In the Press - Theresa May survives leadership challenge, but Brexit plan is still in peril
12 December 2018
The New York Times
John Springford, deputy director of the Centre for European Reform, a London-based research institute, said that the size of the vote against her “is an even clearer signal that she won’t be able to get her deal through Parliament, and makes it even more likely that when she puts the deal to the vote she will lose that.”
In the Press - British PM Theresa May survives vote of confidence
12 December 2018
Aljazeera
"Some EU capitals are not perfectly happy with some aspects of this deal, including the final shape of the backstop," said Agata Gostynska-Jakubowska, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform.
In the Press - Trump's card
12 December 2018
Financial Times
The EU is scrambling to respond to US sanctions on Iran for fear of retaliation. Luigi Scazzieri at the Centre for European Reform says it is time for the bloc to buck up its ideas.
In the Press - The Brexit vote was delayed by Theresa May. What might happen next?
11 December 2018
NBC News
"She's almost certain to face the challenge," said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, a London think tank. "The only consequence of postponing of her Brexit vote is to weaken May's authority several notches further than it already has been."
In the Press - Brexit: Jeremy Corbyn opens debate criticising government for postponing key vote – Politics live
11 December 2018
The Guardian
On the subject of a referendum, Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, now sees that as more likely than any of the other possible resolutions to the Brexit crisis. "My take on Brexit probabilities. UK leaves with no deal, 15% chance. Parliament finally passes May's deal, slightly modified with EU 'assurances', 20%. Or it passes the deal with new political declaration sketching Norway, 20%. General election, 15%. Referendum, 30%."
In the Press - May delays Brexit deal vote but EU warns no renegotiation
11 December 2018
Daily Monitor
Charles Grant of the Centre for European Reform (CER) suggested May would only secure "very minor changes to her deal". "The substance of the Irish backstop will be unaltered. So I very much doubt that parliament will vote for the deal, when it has the chance to do so," he said.
In the Press - Manic Monday: Britain plunges deeper into Brexit crisis
11 December 2018
Aljazeera
Agata Gostynska-Jakubowska, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, said "It would be naive to think that the other 27 EU member states would be open" to substantial changes to the backstop and wider exit plan after months of fractious back-and-forth negotiations.
In the Press - Brexit: What happens next?
10 December 2018
Politico
Charles Grant of the Centre for European Reform think tank said he thinks the upper limit of any extension could be “mid-May” because of the upcoming European Parliament election, but in extremis the EU could be flexible. “Britain’s seats in the European Parliament have already been reallocated and it would be legally complicated to keep the U.K. in the EU beyond the elections,” Grant wrote in a blog for the CER. “But if the EU really wanted to prolong British membership by several months, there could be ways around the European Parliament problem; for example, the U.K. could appoint MPs as MEPs on an interim basis.”
In the Press - Brexit will cut thousands of jobs and forfeit billions in tax
10 December 2018
The Financial Times
Recent analysis by Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform suggests that under the provisions of a free trade agreement between Britain and the EU, UK exports of insurance and pension services will be 19 per cent lower and of other financial services 59 per cent lower. Functions and assets are already moving and the jobs will follow.
In the Press - How much has Brexit cost so far? The UK has lost a lot of cash since the referendum
10 December 2018
The Metro
In September, Centre for European Reform research claimed that Brexit was costing the UK economy an enormous £500 million a week. The research suggested that the UK economy was 2.5% smaller at that point and public finances were taking the £26 billion a year hit.