Rory walks on with a campaign to spice up the race for London mayor October 11, 2019 Watch out London, your favourite selfie-taking, tie-rejecting, accidental-opium-smoking, politician/rambler is coming to a Tube station near you. Yes, it’s Rory Stewart time once again. For those of us who were mesmerised by the former international development secretary’s short-lived sensation of a campaign to be Tory leader, now we get to enjoy the sequel, after Rory [...]
The draconian nanny state has no right to stop you eating a sandwich on a bus October 11, 2019 It’s not a crime to eat a sandwich on a bus. It should not be a crime to eat a sandwich on a bus. To propose that sandwich-eating on a bus is an issue to be tackled, a problem to be solved, a danger to the children, is somewhere on the spectrum between hysterical and [...]
Donald Trump turns against longtime ally Fox News, saying impeachment poll ‘sucks’ October 10, 2019 President Donald Trump may have to expand his definition of the “lamestream media” after falling out with his longtime favourite news station, Fox News. The broadcaster published a poll today showing a majority of US voters want the President to be impeached. Read more: Trump says Fed reserve ‘don’t have a clue’ But Trump did [...]
US diplomat’s wife will not return to UK over crash death, Trump note reveals October 10, 2019 The US diplomat’s wife involved in a car crash that killed a British teenager will not return to the UK to face justice, according to a note accidentally shown by President Donald Trump. Anne Sacoolas claimed diplomatic immunity and fled the country following a head-on collision near a military base that killed 19-year-old motorcyclist Harry [...]
Philip Hammond: Post-Brexit trade deals have ‘very limited economic value’ October 10, 2019 Philip Hammond has taken a swipe and Brexit supporters’ hopes of striking free-trade deals around the globe after leaving the EU because they have “very limited” economic value. The former chancellor said there is no “simple solution” to Brexit, and called a no-deal scenario an act of “self-harm”. Read more: Bercow discussed Brexit plans with [...]
Order, order: The race is on to replace John Bercow October 10, 2019 The departure of John Bercow from the speakership of the House of Commons will create a vacancy of huge importance. Yesterday, nine hopefuls vied with each other for the honour of replacing him, answering journalists’ questions on everything from the impartiality of the role, to Westminster’s alleged drug problem, to the rules on breast-feeding in [...]
DEBATE: Last year’s winter fuel allowance for pensioners cost almost £2bn – should the benefit be means-tested? October 10, 2019 Last year’s winter fuel allowance for pensioners cost almost £2bn – should the benefit be means-tested? Imogen Farhan, a researcher at the independent think tank Reform, says YES. It is vital that those struggling to heat their homes receive support, but handing out cash to wealthy pensioners is a waste of taxpayers’ money. Age alone [...]
General Election 2019: Get ready for the populist onslaught October 9, 2019 Parliament might have blocked the Prime Minister’s repeated efforts to go to the polls but everyone in Westminster is gearing up for a pre-Christmas election. Even ministers who still claim their top priority is to “Get Brexit Done” are unambiguously positioning themselves for a snap vote. The working assumption is that a General Election will [...]
Is Brexit making Britain a bargain for foreign investors? October 9, 2019 | City Talk The pound has been one of the biggest casualties of Brexit so far. Sterling has lost around 10 per cent of its value against the US dollar and the euro since the UK voted to leave the EU in June 2016 and shed 5 per cent versus the yen. It has lost over 16 per [...]
Why Boris should keep no-deal on the table October 9, 2019 | City Talk The British government should not go into Brexit negotiations with the EU unless a no-deal outcome is kept as an option. Disregarding the rights and wrongs of Brexit, the spread of votes in the June 2016 referendum and the ensuing political shambles, the very basics of any talks aimed at an agreement must ensure that [...]