Brexit news latest – Brits banned from UK return from Spain as Boris claims 'substantial sums of money' are coming back
A TOTAL of nine Brits have been stopped from flying to Madrid after airline staff claimed their residency papers were now invalid.
Among those banned from the joint BA/Iberia Heathrow flight was journalist and photographer Max Duncan.
Both the Spanish and British governments have said both the old Foreign National Identification (NIE) document and the new Foreign ID Card (TIE) remain valid.
Elsewhere, Boris Johnson said that “substantial sums of money” are coming back to the UK due to Brexit.
He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme: “For instance, they’ve already got substantial sums of money coming back into this country as a result of leaving the EU.
“We’ve got control over our borders, a points-based immigration system has already been established.
Follow all the latest news and reaction to the end of the transition period in our live blog below…
- Jon Rogers
SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM SHOULD BE 'ONCE IN A GENERATION' VOTE, SAYS PM
The Prime Minister has reiterated his position that a Scottish independence referendum should be a "once-in-a-generation" vote.
Speaking on the Andrew Marr show, Boris Johnson said that the gap between referendums on Europe – the first in 1975 and the second in 2016 – was "a good sort of gap".
However, Mr Marr suggested that now "things had changed" for Scotland, after leaving the European Union and the coronavirus pandemic.
He asked Mr Johnson what a voter in Scotland should do if they decided that a second independence referendum was now something they wanted, what were "the democratic tools in my hands to now do that?"
Boris Johnson said: "Referendums in my experience, direct experience, in this country are not particularly jolly events.
"They don't have a notably unifying force in the national mood, they should be only once in a generation."
- Jon Rogers
UK GETTING 'SUBSTANTIAL' MONEY DUE TO BREXIT
Boris Johnson said that "substantial sums of money" are coming back to the UK due to Brexit.
He told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme: "For instance, they've already got substantial sums of money coming back into this country as a result of leaving the EU.
"We've got control over our borders, a points-based immigration system has already been established.
"And then when it comes to areas in parts of the country that feel that they've been left behind, one of the things that you can do for instance, to say nothing more (of) the regulatory changes you can make, one of the things you can do is have free ports."
He added: "You can use tax systems and subsidies in order to drive investment."
- Jon Rogers
SCOTS UNLIKELY TO GET SECOND INDEPENDENCE VOTE
Boris Johnson has said that referendums should only be held "once in a generation".
He told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme: "Referendums in my experience, direct experience, in this country are not particularly jolly events.
"They don't have a notably unifying force in the national mood, they should be only once in a generation."
Asked what the difference was between a referendum on EU membership being granted and another on Scottish independence being requested, he said: "The difference is we had a referendum in 1975 and we then had another one in 2016.
"That seems to be about the right sort of gap."
The last referendum on Scottish independence was in 2014.
- Jon Rogers
EXTRA CASH AND FREEPORTS ARE BENEFITS OF BREXIT – JOHNSON
Boris Johnson has said that freeports and the country having more money are both benefits of Brexit.
The Prime Minister said leaving the EU would mean the UK was better off.
When asked about the extra paperwork leaving the EU would mean for businesses he said the “tragic reality” was that businesses already had to deal bureaucracy.
- Jon Rogers
JOHNSON TO CARRY ON AS PM
Britain's Boris Johnson said on Sunday he intended to carry on as prime minister after Brexit.
Asked in a BBC interview if he intended to continue in the role, Johnson said: "Yes."
- Jon Rogers
JOHNSON TO FACE MARR IN FIRST TV INTERVIEW SINCE BREXIT
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to give his first TV interview since Britain left the EU today.
He will face Andrew Marr in what is expected to be a lively debate.
Other guests today on the BBC1 show are Arlene Foster, Sage scientist Sir Mark Walport and Dr Alison Pittard, Dean of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine.
- Jon Rogers
BRITS BANNED FROM MADRID FLIGHT OVER BREXIT ID
A total of nine Brits were stopped from boarding a BA/Iberia flight to Madrid after staff said their pre-Brexit residency papers were no longer valid.
Among those banned from the Heathrow flight was journalist and photographer Max Duncan, who was told his green residency paper was no longer valid, even though both the Spanish and British governments have said both the old Foreign National Identification (NIE) document and the new Foreign ID Card (TIE) remain valid.
