In France, a founding EU member, he is seen as a key player in the departure and in the setback to European integration it represents. 
 
&quot;I am not at all worried about Boris Johnson, but... during the campaign he lied a lot to the British people and now it is he who has his back against the wall,&quot; said Ayrault on Europe 1 radio. 
 
After the vote on June 23, Johnson turned his back on a chance to stand as prime minister in place of Conservative David Cameron, who stepped down having led the campaign to stay. 
 
However, on Wednesday, Cameron`s successor, Theresa May, appointed the former mayor of London and one-time journalist as her foreign secretary. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/johnson-20160714125658.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Boris Johnson (in photo) campaigned for Britons to vote to leave the European Union last month.
</div>
 
 
Johnson will not be in charge of talks about how the divorce will be arranged. May named David Davis, a pro-Brexit former Conservative Party chairman, to a special ministerial role for that purpose. 
 
Nevertheless, the normally soft-spoken former French prime minister Ayrault had a strong warning for the new foreign policy chief of his near neighbour. 
 
&quot;(He has) his back against the wall to defend his country but also with his back against the wall the relationship with Europe should be clear,&quot; Ayrault said. 
 
&quot;I need a partner with whom I can negotiate and who is clear, credible and reliable,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We cannot let this ambiguous, blurred situation drag on... in the interests of the British themselves.&quot; 
 
France and other EU partners have urged Britain to trigger quickly the process of exiting the bloc so that a two-year period of talks about trade terms and other links can begin. May has indicated she does not intend to do that this year.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

On Wednesday, David Cameron's successor, Theresa May, appointed London's former mayor Boris Johnson as her foreign secretary

In Boris Johnson, Britain has appointed a liar with his back against the wall as its new foreign secretary at a time when somebody reliable is needed in the role, his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault said today. Johnson campaigned successfully for Britons to vote to leave the European Union last month. In France, a founding EU member, he is seen as a key player in the departure and in the setback to European integration it represents. "I am not at all worried about Boris Johnson, but... during the campaign he lied a lot to the British people and now it is he who has his back against the wall," said Ayrault on Europe 1 radio. After the vote on June 23, Johnson turned his back on a chance to stand as prime minister in place of Conservative David Cameron, who stepped down having led the campaign to stay. However, on Wednesday, Cameron`s successor, Theresa May, appointed the former mayor of London and one-time journalist as her foreign secretary. Boris Johnson (in photo) campaigned for Britons to vote to leave the European Union last month. Johnson will not be in charge of talks about how the divorce will be arranged. May named David Davis, a pro-Brexit former Conservative Party chairman, to a special ministerial role for that purpose. Nevertheless, the normally soft-spoken former French prime minister Ayrault had a strong warning for the new foreign policy chief of his near neighbour. "(He has) his back against the wall to defend his country but also with his back against the wall the relationship with Europe should be clear," Ayrault said. "I need a partner with whom I can negotiate and who is clear, credible and reliable," he added. "We cannot let this ambiguous, blurred situation drag on... in the interests of the British themselves." France and other EU partners have urged Britain to trigger quickly the process of exiting the bloc so that a two-year period of talks about trade terms and other links can begin. May has indicated she does not intend to do that this year. (Reuters)

UK's Johnson lied in his campaign, now has his back against the wall: French foreign minister

Jim Charlesworth has no doubts about the abilities of his local MP and neighbour Theresa May. &quot;She will be the best Prime Minister this country has ever known,&quot; the 69-year-old said. 
 
May, who replaces David Cameron as Britain&#39;s next leader on Wednesday, is widely viewed as hard-working, tough but approachable in her constituency of Maidenhead in southern England. 
 
&quot;I can&#39;t say a wrong word about that lady -- she will get this country back on its feet,&quot; Charlesworth told AFP. 
 
May has represented Maidenhead, west of London, since 1997. She was re-elected as its Conservative MP last year with 65.8 per cent of the vote. 
 
&quot;I never voted for her but I do respect her, she is a very hard-working MP,&quot; said Anne Matkin, 64. 
 
She said May was &quot;always willing to listen and to help people&quot; despite, for the past six years as interior minister, holding one of the toughest jobs in government. 
 
&quot;She spends a lot of time in the area,&quot; adds Maxine Lattimer, a 46-year-old housewife with five children, describing her as a &quot;nice, caring woman&quot;. 
 
She recalled how May attended a recent parade to celebrate St George&#39;s Day, in honour of England&#39;s patron saint, along with her bodyguards. 
 
After six years as home secretary, she now has the tough task of uniting the country and leading Britain out of the European Union (EU). 
 
Lattimer has no doubt that May is the right person to lead the Brexit negotiations. 
 
&quot;She&#39;ll be very assertive, she&#39;ll work really really hard for the best interest of Britain. She won&#39;t shy away from difficult decisions -- she is tough when she needs to be,&quot; she said. 
 
&#39;Nothing murky&#39; 
 
The 60,000 residents of Maidenhead, many of whom commute to work in London, bucked the trend across England by voting for Britain to stay in the EU. 
 
