Monthly Archives: March 2021

SCOTT HEPPELL/AFP via Getty Images

SCOTT HEPPELL/AFP via Getty Images

On The Indicator, we're taking a culinary tour of Brexit! When The U.K. finally completed its exit from the European Union New Year's Eve, it meant that many different industries had to change the way they did business.

On the show, we're joined by Frank Langfitt, NPR's London correspondent, to discuss one of hardest hit sectors: food. Specifically, we're talking about oysters, cheese and wine. Each item tells a different story about the real world consequences of Brexit so far, from new regulations to extra paperwork to a nationalistic cheese buying frenzy.

And the people who work in these industries reflect on the promise of Brexit: how it was sold and what's actually happening on the ground.

Music by Drop Electric. Find us: Twitter / Facebook / Newsletter.

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, PocketCasts and NPR One.

Originally posted here:

Brexit Trade Negotiations Hurt UK Food Trade With EU : The Indicator from Planet Money - NPR

As evening began to fall at the White House on Wednesday, and all official engagements had wrapped up for the day in Dublin, there was one more item on President Joe Bidens agenda.

The president took part in a St Patricks Day Community Event live from the White House. Though the Zoom event had been organised relatively late by the administration, more than 1,000 people joined the call from across Ireland, Northern Ireland and America.

A relaxed Biden looked at ease as the event got under way, chatting to staff as technical difficulties were smoothed out. Am I unmuted? he said, flashing a smile. Well, there have been a lot of people in my life tried to put me on mute. Now theyre able to do it!

The event was in part a replacement for the lavish St Patricks Day party that the White House usually throws for hundreds of guests. As is the case with the virtual gatherings that have replaced live events in these pandemic times, the new format in some ways enhanced the experience.

Biden spoke candidly, welcoming people he recognised as their smiling faces popped up on the screen, many of them forgetting to mute, injecting a sense of giddy chaos to the event.

Biden described with a laugh how Michel Martin had told him that my win for the presidency was more popular in Ireland than it was in the United States. He recalled that The Irish Times had written about his genealogy when he visited Ireland. He also drew on Irish sayings he had absorbed since a boy may the hinges of our friendship never go rusty and may your home always be too small to hold your friends.

In a reminder of the informal nature of the forum, he strayed dangerously close to sensitive ground at one point, describing jokingly how he was often told by his mothers family: Its not your fathers fault that he has English blood.

His sister Val had advised him to stop telling the story, he said, questioning its veracity, and warning that the press is going to jump all over you! In fact, Biden told the crowd with a smile, he was proved correct when he found poems by his great-grandfather Blewitt with more than a hint of anti-British sentiment.

It was a somewhat different Biden than was on show for the cameras earlier that day in the Oval Office. Though the warmth was still evident, the US president was careful in his statements as he hosted the Taoiseach. Unlike his predecessor, Donald Trump, who found it hard to resist the sight of a microphone, Biden smiled impassively as the small group of journalists shouted questions disciplined by decades of experience at the top of politics.

His public comments to the Taoiseach were warm but tactful. Like President Barack Obama, he said, we strongly support the Belfast Agreement. But messaging from senior administration officials ahead of the meeting said that the US did not wish to take sides in the increasingly tense standoff over post-Brexit arrangements in Northern Ireland.

Irish officials point to the language that was agreed in the joint statement issued by the Taoiseach and US president after the meeting which affirms the Biden administrations commitment to protecting the Belfast Agreement. Both leaders called for the good faith implementation of international agreements designed to address the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland a comment widely seen as a warning to Britain over its move to delay the imposition of customs checks in breach of the Northern Ireland protocol.

But it seems that, for now, the president is unlikely to reiterate publicly his statement during the presidential campaign when he pointedly followed up comments by House speaker Nancy Pelosi by tweeting: Any trade deal between the US and UK must be contingent upon respect for the agreement and preventing the return of a hard border. Period.

Though Biden is well-versed in Irish affairs and was a founding member of the Friends of Ireland caucus, Britain remains a close partner of the US, particularly in the field of defence. British officials have stepped up their engagement in Washington in the past week amid a belief in London that they were losing the Northern Ireland PR battle on Capitol Hill.

Brexit negotiator David Frost and Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis briefed the ad hoc committee to protect the Belfast Agreement this week while Lewis also spoke with congressman Richard Neal. Whether the UKs outreach will be enough to counter Irish influence in Washington remains to be seen.

