The cofounder of fashion brand Superdry is donating £1 million (US$1.28 million) to the campaign for a referendum on the final Brexit deal, the Observer newspaper reported on Saturday, as pressure intensifies on British Prime Minister Theresa May.
“I’m putting some of my money behind the People’s Vote campaign because we have a genuine chance to turn this around,” said Julian Dunkerton, a “remainer” who opposes Britain’s planned departure from the EU. “I’ve got a good instinct for when a mood is going to change and we’re in one of those moments now.”
Britons voted in a 2016 referendum to leave the EU, but the proportion of voters who favor a referendum on the final terms of any Brexit deal last month overtook those who do not for the first time, according to opinion polls.
Photo: EPA
London and Brussels hope to agree a Brexit deal at a summit in October, but May faces splits within her party and the tough task of securing parliamentary approval for the final agreement.
Campaigners on both sides of the argument have been stepping up their efforts as some Brexiteers argue against any agreement that keeps Britain tied to EU mechanisms such as the customs union or single market.
On Saturday, the former leader of the UK Independence Party Nigel Farage said he would join a “battle bus” tour around the country by a pro-Brexit group that is opposed to May’s plans, saying that it makes too many concessions to Brussels.
Both Britain and the EU have said they want to avoid a damaging “no deal” outcome, which would be particularly harmful to businesses.
“It is the responsibility of the EU to ensure its consumers and businesses are not harmed,” British Secretary of State for Exiting the EU Dominic Raab was quoted as saying by the Sunday Telegraph.
“Securing a deal is still by far the most likely outcome, but we want to make sure that we clearly set out the steps that people, businesses and public services need to take in the unlikely event that we don’t reach an agreement,” he said.
The paper said the government is planning to recognize some EU regulations if London and Brussels fail to strike a deal, taking a “flexible” approach to make sure medicines, car parts and chemicals are still available.
A spokesman at May’s Downing Street office did not offer an immediate comment on the report.
Republican US lawmakers on Friday criticized US President Joe Biden’s administration after sanctioned Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei unveiled a laptop this week powered by an Intel artificial intelligence (AI) chip. The US placed Huawei on a trade restriction list in 2019 for contravening Iran sanctions, part of a broader effort to hobble Beijing’s technological advances. Placement on the list means the company’s suppliers have to seek a special, difficult-to-obtain license before shipping to it. One such license, issued by then-US president Donald Trump’s administration, has allowed Intel to ship central processors to Huawei for use in laptops since 2020. China hardliners
Conjoined twins Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died this month in Pennsylvania, funeral home officials said. They were 62. The twins, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living conjoined twins, died on April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, obituaries posted by Leibensperger Funeral Homes of Hamburg said. The cause of death was not detailed. “When we were born, the doctors didn’t think we’d make 30, but we proved them wrong,” Lori said in an interview when they turned 50, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The
RAMPAGE: A Palestinian man was left dead after dozens of Israeli settlers searching for a missing 14-year-old boy stormed a village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank US President Joe Biden on Friday said he expected Iran to attack Israel “sooner, rather than later” and warned Tehran not to proceed. Asked by reporters about his message to Iran, Biden simply said: “Don’t,” underscoring Washington’s commitment to defend Israel. “We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” he said. Biden said he would not divulge secure information, but said his expectation was that an attack could come “sooner, rather than later.” Israel braced on Friday for an attack by Iran or its proxies as warnings grew of
A prominent Christian leader has allegedly been stabbed at the altar during a Mass yesterday in southwest Sydney. Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was saying Mass at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley just after 7pm when a man approached him at the altar and allegedly stabbed toward his head multiple times. A live stream of the Mass shows the congregation swarm forward toward Emmanuel before it was cut off. The church leader gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, amassing a large online following, Officers attached to Fairfield City police area command attended a location on Welcome Street, Wakeley following reports a number