Europe

    Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, has dismissed leading Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson’s proposal that Britain might enjoy access to the European single market and restrict immigration at the same time, telling German MPs the UK will enjoy no special favours. In a speech to the Bundestag, Merkel said negotiations over Britain’s post-EU future would not be a “cherry-picking exercise”. To applause, she warned that the UK government should be under no illusions over the decisions that would be made. “We will make sure that negotiations will not be carried out as a cherry-picking exercise. There must be and there will be a palpable difference between those countries who want to be members of the European family and those who don’t,” she said. Writing in the Daily Telegrap...

    Pope Francis has said that the Roman Catholic Church should apologise to gay people for the way it has treated them. He told reporters that the Church had no right to judge the gay community, and should show them respect. The pontiff also said the Church should seek forgiveness from other people it had marginalised - women, the poor, and children forced into labour. The Pope has been hailed by many in the gay community for his positive attitude towards homosexuals. But some conservative Catholics have criticised him for making comments they say are ambiguous about sexual morality. Speaking to reporters on his plane returning from Armenia, the Pope said: "I will repeat what the catechism of the Church says, that they [homosexuals] should not be discriminated against, that t...

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande have said they are in "full agreement" on how to handle the fallout from the UK's decision to leave the European Union. Hollande warned that "separated, we run the risk of divisions, dissension and quarrels". The two will hold talks later in Berlin amid a flurry of diplomatic activity in the wake of so-called "Brexit". The pound fell further in early trading in Asia on Monday as markets reacted. UK Chancellor George Osborne will issue a statement before the start of trading in the UK in a bid to calm markets. In other developments: British Prime Minister David Cameron will hold a cabinet meeting on Monday and the UK parliament will reconvene. Boris Johnson, who led the Leave campaign and is tipped to re...

    It is a decision which will affect businesses throughout the UK. And with Britain set to leave the EU, some supermarkets are likely to do better than others in the coming months. A new report has found that the discount stores of Aldi and Lidl are set to benefit most from Brexit . The German discounters - which have soared in popularity with millions of shoppers across the country - could benefit more in the short and medium term from Britain's decision to leave the EU. The analysis by Kantar Retail says that there are a range of factors which will help Aldi and Lidl to be in a stronger position that their traditional High Street supermarket rivals. Kantar said: "The mid-term effect of goods sourcing is likely to be the largest factor of consideration for British retailers...

    Britain faces an influx of 500,000 East European ¬migrants because of Brexit. They are predicted to rush into the UK over the next two years before our borders are closed. The stark warning comes from ¬former Immigration minister Phil Woolas, who served under Gordon Brown’s ¬premiership. Brexit reaction and in-depth analysis on our dedicated page Mr Woolas, 56, says: “Every time the UK Government announces a cap on immigration, thousands rush in before the deadline. “Would-be immigrants see that the door is about to slam. So they bring forward their plans and a last-minute rush heads for the UK. In the Home Office, they call it the fire sale.” Mr Woolas, former Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, added: “I faced the same problem in 2008 when the last Labour governme...

    The pound collapsed to a 31-year low and there was pandemonium on currency, equity and oil markets today as Britain voted to leave the European Union, fuelling a wave of global uncertainty. Sterling crashed 10 percent to $1.3229 at one point, its weakest level since 1985, while the greenback itself slumped below 100 yen for the first time in two-and-a-half years as traders fled to safety. In the weeks leading up to yesterday's historic vote, there had been widespread warnings that a "Brexit" would cause a rout across global markets that would wipe trillions off valuations, just months after a painful China-fuelled sell-off. The doomsday scenario appeared to be playing out as markets suffered one of their worst days since the 2008 financial crisis after final results confir...

    David Cameron and Boris Johnson Here are the key claims made by the Remain and Leave campaigns. :: ECONOMY REMAIN says the EU accounts for 44% of British exports. World's largest trading block. We don't know what trade agreement would be put in place if the UK leaves. LEAVE says the UK spends £350m a week on payments to the EU and the UK could shift focus to emerging economies and the Commonwealth. :: IMMIGRATION REMAIN says EU immigrants pay more in taxes than they take out, immigration provides a boost to the economy and the UK has to accept free movement for access to the single market. LEAVE says immigration is uncontrollable and public services are strained. Internal EU migration is running at near record levels, meanwhile countries such as Turkey could join and creat...

    The anti-establishment Five Star Movement has made big gains in Italy, winning mayoral races in Rome and Turin, early results show. Virginia Raggi will become Rome's first female leader, in a victory seen as a blow to Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his centre-left Democratic Party (PD). PD has secured Italy's financial capital, Milan, and Bologna. The results could give anti-globalist Five Star a platform for parliamentary elections due in 2018, observers say. Italy local elections were held in two stages, with a first round a fortnight ago and the second round on Sunday. Ms Raggi, a 37-year-old lawyer who was little known just a few months ago, was on course to win two-thirds of the vote, defeating the PD candidate, Roberto Giachetti."I will be a mayor for all Romans. I ...

    A petition to cancel next week’s European Union referendum has surged in support in the days following the killing of MP Jo Cox. As of lunchtime on Saturday over 20,000 people have signed the statement on the Parliament website in the last few days calling for the vote to be called off at the last minute. The call comes amid consternation at the tone of the referendum campaign and the temporary suspension of activities by both sides in light of the MP’s death. Thomas Mair, the man charged with her murder, gave his name as “Death to traitors, freedom for Britain” when he appeared in court on Saturday morning. As the petition has over double the 10,000 required signatures for it to reach its first hurdle, the Government will be obliged to issue an official response to it in ...

    David Cameron may have called EU referendum to blackmail Europe Vladimir Putin has waded into the Brexit debate by suggesting that David Cameron may have called the EU referendum to blackmail Europe or scare someone. The Russian president, in his first comments on the issue questioned why the Prime Minister had called a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union in the first place. There is a great problem with Brexit, why did he initiate this vote in the first place? Why did he do that? So he wanted to blackmail Europe or to scare someone, what was the goal if he was against? Mr Putin said, according to the Press Association, on Friday night. He denied suggestions that Russia would benefit from Britain's possible decision to leave the European Union. Speakin...