Read more here:

Tactful Biden targeted by both sides over post-Brexit North - The Irish Times

OREM, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Avetta (www.avetta.com) surveyed more than 120 business leaders and found they expected Brexit to have the biggest impact on the resiliency of the supply chain in the short term and the future. Avetta partnered with the Executive Network Group to gather feedback from C-level executives; 72% of the respondents say the supply chain will experience the biggest changes from Britain leaving the European Union (EU).

One director in the aerospace industry has already seen some challenges. We have witnessed a shortage in raw materials and delays within our procurement function.

The findings included in the Brexit Impact Survey Report show half of the respondents expect Brexit to impact legislative changes; nearly one-third (29%) anticipate changes in documentation and administrative processes; 16% on sales revenue; 11% on market/sector competition; and 10% on hiring permanent staff. Only 5% saw an impact on engaging temporary staff and keeping sustainability, environmental and social value commitments.

Executives were also asked to provide comments. Here are some examples:

Overall, respondents are optimistic about Britains future. About one-fourth of the respondents agree Brexit will have an impact on hiring and flexible staffing needs in 2021. However, 39% expect Brexit will affect their hiring strategy for EU workers. Only 11% of the executives say theyve had to strengthen their team to deal with the changes.

The survey suggests executives will need to prepare for the following issues:

The report offers this conclusion: As with any period of significant change, each organisation will have its own unique set of challengesthose (who) invest in the education and upskilling of their workforce, may well be the ones who see a bright future post-Brexit.

Avetta recently completed analysis of tens of thousands of suppliers in numerous industries worldwide that shows companies using the Avetta Connect Platform have been able to reduce the number of safety incidents and lost work days by more than 50% compared to industry averages. The data also shows that over a 10-year period, suppliers in the Avetta network experience a 7% to 12% year-over-year decrease in incidents.

Avetta offers supply chain risk management software tools that can help executives keep track of all the changes and reduce any disruptions that come with such a sweeping change like Brexit. Visit http://www.avetta.com for more information.

About Avetta

Avetta offers a configurable SaaS-based solution that assists organisations both large and small in managing supply chain risk across a variety of disciplines. Avetta is building the worlds most intelligent supply chain risk management network to advance clients safety, resilience and sustainability programs. Avetta leads the world in connecting leading global organisations across several industries, including oil/gas, telecom, construction materials, facilities management and many others, with qualified and vetted suppliers, contractors and vendors. The company brings unmatched access and visibility to its clients supply chain risk management process through its innovative and configurable technology, coupled with highly experienced human knowledge and insight. Avetta currently serves more than 450 enterprise companies and 100K suppliers across 100+ countries.

View original post here:

Survey Finds Business Leaders Are Optimistic About Brexit but Fear It Will Impact Resiliency of the Supply Chain - Business Wire

OSLO/COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Norway, Britain and the European Union have reached a trilateral deal on catch limits for jointly managed North Sea fish stocks following the UKs exit from the EU, the three parties said on Tuesday.

FILE PHOTO: Fishermen fish aboard the Boulogne-sur-Mer based trawler "Manureva" in the North Sea, off the coast of northern France, December 7, 2020. French Fishermen net a quarter of their northeastern Atlantic catch in British waters and say their livehoods would be impacted if Brexit restricts their access to old fishing grounds. Picture taken December 7, 2020. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo

The new trilateral deal, covering common North Sea fishing quotas for cod, haddock, plaice, whiting, herring and saithe, is the first step toward ending legal havoc in key fishing waters since Britain completed its exit from the EU on Dec. 31.

British Fisheries Minister Victoria Prentis said that while the new accord covers common North Sea quotas, bilateral talks were underway with the EU, Norway and the Faroe Islands to confirm access arrangements and fish quota exchanges.

British, Danish, German, Swedish and French vessels all catch fish in the Norwegian part of the North Sea, home to some of the richest fishing stocks in Europe.

Norway had sought a trilateral pact with Britain and the EU on management of North Sea fish that swim between waters belonging to the EU, Norway and Britain - before making separate deals with the EU and Britain on quotas.

Norway, which is outside the EU but inside the European single market, had previously negotiated annually with the bloc about management of common fish stocks, access to each others waters and exchange of fish quotas.

