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Germany eyes London-based agencies after Brexit

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Germany is angling to host the London-based European Medicines Agency and the European Banking Authority after Britain leaves the European Union.

Government spokesman Steffen Seibert says Germany will apply to move the medicines regulator to the western city of Bonn, which already hosts several national and international agencies.

Seibert says the banking authority would move to Germany's financial capital, Frankfurt — already home to the European Central Bank — if the application succeeds.

He told reporters in Berlin that the exact procedures for the move could be decided at a meeting of EU leaders later this month.

Seibert was unable to say which other countries are applying to host the two agencies.

Britain is set to leave the EU by March 2019.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has expressed his concerns for the Northern Ireland peace process if the Conservative government is propped up by the Democratic Unionist Party.

Adams told reporters Monday that he shared the concerns of outgoing Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny that a deal between the two could jeopardize the peace process.

Adams says Ireland's incoming government must act to protect the peace process.

Some involved in the Irish peace process are alarmed at any alliance between Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives and the DUP because the Good Friday peace accords call for the British government to be neutral in the politics of Northern Ireland.

May lost her majority in the House of Commons in last week's election and is looking to get the backing of the DUP's 10 lawmakers.

Republican Sinn Fein won seven seats but historically hasn't taken them up in the London chamber.

The European Union's executive arm has indicated that negotiations with the British government over the country's exit from the bloc may not start next week as planned.

European Commission spokesman Alexander Winterstein said "we are quite confident" that technical talks "can start soon, maybe even this week."

However, when asked about whether the Brexit talks would start for real on June 19 as planned, Winterstein said: "I cannot say. This doesn't depend entirely on us."

Prime Minister Theresa May is trying to thrash out details of a parliamentary arrangement with a party from Northern Ireland to get her the votes to run a minority government after last week's election, which saw her Conservative Party lose its majority. Already there are expectations that the Queen's Speech, which would outline the government's legislative agenda for next year, will be delayed from next Monday.

In March, before calling the election, May triggered the two-year timetable for Britain to leave the EU.

British Prime Minister Theresa May's office has declined to confirm that the Queen's Speech would be held on June 19 as previously announced.

May's official spokesman told a media a briefing that the new leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, will soon be releasing a statement on the date.

The uncertainty about the speech laying out the government's legislative program comes as May conducts talks with the Democratic Unionist Party, which is certain to expect concessions for its support. May lost her parliamentary majority in a disastrous election for her Conservative Party last week.

Britain's chief negotiator for leaving the European Union says the talks for exiting the trading bloc may not start as scheduled next week.

David Davis told Sky News on Monday that the talks tentatively set to begin on June 19 might not take place because it would clash with the Queen's Speech, which sets out the legislative agenda for the new government.

Davis also suggested the government would focus on the divorce proceedings before moving on to trade.

The EU has said that Brexit talks need to make sufficient progress before trade deals can be discussed, though Britain had argued the discussions should take place simultaneously.

The change of position comes after Prime Minister Theresa May lost her majority in the House of Commons in a disastrous election last week.

Senior members in Theresa May's government are moving to support her leadership despite doubts about whether she will remain in power following a disastrous election result.

The prime minister is meeting members of her party Monday after losing her majority in the House of Commons last week.

Seeking to set the tone, David Davis, the cabinet member in charge of European Union exit negotiations, says speculation about her removal is "unbelievably self-indulgent."

Davis told ITV he's loyal to May and there's a distinction between "running a campaign and running a country. Running a country is more difficult and she's formidably good at that."

Davis also sought to reassure the public that any deal between the Tories and the Democratic Unionist Party would not change abortion or gay rights laws.


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