Tag: Brexit

British MPs vote to ask for Brexit delay

by Dmitry ZAKS and Alice RITCHIE LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain’s parliament on Thursday voted to ask the European Union to delay Brexit until at least June and head off a potentially calamitous end to their 46-year partnership in two weeks. MPs, however, also voted against a proposal to hold a second referendum during the delay, dealing a blow to the hopes of pro-EU campaigners. Britain is barrelling towards the March 29 Brexit deadline […]

Pound tracks back from Brexit highs, Asia markets mixed

HONG KONG, China (AFP) — The pound retreated from nine-month highs in Asia on Thursday as investors are dogged by Brexit uncertainty, while equities were mixed as a healthy Wall Street lead was offset by more disappointing Chinese economic data. In another night of drama in Westminster, MPs voted against leaving the European Union without a deal, having rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s agreement with the bloc for a second time. The move sent the […]

Wall Street rallies amid Brexit, Boeing turmoil

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Wall Street held on to solid gains on Wednesday, rallying as British lawmakers ruled out a no-deal Brexit and President Donald Trump became among the last world leaders to ground Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft. Investors also were cheered by economic data showing the US manufacturing sector had a boost in January and wholesale inflation remained tame in February. Shares in Boeing bounced erratically after Trump’s decision to ground all […]

British MPs vote to reject no-deal Brexit

by Alice RITCHIE LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British MPs voted to reject a no-deal Brexit on Wednesday, prompting Prime Minister Theresa May to announce she will put her EU divorce plan to parliament for a third time in the coming days. britain May warned that if MPs did not adopt the deal there could have to be a lengthy delay to Brexit that would see Britain elect members to the European Parliament in elections […]

Britain says to scrap tariffs on 87% of imports in no-deal Brexit

Britain will slash import tariffs in case of a no-deal Brexit and will not apply customs checks on the border with Ireland, the government said on Wednesday. Under the new system, which would come into force if Britain leaves the EU on March 29 without an agreement, tariffs would be retained but reduced for some agricultural products to protect British producers. The new regime is aimed at avoiding a jump in prices of EU imports […]

EU needs to hear UK plan before deciding Brexit delay: Barnier

The European Union must hear from Britain how it plans to proceed with Brexit before deciding whether to delay the divorce, negotiator Michel Barnier said Wednesday. On Tuesday, British MPs rejected the Brexit withdrawal plan that Prime Minister Theresa May had agreed with EU negotiators — with just 16 days to go before Britain is due to leave the bloc. The lawmakers are to vote again on Wednesday to indicate how they plan to proceed, […]

British MPs set to vote on no-deal Brexit

By Dario THUBURN LONDON, March 13, 2019 (AFP) – British MPs will vote Wednesday on whether the country should leave the EU without a deal in just over two weeks, after overwhelmingly rejecting a draft divorce agreement. The House of Commons is expected to vote against a “no deal” Brexit, although this could still happen on March 29 unless it can agree on what should happen instead. MPs on Tuesday rejected for a second time […]

Brexit defeat leaves May’s authority in tatters

by Alice RITCHIE LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May staked everything on getting her Brexit deal, and its rejection on Tuesday has left her authority severely damaged. The Conservative leader had already sparked anger and frustration at home and in Brussels for taking the Brexit talks down to the wire. These have now been shown to have failed, with dozens of her own MPs voting for a second time to reject […]

UK, EU agree three-part deal on Brexit divorce

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May’s government on Monday secured a three-part package of changes from the EU to the terms of its withdrawal deal, hoping to win over sceptical MPs. As May sealed the deal in Strasbourg with EU leaders, her de facto deputy, David Lidington, updated parliament in London on the plans. “This evening in Strasbourg the prime minister… (has) secured legally binding changes that strengthen and improve the […]

Pound volatile at start of hectic Brexit week

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — The British pound see-sawed Monday as traders jockeyed for position on the eve of another critical parliamentary vote for Prime Minister Theresa May. Meanwhile, in New York, US stocks snapped a five-day losing streak, despite a sharp decline early in the session for Boeing following Sunday’s deadly crash involving one of its a top-selling passenger jets. The British currency kicked off the trading cycle in Asia by tanking to […]

Global stocks mixed as Brexit talks resume

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Global stocks were mixed Tuesday as markets awaited details on US-China trade negotiations and Brexit talks resumed between the EU and Britain. Wall Street finished a choppy session marginally lower after European bourses had pushed higher, shrugging off Brexit worries. “The market is trying to react to a mixed bag of things,” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at National. “How much is priced in terms of good news […]

UK’s May to seek MPs’ approval for new Brexit strategy

by Joe JACKSON Agence France Presse LONDON, United States (AFP) — Prime Minister Theresa May will on Wednesday face a vote by MPs over her newly revised Brexit strategy, which could allow them to approve an eventual delay to Britain’s EU departure. The embattled leader will ask lawmakers to approve a three-step plan set out Tuesday that would give her more time to attempt to rework a draft divorce deal struck with the European Union. […]