Home » World News »
Brexit news latest – Brits BARRED from Sweden and deported from Spain as post-Brexit pettiness sparks 'deep concerns'
BRITS have been barred from entering Sweden and deported from Spain as post-Brexit pettiness sparks "deep concerns".
Brit residents returning to their homes in Sweden were stopped at passport control in Gothenburg on Sunday night and told their negative Covid tests were invalid as they had been issued in the UK.
Judith Gough, the British Ambassador to Sweden, said she was “very concerned” that Britons had suffered travel disruption.
A similar incident happened to Brit expats heading back to their homes in Spain who were booted out the country by officials claiming their residents permits were no longer valid post-Brexit.
The news comes as a number of EU firms refused to deliver products to the UK claiming post-Brexit tax rules make it too expensive.
And some deliveries to Northern Ireland have been delayed since CHRISTMAS, with delivery operators "uncertain" of new rules post-Brexit, according to the BBC.
Follow all the latest news and reaction to the end of the transition period in our live blog below…
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
DO YOU NEED A VISA FOR EUROPE NOW?
From next year you will have to pay £6.35 for a new Etias visa waiver to enter Europe on holiday.
Travellers can apply online for the permit, which will last up to three years or until your passport expires.
The waiver, which the UK helped create before voting to leave the bloc, will require information such as your age, any past criminal convictions, and the name of the hotel or address at which you plan to stay during your visit.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
CHAOS AS DELIVERIES TO NI DELAYED AND CANCELLED
Parcels to Northern Ireland have been delayed and cancelled since CHRISTMAS causing chaos.
It is down to “uncertainty” over post-Brexit rules.
But some parcels have been delayed since Christmas, despite a “grace period” until April meaning parcels from GB-NI will not need customs declarations until April.
A government spokesperson said: “Our priority is to have a pragmatic approach that allows us to comply with the [Northern Ireland] Protocol without causing undue disruption to businesses and citizens.
"HMRC is engaging with operators to finalise arrangements."
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
EXPATS BARRED FROM BOARDING FLIGHTS
British expats were wrongly barred from boarding a BA flight to Spain after airline staff claimed their ID documents were no longer valid after Brexit.
The travellers, who live in Spain, were stopped from getting on the plane to Madrid from London Heathrow after staff told them their papers had expired.
Nine Brits were caught up in the ordeal on January 2 – just one day after Brexit rules came into force.
Staff members reportedly blocked the passengers from getting on the flight, and told them they did not have the correct proof of residency as their pre-Brexit ID documents had become invalid since December 31.
However, both British and Spanish governments had previously agreed that both green residence certificates and the new documentation, the TIE, along with valid passports, would be sufficient to travel back to Spai
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
LORD FROST ON BREXIT
The UK oficially left the EU at 11pm on December 31.
Chief Brexit negotiator Lord David Frost tweeted following the crucial moment: "Britain has just become a fully independent country again – deciding our own affairs for ourselves.
"Thank you to everyone who worked with me (and) @BorisJohnson to get us here in the last 18 months.
"We have a great future before us. Now we can build a better country for us all."
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
BRITAIN'S BREXIT JOURNEY
The EU referendum took place on June 23, 2016 – which was exactly 1,652 days ago.
Three Prime Ministers have lead the country since the Brexit vote – David Cameron, who resigned in July 2016, Theresa May, who called it quits in July 2019, and the current PM, Boris Johnson.
Mrs May signalled the start of Brexit talks on March 29, 2017, when she triggered Article 50.
Brexit negotiations began on June 19, 2017, with David Davis and Michel Barnier meeting to begin the historic talks in Brussels.
But it took until Christmas Eve in 2020 for the deal to be made.
The PM gave the nation an early Christmas present as he secured a historic agreement – which finally sees the UK take back control from the EU.
And then MPs overwhelmingly backed the Brexit bill in a Commons vote on December 30.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
MERKEL FACES BACKLASH OVER JAB DELAYS
German leader Angela Merkel has been criticised for sticking to a common EU approach instead of fast-tracking approval for the jab like the UK.
Experts say if Berlin had rolled out the shot at the same time as Britain it could have saved up to 15,000 extra lives.
The jab controversy is awkward for Mrs Merkel because the Pfizer vaccine was developed by her own country’s scientists.
Other EU leaders are also feeling the heat, with a furious row erupting between them over why it is taking the bloc so long.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
EMPTY SHELVES IN PARIS M&S
Empty shelves were seen at Marks and Spencer's in Paris due to import and
export legislation after Brexit today.Some products now require special licences, certificates and labelling before they can be sold.
