May lost her chance at leadership long ago March 28, 2019 Just a few days ago, allies of the Prime Minister were talking about her desire to focus on the domestic policy agenda once a Brexit withdrawal deal was agreed by parliament. Nobody hearing such a claim could take it seriously, but it represented the last desperate effort to cling to a vision of the future [...]
UK business body chief to attack politicians over ‘dereliction of duty’ March 28, 2019 The director general of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) will today warn the UK’s political leaders that Britain leaving the European Union without a deal would be “a flagrant dereliction of duty”. Adam Marshall will use his keynote speech at today’s BCC Annual Conference in Westminster to express a deep frustration with the UK’s [...]
Tory mayoral hopeful Shaun Bailey pledges ‘aggressive’ action against absentee landlords March 28, 2019 Tory mayoral hopeful Shaun Bailey has said he will crack down on London's empty "ghost homes" if he replaces Sadiq Khan as the capital's mayor. Bailey has pledged to give more money to councils to levy empty dwelling management orders, which give them legal powers to take over unoccupied properties to use as housing. A review by housing [...]
Theresa May vows to resign before further negotiations if her Brexit deal is passed March 27, 2019 Theresa May will quit as Prime Minister before the next stage of Brexit negotiations she told her party tonight in a last bid attempt to get MPs to back her deal. Speaking to Conservative MPs in a packed meeting in parliament, May said she was aware her party wanted “new leadership” for any trade negotiations [...]
John Bercow blocks attempt to get round his Meaningful Vote ruling March 27, 2019 John Bercow has given Theresa May another headache after he blocked any attempt to use parliamentary procedures to get round his ruling that the government cannot bring an unchanged Brexit deal back before MPs. The Commons speaker ruled last week that he would only allow a third meaningful vote on May’s withdrawal plan if it [...]
Government firmly rejects ‘Revoke Article 50’ petition despite debate next week March 27, 2019 The government has dismissed the possibility of revoking Article 50 – and thereby cancelling Brexit – despite a petition to do so amassing 5.85m signatures in the last week. The 'Revoke Article 50' petition quickly surpassed the 100,000 signatories needed to be considered for debate in parliament, and is now the best-supported proposal in the history [...]
Ex-Interpol chief who vanished in China charged with corruption March 27, 2019 Former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei who disappeared in September is being prosecuted by the Chinese government, China’s anti-corruption watchdog said today. Meng was reported missing by his wife in September after travelling to China from Interpol’s base in France. China confirmed it had arrested him in October and Interpol said he had resigned from his [...]
Italy’s trade deal with China is playing with fire March 27, 2019 Italy’s decision to be the first major European economy to join China’s massive investment and infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative, can only exacerbate tensions between Italy and its neighbours. On Saturday, President Xi Jinping and the Italian government signed a non-binding agreement for Italy to join China’s 21st-century trade route, and inked a total [...]
Guy Verhofstadt compares Farage to Blackadder character in European Parliament March 27, 2019 The European Parliament’s outspoken Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt has taken a swipe at the self-styled “Bad Boy of Brexit” Nigel Farage, comparing him to field marshal Douglas Haig from the final episode of sitcom Blackadder. Verhofstadt said he was “surprised” to see the former leader of Ukip on European Parliament duty in Strasbourg, rather than [...]
No, the Norway option won’t turn Britain into a vassal state March 27, 2019 Think of all those Victorian statutes which are still good law today: the Partnership Act 1890, for example, or the Bills of Exchange Act 1882. There are many others. All were passed under a legislative system which we no longer recognise – indeed, which is now repugnant to us: no women could vote in elections; [...]