Martin McGuinness won’t stand in the Northern Ireland election due to ill health January 19, 2017 Former IRA leader and deputy first minister Martin McGuinness will reportedly not seek re-election at the imminent Northern Ireland vote. McGuiness stood down earlier this month in protest over first minister Arlene Foster's handling of a growing scandal involving incentives provided to businesses to use renewable heat system. The Sinn Fein politician told the BBC that ill-health [...]
Bye-bye Obama, hello Donald Trump: But what happens to @POTUS Twitter account after inauguration? January 19, 2017 As Donald Trump prepares for his inauguration as the 45th President of the United States he will also take over the 13.6m followers of the @POTUS Twitter account. The first ever Presidential Twitter account was set up in May 2015, with a typically amusing message: "Hello, Twitter! It's Barack. Really! Six years in, they're finally giving me [...]
Diplomats rush drilling rights agreement before Donald dunks the “doughnut” deal January 19, 2017 Twenty-four hours to go and the United States, Mexico and Cuba need to decide what to do with the “Doughnut hole” –an area in the Gulf of Mexico where technically they all share the right to drill for oil. Three diplomatic figures familiar with issue told Reuters there was a race to jam an agreement in [...]
Jeremy Corbyn will ask Labour MPs to support an Article 50 bill January 19, 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will ask his MPs to not to oppose the triggering of Article 50 if MPs get a vote on the topic. The Supreme Court will rule next week on whether parliament must provide a green light for Brexit talks to begin, but Corbyn has already indicated that his party's MPs should back [...]
Theresa May says she’s had positive talks with banks over Brexit January 19, 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May has claimed positive talks with some of the world's top bankers in Davos, despite news that lenders are preparing to shift jobs from London. UBS, Goldman Sachs and HSBC have all suggested that roles in the capital could be under threat in the aftermath of Brexit. However, speaking to the BBC today, [...]
Everything you need to know (but were afraid to ask) about Donald Trump’s inauguration January 19, 2017 Whether you're a fan or a hater, there's no denying The Donald's inauguration as 45th President of the United States is kind of a big deal. If you're planning to don stars and stripes leggings, break out the hamburgers and settle in to watch it, here's what you need to know. So what's the plan? Events [...]
Former MP Zac Goldsmith is still fighting the expansion of Heathrow January 19, 2017 Former MP Zac Goldsmith isn’t going to let his eviction from the House of Commons keep him out of the fight against Heathrow. Brexiteer Goldsmith gambled his seat in parliament on his constituents opposing a new runway at the West London airport, only for Richmond Park voters to back the Remainer Sarah Olney, who also opposed expansion. But now, Goldsmith [...]
Philip Hammond warns Europe the UK will “find ways” to compete without a trade deal January 19, 2017 Chancellor Philip Hammond reiterated his warnings that the UK will “find ways” to compete if it is unable to secure a “comprehensive trading relationship” after Brexit. Hammond stressed that while the UK did not want to cut taxes to remain competitive, the decision was "not entirely in our gift". “We have to remain competitive. The best way [...]
Theresa May: Brexit is not a rejection of Europe January 19, 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May has insisted the UK's vote for Brexit is "not a rejection of our friends in Europe" – but rather a decision to take control. In a speech at the World Economic Forum at Davos, May said while "some of our European partners feel we've turned out back on them", the UK does [...]
No Bregrets: May’s Brexit plan gets the thumbs up from the majority of voters January 19, 2017 The majority of Brits have backed Theresa May's plans for a bespoke Brexit deal outlined in a speech on Tuesday, according to the latest polling by YouGov. Some 55 per cent of the public think the planned deal, on which parliament will also get to vote, will be good for Britain, rising to 81 per cent [...]