Let me count the days …

UK signs ‘rebooted’ defence agreement to protect Irish waters Most transatlantic cables go through or close to Ireland, making its waters particularly vulnerable to attack

Day 2232 of Brexit: ‘The UK has signed a “rebooted” defence agreement with Dublin that could mean the Royal Navy responding to hostile ships and other issues in Irish waters.’ www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Sons were suspects in nearly one in five cases of women killed by men in UK in past year Figures recorded by Femicide Census in past 12 months indicate highest rate of matricide in 16 years

Day 2232 of #Brexit: ‘[] Phillips said women and girls were suffering in “every part” of the country. “They are being attacked, abused, harassed and stalked at home, in public places, and online. The scale of violence against women and girls shames our society”.’ www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

‘I have never seen anything like it’: MP warns of rise in extreme views on race and identity Health minister Zubir Ahmed says new definition of anti-Muslim hostility could be a turning point as he tells of Islamophobic abuse

Day 2231 of #Brexit: “I don’t blame people, because they are being inundated and attacked every minute of the day with algorithmic content driving them towards questioning the role of Muslims in society.” www.theguardian.com/news/2026/ma...

‘We can’t go back’: mother of six-year-old cancer survivor fears UK visa changes Woman, from Togo, faces uncertain wait for indefinite leave to remain because of changes coming into force next month

Day 2230 of #Brexit: ‘The family were due to qualify for indefinite leave to remain next year, a decade after they arrived […] [I]mmigration changes [] mean the family now faces another 10-year wait [] – and that any future visa applications could be rejected [].’ www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

How are EU and member states reacting to energy crisis triggered by Iran war? Prospect of Trump easing US sanctions on Russian oil is a nightmare for the bloc as nations work out how to respond

Day 2229 of #Brexit: ‘The European Council president, António Costa, who represents the EU’s leaders, said on Tuesday the only winner from the ongoing conflict would be Vladimir Putin, who could step into the gap created by the throttling of Gulf supplies.’ www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Emmanuel Macron vows Europe will stand by Cyprus after Iran drone strike French president says attack on island is ‘an attack on Europe’ as EU states send military support

Day 2228 of #Brexit: ‘Emmanuel Macron has vowed that Europe will do whatever it takes to stand by Cyprus, the continent’s first state to be directly affected by the Iran war, after coming under what he described as “attack from multiple drones and missiles.”’ www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

The impact of Brexit on immigration to the UK A new analysis finds that Brexit raised the number of foreign-born workers in the UK by about 200,000, but resulted in a more dramatic shift in the countries of origin.

Day 2228 of #Brexit: ‘A new analysis finds that Brexit raised the number of foreign-born workers in the UK by about 200,000, but resulted in a more dramatic shift in the countries of origin.’ www.cer.eu/insights/imp...

Von der Leyen calls for EU foreign policy to be ‘more realistic and interest-driven’ European Commission head says rules-based system can no longer be relied upon to protect the continent’s interests

Day 2228 of #Brexit: ‘Speaking to an audience of EU ambassadors [], Ursula von der Leyen said the union “will always defend and uphold the rules-based system” but could no longer rely on it to defend European interests and shelter the continent from threats’ www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Cancer death rate in Britain down by almost a third since 1980s Huge improvements in prevention, diagnosis and treatment have driven the fall, Cancer Research UK says

Day 2228 of #Brexit: ‘Cancer remains Britain’s biggest killer, causing about one in four deaths, and survival rates lag behind a number of European countries, including Romania and Poland.’ www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

UK faces growing calls from locals to remove Cyprus military bases Foreign minister, Constantinos Kombos, tells Guardian Iranian-made drone that hit airbase was launched from Lebanon

Day 2227 of #Brexit: ‘Cypriot officials, […] an island nation that is also the EU’s closest state to the Middle East, are adamant it is the British bases, not the republic, that have been singled out for attack since the onset of the US-led offensive against Iran’ www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Nigel Farage to discuss Chagos Islands deal at Mar-a-Lago dinner with Donald Trump tonight – as it happened Reform UK leader told a ‘Save Chagos Boat Party’ yesterday he would be raising the issue in his meeting with the president

Day 2226 of #Brexit: ‘The Green Party has today announced that their membership has grown by more than 2,000 a day, over 15,000 in a week, since their historic byelection victory in Gorton and Denton going from 200,000 members to over 215,000.’ www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

UK must stockpile food in readiness for climate shocks or war, expert warns Prof Tim Lang says country produces far less food than it needs to feed population and is particularly vulnerable

Day 2226 of #Brexit: ‘The first UK Food Security Report in December 2021 found the country was 54% food self-sufficient. [] The UK is one of the least food self-sufficient countries in Europe. The Netherlands, for example, [] is at 80%, and Spain is at 75%.’ www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

German twist in the Telegraph tale shatters Lord Rothermere’s dreams The European media giant Axel Springer has scuppered the Daily Mail owner. But why did it not bid sooner? And what will Brexit-backing readers think?

Day 2225 of #Brexit: ‘Axel Springer’s offer raises fewer questions, but will also need government approval before being confirmed. Its £575m bid is a cash offer. The media giant [] does not own other major UK-centred media assets.’ www.theguardian.com/media/2026/m...

