The best story wins, and right now that’s one of apocalypse October 22, 2018 The stories of nations are written at times like these. For it goes without saying that there is much jeopardy in today’s script. There is a daily dose of disaster, whose effect is a form of neurosis in our relationship with news. Forget what’s beneficial or useful information for the living of life – this [...]
Do you want to save the turtles? Don’t ban plastics – ban littering October 22, 2018 Like any good Londoner, I used the fantastic summer weather to kayak from Limehouse to Hackney, discovering that part of the city by water. As a fairly experienced river and sea kayaker, I was taken aback by how full of litter London’s waters are. At around the same time, the national and global debate on [...]
Financial stability should not be used as a bargaining tool for Brexit October 22, 2018 Deal or no deal? Last week’s European Union summit in Brussels had long been billed as a crunch moment for answering this key question and determining the future direction of the Brexit negotiations. As the dust settles, however, it remains unclear whether the UK will be able to strike a deal with the EU27, meaning [...]
ABB chairman breaks away from Saudi mega-city project amid Khashoggi case October 21, 2018 Former Shell chief executive and chairman of Swiss engineering firm ABB Peter Voser is the latest high-profile figure to distance himself from the advisory board of Saudi Arabia's $500bn £382.5bn) mega-city project Neom. The move follows the exit of a string of global business and political leaders from an upcoming investment conference in Riyadh. International ties to the region have been breaking [...]
Theresa May ‘drinking in last chance saloon’ as MPs demand she appears in front of influential 1922 committee October 21, 2018 Theresa May is facing a fight for her leadership as she was warned she is "drinking in the last chance saloon" and MPs lashed out at the the Prime Minister over her Brexit negotiations. Conservative MPs have demanded May appears before the 1922 committee on Wednesday night to be grilled on Brexit and the state of the Government, according to [...]
Britain should only allow extended Brexit transition to prevent Irish backstop, says Brexit secretary Dominic Raab October 21, 2018 Brexit minister Dominic Raab has said the UK should reject an extended transition period unless the EU abandons its demand for an Irish backstop. Theresa May's suggestion that the UK could remain attached to the European Union after December 2020 could only be an "alternative" to the backstop suggestion, Raab wrote in the Telegraph. Read [...]
Who the heck is Nick Clegg? Seven facts about Facebook’s new spin chief October 20, 2018 Facebook’s decision to hire the UK’s former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg as its communications chief was one that seemed to come out of left field. Clegg had previously held a prominent role in British public life as head of the UK’s third party the Liberal Democrats between 2007 and 2015 and the UK’s deputy prime minister between [...]
Thousands expected to march for second EU referendum in London October 20, 2018 Thousands of people are expected to march in central London today for a final referendum on the Brexit deal, the so-called people’s vote. Read more: UK ready to agree Irish backstop deal to speed Brexit talks The march started at midday in Park Lane and finishes in Parliament Square where marchers will hear speakers, including TV [...]
UK ready to agree Irish backstop deal to speed Brexit talks October 20, 2018 UK Prime Minister Theresa May is reportedly prepared to agree a backstop deal for the border between the UK and Ireland which does not have a time limit. Bloomberg reported yesterday that May is willing to make the move to help speed Brexit talks. Read more: Varadkar says even with Brexit transition extension Irish ‘backstop’ [...]
Irish premier Varadkar says even with Brexit transition extension Irish ‘backstop’ needed October 19, 2018 Ireland’s Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said today that even if the UK’s post-Brexit transition period were extended Ireland would still need a backstop arranged to prevent a hard border with Northern Ireland. Speaking on the third day of the EU summit meeting in Brussels, Varadkar said without an Irish backstop any withdrawal treaty may fail to [...]