Hong Kong protesters march on shopping centres as Christmas clashes continue December 26, 2019 Hundreds of protesters descended on shopping centres in Hong Kong today in a bid to disrupt business on the third day of Christmas demonstrations. The so-called shopping protests have targeted malls in the financial hub since Christmas Eve, with police firing tear gas to disperse protesters and tourists in the busy areas. Read more: Hong [...]
Donald Trump impeachment trial: Republicans have not ruled out witnesses December 23, 2019 Mitch McConnell, the US Republican Senate majority leader, has said his party has not ruled out hearing witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. However, he added that he would not agree to the Democrats’ request that the Senate agree ahead of time to take testimony during the trial. Read more: Space Force: [...]
Donald Trump invites Boris Johnson to White House December 22, 2019 US president Donald Trump has reportedly invited prime minister Boris Johnson to visit him in the White House in the new year. The Sunday Times reported that Trump’s invitation to Johnson was made after the British prime minister’s recent election win. Read more: European stocks rally as Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal is approved Formal discussions [...]
EU-UK trade deal must share social and environmental standards, says Barnier December 21, 2019 The European Union want to agree common social and environmental standards in any free trade agreement with the UK to avoid a “race to the bottom”, Michel Barnier has said. The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator wrote an opinion piece on Project Syndicate published on Friday, which said the EU wanted to make the most of [...]
UK approves £4bn sale of defence firm Cobham December 21, 2019 The government has agreed to allow US private equity firm Advent International to takeover the UK’s defence and aerospace company. Advent made a £4bn offer to buy Cobham earlier this year and the deal was accepted by shareholders last month. However the government held a consultation on the sale after the founding family raised possible [...]
US diplomat’s wife Anne Sacoolas charged over the death of Harry Dunn December 20, 2019 Anne Sacoolas has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving over the death of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn, who died in a road crash in Northamptonshire in August. Sacoolas, the wife of a US intelligence officer based at the nearby RAF Croughton base, left the country for the US shortly afterwards, claiming diplomatic immunity. [...]
Brexit bill: MPs back Boris Johnson’s EU withdrawal agreement December 20, 2019 MPs have voted in favour of Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill during today’s second reading in the House of Commons. It paves the way for the UK to leave the European Union by 31 January. Read more: Downing Street defends Zac Goldsmith peerage and cabinet role It was voted for by 358 MPs, while 234 voted [...]
Labour to vote against Brexit bill in second reading but some MPs could rebel December 20, 2019 Jeremy Corbyn has confirmed that Labour MPs will vote against Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill today. The Labour leader launched an attack on the Prime Minister’s deal, which is likely to pass regardless by virtue of the Conservative’s 80-seat majority. “We remain certain there is a better and fairer way for this country to leave the [...]
Downing Street defends Zac Goldsmith peerage and cabinet role December 20, 2019 No10 has defended the decision to appoint ousted Tory MP Zac Goldsmith to the House of Lords. Goldsmith lost his seat in Richmond Park to the Liberal Democrats in last week’s general election but has been made a peer in order to keep hold of his role as environment minister. Read more: Brexit bill: MPs [...]
What does the Conservatives’ victory mean for the UK economy and markets? December 20, 2019 | City Talk The large majority for Boris Johnson’s Conservative party sees the pound and UK shares react positively, as investors welcome greater clarity on the policy backdrop. The pound climbs against other major currencies and stock markets gain as the scale of the Conservative win removes policy uncertainty. Within UK equities, companies whose operations focus on the [...]