Police discover unexploded Second World War bomb in no-deal Brexit lorry car park March 14, 2019 An unexploded bomb from World War Two has been found in the abandoned airport that is to be used as a lorry car park in a no-deal Brexit. Read more: ‘Wrecking ball’: Grayling refuses to resign over £33m Eurotunnel fiasco Police and army bomb disposal experts arrived at Kent’s Manston Airport this morning to investigate [...]
Westminster’s Brexit deadlock means the only realistic route forward is a second referendum over May’s deal March 14, 2019 Observing the dog’s breakfast that is the Brexit process in Westminster brings to mind the saying attributed to Albert Einstein that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results. The second meaningful vote has gone the same way as the first, and hints are now dropping that [...]
The UK’s elites have a habit of ignoring the will of the people March 14, 2019 On 20 April 1653, Oliver Cromwell marched into parliament saying, “you have sat here too long for any good you have been doing here lately” – words that surely chime with current events. Cromwell was utterly frustrated with an establishment which denied the will of the people. Obviously, no one is suggesting that the army should [...]
Tory MPs despair as May loses another Brexit vote, with Article 50 delay on the horizon March 14, 2019 Brexit is set to be delayed beyond 29 March after a tumultuous night in parliament saw a complete breakdown in Conservative party discipline. MPs backed taking no-deal off the table by 321 to 278, with 12 members of the government – including four cabinet ministers – refusing to follow Theresa May’s orders and vote against [...]
Spring Statement: Hammond warns against no deal as UK slashes 2019 growth forecast March 13, 2019 The UK chancellor Philip Hammond slashed the 2019 growth forecast in his Spring Statement and said future spending and economic wellbeing are dependent on an orderly Brexit. Hammond announced that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) had cut the country’s 2019 growth forecast to 1.2 per cent, down from the 1.6 per cent predicted in [...]
All at sea: To save the maritime sector from a no-deal Brexit we must extend Article 50 March 13, 2019 As the representative body for the UK’s maritime sector, we find ourselves yet again having to respond to parliament failing to provide the certainty and clarity that our country needs. It really is worth restating that we are just 16 days away from the UK’s scheduled departure from the European Union. Read more: Brexit vote [...]
Spring Statement: Philip Hammond demands Brexit consensus as he warns of no deal dangers March 13, 2019 Philip Hammond used his Spring Statement today to urge MPs to compromise on Brexit as he launched a savage assessment on the economic risk of ‘no deal’. Speaking a day after parliament again voted down Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement, the chancellor said leaving the EU without a deal would increase unemployment and food prices, and [...]
Boris Johnson invokes anger by claiming historic child sexual abuse probe money is ‘spaffed up the wall’ March 13, 2019 Boris Johnson came under fire today for “disgusting” comments he made saying public money was being “spaffed up the wall” on investigating historic cases of child abuse. The former London mayor made the remarks on LBC, saying the money would be better spent on tackling knife crime. Read more: Boris Johnson urges May to secure [...]
Business groups slam government plans to slash no-deal Brexit tariffs to zero March 13, 2019 Business groups criticised government proposals to slash tariffs to zero in a no-deal Brexit this morning, with the CBI warning it could prove to be “a sledgehammer for our economy”. The government said its measures should avert a £9bn hit to consumers and businesses if the UK crashes out of the EU without a deal [...]
DEBATE: With just 16 days to go until Brexit, is there any point to the Spring Statement? March 13, 2019 With just 16 days to go until Brexit, is there any point to the Spring Statement? Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG, says YES. While Brexit is likely to dominate minds again this week, and continue to bring a fog of uncertainty over the outlook for the UK economy, the Spring Statement is still important. [...]