May, too, had wanted Britain to stay in and although she kept a low national profile, residents here say she had campaigned locally for the status quo. 
 
&quot;People felt that she did her bit,&quot; said Martin Trepte, editor of the local newspaper, the Maidenhead Advertiser, which has a circulation of 17,000. 
 
May has repeatedly said that she will uphold the will of the public and that &quot;Brexit means Brexit&quot;. 
 
Trepte described her as a &quot;mature, grown-up politician&quot; who &quot;knows her stuff&quot; -- and says there are no skeletons in her closet, at least as far as he knows. 
 
&quot;In 19 years there has been nothing murky at all,&quot; he said. 
 
He added: &quot;We don&#39;t know too much about her. She&#39;s quite a private person. We know she goes to church regularly.&quot; 
 
May attends church in Sonning, a picturesque village on the banks of the River Thames where she lives with her husband Philip. 
 
Its charms have attracted other high-profile neighbours including Hollywood actor George Clooney and his wife Amal, and Led Zeppelin&#39;s Jimmy Page. 
 
&#39;Genuine and passionate&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Gil Cattermole, another of May&#39;s neighbours, recalled popping in for a chat before the politician became home secretary and had to step up her security. 
 
&quot;I used to go around to her house and talk to her,&quot; said the 69-year-old, noting that when May now goes to church, she is accompanied by several armoured Range Rovers. 
 
At the Bull Inn, a pub where Clooney has been spotted, May is also well known -- although they expect to see less of her once she enters Downing Street. 
 
&quot;She&#39;s always been very charming, very nice to customers and staff. She seems sort of genuine and very passionate about her beliefs,&quot; owner Christine Mason said. 
 
&quot;I bumped in her at the petrol station the other week. She is still relaxed doing the normal things in life. Always says &#39;hello&#39; -- nice lady.&quot; 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Britain's new Prime Minister is widely viewed as hard-working, tough but approachable in her constituency of Maidenhead in southern England

Jim Charlesworth has no doubts about the abilities of his local MP and neighbour Theresa May. "She will be the best Prime Minister this country has ever known," the 69-year-old said. May, who replaces David Cameron as Britain's next leader on Wednesday, is widely viewed as hard-working, tough but approachable in her constituency of Maidenhead in southern England. "I can't say a wrong word about that lady -- she will get this country back on its feet," Charlesworth told AFP. May has represented Maidenhead, west of London, since 1997. She was re-elected as its Conservative MP last year with 65.8 per cent of the vote. "I never voted for her but I do respect her, she is a very hard-working MP," said Anne Matkin, 64. She said May was "always willing to listen and to help people" despite, for the past six years as interior minister, holding one of the toughest jobs in government. "She spends a lot of time in the area," adds Maxine Lattimer, a 46-year-old housewife with five children, describing her as a "nice, caring woman". She recalled how May attended a recent parade to celebrate St George's Day, in honour of England's patron saint, along with her bodyguards. After six years as home secretary, she now has the tough task of uniting the country and leading Britain out of the European Union (EU). Lattimer has no doubt that May is the right person to lead the Brexit negotiations. "She'll be very assertive, she'll work really really hard for the best interest of Britain. She won't shy away from difficult decisions -- she is tough when she needs to be," she said. 'Nothing murky' The 60,000 residents of Maidenhead, many of whom commute to work in London, bucked the trend across England by voting for Britain to stay in the EU. May, too, had wanted Britain to stay in and although she kept a low national profile, residents here say she had campaigned locally for the status quo. "People felt that she did her bit," said Martin Trepte, editor of the local newspaper, the Maidenhead Advertiser, which has a circulation of 17,000. May has repeatedly said that she will uphold the will of the public and that "Brexit means Brexit". Trepte described her as a "mature, grown-up politician" who "knows her stuff" -- and says there are no skeletons in her closet, at least as far as he knows. "In 19 years there has been nothing murky at all," he said. He added: "We don't know too much about her. She's quite a private person. We know she goes to church regularly." May attends church in Sonning, a picturesque village on the banks of the River Thames where she lives with her husband Philip. Its charms have attracted other high-profile neighbours including Hollywood actor George Clooney and his wife Amal, and Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page. 'Genuine and passionate' Gil Cattermole, another of May's neighbours, recalled popping in for a chat before the politician became home secretary and had to step up her security. "I used to go around to her house and talk to her," said the 69-year-old, noting that when May now goes to church, she is accompanied by several armoured Range Rovers. At the Bull Inn, a pub where Clooney has been spotted, May is also well known -- although they expect to see less of her once she enters Downing Street. "She's always been very charming, very nice to customers and staff. She seems sort of genuine and very passionate about her beliefs," owner Christine Mason said. "I bumped in her at the petrol station the other week. She is still relaxed doing the normal things in life. Always says 'hello' -- nice lady." (AFP)

May's neighbours sing her praises

Theresa May became Britain&#39;s new prime minister on Wednesday, promising to carve out a bold new future in the world as she embarks on the monumental task of leading the country out of the European Union. 
 
