Angela Merkel calls for Brexit delay of ‘several months’ April 10, 2019 Angela Merkel has seemingly rejected Theresa May’s call for short delay to Brexit as she talked up an an extension of “several months”. The German chancellor told her country’s lower parliament that she hoped the EU would back a plan that would see the Article 50 process extended beyond 30 June – the date which [...]
EU set to decide on UK Brexit delay as Tory MP threatens legal challenge over lengthy extension April 10, 2019 The EU is set to decide whether to accept the UK’s Brexit extension proposal today, as French president Emmanuel Macron was warned not to humiliate Theresa May. Read more: Voters would punish Tories for Brexit delay at MEP elections EU leaders are expected to reject the Prime Minister’s proposal for an extension until 30 June [...]
Jeremy Corbyn and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez love Modern Monetary Theory, but it is just the magic money tree again April 10, 2019 As the Brexit process unfolds, the possibility of a Corbyn government has become much more tangible. Last month, John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, wrote to the Treasury to say that in power he would require them to “widen the range of economic theories and approaches in which its officials and those in the rest of [...]
Poll: Voters would punish Tories for Brexit delay at European parliamentary elections April 10, 2019 The Tories would be hit hard in European parliamentary elections if they are held in the UK as part of another delay to Brexit, according to a poll released today. Read more: British voters want a rule-breaking leader to reform Westminster Voters would punish the Conservatives for failing to pull the UK out of the [...]
Public sector pay-offs to be capped at £95,000, government announces April 10, 2019 Golden goodbyes for public sector workers will be capped at £95,000 in a clamp down on excessive exit payments, the government has confirmed. The move comes after taxpayers footed the bill for £1.2bn of departure payouts in 2016/17 – with almost £200m of that being paid in sums of at least £100,000. Chief secretary to the [...]
Facebook and the tech giants are welcoming government regulation – that’s a panic signal for all of us April 9, 2019 Last year, I met someone who had previously worked for a big tech firm in its “free speech” unit. What had happened to make him come and slum it among us mortals in the (badly paid) policy world? Answer: the unit had been shut down. It’s in this context that you should see the milquetoast [...]
Cross-party Brexit talks abandoned until after EU summit, Downing Street confirm April 9, 2019 The Conservatives and Labour have abandon Brexit talks until Thursday after failing to reach an agreement, just a day before Theresa May asks the EU for another delay to the UK’s withdrawal. Leading MPs from both parties held talks for four hours on Tuesday in an attempt to find a compromise plan which could win [...]
Charity watchdog criticised for lack of action against £53.5m Garden Bridge project trustees April 9, 2019 The charity watchdog has been criticised for failing to take action against the people behind the failed Garden Bridge project that cost taxpayers £43m. The Charity Commission’s inquiry into the conduct of the Garden Bridge Trust, whose members included the actor Joanna Lumley and PR tycoon Roland Rudd, found that the botched bridge project across [...]
Philip Hammond accuses businesses of burying their heads in the sand over no-deal Brexit April 9, 2019 Chancellor Philip Hammond has accused businesses of burying their heads in the sand when it comes to preparing for a no deal Brexit. Speaking just four days before the UK could potentially leave the EU without an agreement, the chancellor warned some firms had adopted an ostrich mentality over the potential outcome of the Brexit [...]
Mueller report into Trump campaign to be released ‘within a week’ April 9, 2019 US attorney general William Barr has said he will be in a position to release the Mueller report to the public within a week. Read more: Mueller just gave Democrats the key to taking down Trump Last month Barr said the special counsel’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election showed that the president [...]