That had to change, however, after Britain completed its exit from the EU at the end of last year.

The lack of a deal especially harmed Danish fishermen as it had governed their catches of cod, pollock, hake and monkfish in a key Norwegian area of the North Sea. Many Danish fishing vessels have been confined to ports since January.

The deal will mean that Danish fishermen will have access to Norwegian waters again, said Kenn Skau Fischer, head of the Danish Fishermen Organization, the EU countrys main fishing lobby group.

And it will mean that they have the possibility to plan their fishing for the whole year. Now they can actually make money again, he told Reuters.

Additional reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by Gwladys Fouche and Mark Heinrich

More here:

Britain, Norway in post-Brexit fisheries deal with EU - Reuters

Getting goods from the U.K. to EU is no longer plain sailing

Just a few months into the U.K.s new relationship with Brussels, British exporters to the EU are struggling with mounting Brexit red tape and border disruption. Half (49%) of U.K.-based exporters were facing extra costs and delays in shipments to and from the continent, due to extra border checks and paperwork, according to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

Before Brexit, shipments could be transported with minimal paperwork and delivered to destinations in other EU member states relatively seamlessly. Now there is a U.K. export declaration process, an exit border clearance process, a transit country process when cargo transits third countries, and an import declaration process at the destination country.

Sam Tyagi, founder and CEO of document management platform KlearNow, which is working with hundreds of U.K. businesses exporting to the EU, says: Goods that used to flow freely must now include additional documentation and other requirements, for example, phytosanitary certificates, testing and analysis reports, and other health and safety restrictions. Products such as perishable foods have an added time constraint that is causing a lot of headaches, while makers of some products, like perfumeries, have stopped shipping altogether until they can implement the required protocol.

Red tape is seriously impacting business for Plymouth-based ethical fishmonger Sole of Discretion, which buys fish exclusively from inshore from small boats, which benefits coastal communities. Around 35% of their annual sales come from a customer based in Belgium. The two companies have a shared ethos of preserving fish stocks and the livelihoods of the small-scale fisher.

The company normally makes twice-monthly exports of fish, but since the start of 2021 it has failed to send any, because the haulage company they use has yet to agree to collect their fish, citing too many problems with border control.

Founder Caroline Bennet says: We made our third attempt to export yesterday, again without success. This time it was rejected because the label had U.K. rather than United Kingdom. Every week we are given new rejection reasons. I dont know why they couldnt give us this information from the start.

The additional workload is taking its toll. Every shipment now requires eight documents, compared to the previous single document, effectively an address label. The excessive red tape incurs a huge cost both in terms of time and effort that cannot be simply charged to their customers in Belgium.

Increasing domestic sales to compensate for lost EU sales isnt necessarily a solution, as Bennet explains. She says: We need to change domestic consumption habits, weening them off the big five; cod, haddock, farmed salmon, tuna and prawn, which make up 80% of all fish consumed in the U.K., while our European customers buy pollack, ray, ling, pout, lemon, megrim, etc. Eating a wider variety of species will make a difference, simply eating more will put further pressure on already depleted stocks.

The company has been approached by Chinese and Singaporean buyers in recent years, but has no interest in selling beyond the U.K. or Europe. I dont believe that international trade fits well into our sustainable business model, she says. Many want airfreighted fish, for example, which in my view is not sustainable.

Bennet believes that prices will inevitably rise to cover the extra costs of the paperwork, and fears that smaller operators will be deterred by this, leaving the trade of international goods to the larger, corporate brands. This is a huge loss for foodies, she says. Small scale operators of niche, artisanal produce will decide there is enough demand locally and give up selling abroad.

U.K. companies are also struggling with EU sales because of VAT management and other added costs that must now be factored into pricing and profit margins.

EU customers of British organic baby clothes retailer MORI are being asked to pay up to 60% additional costs to clear goods for delivery. The companys pre-Brexit 2020 revenue from EU sales was 1.5 million. Now, they are forecasting a potential 13% revenue loss until a long-term solution can be implemented, which could include setting up a third-party logistics (3PL) warehouse in the EU.

CEO and founder Akin Onal says: The practicality of establishing a warehouse in the EU depends on which 3PL partner we choose and the integration process. It requires a project team, budget and planning, and for a business of our size, an additional amount of resources and management time.

