Boris Bridge scoping work underway, No 10 confirms February 10, 2020 A “proper piece of work” looking into the feasibility of a bridge connecting mainland Britain with Northern Ireland is being carried out, Number 10 confirmed today. The so-called Boris Bridge was first floated by the Prime Minister last year as a possible solution to the border issue caused by Brexit. However critics warned at the [...]
Angela Merkel successor Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to resign February 10, 2020 Angela Merkel’s anointed heir Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer will not run for the German chancellorship at next year’s election and will step down as leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party. Kramp-Karrenbauer, known commonly as AKK, was elected as leader of the centre-right party in 2018 and was expected to run for high office when Merkel [...]
Sinn Fein demands role in government after Irish General Election surge February 10, 2020 Sinn Fein has demanded a role in the next Irish government after it made unprecedented gains in the country’s general election. Incumbent Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has ruled out entering coalition with the nationalist party, which supports a referendum on Irish unity. Sinn Fein was leading the seat tally with almost two-thirds of seats [...]
Boris has a war to fight, and he’s going to need all the friends he can get February 10, 2020 “Every time a friend succeeds, I die a little.” Epigrammatic prose from the US patrician, Gore Vidal. The line serves as a cautionary note on how to lose friends and not influence people — one that another talented communicator of our time, the Prime Minister, might want to heed. Boris Johnson went to bat last [...]
DEBATE: Is ‘level playing field’ alignment a reasonable part of a UK-EU free trade agreement? February 10, 2020 Is ‘level playing field’ alignment a necessary and reasonable part of a UK-EU free trade agreement? Sir Ed Davey, Liberal Democrat acting leader and economy spokesperson, says YES. Maintaining a common rulebook with the EU is in the UK’s best interest. Boris Johnson claims that, like Canada, we shouldn’t be expected to take on EU [...]
CBI and Institute of Directors call for small business focus in budget February 10, 2020 Two of the UK’s leading business advocacy groups have urged the government to increase private sector investment and slash red tape in next month’s budget to help small businesses. The CBI unveiled its budget submission to the Treasury today, urging the government to review business rates and the apprenticeship levy, commit to building HS2 in [...]
Proposed post-Brexit wage requirement for new EU immigrants to be slashed February 9, 2020 The minimum wage requirement for incoming EU immigrants after Britain leaves the single market is expected to be slashed. Freedom of movement between the EU and the UK will continue to at least 1 January 2021 during the second-phase of Brexit negotiations. Under Theresa May, the plan was to limit EU migration at this point [...]
Boris Johnson and Sajid Javid weighing up a mansion tax February 9, 2020 Number 10 is considering plans to implement a mansion tax in next month’s budget to help pay for spending increases. Plans to hit wealthy homeowners with the tax have been discussed at the Treasury and Number 10 multiple times, according to the Sunday Telegraph. Read more: Sajid Javid weighing up tax raid on high earners [...]
Sajid Javid weighing up tax raid on high earners February 8, 2020 Sajid Javid is considering a tax raid on higher earners in his March budgets to help fund Boris Johnson’s plan to “level up” the economy. The chancellor is said to be committed to making the tax system “fair and efficient”. Insiders have told the Financial Times, Javid is weighing up reforms that would hit the [...]
Trump fires two impeachment witnesses February 8, 2020 US President Donald Trump has removed two senior officials from their posts after they testified against him at his impeachment trial. The US Ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, issued a statement on Friday saying he had been recalled from his post by the president. Sondland, who was a Trump political donor before being [...]