Euro Weekly News - Axarquia 18 - 24 July 2019 Issue 1776

8
EWN 27 June - 3 July 2019 www.euroweeklynews.com FEATURE
Going round
in circles
DONALD TUSK warned that it was “a political
reality” that Britain is wasting its breathing space
granted in April.
The EU chief said that Brexit could become
“even more exciting” owing to “some personnel
decisions” in London, an indirect reference to the
likelihood of negotiating with Boris Johnson
should he win the Tory leadership race.
“But nothing has changed when it comes to
our position,” he added.
Although Brussels is willing to listen to the
views and suggestions of Theresa May’s successor,
the president of the European Council and
other EU leaders attending the EU summit
warned that the withdrawal agreement the thenprime
minister took back with her to London
was final.
The Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte, echoed
the Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar’s assertion
during the summit that the EU “was hostile” to a
further extension of the UK’s membership beyond
October 31, unless the government’s red
lines changed or a general election or second referendum
were called.
“But only in that case. We’re not going to
renegotiate if nothing changes because that
would go around in the same circles.”
BREXIT BRIEF
A voice for the north
By Joe Gerrard
CAMPAIGNERS calling for a
second referendum hope to
correct the ‘distorted’ impression
of northern voters.
Focusing on the area where
so many Labour supporters
voted to leave Europe, they
hope to put pressure on Jeremy
Corbyn for a ‘Final Say’
vote.
The People’s Vote North
campaign which recently
launched in Leeds, hopes to
give northern voters a louder
voice in the Brexit debate and
reverse the clichéd image of
northerners who all think and
act the same and support
Brexit.
“A destructive Brexit will
affect our region first and
worst with a £40 billion hit to
our economy that will see our
families suffer, our jobs go,
our schools and hospitals
damaged,” a People’s Vote
North spokesperson said.
GIVING VOICE: Brexit protesters in London.
Labour MPs from northern
constituencies who back People’s
Vote North include
Hillary Benn, who chairs the
Commons Brexit committee,
Phil Wilson, the architect of
the plan to engineer parliamentary
support for another
referendum and Bridget
Phillipson, MP for Houghton
and Sunderland North.
The 1,000-strong Leeds rally
was addressed by former
footballers John Barnes and
Peter Reid, athletics world
champion Steve Cram and ex-
Corrie star, Denise Welch as
well as politicians.
This was the first in a series
of ‘Let Us Be Heard’ rallies
that will be held nationwide
this summer.
BREXIT EXTRA
No
pedigree
problems
IBERIA has passed
its ‘Spanishness’
test.
Antonion Vazque,
president of IAG,
announced that the
Spanish airline
would not lose its
right to operate in
the European Union
after a ‘no deal’
Brexit.
AEG, which also
owns Vueling, British
Airways, Aer Lingus
and Level, was asked
last April to present
contingency plans to
Spain, Ireland,
France and Austria.
All have been approved
by the respective
governments,
although the
last word goes to the
European Commission.