Rory Stewart wants to sleep on your sofa February 11, 2020 Londoners are being given the chance to snuggle up to an unusual house guest this winter, mayoral candidate Rory Stewart. Independent candidate Stewart sent out the surprising invitation to Londoners today, asking to sleep over at people’s houses as a part of his election campaign. The initiative, called Come Kip with Me, will see the [...]
Brexit: Michel Barnier tells UK government not to ‘kid themselves’ on financial services deal February 11, 2020 The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier has this morning rejected the UK government’s call for a financial services deal to be built on a long-term equivalence regime, and warned Downing Street that Brussels will “keep control”. Speaking to the European Parliament entirely in French, Barnier emphasised that it “cannot be business as usual” after the [...]
Boris Johnson to give controversial rail link HS2 backing today February 10, 2020 The Prime Minister is expected to give HS2 the green light later today, after the £100bn infrastructure project receives final sign off at this morning’s Cabinet. A decision on the controversial high speed rail link, which will run between London and Birmingham initially, before splitting onto two branches going onto Manchester and Leeds, had been [...]
Exclusive: Treasury to unveil equivalence vision for City in white paper February 10, 2020 The government will insist on the right to diverge from EU financial services regulation as part of a post-Brexit trade deal with Brussels based on equivalence. Writing in City A.M. today, chancellor Sajid Javid says the City “will no longer be a rule-taker” and reveals that ministers are working on a white paper setting out [...]
Boris Johnson to announce £5bn bus service improvement plan February 10, 2020 Boris Johnson is tomorrow expected to announce £5bn of funding to improve local bus services across the country. The Prime Minister will outline a plan to transform the bus network and cycle links with simpler fares, new vehicles, improved routes and higher frequencies. The five-year funding package will increase the number of services – particularly [...]
Natwest Three banker slams ‘pernicious’ US-UK extradition treaty February 10, 2020 A British banker who was extradited to the US for fraud said the extradition treaty between the two countries is a “pernicious law” that is “designed for one outcome — incarceration”. Last week, Autonomy founder Mike Lynch was arrested following a US extradition request. Lynch faces charges of securities fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy in [...]
Sadiq Khan will spend £350,000 to fight the Tulip tower February 10, 2020 City Hall will spend up to £350,000 to defend its decision to reject the planning application for the Tulip tower as Sadiq Khan gets ready to fight an appeal against its developers. The 1,000-foot skyscraper was set to be built by architecture firm Foster + Partners opposite the Gherkin, after its design was approved by [...]
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 [...]