After Donald Trump sacked the acting attorney general, are America’s checks and balances under threat? February 1, 2017 Dr Brian Klaas, fellow in comparative politics at the London School of Economics, says Yes. Students of American democracy around the world learn that the brilliance of the system lies in three magic words: checks and balances. The problem is that the checks and balances themselves are not magic. America’s democratic institutions are only as [...]
The Department for Transport pledges to improve accessibility on trains for disabled people February 1, 2017 The Department for Transport (DfT) has committed to improving disabled access to toilets on trains and stages. Clearer information will be made about the availability of accessible toilets in advance of journeys and the DfT will work with train companies to assess how staff training can be improved. It added that where facilities are out [...]
Sajid Javid is preparing to unveil his long-awaited housing plans next week January 31, 2017 Ministers are preparing to unveil a long-awaited blueprint to tackle the UK's housing crisis by boosting the supply of new homes. Barring any last minute delays, communities secretary Sajid Javid hopes to finally publish a housing white paper as soon as this Monday, months after it was first set for publication. The plans had previously [...]
Vote Leave chief Matthew Elliot has joined a top think tank January 31, 2017 The chief executive of the official Brexit campaign group has joined think tank The Legatum Institute to focus on a future trading relationship between the US and the UK. Matthew Elliot served as chief executive of Vote Leave during the referendum campaign, and previously founded the TaxPayers' Alliance campaign group. He will join Legatium as [...]
MPs’ gambling report criticised by bookies January 31, 2017 A report into fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) has been criticised by bookmakers as a biased inquiry and a threat to jobs. Backed by a cross-party group of MPs, the report has recommended that the maximum stake on FOBTs be reduced from £100 to £2 in a bid to reduce addiction to gambling and antisocial [...]
MPs will debate Donald Trump’s state visit next month January 31, 2017 MPs will next month hold a debate on whether US President Donald Trump should be granted a state visit to the the UK in light of his harsh new immigration regime. Trump instituted new rules last weekend, temporarily blocking passport holders from seven Muslim majority countries in Africa and the Middle East from travelling to America. [...]
Donald’s views on Donald: Tusk hits back at Trump’s remarks on the EU January 31, 2017 Donald Tusk has today slammed the "worrying declarations" about the EU made by new US President Donald Trump. "For the first time in our history, in an increasingly multipolar external world, so many are becoming openly anti-European, or Eurosceptic at best," read a letter from the president of the European Council to EU member state [...]
Davis kicks off Article 50 Bill debates with call on MPs to “move swiftly” in approving legislation January 31, 2017 Brexit secretary David Davis has kicked off two days of debate on granting the Prime Minister power to trigger Article 50 with a call on MPs to "move swiftly" in approving legislation. Following this week's debate MPs will discuss amendments on the Article 50 Bill next week before a final vote in the House of Commons on 8 [...]
Sadiq Khan to tell diplomats from around the world to reject Trump’s travel ban January 31, 2017 London mayor Sadiq Khan will tonight tell an audience of international diplomats to reject US president Donald Trump's harsh new restriction on travel into the US. Trump introduced a 90 day suspension on arrivals from seven Muslim majority Middle Eastern and African countries over the weekend, though the Foreign Office has claimed that British passport holders [...]
These are the funniest tweets from the UK protests against Donald Trump’s travel ban January 31, 2017 Tens of thousands of people took to the streets last night to protest against US President Donald Trump's ban on visitors from seven Middle Eastern countries. Controversy has brewed in the UK over whether Trump should come on a state visit. He has been invited, but more than one million people have signed a petition saying [...]