Frustrated French energy minister quits during live radio interview August 28, 2018 Nicolas Hulot, France’s energy and environment minister, resigned suddenly this morning, saying in a radio broadcast that President Emmanuel Macron’s administration had frustrated his environmentalist efforts. The green activist and TV presenter, a vocal critic of nuclear power, said “I don’t want to lie anymore,” during a live interview public radio channel France Inter, adding [...]
Sterling falls to one-year low against euro as Theresa May plays down threat of no-deal Brexit August 28, 2018 The pound fell to its lowest level against the euro in almost a year today after Prime Minister Theresa May refused to rule out a no-deal Brexit. Sterling fell to as low as €1.1021 against the euro, its lowest level since 11 September 2017, in early trade before recovering marginally. Theresa May told reporters on [...]
Theresa May says no-deal Brexit isn’t ‘the end of the world’ August 28, 2018 Prime Minister Theresa May has suggested that a no-deal Brexit “wouldn’t be the end of the world”, despite the Treasury warning that such a scenario could reduce GDP by 10 per cent. She further claimed that chancellor Philip Hammond’s department’s prediction was “a work in progress” and re-iterated her claim that no-deal is a better [...]
City blues: Meet the Tories hoping to take on Sadiq Khan in the 2020 race for City Hall August 27, 2018 The spectre of the 2016 mayoral campaign still hangs over the capital’s Tories. The crass, dog-whistle tactics deployed by Zac Goldsmith’s team failed to prevent Sadiq Khan receiving more votes than any of his predecessors, and left a bad taste in Londoners’ mouths that remains even now. The memory clearly weighs heavy on the three [...]
Theresa May needs to clarify the government’s ‘no deal’ message August 27, 2018 With each passing day the Prime Minister's previous insistence that “no deal is better than a bad deal” slips further down the political memory hole. It used to be trotted out as often as “Brexit means Brexit” – but as exit day draws closer, and the tension ramps up, we don't hear Theresa May offering [...]
Theresa May sets sights on Africa trade as Brexit disputes rage August 27, 2018 Prime Minister Theresa May will this week try to start the new parliamentary session on the front foot as she leads a delegation of business figures to Africa seeking to boost trade relations, despite intense criticism of her Brexit plans at home. May will use a speech tomorrow in South Africa’s Cape Town to focus on [...]
Rules shake-up to allow non-MPs to stand as next Liberal Democrats leader August 26, 2018 The Liberal Democrat's next party leader might not have to be a member of parliament. Current leader Sir Vince Cable is expected to announce reforms to allow candidates outside of the party's existing 12 MPs to run for office, as he seeks to push deeper involvement for supporters in its internal election process. On 7 [...]
Government to crack down on ‘reckless’ company directors August 26, 2018 Directors who dissolve firms to avoid paying out pension pots or salaries to workers could get hit with hefty fines under a new government initiative. The Insolvency Service (IS) will be tackling directors who dodge paying their company's debts by dissolving the firm and then setting up a near identical business, in a process also known [...]
US senator and war veteran John McCain dies aged 81 August 26, 2018 US Senator John McCain, a former war prisoner and veteran and one-time presidential candidate, has died aged 81 after a battle with brain cancer. The Arizona senator had been fighting an aggressive brain cancer since July 2017, alongside other health problems for which he had surgery earlier this year. His family announced on Friday that he [...]
Farage slammed for accusing Barnier of wanting the IRA to become active again August 25, 2018 Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage has been slammed today for accusing EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier of wanting the IRA to become active again. In an interview with the Times today Farage said Barnier “would like the IRA to become active again” and has cultivated the idea of “a hard border and soldiers with rifles”. [...]