German finance ministry warns no-deal Brexit a ‘high probability’ August 17, 2019 The German government believes there is a “high probability” that a no-deal Brexit will occur on 31 October. An assessment made by the finance ministry came to the conclusion it is “inconceivable” that Prime Minister Boris Johnson softens his stance on the Irish backstop. Read more: Corbyn fails to drum up support for plan to [...]
US to extend Huawei license to buy American goods for 90 days August 17, 2019 The US is set to extend a reprieve given to Huawei that allows the Chinese tech firm to buy supplies from US companies so that it can continue serving existing customers. The “temporary general license” will be extended for a further 90 days, according to Reuters. Read more: Chinese forces exercise on Hong Kong border [...]
Chancellor Javid to ‘simplify’ the tax system in autumn budget August 17, 2019 Chancellor Sajid Javid has suggested he will simplify the tax system when he sets out his first budget in the autumn. Javid said he was a “low tax guy” and that it was important to “always be thinking about the lowest paid” in his first interview since taking on the role, speaking to The Times. [...]
Lib Dems’ Swinson proposes alternatives to Corbyn for ‘unity government’ August 16, 2019 Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson has said former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman and Tory chancellor Ken Clarke, two parliamentary “big beasts”, are willing to lead an emergency government to stop a no-deal Brexit. Read more: Corbyn fails to drum up support for plan to block no-deal Brexit Swinson’s statement came amid a row between [...]
Meat Loaf Remainism is just a return to politics as usual August 16, 2019 I’ll give fellow journalist John Rentoul the credit for coming up with the term “Meat Loaf Remainism”, although he is just one of many commentators to have noted how the present political predicament resembles a certain epic nineties rock anthem. Like the lover who swears “I would do anything for love, but I won’t do [...]
Corbyn fails to drum up support for plan to block no-deal Brexit August 15, 2019 Jeremy Corbyn has been told there is no time for “political games”, as his plan of forming a temporary government to block a no-deal Brexit was rejected. The Labour leader has written to opposition leaders and senior backbench MPs, urging them to back a no-confidence vote in Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Read more: Corbyn calls [...]
Shaun Bailey pledges to make every red bus electric if he becomes London mayor August 15, 2019 Tory mayoral hopeful Shaun Bailey has pledged to make “every red bus electric” by the end of his first term if he wins next year’s mayoral election. Bailey, who hopes to replace Sadiq Khan as London’s mayor, claims that under Khan, London’s diesel and hybrid bus fleet won’t be replaced with electric models until 2037. [...]
Boris Johnson’s ‘tough on crime’ rhetoric won’t make our streets any safer August 15, 2019 Boris Johnson’s criminal justice announcements this week are red meat for disillusioned voters. Having fallen off the radar in the past five years, people are now more concerned by crime than any issue other than Brexit – and it happened on the Tories’ watch. Bad news for the party of law and order. Ever the [...]
DEBATE: In the midst of commuter outrage over fare hikes, is rail nationalisation the answer? August 15, 2019 In the midst of commuter outrage over fare hikes, is rail nationalisation the answer? Cat Hobbs, director of We Own It, says YES. Another year, another eye-watering rail fare hike, with the annual cost of getting to work likely to rise by over £100 for many commuters. And it’s no wonder passengers are angry. We’re [...]
Does your business have a Brexit plan? Good, now it needs a Corbyn plan too August 15, 2019 In the mid-1970s, when I was a 10-year-old in love with Choppers and Sherbet Fountains, the ideological war between Thatcherism and Bennism began. Small versus big state, low versus high taxation, light versus tight regulation, and private versus public ownership. Now, 45 years later, we have a neo-Thatcherite government facing a Bennite-controlled Labour party. And [...]