'Brexit has failed' according to none other than Nigel Farage. The Times, with an excellent piece by Tom Calver, shows that many of the public strongly agree. Things can only get worse for advocates of Brexit: immigration numbers are about to hit record highs, there are ongoing problems with UK-EU trade (especially in electric vehicles), and public opinion is shifting away from Brexit. Meanwhile pressures on UK defence spending and commitments continue to rise. And Liz Truss has been in Taiwan, which given her record might not be considered helpful despite the fact the UK urgently needs a discussion about how it would respond to any escalation in tensions surrounding Taiwan.
UK-EU Electric Vehicles ~ FT: Peter Campbell, Peter Foster, Andy Bounds — What is at stake in the EU-UK battery deal? Brussels has refused to tweak trade agreement with UK despite intense industry lobbying on both sides of Channel.
Franco-British relations ~ FT: Janan Ganesh — The real special relationship. Britain and France have more in common than either does with a third country.
Brexit has failed ~ The Times: Tom Calver — Has Brexit left Britain in a better state? Many Brexiteers claim they’ve been betrayed but there are successes too. Tom Calver analyses the data on the key issues.
Brexit realignment ~ Swingometer: Rob Ford — The rise and fall of the Brexit realignment. Marching up the Brexit hill, then marching down again.
Migration ~ FT: William Wallis and Delphine Strauss — UK net migration has more than doubled from pre-Brexit levels, figures set to show. Data for 2022 is due out in the coming week and analysts expect it to set a new record.
Migration ~ FT: Andy Bounds, Laura Dubois, Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe — UK and EU agree to collaborate over cross-Channel migration. London to work with Frontex border agency in latest sign of easing Brexit tensions.
UK and EU migrants ~ UKICE: A battle for the crown – the UK’s migration story, from the coronation to Eurovision. Michaela Benson and Nando Sigona look at how EU citizens in the UK and British citizens in the EU feel about major events such as the Jubilee, the Commonwealth Games and Eurovision, exploring how perceptions have changed in the context of Brexit.
Energy and Industry ~ UKICE: Energy security and industrial strategy – UK and EU divergence. Peter Jurkovic examines the UK and EU’s divergent approaches to energy security and investment in green technologies since the US Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law, looking at whether it’s too late for the UK to develop its own industrial strategy.
Attitudes to national security ~ UKICE: British attitudes towards national security risks and cooperation Richard Rose sets out the findings of a recent European Security survey of public opinion in the UK, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Croatia looking at the extent to which people see the global economy, climate change, immigration, military action and terrorism as risks to their security.
Size of Army ~ House of Lords Library: Edward Scott — Size of the army: Numbers, tech and the latest on the integrated review. In 2021, the government announced it would reduce the size of the army from 82,000 to 73,000 trained regulars. It also said the army would be modernised to take advantage of new technologies. This article looks at the current size of the army, the government’s 2021 integrated review and the findings of a recent inquiry on UK defence policy by the House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee.
Defence refresh ~ The Pinstriped Line — ‘A Brave and Courageous Decision’ - Thoughts on the Imminent UK Defence Refresh.
Taiwan ~ New Statesman: Katie Stallard — What is Liz Truss doing in Taiwan? The former British prime minister is the wrong messenger, but a serious conversation is needed about the UK’s China policy.
Ukraine ~ WSJ: Tom Rogan — The U.S. and U.K. Are Split on the Ukraine War. The British are more assertive, the Americans more worried about provoking Russia.