Theresa May's Brexit high noon: Mirror Politics morning briefing
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Theresa May completed her trip to China today and it is not certain she achieved much apart from gaining a few airmiles.
If the intention was to champion global Britain there was no obvious evidence of it.
She used her meeting with President Xi to talk about the need to do more to tackle plastic and compare notes on their favourite tea . (Lapsang in her case, if you are interested.)
The only positive coverage in the Chinese media was for the Prime Minister not raising human rights - though Downing Street denies this was the case.
The Prime Minister’s trip was under-whelming for a simple reason: until she articulates her vision for Brexit she has little to say which is of interest to anyone overseas.
The Chinese, like other countries, are withholding co-operation until there is more certainty about the UK’s trading status.
It is not just the domestic audience which is frustrated by the paralysis at the heart of the British government.
(Image: PA)
Very soon, Mrs May is going to have to break her omerta and decide what sort of trading relationship she wants with the EU .
In a round of interviews before her departure from Shanghai, the PM acknowledged the leaked Whitehall analysis painting a gloomy picture of the post-Brexit UK economy , but insisted she will press on regardless.
Unless there is a change of heart we are about to see the first instance in UK history of a Government deliberately adopt an economic policy that will make the country poorer.
The FT reports this morning that Downing Street is considering forging a customs union with the EU for goods.
Liam Fox, who is travelling with the Prime Minister, has dismissed this as a possibility, probably because it would make his job redundant.
Next week the Brexit cabinet committee will meet to try to agree the way forward.
(Image: PA)
Whatever it decides is bound to disappoint but the Prime Minister no longer has the luxury of putting party management ahead of the national interests.
A decision which should have been made before she triggered Article 50 can wait no longer. This is not an arbitrary timetable.
Businesses are already reviewing investment decisions, the infrastructure of a new customs system has to be put in place, tickets for flights could prove invalid if we do not nail down our membership of aviation organisations, radiation treatment could be rationed if we do not put in place a replacement to Euratom.
This is not scaremongering.
These were all parts of the mechanism involved in leaving the EU.
Brexit minister Steve Baker finally apologised last night for impugning the integrity of the civil service .
The fervent Brexiteer accepted he was wrong to imply officials in the Treasury were deliberately trying to sabotage the process.
Jacob Rees-Mogg has yet to apologise for making the same insinuation.
It is ironic that a movement that set out to preserve UK institutions is now hell bent on rubbishing any organisation, whether it's the BBC or the civil service, which challenges their fundamentalist views.
This is Cromwellism for the 21st Century.
(Image: UK parliament)
Labour MP Chuka Umunna today launches a new grassroots organisation bringing together the majority of the pro-Remain groups.
The intention is to make sure the “people’s voices” are heard in the Brexit process.
Exactly how you define “the people” is anyone’s guess.
If you really want to change minds on Brexit you need to take the fight from Westminster to the streets where people voted leave.
They need to campaign door-by-door to explain why they believe our departure is a mistake.
So far I have seen no sign of that.
Our poll today finds 73% of voters would pay more tax to fund the NHS .
The survey was commissioned ahead of tomorrow’s Fix the NHS march in London organised by the People’s Assembly.
The rally assembles at 12pm Gower St, central London.
Details here: thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/nhs_fix_it
Today’s agenda:
Theresa May finishes her trip to China
9.30am - Sadiq Khan and Jeremy Corbyn housing announcement.
9.30am - Private members’ bills in the Commons begin with second reading of Tim Loughton’s Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Bill
What I’m reading:
Historian Peter Frankopan on why we have failed to learn the lessons of China’s success
What I’m listening to:
Our new Ayes to the Left podcast . We talk to comedian Geoff Norcott on what it’s like to be one of the few Conservative-voting stand ups.