Credit: Getty Images – Getty - Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
NO SIGN OF ‘CHAOS’ AT DUBLIN PORT
There is no sign of the post-Brexit “chaos” predicted at Dublin Port.
The Independent reports Tom Talbot, head of Revenue's customs operations for Dublin Port, said it is fairly quiet because of the time of year – but things could get busier soon.
It comes after hauliers predicted “chaos” after December 31.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
FORMER NAVY HEAD ON WARSHIPS IN CHANNEL
Former Navy head Admiral Lord West of Spithead said: “It’s an act of deterrence.
"We are not trying to have a punch-up with foreign vessels.
"We are signalling that these are our waters and we are responsible for looking after them.”
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
BRIT WARSHIPS IN CHANNEL
Four Brit warships were seen in the English Channel over the weekend.
The boats were a show of strength to French trawlers over new Brexit fishing rights.
A convoy of gunboats left Portsmouth hours before the Brexit deal came into force on New Year’s Eve.
- Shayma Bakht
STATE-OWNED FUNDS INVESTMENT DOWN BECAUSE OF BREXIT
State-owned investment funds invested the least in real estate in eight years in 2020, shying away from offices and hotels in particular, as the coronavirus crisis and Brexit sapped appetite, reports Reuters.
- Shayma Bakht
UK will be ‘less safe’ after Brexit, says former Met Police chief
The former Metropolitan Police commissioner says the UK may be more vulnerable now Brexit has complete and it has left the EU.
This is in response to home secretary Priti Patel, who said the UK will be safer after leaving the bloc, and will have "even tougher powers".
Sir Ian Blair pointed out the UK had lost the European Arrest Warrant and a major EU database, which is used by British police more than 600 million times a year.
He told the BBC today: “We’ve lost powers. We’ve lost full access to Europe-wide, real-time, interrogatable databases on criminal records, DNA, fingerprints, criminal intelligence.”
“The police have been quietly beating the drum, saying, ‘This is going to make us less safe’. And I’m afraid that is what is going to happen.”
- Shayma Bakht
92% OF HAULIERS GETTING GREEN LIGHT TO PASS THROUGH PORT
Tom Talbot, head of customs operations for Dublin Port, said it will take time for drivers and hauliers to get used to the new post-transition period procedures – but says 92% are getting the green light to pass.
He said that if all the correct documents and declarations are in place, then drivers will get a green light that will allow them to pass through the port.
Mr Talbot said that up to 92% of drivers are getting green lights.
"We are seeing a little bit of more orange checks at the moment, but that's because it is bedding in, but you get your green and that's all you have to do."
Another official said that around 67% of rejected consignments from third countries have issues with their certificates.
- Katie Davis
EASYJET TO SUSPEND SOME VOTING RIGHTS
EasyJet has begun moves to suspend the voting rights of some non-EU share holders in order to comply with post-Brexit airline ownership rules.
EU rules state that airlines must be owned and controlled by EU nationals – or else they would lose their licences.
The airline has saidthat investors from outside the EU would be restricted to controlling 49.5 percent of its shares – but it is currently 52.65 per cent by non-EU shareholders.
Airlines such as easyJet hope restricting voting rights will help them overcome Brexit issues.
- Shayma Bakht
BIGGEST SHIFT IN EUROPEAN SHARE TRADING IN 20 YEARS
The biggest shift in European share trading in two decades were reported today – on the first day of business since Britain left the EU's single market, reports Reuters.
The Brexit deal did not cover Britain's finance sector, meaning London's automatic access to EU financial markets came to an abrupt end on Dec. 31.
That has meant the bulk of trading in euro-denominated shares has had to switch from London to the EU, as the bloc seeks to reduce its reliance on a finance centre outside its borders.
- Shayma Bakht
POUND WEAKENED AGAINST EURO
The pound weakened versus the euro on Britain's first day of trading after officially leaving the European Union.
Experts warning the UK to implement tougher lockdown measures seem to outweigh the relief over the last-minute Brexit deal for traders.
Reuters report: "Sterling did strengthen against the dollar, even briefly breaking above $1.37 for the first time since 2018 in early London trading, but the move was more driven by dollar weakness than idiosyncratic sterling strength."
- Shayma Bakht
BINS TO BE COLLECTED EARLY AMID BREXIT TRAFFIC FEARS
A local council in Kent told households to put their waste and recycling out an hour earlier due to concerns there will be widespread traffic disruption in the area as lorries attempt to cross the channel.
Those living in the channel flashpoint saw thousands of lorries stuck outside their homes trying to get into France a few weeks ago.
Ashford Borough Council announced its collections are being extended to 6am from today (Mon) – as Britain and the EU now operate under new rules for goods moving across the Channel.