May, 59 assumed office after an audience with Queen Elizabeth and drove straight to her new home of 10 Downing Street, vacated hours earlier by David Cameron. 
 
&quot;We will rise to the challenge. As we leave the European Union we will forge a bold new positive role for ourselves in the world, and we will make Britain a country that works not for a privileged few, but for every one of us,&quot; she said. 
 
Cameron stepped down after Britons rejected his entreaties and voted to leave the EU in a referendum last month, severely undermining European efforts to forge greater unity and creating economic uncertainty across the 28-nation bloc. 
 
May must try to limit the damage to British trade and investment as she renegotiates the country&#39;s ties with its 27 EU partners. She will also attempt to unite a divided ruling Conservative party and a fractured nation in which many, on the evidence of the vote, feel angry with the political elite and left behind by the forces of globalisation. 
 
Acknowledging the struggles faced by many Britons, May declared: &quot;The government I lead will be driven not be the interests of the privileged few, but by yours. We will do everything we can to give you more control over your lives. 
 
&quot;When we take the big calls we&#39;ll think not of the powerful but you, when we pass new laws we&#39;ll listen not to the mighty but to you, when it comes to taxes we&#39;ll prioritise not the wealthy but you.&quot; 
 
The United States congratulated May and said it was confident in her ability to steer Britain through the Brexit negotiations. 
 
&quot;Based on the public comments we&#39;ve seen from the incoming prime minister, she intends to pursue a course that&#39;s consistent with the prescription that President Obama has offered,&quot; White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. 
 
An official photograph showed May curtseying to a smiling Queen Elizabeth, for whom she is the 13th prime minister in a line that started with Winston Churchill. 
 
She is also Britain&#39;s second female head of government after Margaret Thatcher. 
 
Divorce talks 
EU leaders, keen to move forward after the shock of &#39;Brexit&#39;, want May to launch formal divorce proceedings as soon as possible to help resolve the uncertainty. 
 
But she has said the process should not be launched before the end of year, to give time for Britain to draw up its negotiating strategy. 
 
Although she favoured Britain remaining in Europe, May has repeatedly declared that &quot;Brexit means Brexit&quot; and that there can be no attempt to reverse the referendum outcome. 
 
The shock vote partly reflected discontent with EU rules on freedom of movement that have contributed to record-high immigration - an issue on which May, as interior minister for the past six years, is politically vulnerable. 
 
But EU leaders have made clear that free movement is a fundamental principle that goes hand-in-hand with access to the bloc&#39;s tariff-free single market, a stance that will hugely complicate May&#39;s task in hammering out new terms of trade. 
 
&quot;My advice to my successor, who is a brilliant negotiator, is that we should try to be as close to the European Union as we can be for the benefits of trade, cooperation and of security,&quot; Cameron told parliament in his last appearance before resigning. 
 
Appearing later in Downing Street with his wife Samantha and their three children, he delivered his parting remarks to the nation after six years dominated by the Europe question and the aftermath of the global financial crisis. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s not been an easy journey and of course we&#39;ve not got every decision right,&quot; he said, &quot;but I do believe that today our country is much stronger.&quot; 
 
In parliament, Cameron took the opportunity to trumpet his government&#39;s achievements in generating one of the fastest growth rates among western economies, chopping the budget deficit, creating 2.5 million jobs and legalising gay marriage. 
 
Yet his legacy will be overshadowed by his failed referendum gamble, which he had hoped would keep Britain at the heart of a reformed EU. 
 
&#39;Our Angela Merkel&#39; 
May is seen by her supporters as a safe pair of hands to steer the country through the disruptive Brexit process. Colleagues describe her as cautious, unflappable and intensely private. 
 
&quot;I think around the cabinet table yesterday the feeling was that we have our Angela Merkel,&quot; said Jeremy Hunt, health secretary in Cameron&#39;s team which met for the last time on Tuesday. 
 
&quot;We have an incredibly tough, shrewd, determined and principled person to lead those negotiations for Britain,&quot; Hunt told Sky News television. 
 
German Chancellor Merkel will be May&#39;s most important counterpart on the continent as the process unfolds. Both women are renowned for their firmness, pragmatism and discipline. 
 
The new British leader is expected to immediately start putting together a new cabinet, a complex political balancing act in which she will try to satisfy opposing camps in her party. 
 
She has said she plans to set up a new government department to lead the process of quitting the EU which would be headed by someone who had campaigned on the Leave side. 
 
Financial markets, which had been extremely volatile since the referendum, reacted positively to news on Monday that May would become prime minister earlier than expected. 
 
Stock markets traded within sight of their highest levels of the year as the prospect of stimulative economic policy across the developed world eased immediate concerns over the impact of the Brexit vote. 
 
Economists predicted in a Reuters poll that the Bank of England would halve its main interest rate to 0.25 percent on Thursday in a pre-emptive strike to try to ward off a recession and reassure markets. 
 
