Iran’s ambassador to UK summoned by Foreign Office following arrest of British ambassador January 13, 2020 Iran’s ambassador to the UK has been summoned by the Foreign Office in response to the “unacceptable” arrest of the British ambassador to Iran in Tehran this weekend. Robert Macaire was detained for a short time on Saturday night after attending a vigil for those who died when Iranian forces mistakenly shot down a passenger [...]
Major sacrifices will have to be made for rushed Brexit trade deal, report claims January 13, 2020 Rushing a post-Brexit trade deal to meet the end-of-year deadline will require major sacrifices to be made and will leave businesses with just weeks to adapt to the new trading terms, a new report claims. The Institute for Government believes Boris Johnson and team will have to accept only “a narrow agreement” can be reached [...]
DEBATE: Is there any real benefit to food brands jumping on Veganuary? January 13, 2020 From Greggs to Burger King, the ‘Veganuary’ movement is quickly gaining members — but is there any real benefit to food brands that jump on the plant-based bandwagon? YES, says Mike Foster, founder and creative director of Straight Forward Design. Just ask Greggs. Its vegan sausage roll, launched during Veganuary 2019, is the bakery chain’s biggest [...]
DEBATE: Is the government being short-sighted in maintaining the ban on chlorinated chicken? January 13, 2020 Is the government being short-sighted in maintaining the ban on chlorinated chicken? Victoria Hewson, head of regulatory affairs at the IEA, says YES, Promising to keep EU rules banning hormone-reared beef and chicken that has had pathogen reduction treatment (anti-microbial rinses, some of which contain low levels of a chlorine solution) is short-sighted and irrational. [...]
Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar to meet with Stormont representatives January 13, 2020 Boris Johnson and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar will travel to Belfast today to meet with the newly restored Northern Ireland Assembly. Stormont convened on Saturday for the first time in three years, after the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein struck a renewed power sharing deal. Read more: Stormont: Sinn Fein agree deal [...]
Michael Gove set for promotion in new Boris Johnson cabinet January 12, 2020 Michael Gove is reportedly set for an expanded role in the new Boris Johnson cabinet, while a number of high-profile figures may be destined for the chop. The Duchy of Lancaster’s role in Johnson’s first cabinet was as master planner for a potential no-deal Brexit. Read more: Boris Johnson prepares mini-cabinet reshuffle as new Tory [...]
Labour leadership race: Rebecca Long-Bailey rejects Corbyn comments that Labour ‘won the argument’ at election January 12, 2020 Labour leadership hopeful Rebecca Long-Bailey has rejected Jeremy Corbyn’s claims that the party won the argument at the election and criticised its campaigning efforts. Corbyn defended Labour’s efforts at the election last month – which delivered the party its worst electoral defeat since 1935 – saying that it “won the argument”. Read more: Long-Bailey gives [...]
UK accuses Iran of violating international law for arresting ambassador January 12, 2020 The UK has accused Iran of a “flagrant violation of international law” after its ambassador was arrested returning from a vigil for those who died when the Islamic Republic shot down a passenger plane on Wednesday. Rob Macaire was arrested after the vigil turned into a protest against the Iranian regime, which he was accused [...]
Ireland and ex-top EU official disagree on UK trade deal timetable January 12, 2020 Ireland’s foreign minister has claimed a UK-EU trade deal will take more than a year to complete, putting him at odds with the European Commission’s former top civil servant. Boris Johnson has set a deadline of 31 December to thrash out a deal on the future trading agreement with the EU, after Britain leaves the [...]
Harry Dunn death: US rebuff extradition request for diplomat’s wife January 11, 2020 The US has rejected a formal extradition request from the UK for Anne Sacoolas who left the country last year following a crash which killed 19-year-old Harry Dunn. Sacoolas’s car hit motorcyclist Dunn outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August, which resulted in his death. Sacoolas, 42, claimed diplomatic immunity – her husband is believed to [...]