Nicola Sturgeon warns PM she is not bluffing on indyref2

Image caption Nicola Sturgeon told Andrew Marr she was not “in any way bluffing” on the issue of a second independence referendum Nicola Sturgeon has warned Theresa May that she is not “bluffing” on the promise of a second independence referendum if Scotland is “driven off a hard Brexit cliff”.
Scotland"s first minister told the BBC"s Andrew Marr she felt the prime minister had “no plan” in terms of her strategy for the UK leaving the EU.
She said she was prepared to compromise and wants Ms May to do the same.
The UK government has said a special deal for Scotland is unrealistic.
The prime minister plans to trigger the Brexit negotiations by the end of March.
Voters in Scotland backed the UK staying in the EU by 62% to 38%.
Ms Sturgeon has said she wants the UK to retain membership of the European single market, the so-called soft Brexit option.
"Opportunity to decide"She has also indicated a soft Brexit would see the prospect of Scottish independence “put aside” i..

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EU leaders "not bluffing" over Brexit terms, warns Malta"s PM

EU leaders are not “bluffing” when they say the UK will be left without access to the single market when it leaves the bloc if there is no free movement of people, Malta"s prime minister says.
Joseph Muscat, whose country assumes the EU"s presidency in January, told the BBC “this is really and truly our position and I don"t see it changing”.
Theresa May says the UK will begin the legal process to leave the EU by March.
Mr Muscat said talks on the details of a “new relationship” could be delayed.
Much political debate has focused on the possibility of a “soft” Brexit – the UK retaining some form of membership of the single market in exchange for conceding some control over immigration – and “hard Brexit” – leaving the single market but having fuller control over migration.
But Mr Muscat said the UK and EU needed to first reach agreement on a range of other details once Mrs May triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.
He said these included the bill the UK must pay befor..

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