Huawei: Will the government ban the Chinese vendor tomorrow? July 13, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to decide whether to ban Huawei from the UK’s 5G infrastructure tomorrow, following intense pressure from MPs and US President Donald Trump to U-turn on a deal with the Chinese vendor over national security fears. In January, Johnson struck a deal with Huawei to build technology for the UK’s [...]
Brexit: Social care workers not included in new healthcare visa July 13, 2020 The vast majority of social care workers will not be able to get priority access to the UK as a part of a post-Brexit fast track visa for the healthcare sector, the government has confirmed. The UK’s post-Brexit plans were set out in detail today, confirming that there will be no special exceptions for most [...]
Priti Patel scraps freedom of movement in new immigration rules July 13, 2020 Home Secretary Priti Patel today unveiled plans for a post-Brexit immigration system for the UK, which will see freedom of movement scrapped in favour of a points-based scheme and a crackdown on illegal Channel crossings. A new 130-page document presented by Patel in the House of Commons today abolishes the freedom of movement into the [...]
China retaliates with sanctions in US row over Uighur Muslims July 13, 2020 China will levy “corresponding sanctions” against the US, it said today, after Washington penalised senior Chinese officials over the treatment of minority Uighur Muslims. The sanctions targeted US senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, US representative Chris Smith, ambassador at large for international religious freedom Sam Brownback and the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China. Rubio and Cruz [...]
Boris Johnson: People should wear face masks in shops July 13, 2020 The Prime Minister has said people should wear face masks in shops and will decide whether to make them mandatory in the next few days. Last week Boris Johnson indicated the government was looking at toughening up the rules and went further today to say a decision “in the next few days.” Speaking to Sky [...]
UK launches Brexit awareness ad blitz for tourists and businesses July 13, 2020 The government today has launched a £93m advertising blitz to prepare businesses and tourists for the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December. Advertising will focus on incoming changes to travel insurance and passport requirements for tourists heading to the EU, while also highlighting new trading regulations with Europe. Titled “the UK’s new [...]
Europe is no longer America’s sidekick when it comes to China July 13, 2020 With the death of the thrilling composer Ennio Morricone this past week, I have been thinking (and humming) a lot about the Spaghetti Westerns that made his name. For the spaghetti trilogy contains just about every human emotion it is possible to think of. Love, hate, revenge, loyalty, honour, cruelty, and power — they are [...]
Brexit: A quarter of British businesses ready for end of transition period July 13, 2020 Less than a quarter of British business leaders are ready for the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December, according to a new survey. A new survey from the Institute of Directors out today showed just 24 per cent of company directors thought their businesses were “fully prepared” and 19 per cent are [...]
An open letter to the PM: Britain must build Sizewell C — nuclear sits at the heart of a green recovery July 12, 2020 An open letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, business secretary Alok Sharma, and chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak We are writing as engineers, nuclear experts, scientists and concerned citizens to applaud your commitment to fighting climate change through energy policy, in particular the commitment to proceed with new nuclear construction at the same time [...]
Liberal Democrats secure coronavirus briefing with Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey July 12, 2020 Liberal Democrat MPs will get a briefing from Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey on Thursday in order to get a more “realistic” view of the British economy. The closed door meeting will give the party’s 11 MPs a chance to quiz the Bank of England boss about the UK’s economic recovery prospects and the [...]