Brexit news latest – British patrol boat boards Irish trawler in first post-Brexit fishing clash
AN Irish trawler was barred from fishing in UK waters by a patrol boat in the first post-Brexit fishing clash.
The Northern Celt's skipper was told he was no longer allowed to fish around Rockall - 260 miles west of Scotland's Western Isles.
He said the area is has now been blacklisted from counts for 30 per cent of his annual catch.
Throughout Brexit negotiations, fishing was one of the main sticking points.
But Dublin has never recognised the UK's claims of sovereignty over Rockall - sparking clashes over the fishing waters that surround it.
Skipper Adrian McClenaghan told RTE News: "They informed us we could no longer fish inside the 12 mile limit of Rockall."
The news comes as a number of EU firms refused to deliver products to the UK claiming post-Brexit tax rules make it too expensive.
And some deliveries to Northern Ireland have been delayed since Christmas, with delivery operators "uncertain" of new rules post-Brexit, according to the BBC.
Follow all the latest news and reaction to the end of the transition period in our live blog below...
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.
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."
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.
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Brits were stopped from boarding a BA/Iberia flight to Madrid after staff said their pre-Brexit residency papers were no longer valid.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banned from the Heathrow flight was journalist and photographer Max Duncan, who was told his green residency paper was no longer valid, even though both the Spanish and British governments have said both the old Foreign National Identification (NIE) document and the new Foreign ID Card (TIE)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, 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.”
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.
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.
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.”
POST-TRADE BREXIT DEAL - HOW MPS VOTED THIS WEEK
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."
'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 deal with EU 'gives our police and security services the tools and partnerships to help keep the public safe'.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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 has got done, as promised in the General Election.
"This agreement reaffirms the of the United Kingdom."
The Tory Brexiteer earlier compared Mr Johnson to Alexander the Great for cutting the 'Gordian knot' of Brexit.
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.”
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.
'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.
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, .
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”.
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.
MACRON SPARKS BREXIT FURY WITH NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS
Emmanuel Macron has sparked fury after claiming Brexit was the outcome of “lies and false promises”.
The French President slammed the UK’s decision to leave the EU during his New Year’s address.
Speaking from the Elysee, on New Year's Eve he told the French public: “A few days ago, we reached an agreement to organise our future relations, defending our interests, our industries, our fishermen and our unity.
“The United Kingdom remains our neighbour but also our friend and ally. This voice of leaving Europe, this Brexit, was the child of European malaise and lots of lies and false promises.”
But the French President’s address provoked rage across the Channel, as one Tory MP claimed Macron “doesn’t like democracy”.
WHAT'S CHANGED AFTER BREXIT - IN BRIEF
The UK is free to set its own trade policy and can negotiate deals with other countries - now that we're out of the EU.
Businesses who trade within the EU and holidaymakers will feel the effects now a Brexit deal has officially been struck and freedom to work and live between the UK and the EU has also come to an end.
In 2021, UK nationals will need a visa if they want to stay in the EU more than 90 days in a 180-day period.
EU migrants who come to Britain from January 1 will not be able to claim benefits - including Universal Credit - for five years.
Talks are being held with the US, Australia and New Zealand - countries that currently don't have free trade deals with the EU.
WHAT DOES BREXIT MEAN FOR THE UK'S SECURITY?
Boris Johnson has told The Sun he is "absolutely confident" the deal "protects our police co-operation, protects our ability to catch criminals and to share intelligence across the European continent in the way that we have done for many years".
He added: "I don't think people should have fears on that score, or indeed on any score."
The PM said the deal would prioritise the "safety and security of its citizens" - and claimed it offers "streamlined co-operation" on law enforcement to bring criminals to justice.
The latest Brexit documents reveal the UK and EU will work together on security "when in their mutual interest".
Either side will be expected to share best practices and continue to cooperate, officials say.