Such a move would eliminate the duty on sales for orders placed by EU customers, reducing costs, making prices more competitive, and increasing the growth potential for the business. The downsides, however, include the operational complexities associated with multiple warehouses, including making significant adjustments to stock management systems, reduced flexibility, and the need for extra management staff.

Establishing a warehouse in the EU is the only long-term solution that will allow us to truly be competitive in Europe, says Onal. If our customers continue to have to pay up to 60% in extra costs to clear goods for delivery then we continue to lose out to our EU competitors, and any marketing efforts and spend are hard to justify.

The U.K. government has described the challenges for exporters as teething problems that will be resolved. But as Sam Tyagi points out, while new processes always involve a learning curve, transitioning from a manual entry process based on an old archaic business model is more than just a teething problem. The answer, he says, lies in digital transformation.

Automation and AI can improve efficiency and increase collaboration between all supply chain partners, says Tyagi. Companies should follow the technology trend and digitize global trade activities. New processes can be easily implemented and maintained by utilizing technology.

KlearNow has developed an all-digital customs business network with a web-based platform through which exporters, importers, transporters, and agents can collaborate via a common tool, eliminating the need for the multiple parties involved to manually rekey data.

This kind of automation improves communication, simplifies data processing, and streamlines recordkeeping, while boosting the speed of export and import filings directly with customs authorities, says Tyagi.

The upside of all this is that the U.K. is also free to negotiate bilateral and multilateral trade deals independent of any EU influence, which could have handicapped opportunities in the past. Tyagi adds: Although there are shipping costs associated with moving products further around the globe, those costs may be offset by other benefits resulting from expanding into new markets beyond Europe.

More:

Can Technology Solve The Post-Brexit Woes Of British Exporters? - Forbes

Nearly all economists agree that Brexit has left the UK poorer, although the full extent of the impact will remain unknown for many years. The recession triggered by Covid-19 has made separating the effects of the pandemic and those of Brexit harder.

The European Commission estimates that the UKs departure from the EU will cost the former 2.25 per cent of its GDP equivalent to 40bn in lost economic output by 2022. The EU, by contrast, would only lose around 0.5 per cent of its GDP.

A different estimate, this time from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), suggests that productivity in the UK will fall by 4 per cent owing to Brexit, with two-fifths of that impact already realised. Brexit alone will reduce growth in the first quarter of this year by 0.5 per cent, the OBR predicted.

[See also:How to remake Britain: Why we need community capitalism]

Pre-pandemic analysis by the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) suggested that growth was around 2.1 per cent lower than previously expected by the end of the first quarter of 2019. This amounts to around 350m each week, which, coincidentally, is the same amount the Leave campaign misleadingly suggested the UK would save in EU budget contributions and use to fund the NHS.

Brexit has also driven inflation upwards. The OBR expects trade disruption to increase the pressure on British importers, with higher costs being passed on to consumers (a 0.25 per cent increase by the end of this year). Separate analysis by the CEPR found that Brexit had already led to a rise in inflation of 2.9 per cent by June 2018, which cost the average household 870 a year, the equivalent of 1.4 more weeks of work.

The consequences of Brexit are clearest in trade volumes. UK exports to the EU fell by 40.7 per cent this January compared to the previous month, according to the Office for National Statistics, the largest drop since records began in 1997. Non-EU exports, meanwhile, have remained largely unchanged.

Imports from EU countries have fallen by around 28.8 per cent, a larger decrease than for imports from the rest of the world. Imports were likely less affected than exports due to the EU imposing harsher border checks for goods than the UK.

Figures from other countries confirm this trend. UK exports to Germany fell by more than half (56 per cent) in January 2021 compared to the previous year, with imports also falling by a third (29 per cent).

While this unprecedented drop can be partially attributed to stockpiling in December and pandemic-related disruption, the fact non-EU trade has been significantly less affected indicates that Brexit was the primary factor.

[See also:What do Uber drivers new rights mean for the gig economy?]

A survey of UK businesses found that half of all respondents (49.9 per cent) identified Brexit as the greatest export challenge, with an additional third (33.4 per cent) citing both Brexit and Covid-19. Just over one in ten (11.2 per cent) identified coronavirus as the sole cause with the reminder (5.5 per cent) choosing another option or being unsure.