(Reuters)

She becomes the country's second female head of government after Margaret Thatcher

Theresa May became Britain's new prime minister on Wednesday, promising to carve out a bold new future in the world as she embarks on the monumental task of leading the country out of the European Union. May, 59 assumed office after an audience with Queen Elizabeth and drove straight to her new home of 10 Downing Street, vacated hours earlier by David Cameron. "We will rise to the challenge. As we leave the European Union we will forge a bold new positive role for ourselves in the world, and we will make Britain a country that works not for a privileged few, but for every one of us," she said. Cameron stepped down after Britons rejected his entreaties and voted to leave the EU in a referendum last month, severely undermining European efforts to forge greater unity and creating economic uncertainty across the 28-nation bloc. May must try to limit the damage to British trade and investment as she renegotiates the country's ties with its 27 EU partners. She will also attempt to unite a divided ruling Conservative party and a fractured nation in which many, on the evidence of the vote, feel angry with the political elite and left behind by the forces of globalisation. Acknowledging the struggles faced by many Britons, May declared: "The government I lead will be driven not be the interests of the privileged few, but by yours. We will do everything we can to give you more control over your lives. "When we take the big calls we'll think not of the powerful but you, when we pass new laws we'll listen not to the mighty but to you, when it comes to taxes we'll prioritise not the wealthy but you." The United States congratulated May and said it was confident in her ability to steer Britain through the Brexit negotiations. "Based on the public comments we've seen from the incoming prime minister, she intends to pursue a course that's consistent with the prescription that President Obama has offered," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. An official photograph showed May curtseying to a smiling Queen Elizabeth, for whom she is the 13th prime minister in a line that started with Winston Churchill. She is also Britain's second female head of government after Margaret Thatcher. Divorce talks EU leaders, keen to move forward after the shock of 'Brexit', want May to launch formal divorce proceedings as soon as possible to help resolve the uncertainty. But she has said the process should not be launched before the end of year, to give time for Britain to draw up its negotiating strategy. Although she favoured Britain remaining in Europe, May has repeatedly declared that "Brexit means Brexit" and that there can be no attempt to reverse the referendum outcome. The shock vote partly reflected discontent with EU rules on freedom of movement that have contributed to record-high immigration - an issue on which May, as interior minister for the past six years, is politically vulnerable. But EU leaders have made clear that free movement is a fundamental principle that goes hand-in-hand with access to the bloc's tariff-free single market, a stance that will hugely complicate May's task in hammering out new terms of trade. "My advice to my successor, who is a brilliant negotiator, is that we should try to be as close to the European Union as we can be for the benefits of trade, cooperation and of security," Cameron told parliament in his last appearance before resigning. Appearing later in Downing Street with his wife Samantha and their three children, he delivered his parting remarks to the nation after six years dominated by the Europe question and the aftermath of the global financial crisis. "It's not been an easy journey and of course we've not got every decision right," he said, "but I do believe that today our country is much stronger." In parliament, Cameron took the opportunity to trumpet his government's achievements in generating one of the fastest growth rates among western economies, chopping the budget deficit, creating 2.5 million jobs and legalising gay marriage. Yet his legacy will be overshadowed by his failed referendum gamble, which he had hoped would keep Britain at the heart of a reformed EU. 'Our Angela Merkel' May is seen by her supporters as a safe pair of hands to steer the country through the disruptive Brexit process. Colleagues describe her as cautious, unflappable and intensely private. "I think around the cabinet table yesterday the feeling was that we have our Angela Merkel," said Jeremy Hunt, health secretary in Cameron's team which met for the last time on Tuesday. "We have an incredibly tough, shrewd, determined and principled person to lead those negotiations for Britain," Hunt told Sky News television. German Chancellor Merkel will be May's most important counterpart on the continent as the process unfolds. Both women are renowned for their firmness, pragmatism and discipline. The new British leader is expected to immediately start putting together a new cabinet, a complex political balancing act in which she will try to satisfy opposing camps in her party. She has said she plans to set up a new government department to lead the process of quitting the EU which would be headed by someone who had campaigned on the Leave side. Financial markets, which had been extremely volatile since the referendum, reacted positively to news on Monday that May would become prime minister earlier than expected. Stock markets traded within sight of their highest levels of the year as the prospect of stimulative economic policy across the developed world eased immediate concerns over the impact of the Brexit vote. Economists predicted in a Reuters poll that the Bank of England would halve its main interest rate to 0.25 percent on Thursday in a pre-emptive strike to try to ward off a recession and reassure markets. (Reuters)

Theresa May curtsies before Queen, arises Britain's Prime Minister

Theresa May will become Britain&#39;s second ever female prime minister on Wednesday when David Cameron steps down after a seismic referendum to leave the European Union that sent shockwaves round the world and wrecked his career. 
 
Cameron is to hold his final weekly question-and-answer session in parliament before tendering his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. 
 
