Number 10 lobby briefing on Brexit, US Embassy moving to Jerusalem and Leveson 2
2 min read
Here is a summary of this morning's briefing for lobby journalists by the Prime Minister's official spokesman.
BREXIT
On an article the Prime Minister wrote for the Sunday Times pledging to deliver the Brexit people voted for, the spokesman said: "What the Prime Minister was setting out was her commitment to delivering on the result of the referendum and taking back control of our borders, our laws and our money. This is obviously a complex process but she's confident of achieving the right result for the country. We are delivering on the verdict of the British people, they are central to what we are seeking to achieve."
On Jeremy Hunt suggesting that Boris Johnson was wrong to speak out against one of the customs options being debated by the Cabinet, the spokesman said: "The position on this is very clear. There are two options. In relation to both of those options there is work ongoing to refine them and that's what we're focused on."
On suggestions that the post-Brexit transition period may be extended, the spokesman said: "The implementation period ends in December 2020, there are no plans for an extension to that."
US EMBASSY
On the US Embassy in Israel being moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the spokesman said: "The PM said in December when the announcement was first made that we disagree with the US decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem and recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital before a final status agreement. The British embassy to Israel is based in Tel Aviv and we have no plans to move it."
LEVESON 2
On the upcoming House of Lords vote on calls for the second part of the Leveson Inquiry to take place, the spokesman said: "Almost £50m of public money has already been spent on investigating phone hacking and establishing a further public inquiry requiring great time and expense is not a proportionate solution to allegations that have already been the subject of extensive police investigations or ongoing investigations by the Information Commissioner's Office. The Government's position that there should be no Leveson 2 inquiry was set out very clearly in the manifesto. We would urge peers to respect the vote of the elected House of Commons last week and reject this amendment."