Trade has been a particular problem in Northern Ireland, with 44 per cent of businesses saying they experienced some negative impact from the new trading rules and one in four saying the impact was significant. Three out of four firms say theyre also experiencing issues with suppliers in Great Britain.

As businesses adjust to the additional paperwork and longer delivery times, and the economy returns to its pre-pandemic level, trade will likely partially recover. But it is unlikely that the UKs trade with its largest partner will return to its previous level. One in five business leaders said their firms stopped trading with the EU in January, according to research by the Institute of Directors. Half of those said this decision is permanent.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has dismissed Brexit concerns, urging businesses to take a 10-year view and focus on long-term growth opportunities from emerging markets. But for firms struggling to recover from the worst UK recession in 300 years, and the effects of EU withdrawal, that offers little reassurance.

See more here:

How much has Brexit cost the UK? - New Statesman

The past year has hit many nonprofit organisations registered in England and Wales particularly hard because of both the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit. Funding from European sources may have been reduced or withdrawn, and many charities are struggling with a reduction of their own income streams. However, the United Kingdom can still be a productive base from which to administer your charity, and in this article, we look at how that might be done most efficiently.

The United Kingdom ranks seventh on the Charities Aid Foundation World Giving Index 2019, with only Ireland ahead of it in Europe. In 2018, there were more than 168,000 registered charities in England and Wales. Only charities with income over 5,000 are required to register with the Charity Commission, so there are likely many smaller unregistered entities as well.

Upon registering with the Charity Commission, the trustees must declare that the organisations funds are held (or will be held) in a bank or building society account in England or Wales. This has not always been an easy step to achieve given that many banks request a charity registration number as part of the account opening process. However, this challenge can normally be overcome with a simple explanation or by using more experienced specialist providers.

Whilst it is possible to run a UK-registered charity from outside the United Kingdom, it is certainly preferable to have a majority of UK-resident trustees. The Charity Commissions guidance on this issue states that there is usually no objection to the appointment of someone who does not have British nationality or who lives abroad, provided that the individual can act effectively for the purposes of the charity in terms of taking an active part in trustee decision making and the majority of the trustees live in England and Wales. The guidance does, however, go on to say that any appointment of a person resident abroad requires careful consideration, particularly where the person may not be amenable to direction by the court or by the Commission, given the limitations of its jurisdiction.

It is also worth remembering that the trustee declaration, completed at the registration stage of the process, requires that the primary address and residency details provided by the trustees are correct, and requires that the trustees will notify the Charity Commission if these details change. The geographic mobility of trustees and employees is, therefore, an important post-Brexit consideration for most charities, particularly where their work is spread across the European Union.

With this in mind, an immediate change for charities to consider is staff travel arrangements to and from the European Union, due to the fact that extra checks are in place. In particular, for longer trips, employees and representatives of the charity will no longer have an automatic right to stay and work indefinitely as UK citizens. Organisations will need to check each Member States entry requirements carefully and be aware of any visa application processes.

Funding is, of course, also a primary concern for charities and nonprofit organisations. Whilst sources of EU funding may be withdrawn, the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement specifies that the United Kingdom and EU Member States must set up a Civil Society Forum. Very few details are available about the forum as yet, but it is anticipated that it will include representatives from across the charity sector and will consider issues such as sustainable development, the economy and human rights.

Data management is also likely to be among issues considered by the forum and will be particularly relevant to charities which distribute marketing materials. However, many organisations already worked frantically in 2018 to ensure that their processes for managing personal data complied with the General Data Protection Regulation, so this should not present a deluge of immediate issues.

Matters that may not be within the remit of the forum, but which will no doubt be of interest to nonprofit organisations, may include the determination of tax reliefs and some of the same developments as are relevant to businesses, including VAT, equality law and employment rights.

Any organisation unsure about post-Brexit changes would be well advised to look at the governments transition website, which features a Brexit checker tool.

It may also be worth considering whether it would be beneficial to rebase your charity in central Europe and set it up as a foundation. The types of foundation used vary widely depending on the jurisdiction in which a foundation is registered, but similar favourable tax treatment is normally available.

Increasing numbers of UK-based organisations have established an additional or alternative presence in the European Union recently. Doing so has enabled them to retain vital European grant funding and maintain a level of consistency for staff based in Europe.