The monarch will then call on May, currently, the interior minister, to form a government and the newly-anointed prime minister will make a statement outside her new Downing Street residence. 
 
European leaders have asked the government to move quickly to formalise its divorce from the EU but May has indicated she will not be rushed into triggering the formal procedure for Brexit. 
 
The 59-year-old vicar&#39;s daughter, who will be Britain&#39;s second female premier after the steely Margaret Thatcher with whom she is often compared, must also attempt to bridge Conservative Party divisions and deal with a potential economic downturn. 
 
Her other daunting challenges include keeping pro-EU Scotland from bidding for independence in order to stay in the 28-nation bloc&nbsp;and weaving new global trade and diplomatic alliances to prepare for a post-Brexit future. 
 
For The Guardian daily, &quot;she comes to office at a time that would have challenged a Churchill.&quot; 
 
May campaigned, albeit it quietly, with Cameron for Britain to stay in the EU and she will have to convince eurosceptics within her party and the country at large that she has no intention of ducking out of implementing the June 23 vote to quit the bloc. 
 
&quot;Brexit means Brexit -- and we&#39;re going to make a success of it,&quot; the politician, who is reputed for being a tough negotiator, has said. 
 
After six years in office, Cameron announced he would resign the day after the vote. He will chiefly be remembered for organising a referendum aimed at stopping his party &quot;banging on about Europe&quot; and then spectacularly failing to clinch it. 
 
He sought to deflect that criticism in an interview with the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, saying: &quot;As I leave, I hope people will see a stronger country, a thriving economy and more chances to get on in life. 
 
&quot;It has been a privilege to serve the country I love.&quot; 
 
May&#39;s bid for his job accelerated as key proponents of Britain`s EU withdrawal, including charismatic former mayor of London Boris Johnson, stepped back in a head-spinning round of political bloodletting.&nbsp; 
 
The vote exposed deep inequalities in British society, which May has promised to address, and upended the political scene, tipping her Conservatives and the main opposition Labour Party into turmoil. 
 
Labour&#39;s embattled leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was accused of failing to persuade working-class voters to back EU membership, is now also embroiled in a bitter leadership contest of his own.&nbsp; 
 
On Wednesday, Owen Smith became the second candidate after fellow MP Angela Eagle to join the race to try unseat the veteran socialist. 
 
&quot;I will stand in this election and I will do the decent thing and fight Jeremy Corbyn on the issues,&quot; Smith told the BBC. 
 
May, meanwhile, is expected to begin announcing her cabinet picks later Wednesday, including a Brexit minister in charge of leading negotiations with the EU.&nbsp; 
 
Women are expected to scoop several top jobs, media reports said on Wednesday. 
 
Among those tipped for senior roles are current energy minister Amber Rudd, foreign minister Philip Hammond, Brexit campaigner Chris Grayling, who is the Conservatives` House of Commons leader, and Justine Greening, international development secretary. 
 
Investors will be watching May&#39;s first days in office closely but with greater optimism after the value of the pound, which fell by up to 15 percent against the dollar and the euro in the days of the Brexit vote, rebounded on news of her impending promotion. 
 
&quot;Theresa May&#39;s virtual &#39;coronation&#39; as prime minister has delivered a boost to the pound as the clouds of uncertainty following the Brexit vote start to disperse,&quot; said market analyst Neil Wilson at ETX Capital, a financial trading company in London. 
 
May has been a tough-talking interior minister for the past six years and is something of an unknown quantity internationally, although she has received ringing endorsements from party colleagues and a normally sceptical British tabloid press. 
 
She is also liked in and around Maidenhead, the well-to-do commuter town west of London that she has represented in parliament since 1997. 
 
&quot;She will get this country back on its feet,&quot; said 69-year-old Jim Charlesworth, a neighbour of May and her banker husband Philip. 
 
Martin Trepte, editor of the Maidenhead Advertiser, the local newspaper, said: &quot;She&#39;s a mature, grown-up, no-nonsense politician. She knows her stuff.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
The daughter of a Church of England pastor, May is a cricket fan with a sober, well-mannered demeanour who lists her hobbies as cooking and walking. 
 
She shows a flash of flamboyance with a colourful shoe collection -- particularly her leopard-skin heels -- which has become famous in the British press. 
 
(AFP)

Queen Elizabeth will call on May to form a govt, and the new PM will then make a statement outside her new Downing Street residence

