John McDonnell says Labour has ‘held the party together on Brexit’ as rumours of split harden February 17, 2019 Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said the Labour leadership has "held the party together" over Brexit as he addressed reports of an impending split. Jeremy Corbyn's number two said it would be "ridiculous" for the party to be divided over Brexit, saying there was "no need to split". However, a number of MPs, including former [...]
Chancellor Philip Hammond’s planned visit to China next week is called off February 16, 2019 Chancellor Philip Hammond's trip to China has been called off after reports that a speech the UK defence secretary made has angered the Chinese government. Hammond was set to hold trade talks with senior officials in Beijing during a brief visit next week, but a spokesperson for the Treasury has said: ""No trip was ever announced [...]
Brexit will not affect European security cooperation, say intelligence chiefs February 16, 2019 Brexit will not affect the UK's security cooperation with NATO allies in France and Germany, intelligence chiefs from all three countries have confirmed. The three cited growing external threats to the continent's stability in a rare joint statement on Friday from the heads of Germany's BND, France's DGSE, as well as MI6. “The chiefs … [...]
Britain prepared to leave EU with no Brexit deal, says Andrea Leadsom February 15, 2019 The UK government is prepared to leave the EU without a Brexit deal in place, according to Andrea Leadsom. The government's leader in the House of Commons suggested it was increasingly unlikely that there would be any form of extension to Article 50. Read more: Theresa May to back down on backstop demands in Brexit deal [...]
Spain calls snap election after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez ‘s budget proposals rejected February 15, 2019 Spain called a snap election for 28 April today after its national budget was rejected. The socialist government’s budget proposal was defeated on Wednesday when politicians in favour of Catalan seceding joined right-wing parties in voting it down. Read more: Germany narrowly avoids recession as GDP stagnates in the fourth quarter It means Spain will [...]
Theresa May to back down on Brexit backstop demands with EU February 15, 2019 Prime Minister Theresa May is reportedly set to compromise on demands for the Brexit deal to be renegotiated, with the UK government backing down on its requests for changes to the controversial Irish border "backstop" agreement. Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay told the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier that the government is not pursuing a reopening to [...]
Still feeling entitled? Britain is facing a crisis of intergenerational inequality February 15, 2019 This week, I was audacious enough to suggest that free TV licences for pensioners should not be a public spending priority. The backlash was fierce. “I have paid taxes all my life,” came the outraged cries on social media. This is mostly true, as long as you take “all my life” to mean “until I [...]
DEBATE: Should Philip Green be stripped of his knighthood? February 15, 2019 Should Philip Green be stripped of his knighthood? John Oxley, an expert in law, history, and Conservative politics, says YES. Knighthoods are honours, tied to historic notions of chivalry. They are awarded not just for achievement, but for character. Removing them is a public repudiation of bad behaviour. Leaving them in place is tacit approval. [...]
It’s time we called out the Home Office for its shameful attitude to refugees February 15, 2019 “There’s no place like home”, Dorothy says, as she taps her red heels together three times and returns to the place she loves. She’s right. Your home is your shelter, It’s your community, your friends, your local shops and landmarks. It’s dedication and love for your area. Building a home takes time and investment; familiarity does [...]
Editor’s Notes: The EU simply chooses which rules to enforce and which to ignore February 14, 2019 Allow me a moment away from our own Brexit turmoil and to focus instead on a nasty spot of rot right at the heart of the European Commission. While the Brexit process has made some of the EU’s top brass more recognisable to a British audience, it’s unlikely that many could identify one of its [...]