Lammy flew overnight to Gibraltar on board the largest plane in the ministerial fleet, landing at quarter past midnight. It’s not a long flight…
He is expected to finalise a deal with the EU on the territory which has been in the works for some time. Sources say the FCDO will endeavour to rubber stamp negotiations and sign as quickly as possible. Guido hears it is penned in for today to coincide with the Spending Review, which is also a useful distraction…
The deal is centred around border arrangements and increasing the speed at which people have been crossing the Schengen barrier (which has been a running problem). Sources say it is is expected to include a trade agreement. Officials have some experience coming up with post-Brexit arrangements for UK territories…
Lammy will jet to Brussels straight away – landing at circa 1 p.m. Labour’s form on EU negotiations will have Eurosceptic hairs raised very high today…
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”