Theresa May will become Britain's second ever female prime minister on Wednesday when David Cameron steps down after a seismic referendum to leave the European Union that sent shockwaves round the world and wrecked his career. Cameron is to hold his final weekly question-and-answer session in parliament before tendering his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. The monarch will then call on May, currently, the interior minister, to form a government and the newly-anointed prime minister will make a statement outside her new Downing Street residence. European leaders have asked the government to move quickly to formalise its divorce from the EU but May has indicated she will not be rushed into triggering the formal procedure for Brexit. The 59-year-old vicar's daughter, who will be Britain's second female premier after the steely Margaret Thatcher with whom she is often compared, must also attempt to bridge Conservative Party divisions and deal with a potential economic downturn. Her other daunting challenges include keeping pro-EU Scotland from bidding for independence in order to stay in the 28-nation bloc and weaving new global trade and diplomatic alliances to prepare for a post-Brexit future. For The Guardian daily, "she comes to office at a time that would have challenged a Churchill." May campaigned, albeit it quietly, with Cameron for Britain to stay in the EU and she will have to convince eurosceptics within her party and the country at large that she has no intention of ducking out of implementing the June 23 vote to quit the bloc. "Brexit means Brexit -- and we're going to make a success of it," the politician, who is reputed for being a tough negotiator, has said. After six years in office, Cameron announced he would resign the day after the vote. He will chiefly be remembered for organising a referendum aimed at stopping his party "banging on about Europe" and then spectacularly failing to clinch it. He sought to deflect that criticism in an interview with the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, saying: "As I leave, I hope people will see a stronger country, a thriving economy and more chances to get on in life. "It has been a privilege to serve the country I love." May's bid for his job accelerated as key proponents of Britain`s EU withdrawal, including charismatic former mayor of London Boris Johnson, stepped back in a head-spinning round of political bloodletting. The vote exposed deep inequalities in British society, which May has promised to address, and upended the political scene, tipping her Conservatives and the main opposition Labour Party into turmoil. Labour's embattled leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was accused of failing to persuade working-class voters to back EU membership, is now also embroiled in a bitter leadership contest of his own. On Wednesday, Owen Smith became the second candidate after fellow MP Angela Eagle to join the race to try unseat the veteran socialist. "I will stand in this election and I will do the decent thing and fight Jeremy Corbyn on the issues," Smith told the BBC. May, meanwhile, is expected to begin announcing her cabinet picks later Wednesday, including a Brexit minister in charge of leading negotiations with the EU. Women are expected to scoop several top jobs, media reports said on Wednesday. Among those tipped for senior roles are current energy minister Amber Rudd, foreign minister Philip Hammond, Brexit campaigner Chris Grayling, who is the Conservatives` House of Commons leader, and Justine Greening, international development secretary. Investors will be watching May's first days in office closely but with greater optimism after the value of the pound, which fell by up to 15 percent against the dollar and the euro in the days of the Brexit vote, rebounded on news of her impending promotion. "Theresa May's virtual 'coronation' as prime minister has delivered a boost to the pound as the clouds of uncertainty following the Brexit vote start to disperse," said market analyst Neil Wilson at ETX Capital, a financial trading company in London. May has been a tough-talking interior minister for the past six years and is something of an unknown quantity internationally, although she has received ringing endorsements from party colleagues and a normally sceptical British tabloid press. She is also liked in and around Maidenhead, the well-to-do commuter town west of London that she has represented in parliament since 1997. "She will get this country back on its feet," said 69-year-old Jim Charlesworth, a neighbour of May and her banker husband Philip. Martin Trepte, editor of the Maidenhead Advertiser, the local newspaper, said: "She's a mature, grown-up, no-nonsense politician. She knows her stuff." The daughter of a Church of England pastor, May is a cricket fan with a sober, well-mannered demeanour who lists her hobbies as cooking and walking. She shows a flash of flamboyance with a colourful shoe collection -- particularly her leopard-skin heels -- which has become famous in the British press. (AFP)

Theresa May will become Prime Minister of Britain today

When Theresa May takes over as British prime minister on Wednesday, she will have to appoint a fresh team of ministers.&nbsp;Here is a list of some of the main contenders to take big jobs in the May government, which reports suggest could include a new job of minister for Brexit:&nbsp; 
 
Philip Hammond: 
Foreign minister under David Cameron, Hammond is tipped by some commentators to be May&#39;s finance minister.&nbsp;An early supporter of May, Hammond, 60, is seen as a s teady if unspectacular safe pair of hands.Although he is seen as a eurosceptic, he backed the &quot;Remain&quot; campaign in last month`s referendum which ended in a shock vote for Britain to leave the EU. 
 
George Osborne: 
Finance minister Osborne is extremely close to Cameron and campaigned hard for Britain to stay in the EU. 
 
David Cameron: 
Despite Cameron&#39;s resignation, the 45-year-old remains a powerful figure in the Conservative party and could get a role in May`s Brexit cabinet.&nbsp;He is thought to be hopeful of being appointed as foreign minister. 
 
Chris Grayling: 
Grayling was May&#39;s campaign manager even though he backed Brexit while she opposed it.&nbsp;His loyalty could be rewarded with a promotion from his current role as Commons leader, in charge of parliamentary business- possibly to May&#39;s job as interior minister.&nbsp;Grayling, 54, is another low-key operator considered unlikely to generate distracting headlines. 
 
Andrea Leadsom: 
Andrea Leadsom was set to face May in the final round of the leadership contest but pulled out after a row over comments suggesting she was better placed to be leader as she was a mother, unlike May.&nbsp;May could invite Leadsom, 53, a pro-Brexit figure whose leadership run won support from dozens of MPs, to join her cabinet as a gesture of unity. 
 
