Blame polarising primaries for Democrats’ shift to the far left June 3, 2019 As an American working in Westminster, I often get asked about the differences between US and British politics. Obviously, the entire American political spectrum is shifted to the right, we’re still fighting hard battles on social issues, and there is the added interplay of state level policies. But there’s an obvious similarity. The divide between [...]
What does Boris Johnson have in common with Oscar Wilde? A brief history of private prosecutions June 3, 2019 Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has been told that he will face court as part of private prosecution brought against him for his conduct in the Brexit campaign. Suddenly, this obscure legal mechanism is in the public spotlight. Indeed, many people may not even have been aware that private prosecutions still existed in modern Britain. [...]
DEBATE: Should there be a cap on inheritance tax breaks available to wealthy families? June 3, 2019 Should there be a cap on inheritance tax breaks available to wealthy families? Robert Palmer, executive director of Tax Justice UK, says YES. Inheritance tax is one of the most disliked taxes in the UK, in part because the super-rich can largely avoid paying it. This is deeply unfair. At Tax Justice UK, we’ve just published [...]
Business groups should be happy with Javid’s infrastructure plan June 3, 2019 This newspaper applauded the Tory leadership contest's emerging battle of ideas last week, a trend that happily continued over the weekend with candidates launching a range of new policy proposals. Former City banker Sajid Javid grabbed headlines by revealing that he could scrap the top rate of income tax, and this morning bulks up his [...]
Sajid Javid unveils £100bn plan to reboot economy June 2, 2019 Home secretary Sajid Javid has unveiled plans to borrow £100bn to reboot the economy as he became the latest Tory leadership hopeful to set out his stall in the contest to replace Theresa May. Javid’s national investment fund sits alongside proposals to slash the top 45p rate of income tax for top earners. The national [...]
Graduate given £60,000 in settlement over ‘Mickey Mouse’ degree June 2, 2019 A former university student who blasted her qualification as a “Mickey Mouse” degree has been given more than £60,000 in an out-of-court settlement. Pok Wong, who graduated in business studies in 2013, claimed victory in a Facebook post, the BBC reported, as she settled with the Anglia Ruskin University’s insurer. However, the university hit back [...]
Tory leadership hopeful Sajid Javid vows to renegotiate the backstop with ‘grand offer’ to Ireland June 2, 2019 Home secretary Sajid Javid has set out a "grand offer" to avoid the need for the backstop by paying all the costs necessary to create a digitised border on the island of Ireland. The Tory leadership hopeful said it was still possible to renegotiate the Irish backstop – the insurance policy designed to prevent a hard border [...]
Donald Trump tells UK: Include Nigel Farage in Brexit talks and prepare for no deal June 2, 2019 The UK should be prepared to pursue a no-deal Brexit and Nigel Farage should be made part of the negotiating team with Brussels, Donald Trump has said. Speaking before his state visit to the UK tomorrow, the US president waded into the Brexit crisis by saying the UK should be prepared to "walk away" if Brussels does [...]
US President Donald Trump endorses ‘excellent’ Boris Johnson to become Prime Minister June 1, 2019 US President Donald Trump has labelled Tory leadership hopeful Boris Johnson as an “excellent” candidate to become the next Prime Minister. Trump said he had been asked for endorsements from a number of candidates ahead of his visit to the UK, in an interview with The Sun, claiming: “I could help anybody”. Read more: Sajid [...]
Tory leadership candidate Hunt warns against ‘hardline Brexit approach’ June 1, 2019 Jeremy Hunt has warned against taking a “hard-line approach” to Brexit talks. The foreign secretary and Tory leadership candidate has suggested it would not resolve the current standoff with Brussels, but instead provoke a “hard-line response”. Read more: Sajid Javid rules out second referendum if he becomes Tory leader He is currently one of 12 [...]