Brexit: Germany says UK-EU trade talks will enter ‘hot phase’ in September June 17, 2020 The German government is expecting post-Brexit UK-EU trade talks to enter a “hot phase” in September, despite British negotiators claiming they want a deal wrapped up before autumn. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that talks needed “a bit of oomph” and that a deal in July was the aim for UK negotiators. However, [...]
‘Best news so far’: Matt Hancock hails steroid drug that can combat coronavirus June 17, 2020 Health secretary Matt Hancock today hailed the use of a steroid drug called dexamethasone for treating coronavirus patients as the best news so far of the outbreak. Trial results announced on Tuesday showed dexamethasone, which is used to reduce inflammation in other diseases such as arthritis, reduced death rates by around a third among the [...]
Trump signs executive order to reform US police June 16, 2020 US President Donald Trump has today signed an executive order pledging to reform the police, aimed at improving law enforcement practices amid widespread backlash. Federal grants will be offered to states to improve police practices, including the creation of a database to track abuses by officers and improved information sharing so that officers with poor [...]
Boris Johnson: Too early to ease two-metre social distancing rule June 16, 2020 Boris Johnson has shot down hopes for an imminent change to England’s two-metre social distancing rule, despite pleas from the hospitality sector. Johnson said the rate of coronavirus incidents had not come down enough to make the change, but to “watch this space”. The news will come as a disappointment for hospitality businesses across England, [...]
Brexit: UK ‘ready to be flexible’ to strike a trade deal in July June 16, 2020 The UK is “ready to be flexible” in post-Brexit trade negotiations with the EU in an attempt to secure a deal by next month, according to Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove. Gove, the defacto Brexit minister, told MPs today that there was enough time to “bring a deal home” before the 31 December deadline, despite [...]
David Cameron hits out at Boris Johnson’s DFID-Foreign Office merger plan June 16, 2020 Former Prime Minister David Cameron has hit out against Boris Johnson’s plans to merge the Department for International Development with the Foreign Office, calling the decision a “mistake”. Writing on Twitter, Cameron said: “The Prime Minister is right to maintain the commitment to 0.7 (the percentage of national income spent on global aid) – it [...]
Department for International Development merges with Foreign Office June 16, 2020 The Department for International Development will be folded into the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in a major Whitehall shake up. Prime Minister Boris Johnson made the announcement during a statement in the House of Commons today, with the new department to be called the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab will now [...]
Marcus Rashford scores! Summer free school meals announced for 1.3m students June 16, 2020 An estimated 1.3m children in England will be given free school meal vouchers throughout the summer, after pressure from Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford. Students on the free school meals programme will receive vouchers for the six-week break and they will be worth £15 per child a week, which is in line with existing support. [...]
Boris Johnson expected to merge Foreign Office and International Development Department June 16, 2020 Boris Johnson is expected to announce today that the Department for International Development (DFID) will be folded into the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The Prime Minister is slated to make an announcement today in the House of Commons on “global Britain”, with the BBC now reporting that he will announce the merger of the [...]
Labour calls for emergency ‘back to work’ summer Budget June 16, 2020 Labour shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds is calling for an emergency summer Budget and stimulus package that focuses on job creation. Dodds has dubbed it a “back to work Budget” and has called on chancellor Rishi Sunak to focus on combating potential structural unemployment caused by the coronavirus crisis. New figures from the Office of National [...]