Amber Rudd: 
As energy minister under Cameron, Rudd was seen as efficient and reliable and she backed May early in the leadership contest.&nbsp;Rudd, who helped recruit extras for the 1994 film &quot;Four Weddings And A Funeral&quot; in her youth, became an MP in 2010 after a career in finance. 
The 52-year-old could be recruited as one of the leading female faces in the cabinet of what will be only Britain&#39;s second woman prime minister ever, after Margaret Thatcher. 
 
Outside candidates: 
Other anti-EU figures who could be brought in include current justice minister Michael Gove, who ran unsuccessfully for the leadership, and former mayor of London Boris Johnson, who sprung a surprise by not joining the race. 
 
(AFP)

Theresa May can invite Andrea Leadsom to join her cabinet as a gesture of unity

When Theresa May takes over as British prime minister on Wednesday, she will have to appoint a fresh team of ministers. Here is a list of some of the main contenders to take big jobs in the May government, which reports suggest could include a new job of minister for Brexit: Philip Hammond: Foreign minister under David Cameron, Hammond is tipped by some commentators to be May's finance minister. An early supporter of May, Hammond, 60, is seen as a s teady if unspectacular safe pair of hands.Although he is seen as a eurosceptic, he backed the "Remain" campaign in last month`s referendum which ended in a shock vote for Britain to leave the EU. George Osborne: Finance minister Osborne is extremely close to Cameron and campaigned hard for Britain to stay in the EU. David Cameron: Despite Cameron's resignation, the 45-year-old remains a powerful figure in the Conservative party and could get a role in May`s Brexit cabinet. He is thought to be hopeful of being appointed as foreign minister. Chris Grayling: Grayling was May's campaign manager even though he backed Brexit while she opposed it. His loyalty could be rewarded with a promotion from his current role as Commons leader, in charge of parliamentary business- possibly to May's job as interior minister. Grayling, 54, is another low-key operator considered unlikely to generate distracting headlines. Andrea Leadsom: Andrea Leadsom was set to face May in the final round of the leadership contest but pulled out after a row over comments suggesting she was better placed to be leader as she was a mother, unlike May. May could invite Leadsom, 53, a pro-Brexit figure whose leadership run won support from dozens of MPs, to join her cabinet as a gesture of unity. Amber Rudd: As energy minister under Cameron, Rudd was seen as efficient and reliable and she backed May early in the leadership contest. Rudd, who helped recruit extras for the 1994 film "Four Weddings And A Funeral" in her youth, became an MP in 2010 after a career in finance. The 52-year-old could be recruited as one of the leading female faces in the cabinet of what will be only Britain's second woman prime minister ever, after Margaret Thatcher. Outside candidates: Other anti-EU figures who could be brought in include current justice minister Michael Gove, who ran unsuccessfully for the leadership, and former mayor of London Boris Johnson, who sprung a surprise by not joining the race. (AFP)

May's inner circle: who will be in Britain's Brexit cabinet?

David Cameron chairs his final cabinet meeting today after six years as Britain`s Prime Minister, with incoming premier Theresa May preparing to form a new government to deliver Brexit.&nbsp; 
 
Cameron&#39;s last full day as the premier came sooner than expected after dramatic twists in the race to replace him led to his swift exit from power less than three weeks after the nation&#39;s seismic vote to quit the European Union (EU). 
 
Home Secretary May, the interior minister, was declared the new leader of the governing centre-right Conservative Party on Monday after junior energy minister Andrea Leadsom, her only remaining challenger for the post, withdrew from the contest. 
 
Next on agenda: Breaking ties with EU&nbsp; 
 
Cameron announced he would step down after leading the failed campaign for Britain to remain in the EU in the June 23 referendum. 
 
May will immediately face questions on when she plans to trigger Article 50 -- the formal procedure for withdrawal from the EU -- which would set a two-year deadline for completing exit negotiations. 
 
While May supported Britain staying in the bloc, she cut a low profile during the referendum campaign and insists she will honour the popular vote, stressing on Monday: &quot;Brexit means Brexit&quot;. 
 
May also noted the need &quot;to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU&quot; in brief comments outside parliament. 
 
EU leaders have kept up the pressure on Britain, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel saying late Monday, &quot;The United Kingdom will need to quickly clarify how it wants its ties with the European Union to be in future.&quot; 
 
Cameron was to face MPs in parliament for a final time tomorrow in the weekly Prime Minister&#39;s questions session, before meeting Queen Elizabeth II to tender his resignation to the head of state. 
 
The monarch will call for May, the new leader of the majority party in parliament, to form a fresh government. 
 
May set to become Britain&#39;s &nbsp;second female PM 
 
May will become Britain&#39;s second female Prime Minister after 1980s Conservative titan Margaret Thatcher. 
 
