The Prime Minister spoke with over 130 business leaders today on the progress in Brexit negotiations, following the European Council this week.

First, she recognised the importance of these discussions for businesses, their supply chains and clients. She outlined that the Government’s proposed future relationship with the EU would preserve the UK’s and EU’s frictionless access to each other’s markets for goods, protecting jobs and livelihoods on both sides.

She set out the significant progress that has been made on the Withdrawal Agreement and on our future relationship with the EU. She acknowledged that there were a few significant issues that were still outstanding, but said that the very real sense she had from leaders around the table at the Council was that they wanted to reach a deal as soon as possible this autumn.

Second, the Prime Minister spoke about the Northern Irish backstop, which is intended to guarantee that – in the unlikely event that there is a delay in bringing into effect our future relationship by the end of the implementation period at the end of December 2020 – there is no return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. If required, this would therefore only be necessary for a temporary period to act as a bridge to the future relationship.

The Prime Minister explained that the UK could not accept the EU’s proposal which included an arrangement in which Northern Ireland could be kept in a separate customs territory to the rest of the UK. She advised that our proposal included a UK-wide joint customs territory with the EU for the duration of the backstop, which would protect the integrity of the UK and deliver on the commitment to avoid a hard border with Ireland. She emphasised that both sides wanted to have our future relationship in place by the end of December 2020 so that the backstop never needed to be used, but that the negotiating teams would work intensively on this to find a way forward.

Finally, she urged businesses not to lose sight of the prize – that of a smooth trading relationship with the EU alongside the ability to seek new opportunities and open up new markets with trading partners around the world.

The Prime Minister took questions from businesses and representative bodies (Centrica, EY, Diageo, Enterprise Nation, RBS, Federation of Small Businesses, ITV, Aston Martin, Barratt Developments and Tesco) on topics such as the importance of frictionless trade, the implementation period and opportunities for the future.

A number of businesses thanked the Prime Minister for the opportunity to speak with her directly on the Brexit negotiations.

Mr Martyn Roper has been appointed Governor of the Cayman Islands in succession to Mr Anwar Choudhury. Mr Roper will take up his appointment in October 2018.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Full name: Martyn Keith Roper

Married to: Elisabeth Melanie Harman

Children: Two

2015 to 2018	Beijing, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission
2010 to 2014	Algiers, Her Majesty’s Ambassador
2007 to 2010	Brasilia, Deputy Head of Mission
2004 to 2006	FCO, Deputy Head, International Organisations Department
2003	FCO, Policy Lead, Global Conflict Prevention Pools, Conflict Issues Group
1999 to 2003	Paris, First Secretary (Economics/Development), UK Delegation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
1996 to 1998	FCO, Head, Gibraltar Internal Section, Southern European Department
1994 to 1996	FCO, Political Section, UN Department
1991 to 1993	Karachi, Third Secretary (Political)
1990	Kuwait, Vice Consul
1990	Baghdad, Consular Officer
1988 to 1990	Maputo, Information Officer
1986 to 1987	Tehran, Communications Officer
1984 to 1986	FCO, Middle East Department

Further information

Published 19 October 2018

Hundreds of British Army troops have successfully completed an epic road move to Norway, where they will now begin training with allies ahead of NATO Exercise Trident Juncture.

Armed Forces Minister Mark Lancaster:

With the Arctic and Far North becoming increasingly militarised, it is now more important than ever for the UK and our NATO Allies to train across a range of challenging environments.

This exercise will truly test our ability to deter any aggression we may face in an era of intensifying threats.

Over the course of the next 10 days Army personnel will integrate with fellow troops from Denmark and Poland – sharing equipment, drills and personnel to form a multinational, combat-ready brigade.

Once complete British infantry and armoured reconnaissance vehicles, Danish main battle tanks and Polish armoured fighting vehicles will then conduct a week-long live exercise alongside brigades led by Germany and Italy against a fictitious invading enemy in defensive and offensive operations.

In total there will be 2,700 UK Armed Forces personnel as well as six Royal Navy ships, 480 vehicles and Royal Air Force Hawk aircraft.

With some 150 aircraft, 40,000 participants and 10,000 vehicles, Exercise Trident Juncture is the largest collective defence exercise NATO has seen in over a decade.