- Shayma Bakht
MANUFACTURING LEVELS GROW – BUT IS IT BECAUSE OF BREXIT?
Manufacturing levels grew faster in December than at any point in the last three years, according to new data.
The closely followed IHS Markit/CIPS Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) hit a 37-month high of 57.5 in December, up from 55.6 in November – anything above 50 is seen as a sector in growth.
However, researchers have cautioned that the boost was primarily due to pre-Brexit stockpiling.
- Shayma Bakht
FIRST MIGRANTS TO CROSS THE CHANNEL POST-BREXIT
THE FIRST migrants to cross the Channel since Brexit arrived on UK shores over the weekend.
One boat carrying around 10 people was intercepted and brought into Dover Marina, Kent shortly before 5am on Saturday.
Border Force towed the blue and white rigid hulled inflatable boat into the harbour before escorting the migrants up the gangway to be processed.
The men, wearing face masks, red lifejackets and wrapped in white blankets for warmth, appeared to be shivering from the bitter -1C temperature.
- Shayma Bakht
WATCH: BORIS SAYS HE WILL STAY ON AS PM AFTER BREXIT
Boris Johnson says he will carry on as PM after Brexit
- Shayma Bakht
FIRST BREXIT TEST FOR BRITAIN
Britain faced the first true test of its Brexit preparations on Monday, with thousands of lorries expected to make the Channel crossing for the first time since the country left the EU's single market and customs union.
Britain left the EU's institutions late Thursday, but light holiday season traffic has meant little work for border officials implementing new customs checks.
However, the government expects thousands of lorries to make the crossing on Monday, bringing goods to and from the continent and testing its plans to keep traffic flowing around key ports such as Dover.
The government, which has employed 1,000 new border officials, is phasing in the new customs checks, with full import control checks for all goods not to be implemented until July.
But it is concerned that truckers will turn up at Dover without the proper paperwork, causing delays at the port itself and blocking surrounding roads if they are turned away.
- Shayma Bakht
STOCKS JUMP TODAY!
Britain's stock market jumped more than 1.5 percent on Monday, the first trading day since the country left the EU's single market and customs union.
London's benchmark FTSE 100 index rallied 1.54 percent to 6,560.33 points, having last traded on New Year's Eve ahead of Britain's formal departure.
In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 rose 1.2 percent to 13,885.07 points and the Paris CAC 40 gained 1.3 percent to 5,625.44.
- Shayma Bakht
WEST BROM FURIOUS AT NEW BREXIT RULES
West Bromwich manager Sam Allardyce says January's transfer window could be the toughest yet as he is limited by post-Brexit regulations and the COVID-19 pandemic while his side sit second-bottom with only eight points from 17 games.
New rules from January 1 say Premier League clubs cannot sign players from EU countries without a work permit, while under-18 foreign players cannot be signed at all.
Allardyce said: "I have found three players already who were capable of coming here and they're not allowed. It's a shame.
"Due to the new regulations in terms of the permit they were unable to come to this country, whereas (previously) they would have done. I have to look at that and think 'can he qualify?'"
"That has made life a bit more difficult. It's not so much the pandemic, it's the change of rules because of Brexit. We'll do what we can… finding a player in this pandemic is going to be the hardest window I have ever worked in."
- Britta Zeltmann
BREXIT SAY ON 'SUPER THURSDAY'
Millions of voters will this year get their first chance to have a say on how politicians have handled Covid-19 and Brexit.
A bumper set of elections are to be held across Great Britain on "Super Thursday" – May 6 – including a number of contests postponed from 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Voters in Scotland and Wales will be choosing new parliaments.
In London there will be elections for the mayor and assembly, which were originally due to take place last year.
And across the rest of England voters will be choosing a mixture of councillors, local mayors, regional mayors and police commissioners.
The scale of "Super Thursday" means that every voter in Great Britain will be able to take part in at least one type of poll, making it the biggest event of its kind outside a general election.
- Britta Zeltmann
BORDER FORCE
Thousands of lorries are today expected to make the Channel crossing for the first time since the country left the EU's single market and customs union.
Britain left the EU on Thursday night, but light holiday season traffic has meant little work for border officials implementing new customs checks.
The government now expects thousands of lorries to make the crossing today, bringing goods to and from the continent and testing its plans to keep traffic flowing around key ports such as Dover.
The government, which has employed 1,000 new border officials, is phasing in new customs checks, with full import control checks for all goods not to be implemented until July.
But it is concerned today that truckers will turn up at Dover without the proper paperwork, causing delays at the port itself and blocking surrounding roads if they are turned away.
Source: Read Full Article
