Ladbrokes: 2020 general election is now odds-on October 16, 2019 The chances of a general election in 2020 are now higher than one in the rest of this year, according to the latest betting odds from Ladbrokes. As Brexit talks go to the wire, the bookmaker said it was now the favourite that an election would not take place this side of Christmas, with odds [...]
Poll: Most Brits want to honour Brexit referendum result October 16, 2019 A majority of people want the UK to respect the Brexit referendum result, according to a new poll. The Comres survey revealed today that 54 per cent of people wanted to respect the Brexit referendum result and leave the European Union, with 32 per cent preferring to remain. Read more: Britain would now vote to [...]
Brexit deal talks falter as deadline looms October 16, 2019 Brexit talks appear to have faltered this morning, with EU negotiators saying remaining issues cannot be solved at a technical issue. Bloomberg is reporting that Brussels has all but ruled out a deal at this stage, and has said “a new mandate from London is required”. However a Downing Street source played down this as [...]
No-deal Brexit ‘threatens trade blockages and organised crime’ at Britain’s borders October 16, 2019 Britain’s border risks becoming snarled up in a no-deal Brexit because of low preparation amongst traders, new EU controls and a growing threat from organised crime, according to the National Audit Office. As few as 30 per cent of traders are adequately prepared for a no-deal Brexit, which would see £438bn worth of trade revert [...]
Boris Johnson races against the clock to secure Brexit deal October 16, 2019 EU and UK negotiators have entered the last day of Brexit negotiations hoping to secure a deal before a key summit tomorrow. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to update the cabinet of the state of talks after they continued overnight. Read more: Negotiators burn the midnight oil as crunch EU summit looms Sterling surged [...]
Voter ID is a misguided solution to a problem that doesn’t exist October 16, 2019 Out of all the policies revealed in the Queen’s Speech on Monday, one seemingly minor proposal should ring alarm bells: an intention to introduce compulsory voter ID at polling booths. The aim is ostensibly a laudable one. It is important to ensure that elections are secure and fair, and this precaution is meant to tackle [...]
You can tune out, the Brexit melodrama won’t get fixed anytime soon October 16, 2019 A few weeks ago, I took a break from reading the news because I was worried that Brexit developments were stressing me out too much. When I returned to the papers late last week, I was relieved, and hardly surprised, that I hadn’t missed much. As we approach the 31 October Brexit deadline, we appear [...]
Michel Barnier: Brexit deal ‘still possible this week’ despite difficult talks October 15, 2019 The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said today that reaching a fresh Brexit deal “will be difficult” but that it “is still possible this week”. Barnier told EU ministers in Luxembourg that Brexit negotiations with the UK are “intense” and that “our team are working hard”. Read more: Sterling creeps back up as hopes [...]
No-deal Brexit: The potential winners and losers October 15, 2019 As you read this, Brexit negotiators are working around the clock to come to an agreement that will enable the UK to leave the EU in an orderly way by the Halloween deadline. Both sides have said they are committed to working out a deal, but with time so short, nothing is certain. If they [...]
Warning: The conveyor belt of global growth is grinding ever more slowly October 15, 2019 Where has all the growth gone? It’s the biggest economic question that we face – not just in Britain, but throughout the world. Ignore the stresses and uncertainties caused by Brexit, or Donald Trump’s trade war, or whatever the latest problem of the day is. The bigger picture is that the world just isn’t growing [...]