In a tweet from the British embassy in Madrid, Duncan was assured that the green paper was valid, The Guardian reports.
It was not just the Madrid flight that was affected. A person with the Twitter name @daisyqueen wrote: “My daughter and her partner affected. Been in Heathrow for 12 hours – refused travel initial BA flight to Barcelona then told could travel tonight so waited only to be refused as BA say passengers were returned from Barcelona.”
- Catriona Graffius
FULL STEAM AHEAD
Four Navy warships have steamed into the Channel in 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.
The offshore patrol vessels, armed with cannon and machine guns, are under orders to protect the UK’s sovereign fishing grounds.
HMS Trent, a new £100million warship, led the flotilla followed by HMS Tyne, HMS Tamar and HMS Mersey.
All four River class vessels are assigned to fishery protection duties, historically known as the Cod Squad.
- Catriona Graffius
DO I NEED A VISA TO TRAVEL TO EUROPE?
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.
- Catriona Graffius
UK GOVERNMENT STATEMENT ON SCOTLAND
A UK Government spokeswoman said: “Scotland, and all parts of the UK, have a bright future outside of the EU.
“We have struck a great trade deal with the EU. It allows Scottish businesses to continue trading with the EU tariff-free, and puts in place the arrangements we need on security, travel, energy, health and social security.
“But outside the EU, Scotland’s businesses will also reap the benefit of new export opportunities as we add to the trade deals we are signing around the world.”
- Catriona Graffius
POST-TRADE BREXIT DEAL – HOW MPS VOTED THIS WEEK
- Catriona Graffius
BORIS HAILS BREXIT AS 'AMAZING MOMENT'
Boris Johnson has heralded Brexit as an “amazing moment” which will allow Britain to put rocket boosters on its economy.
The PM said the country is now free to “do things differently, and if necessary better, than our friends in the EU”.
Boris added: “Free to do trade deals around the world. And free to turbocharge our ambition to be a science superpower.
“From biosciences to artificial intelligence, and with our world-leading battery and wind technology, we will work with partners around the world.
"This is an amazing moment for this country. We have our freedom in our hands and it is up to us to make the most of it."
- Catriona Graffius
'BREXIT WILL MAKE BRITAIN SAFER', SAYS HOME SECRETARY
Priti Patel has assured Brits Brexit will make the UK a safer country to live in.
The Home Secretary told The Telegraph the deal with EU 'gives our police and security services the tools and partnerships to help keep the public safe'.
- Catriona Graffius
EU SUPER-TRAWLERS BANNED FROM PLUNDERING BRITISH FISH
EU super-trawlers are to be banned from plundering fish from British waters.
Ministers will demonstrate they are back in full control of our coasts with a post-Brexit crackdown on factory ships.
The vast vessels — often longer than a football pitch — use nets up to one-mile in length to catch hundreds of tons of fish every day.
But they have been blamed for large numbers of dead dolphins and porpoises washed up on our shores.
Brits also complain they dominate the main fishing grounds, making it difficult for them to compete.
- Catriona Graffius
SPAIN REACHES AGREEMENT WITH UK TO KEEP FREE MOVEMENT FOR GIBRALTAR AFTER BREXIT
Spain has struck a deal with the UK to keep free movement to and from Gibraltar now that Britain has left the EU.
To stop a hard border, Gibraltar will stay part of the EU's Schengen zone and stick to other EU rules – but it will still be a British Overseas Territory.
The agreement was announced by Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya, just hours before the UK exits the EU.
Ms Laya said: "With this [agreement], the fence is removed, Schengen is applied to Gibraltar… it allows for the lifting of controls between Gibraltar and Spain."
- Catriona Graffius
HOW LONG HAS IT TAKEN BRITAIN TO LEAVE THE EU AFTER BREXIT VOTE?
The EU referendum took place on June 23, 2016 – which was exactly 1,654 days ago.
That's the equivalent to four years, six months, and ten days.
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.
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.
- Catriona Graffius
CAN MY PET TRAVEL TO THE EU AFTER BREXIT?
Pets will be able to travel with their owners to the EU after Brexit – but there are some important changes to be aware of.
Pet passports won't be valid any more from January 1.
Instead, negotiators thrashed out a deal which will see the UK given 'part two listed' status.
That means pets will be allowed to travel within EU borders.
However, owners must make sure their pet has been vaccinated against rabies and all animals must be microchipped and have animal health certificate, which must be obtained at least ten days before travel.
