As it happenedended

Brexit today - LIVE: Theresa May and senior ministers arrive at Chequers for 'war cabinet' meeting to decide on UK's future relationship with EU

Prime Minister hopes to finally force top Tories to agree Government's aims for future relationship with EU

Benjamin Kentish

Political Correspondent

Thursday 22 February 2018 04:38 EST

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Theresa May hopes an 'away day' at Chequers will help bring her warring cabinet ministers together (Getty)

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Theresa May is hosting ten of her most senior cabinet ministers at Chequers this afternoon as they attempt to reach an agreement on the UK's future relationship with the EU.

It follows two meetings of the 'Brexit war cabinet' earlier this month that failed to reach a compromise. Pro-EU ministers such as Philip Hammond and Amber Rudd have clashed with Brexiteers like Boris Johnson and Liam Fox about how close a relationship the UK should maintain with Europe.

Today's meeting is designed to agree a shared position before Theresa May gives a major speech on Brexit later next week. Jeremy Corbyn will also give a speech on the issue on Monday, with speculation he will soften Labour's stance - possibly with a pledge to keep the UK in the customs union.

Before senior ministers head to Chequers, Robin Walker, the Brexit minister, and Sir Tim Barrow, the UK's representative to the EU, were grilled by Parliament's European Scrutiny Committee, while Liam Fox faced an hour of questions from MPs in the Commons chamber.

Welcome to today's live coverage of another big Brexit day, as ministers (hope to) decide the Government's position ahead of the second round of negotiations with Brussels, which begin next month.

Kristin Hugo22 February 2018 09:05

A bit more on the crunch meeting of the Brexit 'war cabinet' , which is taking place at the Prime Minister's country retreat, Chequers, this afternoon.

It's due to get underway after lunch and continue until around 10pm, although you wouldn't bet against it dragging on into the early hours as ministers try to reach a compromise.

In attendance will be Theresa May and ten of her senior cabinet ministers. They are:

Philip Hammond - Chancellor

Amber Rudd - Home Secretary

Boris Johnson - Foreign Secretary

Davis Davis - Brexit Secretary

Liam Fox - International Trade Secretary

Greg Clark - Business Secretary

David Lidington - Cabinet Office Minister

Gavin Williamson - Defence Secretary

Michael Gove - Environment Secretary

Karen Bradley - Northern Ireland Secretary

Kristin Hugo22 February 2018 09:19

Michael Gove has told water companies they are "getting it wrong" and warned he toughen regulation unless they act on issues such as prices, leaks and executive pay. Joe Watts' story here:

Michael Gove hits out at highly paid water company execsMichael Gove has told water companies they are getting things “wrong” as he warned they would face a tougher regulator if things do not change. The Environment Secretary particularly singled out concern over the high pay of company executives, leaks and prices as matters the public want addressing. His intervention comes as Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party has said it will outright nationalise water and other utility companies if it wins power.

Kristin Hugo22 February 2018 09:42

There's an Urgent Question coming up in the House of Commons on the High Court ruling against the Government's environmental strategy, which Josh Gabbatiss covered yesterday:

Government air pollution plans are unlawful, High Court rulesThe Government’s plans to tackle air pollution have been declared “unlawful” in a High Court ruling that condemned their inadequacy. Environmental lawyers from ClientEarth won a legal challenge launched last month against official proposals for reducing illegal levels of harmful nitrogen dioxide, most of which comes from vehicles. The judge said more action was needed in 45 English local authority areas and in Wales.

Kristin Hugo22 February 2018 10:33

Responding to the Urgent Question, Therese Coffey, the environment minister, says the Government will be taking "a more formal approach" to improving air quality in a number of areas where it is high.

This will be followed next month by legally-binding measures to force the councils in question to take action.

"This Government is absolutely committed to improving air quality and we have pledged to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we inherited," she says.

Kristin Hugo22 February 2018 10:48

The European Scrutiny Committee is currently questioning Robin Walker, the Brexit minister, and Sir Tim Barrow, the UK's representative to the EU.

Kristin Hugo22 February 2018 10:52

Robin Walker insists there will not be an open-ended transition period, and that the end point will be agreed during negotiations.

"We absolutely believe that the implementation period will be time-limited and that there will be an agreed end date to it."

He says nobody is suggesting this will be significantly different to the two-year period Theresa May has previously proposed.

Kristin Hugo22 February 2018 11:02

Answering questions from the European Scrutiny Committee, Robin Walker, the Brexit minister, appeared to confirm that extending the transition period for a year would cost up to £5bn, as Rob Merrick reports here... Brexit ‘divorce bill’ will rise by £4-5bn if transition period extended, MPs are toldBritain’s so-called Brexit “divorce bill” will rise by £4-5bn if Theresa May seeks a longer transition period than Brussels wants, a Commons inquiry has been told. A Government minister did not dispute the figure, which was put to him by the chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee. “This is something which, like the Roald Dahl Tales of The Unexpected, has suddenly appeared,” said Bill Cash, the committee’s Conservative chairman.

Kristin Hugo22 February 2018 11:05

New figures released this morning reveal net migration has dropped as a result of plummeting numbers of people moving to the UK from Europe in the wake of the Brexit vote. Here's Lizzie Dearden's report:

EU net migration falling amid Brexit uncertaintyEU net migration is falling as more European citizens leave the UK and fewer arrive in the wake of the vote for Brexit, new statistics show. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said overall net migration in the year to September was 244,000 – a similar level to early 2014 and down on record levels in the next two years. The number of European citizens arriving has plummeted since the EU referendum, while the number of people from outside the bloc has increased.

EU net migration falling amid Brexit uncertaintyEU net migration is falling as more European citizens leave the UK and fewer arrive in the wake of the vote for Brexit, new statistics show. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said overall net migration in the year to September was 244,000 – a similar level to early 2014 and down on record levels in the next two years. The number of European citizens arriving has plummeted since the EU referendum, while the number of people from outside the bloc has increased.

Kristin Hugo22 February 2018 11:48

Theresa May has hit back at Stormzy's suggestion that she has forgotten about the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire. The grime artist used his Brit Awards performance to accuse the Prime Minister of withholding money from survivors.

In response, Ms May's spokesman said: "She's determined that the public inquiry will discover not just what went wrong but why the voices of the people of Grenfell were ignored over so many years."