Any extension to the Brexit transition period should come instead of – not as well as – a “backstop” for Northern Ireland, the Brexit secretary has said.

Dominic Raab says this would avoid an “unacceptable” EU plan to keep Northern Ireland aligned to its rules in the event no Brexit deal was in place.

His statement comes as up to 700,000 are reported to have marched through London yesterday, calling for a People’s Referendum.

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Ralf Speth, CEO of JaguarLandRover, say whole industries will be destroyed by a hard Brexit, amid warnings that Britain’s imminent EU exit has dented investment by four in five businesses.

He said such an outcome would lead to the closure of plants and major job losses as he warned that some exposed industries would have “no way to survive a hard Brexit”.

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The shadow chancellor John McDonnell’s view on Brexit and other issues are included in an interview with Financial Director.

Is the former Marxist the “the most dangerous man in Britain”, as he has been described, or a force for good?