logo
Are we finally over Brexit?

Are we finally over Brexit?

The Guardian21-05-2025

On Monday Britain and the EU announced a series of new agreements ranging from sausages to arms sales.
While the details of the deal are yet to be signed, it seemed to many like the start of a new, post-Brexit era.
It reflects, as the Guardian's deputy political editor Jessica Elgot reports, a change in the public mood: tired of the endless rancour over Britain leaving the EU, but tired of the many inconveniences it caused too.
Still, with Reform UK surging in the polls, it is an area fraught with risk for the Labour government. So how far, Helen Pidd asks, could it be willing to go with Britain's rapprochement with the EU?

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

School inspectors could quit over Ofsted report card plans
School inspectors could quit over Ofsted report card plans

Telegraph

time37 minutes ago

  • Telegraph

School inspectors could quit over Ofsted report card plans

School inspectors could quit over plans for Ofsted report cards. Headteacher unions could encourage their members to quit as Ofsted inspectors unless the proposed system is changed. The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) have threatened to take the 'unprecedented step' in the autumn term if there are no changes to the timescale for inspection reform or to the five-point grading scale. In a letter to Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, and Sir Martyn Oliver, the chief inspector of Ofsted, the unions said the proposed action 'underlines the strength of feeling' about the reforms. Ofsted said earlier in June that it would delay setting out its final plan for school inspections in England until September – just weeks before new report cards are due to be rolled out in November. Under the plans, unveiled in February, schools in England could be graded across eight to 10 areas of provision using a colour-coded five-point scale. They would receive ratings, from the red 'causing concern' to orange 'attention needed', through the green shades of 'secure', 'strong' and 'exemplary' for each area of practice. In a letter on Tuesday, the leaders of the ASCL and the NAHT said: 'We are writing to you further to our joint letter with NASUWT and NEU to inform you ASCL council recently determined that unless there are changes to both the timeframe of implementation and to the five-point grading scale, then ASCL will consider encouraging its members to withdraw their service from Ofsted as OIs in the autumn term. 'At its meeting of June 20 the NAHT resolved to do the same. 'This would be an unprecedented step for ASCL and NAHT and underlines the strength of feeling about the proposed reforms.' Ofsted had planned to publish its formal response to its consultation on proposed inspection reforms in the summer term, ahead of the changes coming into effect. Wait caused by feedback But then Sir Martyn said the watchdog planned to wait until September because of the scale of the feedback it had received. The inspectorate said it wanted more time to analyse responses and carry out further testing of proposals to improve the final approach. At the time, Ms Phillipson called the delay 'disappointing'. She added that it was 'important' that Ofsted delivers to the expected timescales to avoid additional challenges for school leaders. Pepe Di'Iasio, ASCL general secretary, said: 'We have voiced our concerns repeatedly over the past few months in discussions with Ofsted and the DfE [Department for Education], but the timetable for implementation has actually got worse rather than better, and there has been no indication so far of likely movement on the five-point grading scale. 'It feels as though we have exhausted the potential for compromise through discussion, and that we have little option other than to consider this more direct form of action.' Ofsted grades were scrapped In 2024, the Government announced that headline Ofsted grades for overall effectiveness for schools in England would be scrapped. Previously, Ofsted awarded one of four judgments: outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate. The move came after the body faced criticism following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry. Mrs Perry took her own life in January 2023 after Ofsted downgraded her Caversham Primary School in Reading, Berkshire, from the highest to the lowest overall effectiveness rating over safeguarding concerns. An Ofsted spokeswoman said: 'Ofsted exists to keep children safe and raise standards. 'Our inspectors do vital work to improve children's lives, including by identifying schools, nurseries and colleges where standards are not high enough. 'It is disappointing that unions are taking legal action and using disruption tactics to frustrate our vital work.'

Fury as Labour eyes closer trade ties with China despite admitting it is a ‘persistent threat' to Britain
Fury as Labour eyes closer trade ties with China despite admitting it is a ‘persistent threat' to Britain

The Sun

time37 minutes ago

  • The Sun

Fury as Labour eyes closer trade ties with China despite admitting it is a ‘persistent threat' to Britain

LABOUR admits China is a 'persistent threat' to Britain - but still wants to deepen trade relations with Beijing. Foreign Secretary David Lammy yesterday insisted 'not engaging with China is no choice at all', calling their global power 'inescapable'. 2 His comments came as the Government published a 'China audit' as part of the national security strategy, which warned of rising spying, democracy interference and economic sabotage by Xi Jinping's regime. Despite that, the review said the UK will pursue 'direct, high-level engagement' with Beijing to boost growth. Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel slammed ministers for going 'cap in hand to China' and backing a 'suspicious' plan for a mega-embassy in London. The plans for the five-acre Royal Mint Court site, next to the Tower of London, have been bogged down in a national security row for years. A final decision on the embassy will be taken by Deputy PM Angela Rayner's department. But Washington yesterday issued a fresh warning over the site, with US congress chiefs saying it could pose a risk to the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which includes the UK and US. John Moolenaar and Raja Krishnamoorthi, who lead Washington's powerful China committee, said: 'We have yet to receive credible assurances that the risks posed by the PRC's so-called mega-embassy in London can be sufficiently mitigated. 'The proposed structure's size and proximity to sensitive communication cables and financial centres could pose an unacceptable intelligence threat not only for Londoners, but for the UK, Five Eyes, and Europe as a whole.' China unveils tiny terrifying mosquito-sized drone to be used for spying & 'special missions' as they sneak into homes 2

