Amber Rudd has stressed her commitment to British borders in Calais, even as another sceptic looks set to join the French presidential race August 30, 2016 Home secretary Amber Rudd has further backed current British border checks in Calais, as a French minister who warned Brexit would see the deal "threatened" looks set to enter the presidential race. Rudd visited Paris today in her first foreign trip as home secretary, and issued a joint statement with her opposite number, interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve, [...]
Theresa May has ruled out a new referendum on EU membership, or an early general election August 30, 2016 Theresa May has doubled down on her stance of "Brexit means Brexit", explicitly ruling out either a fresh referendum on EU membership, or an early general election. Earlier this week, Downing Street ruled out a parliamentary vote on the terms of the UK's departure from the EU, and the government has today ruled out seeking a [...]
Jeremy Corbyn is completely out of touch with the real debate about UK austerity August 30, 2016 Following the Brexit vote, normal service seems to have resumed. A key question in economic policy since the General Election of 2010 has moved centre stage once again: should the government abandon austerity? At one level, the question has an easy answer. Interest rates are now so low that the UK government can borrow for [...]
Brexit Britain could be new sweetheart after EU-US relations soured by Apple tax ruling August 30, 2016 Souring relations between the US and Europe in the wake of the EU competition watchdog ordering Apple to pay a record multi-billion pound tax bill could hand the UK a post-Brexit boost. Britain could be the big winner from the tax feud between Europe and the US after the EU competition commission ruled Apple should [...]
Sadiq Khan has ordered a review of cuts on the London Fire Brigade with a report due in the autumn August 30, 2016 London mayor Sadiq Khan is to launch a review of London's fire brigade ahead of a further £22m in cuts to services. The review will be led by former Greater London Authority chief executive Anthony Mayer, with a remit to assess the impact of cuts since 2009. The London Fire Brigade's funding has been cut by [...]
Now French President and minister say “non” to TTIP negotiations too August 30, 2016 Two key French political figures have cast doubt on trade talks between the EU and the US, shortly after a German minister voiced the same concerns. French President Francois Hollande told ambassadors today he did not think it would be possible to conclude on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) by the end of the year. "The [...]
Eurozone economic sentiment fell to a five-month low in August after June’s Brexit vote August 30, 2016 Economic sentiment among the 19 members of the Eurozone fell during August to its lowest level since March, according to new EU data. The European Commission's Eurozone Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) fell to 103.5 over the past month, from 104.5 in July – well below the 104.1 forecast by a Reuters poll of economists. Confidence was [...]
Ireland “profoundly disagrees” with the EU’s Apple ruling August 30, 2016 Ireland's finance minister has said he "disagrees profoundly" with the verdict handed down from the EU in its Apple tax probe. Brussels has told Ireland to recover up to €13bn (£1.1bn) in back taxes from the tech giant for breaching rules on state aid. Michael Noonan said the country maintains that all tax due has [...]
Dithering on airport capacity is choking British businesses, Theresa May needs to take urgent action August 30, 2016 The decision on whether to construct a new runway in the south east of England has been parked for too long. That cannot remain the case for much longer – a lack of airport capacity in the south east is acting a major constraint upon business and economic growth. Business leaders have become increasingly exasperated [...]
Brexit negotiation “pettiness” would push UK and Europe into recession, says Mohamed El-Erian August 30, 2016 The UK and Europe will fall into recession and become less significant globally if Brexit negotiations become the victim of "pettiness", according to Mohamed El-Erian, Allianz's chief economic adviser who chairs President Obama's Global Development Council. El-Erian said that in a "rational world, the UK would end up with a free trade arrangement with the [...]