However, even if a charitys objects extend further than the United Kingdom, it remains an attractive base from which to operate by offering tax efficiencies such as exemption from VAT, council tax and rates. If the charity comprises a trading company, no corporation tax will be payable when it donates its profits to its parent charitys main purpose. Further, where individual donors are likely to be resident in the United Kingdom and paying income tax here, the ability to claim Gift Aid means that charities and community amateur sports clubs should be able to claim an extra 25p for every 1 donated, resulting in a significant uplift.

More here:

The Impact of Brexit on UK-Based Charities - The National Law Review

Fridays session of the Delaware Great Decisions Series, which will take place virtually at noon, will focus on Brexit and the European Union.

Yannis Stivachtis, a political science professor who holds the Jean Monnet chair position at Virginia Tech, will present Fridays program.

Stivachtis received his masters degree along with a Ph.D. in politics: international relations and strategic studies at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom. His bachelors degree with distinction was completed at Panteion University in Greece. His broad range of research includes a focus on the European Union, European organizations, and a study of the international system/society in Europe.

What is Brexit? What is behind it? Stivachtis will offer a presentation on a number of dimensions of the Brexit process, including explaining the referendum results and the forces and factions at work that brought about this movement.

Stivachtis will address various questions surrounding the topic: Was this a good decision, the right thing to do? Was the vote to leave a heroic act as some have suggested, or does this outcome not bode well for the future of Great Britain and Europe?

The community is invited to join the online Zoom discussions by registering in advance at https://delawaregreatdecisions.com.

The Great Decisions program, a free community discussion series, is designed to encourage debate and discussion of the role of the United States in world affairs. The program provides materials that help people reach informed opinions on issues and encourages them to participate in the foreign-policy process.

Stivachtis

Information for this story was provided by Rev. Ward Skip Cornett, who serves as chair of the Delaware Great Decisions program.

Follow this link:

Professor to examine ins, outs of Brexit - Delaware Gazette

Robert Peston will appear on ITV's All Star Musicals tonight, a far cry from his day job as ITV's Political Editor. He'll join Ranj Singh, Rob Rinder, Barney Walsh, Jessica Hynes and Luisa Bradshaw-White to perform songs from hit musicals such as Chicago, The Greatest Showman, Guys and Dolls and Beauty & the Beast. They will be trying to impress musical theatre stars Elaine Paige, Samantha Barks and Trevor Dion Nicholas, as well as the viewing audience

Mr Peston has made his name covering politics and economics for major broadcasters including ITV as well as the BBC.

Despite having previously worked for the BBC, he was critical of its Brexit coverage during the 2016 referendum on EU membership.

In October 2018, Mr Peston reflected on the broadcaster's coverage, saying it hadn't always been impartial.

He told the Cheltenham Literature Festival: The problem with the BBC, during the campaign, it put people on with diametrically opposed views and didnt give their viewers and listeners any help in assessing which one was the loony and which one was the genius.

I do think that they went through a period of just not being confident enough.

"Impartial journalism is not giving equal airtime to two people one of whom says the world is flat and the other one says the world is round.

"That is not balanced, impartial journalism.

Mr Peston had repeatedly said on air that the UK economy would be worse off as a result of Brexit.

The journalist also reflected on the moment when the Vote Leave campaign sent a complaint to Ofcom accusing ITV of pro-Remain bias.

READ MORE:Brexit fury: EU fined UK 2.4billion in fraud row

He said on air that the UK would be "not massively poorer. I thought the Project Fear bit of the Governments campaign was overdone. But poorer".

The journalist has covered economics for years, and also offered his analysis on the future of the eurozone.

In Europe, Peston said there is a lack of political and sustainable union between countries, especially Germany and France. He said: "As long as there is that mistrust then the Eurozone will continue to struggle."

More:

How Robert Peston condemned BBC as 'not impartial' on Brexit - 'Didn't help viewers' - Express

Sadiq Khan will emphasise his record standing up to Donald Trump and a "rising tide of nationalism" as part of his strategy to stay in City Hall, in a break with Labours national positioning.

The Labour mayor of London is planning to explicitly target Liberal Democrat voters to take him over the line as a new poll shows he is set to win over a substantial chunk of their 2019 support.

The approach, tailored for the capital, breaks with the one set by Labour leader Keir Starmer at national level which has sought to emphasise patriotism in an appeal to more conservative voters.