- Catriona Graffius
NEW BREXIT RULES MEAN EU MIGRANTS WON'T BE ABLE TO CLAIM BENEFITS FOR FIVE YEARS
EU migrants who arrive in the UK after Brexit will not be able to claim benefits – including Universal Credit – for five years.
Work and Pensions Secretary Thérèse Coffey announced the post-Brexit benefits system this week, which means all migrants are treated the same – no matter where they arrived from.
Under the new rules, child benefits will no longer be paid out for kids not living in the UK.
Ms Coffey said: "It is both right and fair that people making the UK their home should pay into the tax system for a reasonable period of time before they can access the benefit system.”
Previously, Europeans could claim benefits within their first year of living in the UK.
- Catriona Graffius
BRITAIN SIGN TRADE DEAL WITH TURKEY
Britain signed a bumper trade deal with Turkey this week as the Brexit trade deal kicked in an hour before the New Year.
Trade Secretary Liz Truss signed off a £18.6bn pact as Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the nation can now "do things a bit differently".
The deal with Turkey will provide a major boost for British car industry, manufacturing and steel industries and lays the groundwork for an enhanced relationship in the future.
Trade between the two countries was worth more than $25billion in 2019.
- Catriona Graffius
TORY BREXITEER BILL CASH CONGRATULATES PM FOR FREEING COUNTRY FROM 'PARALYSIS'
Tory Brexiteer Bill Cash has congratulated Boris Johnson for delivering Brexit as promised.
The MP for Stone tweeted: "In early December last year the country was in paralysis. Now @BorisJohnson has got #Brexit done, as promised in the General Election.
"This agreement reaffirms the #sovereignty of the United Kingdom."
The Tory Brexiteer earlier compared Mr Johnson to Alexander the Great for cutting the 'Gordian knot' of Brexit.
- Catriona Graffius
DAVID FROST POINTS TO ‘GREAT FUTURE’ AFTER BREXIT
The UK’s chief Brexit negotiator Lord Frost has said “we have a great future before us” as the transition period with the EU came to an end.
He tweeted: “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.”
- Catriona Graffius
BORDER CALM AS BREXIT DEAL KICKS IN
The first lorries glided out of Brexit Britain with ease yesterday as gloomy predictions of chaos at the borders came to naught.
They trundled through Dover at a rate of less than one a minute yesterday morning.
The Channel ports were calm and quiet despite fears there would be long delays and tailbacks while France imposed custom controls on the first day after Britain left the EU.
It was in stark contrast to a fortnight ago, when the area was gridlocked with trucks and vans as France closed the border to halt the spread of the mutant strain of Covid-19.
- Catriona Graffius
'KEEP A LIGHT ON', SAYS STURGEON IN EU PLEA
Nicola Sturgeon has asked Europe to "keep a light on" after Brexit as Scotland will be "back soon".
Scotland's First Minister tweeted just after the Brexit transition period formally ended at 11pm on December 31.
Despite the Brexit trade deal kicking into place an hour before the new year, Ms Sturgeon repeated the SNP's call for an independent Scotland to join the EU.
- Catriona Graffius
LORRY-DRIVERS COULD AVOID CHANNEL FOR FORTNIGHT AS NEW BREXIT REQUIREMENTS KICK IN
Hauliers could avoid the Channel crossing for a fortnight as businesses adjust to the new Brexit paperwork demands.
Lorries faced being turned back from ports on the first day of Britain’s new trading regime with the EU, The Times has reported.
Dover, Holyhead and the Channel Tunnel rail link had less traffic than usual yesterday amid claims many HGV drivers would avoid making crossings for up to two weeks because of the latest Brexit paperwork requirements.
Ferry operator Stena Line said yesterday that it turned six lorries away from a Dublin-bound trip as the drivers did “not have the correct references”.
- Catriona Graffius
BRITS TRAVELLING TO EU MUST LEAVE HAM SANDWICHES AT HOME
Holiday-makers used to travelling to Europe with a coolbox in the caravan or a packed lunch for the journey will be forced to go vegan.
Personal imports of meat or dairy products are no longer allowed.
So if you are packing meat or dairy products, such as a ham sandwich, you will need to eat it before you cross the border.
The same rules would also apply for carrying food across the border that you had bought on a flight or at a UK airport.
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