Donald Tusk slams Johnson over ‘stupid blame game’ October 8, 2019 The European Council president Donald Tusk has hit out at Boris Johnson for trying to win “some stupid blame game” after two antagonistic anonymous briefings up-ended Brexit talks. Last night a senior Downing Street source told The Spectator that any countries blocking the UK’s exit from the EU on 31 October would “go to the [...]
Brexit: Government’s latest no-deal planning revealed October 8, 2019 Michael Gove has revealed his latest set of plans for no-deal Brexit planning, just minutes after Downing Street appeared to admit talks had collapsed. The latest report, which government had promised to publish regularly in the run-up to Hallowe’en, sets out plans for a “significant increase” in the number of customs agents at the borders [...]
Labour rules out unity government plan to block no-deal Brexit October 8, 2019 Labour has definitively ruled out opposition plans for a government of national unity as part of efforts to prevent a no-deal Brexit, City A.M. understands. The rainbow coalition of anti-no-dealers, including a swelling tribe of Liberal Democrat MPs, has tried repeatedly to find a suitable candidate to lead a caretaker government in a bid to [...]
Extinction Rebellion group occupy Smithfield meat market to turn it vegan October 8, 2019 More than 100 members of an Extinction Rebellion sub-group set up camp at London’s historic Smithfield meat market in the early hours of this morning. Members from Animal Rebellion pitched tents at the 800-year-old market at 2am this morning in an attempt to demonstrate a “vision of a future plant-based food system” according to organisers. [...]
Brexit deal ‘overwhelmingly unlikely’, Merkel tells PM October 8, 2019 German Chancellor Angela Merkel has told Boris Johnson a Brexit deal is “overwhelmingly unlikely” as talks in Brussels teeter on the brink. Johnson spoke with Merkel on the phone this morning, as part of his ongoing charm offensive to get an 11th-hour deal secured. However, a Downing Street source claims that Merkel told the PM [...]
Bank of England governor appointment ‘on track’, says chancellor Sajid Javid October 8, 2019 Chancellor Sajid Javid has stressed plans to appoint a new Bank of England governor are still “on track”, despite resources being redeployed towards Brexit planning. Javid has written to the Treasury Select Committee – which is still without a chair after Nicky Morgan entered government this summer – to reassure MPs that a new head [...]
Brexit: Government pledges to cut tariffs if there’s no deal October 8, 2019 The government has pledged to cut tariffs on lorries imported into the UK, and apply new tariffs on clothing imports, in the event of a no-deal Brexit. For the first year after the UK leaves the EU, the government will reduce the tariff from 22 per cent to 10 per cent. The move comes after [...]
Downing Street: Anti-Brexit countries will ‘go to bottom of queue’ in future talks October 8, 2019 Countries that support a delay to Brexit “will go to the bottom of the queue” when negotiating the UK’s future relationship, a source within Downing Street has said. As tensions rise ahead of the weekend – viewed on both sides as a critical point for determining whether a deal can be struck in time – [...]
Tide secures £44.1m in ‘one of the largest ever’ fintech series B funding rounds October 7, 2019 Fintech company Tide has raised £44.1m in its first round of Series B equity funding in a bid to increase its business banking market share. Read more: Scottish fintech paysend closes £8.5m series B round Tide announced it had secured the funding yesterday in what it is calling “one of the largest ever” series B funding [...]
Billionaire Michael Spencer buys stake in The Tote October 7, 2019 Billionaire Michael Spencer is set to buy a substantial minority stake in the soon-to-be parent company of The Tote bookmaker. The financial services entrepreneur will buy a 10 per cent stake in the recently formed Alizeti consortium, which is poised to buy The Tote from betting giant Betfred. Read more: City bigwig Michael Spencer blasts [...]