Mr Khan kicked off his campaign, which will officially begin on Monday, by telling The Independent he was in a "two-horse race" with the Tories and that voting Lib Dem could risk him losing.

But his suggestion sparked anger in the Liberal Democrat campaign, with the party's candidate Luisa Porritt accusing the Mayor of "engaging in fake news tactics" around the voting system.

Both parties are preparing to set out their stalls ahead of the formal start of the mayoral contest on Monday. The latest survey by Redfield and Winton Strategies showed Mr Khan taking 37 per cent of the 2019 Lib Dem vote and Ms Porritt taking 35 per cent though such poll crossbreaks have a wider margin of error.

Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekday

Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekday

The Mayor Mr Khan said: This election is a two-horse race between me and the Tory candidate who simply doesnt share Londoners values.

Im calling on people who have previously voted Liberal Democrat and who love London to lend me their vote. A vote for any candidate other than me will just increase the chance that the Tory candidate will win.

"I have always fearlessly stood up for London's values - whether on immigration, Brexit or the environment - and will continue to do so if I'm re-elected on 6 May."

But Luisa Porritt, the Liberal Democrat candidate, said the capital's voting system meant Londoners didn't need to vote tactically.

Under the so-called "supplementary vote system" voters can choose a first and a second choice. If their first choice candidate does not make it to the top two, their vote moves to their second choice.

"It is an utter disgrace that a so-called progressive Mayor is engaging in fake news tactics to scare the public into voting for him in this election," Ms Porritt told The Independent.

"Londoners backed a better voting system for our elections so they didnt have to engage in this type of negative tactical voting. At a time when the Tories are threatening to abolish our proportional system, youd think progressives would be out to defend it - not pretend it doesnt exist.

"With the Conservative candidate falling further and further behind, Londoners are looking for a serious and progressive challenger to the Mayor. Someone who will hold him to account for his poor record and has a plan to take London forward. I am that challenger."

Mr Khan's team has prepared campaign material specifically targeted at Lib Dem voters, such a video interviews, stressing his opposition Brexit and spats with Donald Trump.

In one video, a former Lib Dem voter named Dylan phrases Mr Khan's record having "stood up for an open London against Trump and a rising tide of nationalism" where people can "fulfil their potential no matter where they come from, who they love, what colour their skin is or their religion".

A parakeet eats a cherry blossom in St. James's Park, London, Britain

REUTERS

Highland cattle lock horns at the National Trusts Wicken Fen Nature Reserve in Cambridgeshire

PA

A cleaner uses a fogging machine to clean a train carriage early in the morning

PA

A giant 60-metre wide sand portrait of 12-year-old Ansha from Ethiopia created by WaterAid on Whitby Beach in Yorkshire. The image of the young girl, who spends hours each day collecting dirty water from a river, was created to illustrate how climate change threatens water access for world's poorest

PA

Five kayaks, each reflecting the shape of a human bone, form Osteoclast (I do not know how I came to be on board this ship, this navel of my ark) (2021), a sculpture by Teresa Solar, positioned outside Exchange Flags, it's one of the outdoor exhibits in the 11th edition of Liverpool Biennial which opens March 20, 2021, and features a series of outdoor sculpture, sonic and digital commissions by nine different artists. PA Photo. Picture date: Monday March 15, 2021. PA Photo. To align with government guidelines, the second 'inside' chapter will launch the full festival of exhibitions and events hosted by key venues throughout the city in late Spring

PA

Protesters calling for greater public safety for women after the death of Sarah Everard, against the police handling of a gathering on Clapham Common in Sarah Everard's honour and against a proposed law that would give police more powers to intervene on protests hold up their mobile phones with their torches illuminated in Parliament Square in central London

AFP via Getty

A well-wisher places flowers at a band-stand where a planned vigil in honour of murder victim Sarah Everard was cancelled after police outlawed it due to Covid-19 restrictions, on Clapham Common, south London

AFP via Getty Images

Angela Rayner, deputy leader of the Labour Party, and Jonathan Ashworth, Shadow Health Secretary, launch a poster in central London, criticising the government's recommendation of a 1 percent NHS pay proposal, following the party's campaign launch on Thursday for the local and mayoral elections in May

