Chris Grayling: Blocking Brexit could prompt surge in right-wing extremism January 12, 2019 The UK could see a huge surge in right-wing extremism if the government blocks or weakens Brexit, a cabinet minister has warned. Transport secretary Chris Grayling said any moves to block Theresa May’s Brexit deal would cause the 17m people who voted to leave the EU feel “cheated”. Grayling told the Daily Mail any intervention [...]
Government considers scrapping prison sentences under six months January 12, 2019 Prison sentences under six months are ineffective and should be scrapped, the prisons minister has said. Rory Stewart said he is “looking very carefully” at bringing in new legislation that would see up to 30,000 offenders convicted of crimes such as burglary and shoplifting spared jail every year. Stewart said the move would ease pressure on the [...]
Four single mothers win legal battle with government over universal credit January 11, 2019 Four single working mothers have successfully challenged the government in the High Court over its universal credit benefits system. The women had lost hundreds of pounds in benefits each year and had seen large variations in universal credit awards because of the dates on which their payday and benefit assessment periods fell. If the mothers [...]
Top Brexit donors Odey and Hargreaves say Britain will not leave the EU January 11, 2019 Two of the Leave campaign's biggest donors believe Brexit will not happen as time runs out for the government to finalise its plan for leaving the EU. Peter Hargreaves and Crispin Odey, who both donated vast sums to the Brexit campaign, told Reuters today that they now expect the UK’s referendum decision to be reversed. [...]
Brexit ‘likely to face delay beyond 29 March’ as essential bill backlog builds January 11, 2019 Brexit will be delayed beyond 29 March, it is reported, as six key bills must be passed before the UK can leave the EU. The backlog of essential bills, which includes the Immigration Bill, means the Brexit timetable must be extended, the Evening Standard reported today. Read more: Top Brexit donors fear UK will never [...]
Jeremy Hunt warns Brexit paralysis could keep Britain in EU January 11, 2019 Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned that Brexit paralysis could lead the UK to stay in the EU and would damage the long-term future of the country. Hunt urged MPs to pass Prime Minister Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement next week and said the failure to deliver Brexit would be “incredibly damaging”. Speaking on the BBC’s [...]
Trump has gone to war with the US model of government January 11, 2019 There’s an ancient Greek fable about some frogs who ask Zeus for a king. The god gives them a log to be their ruler, which proceeds to do exactly what you’d expect: nothing. Disappointed, the frogs complain that their king isn’t getting anything done, and ask for a more active one. Zeus gives them a hydra, [...]
DEBATE: Has John Bercow damaged the reputation of the office of speaker with his actions this week? January 11, 2019 Has John Bercow damaged the reputation of the office of speaker with his actions this week? Alex Deane, a Conservative commentator, says YES. Naturally, most people aren’t interested in parliamentary procedure. They are in favour of a position when it aligns with their views, and against it when it doesn’t. But rather than viewing John Bercow’s [...]
Christmas shoppers shunned the high street, but attacking Amazon won’t help January 11, 2019 Between the fierce renewal of the Brexit saga, parliamentary shenanigans, and a particularly chilling cold front (interpret that literally or metaphorically, as you will), the merriness of Christmas feels like a thing of the past. But for the high street, it feels like Christmas never came at all. Reports of retail sales, released yesterday by [...]
Government rules out new regulations to stop a repeat of RBS SME debacle January 11, 2019 Ministers are burying their heads in the sand by refusing to regulate loans to small and medium size businesses, according to Treasury Select Chair Nicky Morgan. The former financial secretary to the Treasury launched a scathing attack on the government after it refused to back proposals from her committee intended to protect SMEs. A report [...]