Sideline Starmer! Sir Keir snapped in third row of leaders' photo at Nato summit
Sideline Starmer! Sir Keir snapped in third row of leaders' photo at Nato summit

Daily Mail​

time44 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Sideline Starmer! Sir Keir snapped in third row of leaders' photo at Nato summit

Sir Keir Starmer was pushed to the sidelines for a leaders' photo at Tuesday's Nato summit, with the Prime Minister spotted all the way back on the third row. He cut a lonely figure halfway up the stairs of the Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, Netherlands as the meeting of heads of state kicked off. Taking centre stage were US president Donald Trump and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, who flanked Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima on the front row ahead of a lavish dinner. But Sir Keir, meanwhile, looked rather stranded in the background, placed next to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Italy 's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with the latter standing some distance away from the British representative. The Prime Minister is hoping to formally agree a defence and security spending pledge of 5 per cent of GDP by 2035 with his fellow leaders at the summit, but he seemed to struggle to find anyone to talk to as various guests chatted among themselves on the palace steps. The spending commitment is expected to be made up of 3.5 per cent on 'core defence' and another 1.5 per cent on 'resilience and security'. And Sir Keir insisted that Labour would stick to its pledge not to raise taxes to reach the new defence spending targets. He said: 'Every time we've set out our defence spending commitments, so when we went to 2.5 per cent in 2027/28, we set out precisely how we would pay for it, that didn't involve tax rises. 'Clearly we've got commitments in our manifesto about not making tax rises on working people and we will stick to our manifesto commitments.' He said the current commitment to get defence spending up to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027/8 was not coming at the expense of welfare, but rather from cuts to overseas development aid. 'So, it's a misdescription to suggest that the defence spending commitment we've made is at the expense of money on welfare,' Sir Keir added. At a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Prime Minister underscored that national security is the 'first duty' of Government. His trip comes as the Government publishes its national security strategy, setting out plans to make the UK 'more resilient to future threats'. Downing Street has described the 5 per cent goal as 'a projected target' that allies will review in 2029 when Nato carries out its next capability assessment. It is a significant jump from the current 2 per cent target in the group, and from the UK Government's aim of spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence from 2027 and 3 per cent at some point after the next election. But the figure is in line with the demands of President Trump, who has called for Nato allies to shoulder more of the burden of European defence. The Prime Minister is hoping to formally agree a defence and security spending pledge of 5 per cent of GDP by 2035 with his fellow leaders at the summit The Government expects to spend 1.5 per cent of GDP on resilience and security by 2027. The details of what counts towards that target are to be set out during this week's summit, but it is likely to include spending on energy and border security as well as intelligence agencies. And increasing core defence spending to 3.5 per cent will not happen until 2035, with at least two elections likely to take place before then. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) estimates that an increase in core spending from 2.6 per cent to 3.5 per cent would cost an additional £30 billion a year. It noted, however, that the plans concern spending far in the future and therefore may not affect the Government's spending review or autumn budget decisions. Spending 3.5 per cent of national income on defence is 'certainly not unprecedented' but much more is now spent on health than in the past, IFS researcher Bee Boileau said. Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said the Government had not been clear enough about how it would reach the defence spending goal, claiming ministers had only offered 'smoke and mirrors'. She added: 'So, when will he actually deliver a plan to get to 2 per cent, and why won't he heed our calls to hit 3 per cent by the end of this Parliament, which would be vital, and a vital stepping stone on the way to that higher defence spending that he is seeking.' The Nato gathering comes amid the backdrop of escalating Middle East tensions and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Sir Keir has urged Israel and Iran to get back to the fragile ceasefire brokered by President Trump. Mr Trump told reporters on the way to the Netherlands that it would depend 'on your definition' when asked if he would commit to Nato's Article 5, which requires members to defend each other from attack. Ukrainian President Zelensky is also at the summit, but did not take part in the main discussions of the North Atlantic Council. Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte described the move to spend more on defence as a 'quantum leap' that would make the organisation 'a stronger, a fairer and a more lethal alliance'. But it was reported on Sunday that Spain had reached a deal that would see it exempted from the 5 per cent target. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that Spain would be able to keep its commitments to the 32-nation military alliance by spending 2.1 per cent of GDP on defence needs.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store