PA

Waves crash over the harbour wall in Newhaven, southern England

AFP/Getty

Officers from the Metropolitan Police search woodland near to Great Chart Golf and Leisure in Ashford, Kent

PA

A vertical mulcher machine is used to clear trees during the restoration of an ancient bog near Kielder Water in Northumberland. The ancient habitat, known as the Border Mires, is under threat from encroaching trees which are being removed as part of a 50 year old environmental project to protect the Border Mires in Northumberland

PA

Students take Lateral Flow Tests for coronavirus at the Jewellery Quarter Academy in Birmingham in the West Midlands, as pupils in England return to school for the first time in two months as part of the first stage of lockdown easing

PA

Nurses and NHS workers from the campaign group NHS Workers Say No, and Unites Guys and St Thomas Hospital Union branch, hold a socially distanced protest outside Downing Street in London over the proposed 1% pay rise from the Government

PA

Rangers fans outside the stadium after the Scottish Premiership match at Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow

PA

People go for a walk at The Dream a sculptor in Sutton Manor, St Helens, Merseyside, on a clear Spring day

PA

Health Secretary Matt Hancock during a visit to the Centre for Virus Research at Glasgow University in Glasgow

PA

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak outside 11 Downing Street, London, before heading to the House of Commons to deliver his Budget

PA

A train rounds the coast and heads towards the Carbis Bay Estate hotel and beach, which is set to be the main venue for the upcoming G7 summit

Getty

Newborn lambs in a field at A J Thompson & Sons farm on the Romney Marsh near Lydd in Kent on the first day of meteorological spring

PA

People walking on the beach in Scarborough, North Yorkshire

PA

The coffin of Captain Tom Moore is being carried members of the Armed Forces at Bedford Crematorium in Bedford

EPA

A dog stands on rocks as the sun rises behind it at New Brighton beach, Wirral

PA

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds delivers a pre-Budget speech to the Institute of Global Prosperity at Labour Party headquarters in London

PA

Britain's Health Secretary Matt Hancock looks on outside Downing Street in London, Britain

REUTERS

Two surfers make their way into the sea off of Boscombe beach in Dorset

PA

Crocuses bloom outside Trinity College in Cambridge

PA

Street art adorns many of the streets and walls around the Digbeth area of Birmingham

PA

Parts of Callander in Stirlingshire flooded after the River Teith burst its banks

PA

The sun rises over St Mary's Lighthouse, Northumberland

PA

Cars drive along the A1101 in Welney, Norfolk, which is passable again after two months submerged by floodwater

PA

Professor Green announces Tideways new 25km Super Sewer is Heading East, marking a major stage in the construction of the tunnel, as two giant Tunnel Boring Machines link up to break through into Bermondsey and commence tunnelling towards East London. Once completed, the sewer system will prevent millions of tonnes of raw sewage entering the Thames

PA

man holds up signs reading I LOST MY JOB!! and BORIS, WHO IS GOING TO PAY THIS BILL? I DONT HAVE ANY MONEY TO PAY MY CREDIT CARD at the window of his hotel room at the Radisson Blu hotel in London

Getty

Passengers arriving at Heathrow's Terminal 5 are escorted by security personal to buses. From today, people arriving from 33 "red list" countries, including South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, must isolate in hotels rooms for 10 days at their own expense. The policy was announced late last month in response to the emergence of new variants of the novel coronavirus that are more resistant to existing vaccines.

Getty

People play ice hockey on frozen flooded fields near Ely in Cambridgeshire

PA

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, wearing a face mask, accompanied by Sarah Rose (left), MD of the Northumbria healthcare PPE manufacturing hub in Seaton Delaval

PA

Lanterns hang across the street to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year which marks the Year of the Ox, in Chinatown, central London, during England's third national lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.

PA

European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic at London's St Pancras Station after arriving in the UK ahead of talks with Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove on the Northern Ireland protocol.

PA

A frozen road sign and hedgerow are covered in icicles, as Storm Darcy affects large parts of the country, in Shenley, Hertfordshire

Reuters

People walk up Gardner street in Glasgow as snow blankets the city

AFP/Getty

Drifting snow covers a car in Harwood, County Durham

PA

People walk through the snow in Knole Park in Sevenoaks

Getty

Read more here:

Sadiq Khan to emphasise opposition to Trump and Brexit in bid to target Lib Dem voters - The Independent