Brexit Ministers were blocked from starting work on the Government’s future Brexit plan by the civil service negotiating team who wanted to take charge, according to Whitehall sources. I understand there has been a furious tussle between DExEU - the Brexit department - and the negotiating team over what goes in the document. So much so that nine different iterations of the White Paper have been produced. Sources say earlier versions were consistent with the Prime Minister’s Mansion House speech, which was backed by the whole Conservative party. But negotiators didn’t think it would fly with the EU27 and a fight began ... (full story)