The 59-year-old will have to keep Leave-supporting Conservative heavyweights onside if she is to heal the splits in the party caused by the referendum.The futures of leading pro-Brexit figureheads such as Leadsom, Justice Secretary Michael Gove and former London mayor Boris Johnson hang in the balance. 
 
May will also have to decide whether to keep top figures such as finance minister George Osborne and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in place. 
 
Corbyn faces leadership challenge 
 
Meanwhile, Tuesday was set to be a key date in the history of the main opposition Labour Party, whose embattled leader Jeremy Corbyn -- hugely popular with the party membership -- is facing a leadership challenge after losing the confidence of three quarters of Labour MPs. 
 
The party`s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) was to decide whether Corbyn would require nominations to stand in the contest after the party`s former business spokeswoman Angela Eagle announced her leadership challenge on Monday. 
 
The left-of-centre party&#39;s rulebook is ambiguous on what is required of a sitting leader if challenged. 
 
Corbyn is adamant his name should automatically be on the ballot: he would struggle to get the support of 20 percent of Labour MPs and members of the European Parliament required by Eagle. 
 
Lawyers for Jim Kennedy, a trade union member of the NEC, have written a letter to party general secretary Iain McNicol threatening legal action. 
 
&quot;We put you on the clearest notice that we will be instructed to apply to the High Court for immediate injunctive relief should Jeremy Corbyn`s name not go forward automatically to the ballot,&quot; it said. 
 
Corbyn lost confidence after his perceived half-hearted, lacklustre campaigning for Labour`s position of supporting the EU referendum Remain campaign. 
 
With so many Labour MPs in opposition to their leader, there is a risk of the party splitting if Corbyn makes it on the ballot and secures a repeat of September`s landslide victory. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

David Cameron's last full day as British Prime Minister came sooner than expected after dramatic twists in the race to replace him

David Cameron chairs his final cabinet meeting today after six years as Britain`s Prime Minister, with incoming premier Theresa May preparing to form a new government to deliver Brexit. Cameron's last full day as the premier came sooner than expected after dramatic twists in the race to replace him led to his swift exit from power less than three weeks after the nation's seismic vote to quit the European Union (EU). Home Secretary May, the interior minister, was declared the new leader of the governing centre-right Conservative Party on Monday after junior energy minister Andrea Leadsom, her only remaining challenger for the post, withdrew from the contest. Next on agenda: Breaking ties with EU Cameron announced he would step down after leading the failed campaign for Britain to remain in the EU in the June 23 referendum. May will immediately face questions on when she plans to trigger Article 50 -- the formal procedure for withdrawal from the EU -- which would set a two-year deadline for completing exit negotiations. While May supported Britain staying in the bloc, she cut a low profile during the referendum campaign and insists she will honour the popular vote, stressing on Monday: "Brexit means Brexit". May also noted the need "to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU" in brief comments outside parliament. EU leaders have kept up the pressure on Britain, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel saying late Monday, "The United Kingdom will need to quickly clarify how it wants its ties with the European Union to be in future." Cameron was to face MPs in parliament for a final time tomorrow in the weekly Prime Minister's questions session, before meeting Queen Elizabeth II to tender his resignation to the head of state. The monarch will call for May, the new leader of the majority party in parliament, to form a fresh government. May set to become Britain's second female PM May will become Britain's second female Prime Minister after 1980s Conservative titan Margaret Thatcher. The 59-year-old will have to keep Leave-supporting Conservative heavyweights onside if she is to heal the splits in the party caused by the referendum.The futures of leading pro-Brexit figureheads such as Leadsom, Justice Secretary Michael Gove and former London mayor Boris Johnson hang in the balance. May will also have to decide whether to keep top figures such as finance minister George Osborne and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in place. Corbyn faces leadership challenge Meanwhile, Tuesday was set to be a key date in the history of the main opposition Labour Party, whose embattled leader Jeremy Corbyn -- hugely popular with the party membership -- is facing a leadership challenge after losing the confidence of three quarters of Labour MPs. The party`s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) was to decide whether Corbyn would require nominations to stand in the contest after the party`s former business spokeswoman Angela Eagle announced her leadership challenge on Monday. The left-of-centre party's rulebook is ambiguous on what is required of a sitting leader if challenged. Corbyn is adamant his name should automatically be on the ballot: he would struggle to get the support of 20 percent of Labour MPs and members of the European Parliament required by Eagle. Lawyers for Jim Kennedy, a trade union member of the NEC, have written a letter to party general secretary Iain McNicol threatening legal action. "We put you on the clearest notice that we will be instructed to apply to the High Court for immediate injunctive relief should Jeremy Corbyn`s name not go forward automatically to the ballot," it said. Corbyn lost confidence after his perceived half-hearted, lacklustre campaigning for Labour`s position of supporting the EU referendum Remain campaign. With so many Labour MPs in opposition to their leader, there is a risk of the party splitting if Corbyn makes it on the ballot and secures a repeat of September`s landslide victory. (AFP)

Cameron holds last cabinet meet as May prepares to deliver Brexit

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