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Brexit news - live updates: Theresa May holds unscheduled talks with European Commission president Juncker 'at her request'

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Ashley Cowburn

Political Correspondent

,Benjamin Kentish

Friday 18 January 2019 10:15 EST

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Theresa May leaves Downing Street after Cabinet meetings

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Theresa May has held talks with the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, amid the chaos over Brexit and as Whitehall chiefs have reportedly been ordered to draw up contingency plans for a snap general election.

It came as the brinkmanship over cross-party talks over Brexit continued in Westminster and claims the civil service chief, Sir Mark Sedwill, had told departmental heads to be prepared for an snap election.

Theresa May, however, has consistently said there will be no general election before 2022, and earlier this week said it would be the “worst thing we could do” and “bring chaos when we need certainty” as she urged the Commons to reject a no confidence motion brought by the Labour leader.

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Theresa May to consider axing Human Rights Act after Brexit, minister revealsTheresa May will “consider” axing the Human Rights Act after Brexit, a minister has revealed, despite promising she is “committed” to its protections.The government will decide on the future of the landmark legislation once “the process of leaving the EU concludes”, a letter to a parliamentary inquiry says.The wording was described as “troubling” by the Lords EU justice sub-committee – which warned it cast doubt on repeated pledges to protect the European Convention on Human Rights.

Ashley Cowburn18 January 2019 16:06

Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting appeals to British public to think again and scrap BrexitAngela Merkel's protégé Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who now leads the chancellor's CDU party, signed a joint letter calling on the UK to reconsider

Ashley Cowburn18 January 2019 16:25

Voters now want to remain in the EU by a 12-point margin, according to a new poll

Voters want to remain in EU by 12-point margin as Brexit opposition reaches new high, poll finds56 per cent of public now back Remain, while Leave vote has slumped to 44 per cent

Benjamin Kentish18 January 2019 16:50

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