Labour urges probe into Reform UK over cryptocurrency donations Exclusive: Labour chair Anna Turley is writing to the Electoral Commission over Reform’s failure to register any crypto donations – despite Nigel Farage claiming the party had received them

Day 2225 of #Brexit: ‘Labour wants the electoral watchdog to investigate donations to Reform UK, claiming that the party has “serious questions to answer” over cryptocurrency donations.’ www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

This is a life and death story for the UK – so why is it being brushed under the carpet? | Aditya Chakrabortty The news that healthy life expectancy is in decline in Britain exposes a serious truth about the state we’re in, says Guardian columnist Aditya Chakrabortty

Day 2225 of #Brexit: ‘The figures show this: a child born this morning in Britain can expect to be in good health only until they are 61. [] Our healthy life expectancy has been dropping for years; it is now the lowest since 2011, when records began.’ www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

EU agrees to chop meaty names from vegetarian and vegan food products Lawmakers will ban use of 31 meat-related names as part of efforts to help livestock farmers in food supply markets

Day 2225 of #Brexit: ‘EU lawmakers have agreed to ban meaty names such as steak and bacon for vegetarian and vegan foods, but “veggie burgers” and “meat-free sausages” will remain on the table.’ www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Portugal fined £8.7m by EU court for failing to protect biodiversity The court of justice said Portugal had committed serious infringements of EU environmental law

Day 2224 of #Brexit: ‘Portugal has been fined €10m (£8.7m) by the EU’s court of justice for failing to comply with environmental laws that require it to protect biodiversity [and] ordered to pay €41,250 a day until it complies with a previous court order [].’ www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Nissan ‘says Sunderland plant could close’ if UK excluded from Made in Europe rules Reports of carmaker’s warning come as lobby group says EU proposals could damage £70bn cross-channel trade

Day 2224 of #Brexit: ‘The Japanese carmaker Nissan has reportedly said it could be forced to close its plant in Sunderland if the UK is not fully included in new “Made in Europe” manufacturing rules proposed by the EU.’ www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Report shows UK-EU couples face 'arduous' system post-Brexit A study finds post-Brexit visa requirements for EU nationals has led to separations and trauma.

Day 2224 of #Brexit: ‘University of Bristol researchers interviewed 56 UK-EU couples living in England and Wales over three years and found new visa requirements for EU nationals following Brexit had led to family separations and trauma.’ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

‘Any threat against member state is threat against the EU’, says commissioner in response to Trump comments – Europe live Stéphane Séjourné is the latest high-profile name to express solidarity with Spain over Trump’s comments last night

Day 2224 of #Brexit: ‘'Any threat against a member state is threat against the EU,' [EU internal market] commissioner [Stéphane Séjourné] responds to [] Trump’s threats to “cut off all dealings with Spain” [] over its criticism of the Iran war.’ www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

European Commission proposes ‘Buy EU’ plan to compete against China Plan to create and preserve jobs in clean tech and low carbon sectors could include UK if there is reciprocal market access

Day 2224 of #Brexit: ‘The European Commission [] proposed a “Buy EU” plan to boost domestic low-carbon industries [] EU officials left the door open to including countries with close economic ties to the bloc, such as the UK, if there’s reciprocal market access’ www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Labour MP Joani Reid asks for privacy after husband’s arrest on suspicion of spying for China – UK politics live Lawmaker says she had never seen anything to suspect her husband may have broken the law

Day 2223 of #Brexit: ‘The [Ecocide (Scotland)] bill [] would have made it a criminal offence for people to cause reckless or deliberate damage to the environment, putting it on a similar legal footing to murder. Similar legislation is in force across the EU [].’ www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

Meat and dairy lorries skipping Sevington checks is disease risk - MPs Government data shows a rise in trucks failing to turn up at Sevington after arrival in Kent.

Day 2223 of #Brexit: ‘But data provided by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) shows a rise in so-called "drive-bys", where trucks have failed to turn up at Sevington due to a lack of enforcement.’ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

MPs say Starmer’s UK-EU reset lacks ‘direction, definition and drive’ Foreign affairs committee report finds summit improved political relationship but efforts lack ‘strategic priorities’

Day 2223 of #Brexit: ‘Keir Starmer’s efforts to reset the UK’s relationship with the EU are lacking in “direction, definition and drive”, parliament’s foreign affairs committee has said.’ www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Day 2222 of #Brexit:

Mahmood’s move to make asylum temporary ‘may undermine refugee convention’ Law Society says home secretary’s review of refugee status after 30 months is in tension with UK’s legal obligations

Day 2222 of #Brexit: ‘Shabana Mahmood’s decision to tell every person applying for asylum from Monday that their status is temporary could undermine the refugee convention, the Law Society has said.’ www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

France to increase nuclear arsenal and European weapons cooperation, Macron says French president says Paris could deploy nuclear-capable fighter jets to countries such as Germany and Poland

Day 2222 of #Brexit: ‘France will increase the size of its nuclear arsenal [] and significantly intensify nuclear weapons cooperation with 8 European allies including the UK as part of a “major” strengthening of its deterrence doctrine, Emmanuel Macron has said.’ www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Rolls-Royce boss ‘open’ to Germany joining UK’s fighter jet project Tufan Erginbilgiç says decision is for the government but German participation remains a possibility

Day 2221 of #Brexit: ‘The boss of Rolls-Royce has said he would welcome Germany helping to build Britain’s next-generation fighter jet, arguing that it would bring in more business for the project.’ www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Refugee status to be temporary as Shabana Mahmood rips up rules on UK asylum Home secretary announces 30-month protection limit, with refugees required to leave if their home countries are later judged safe

Day 2221 of Brexit: ‘Shabana Mahmood has ripped up the government’s asylum rules so that from Monday every refugee will be told that their status is temporary and will last just 30 months.’ www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Shabana Mahmood’s double down on immigration ‘disappointing’, says Alf Dubs Labour peer, who was a child refugee, criticises home secretary’s response to Gorton and Denton byelection defeat

Day 2220 of #Brexit: ‘“The Greens are showing that, in humanitarian terms, they are probably in the right place [on immigration],” Dubs said. “Reform hasn’t done as well as Reform expected”.’ www.theguardian.com/politics/202...