Donald Tusk tells the UK: It’s hard Brexit or no Brexit October 13, 2016 Top EU policymaker Donald Tusk has told the UK there is no possibility of a so-called "soft Brexit". Tusk, president of the European Council, said this afternoon "the only real alternative to a hard Brexit is no Brexit" as he appeared to shut the door on the option of the UK and the EU striking a [...]
London mayor Sadiq Khan has taken an axe to his plan to plant more than 2m trees by 2020 October 13, 2016 London mayor Sadiq Khan has quietly axed his own election pledge of planting 2m trees across the city in his first term in office. Khan made the vow as part of his plans to make London a more environmentally friendly with a package of measures including the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street. However, his deputy mayor for [...]
Former Prime Minister of Portugal Antonio Guterres elected by UN general assembly as new secretary-general October 13, 2016 Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres has been elected as the new United Nations secretary-general by the UN General Assembly. The decision was widely expected, after none of the five UN Security Council veto powers — China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US — voted against him in a secret ballot last week. Guterres, a former [...]
Tax Uber more and cut black cab fares, think tank tells London mayor October 13, 2016 The Mayor of London has the power to make Uber pay more taxes and the city's iconic black cab drivers should reduce night time fares to compete, according to a new report calling for a major shake up of London's cab industry. A maximum working day of 12 hours should be imposed on Uber drivers and all black cab drivers [...]
Nicola Sturgeon confirms legislation for second Scottish independence referendum will be published next week October 13, 2016 Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed this morning that legislation for a second independence referendum will be published for consultation next week. "I am determined that Scotland will have the ability to reconsider the question of independence – and to do so before the UK leaves the EU – if that is necessary to protect [...]
Boris on Brexit: Foreign minister explains policy as Britain prepares to exit the European Union October 13, 2016 Foreign minister Boris Johnson is in front of the foreign affairs select committee this morning, giving evidence on developments in foreign policy – and he says the Brexit doom-mongers have been proven wrong. Johnson, who was a leading voice in the Leave campaign, said: "Those who prophesied doom have been proved wrong and will continue [...]
MPs should debate Brexit, not frustrate it October 13, 2016 Parliament is back in session after the theatre of the party conference season and there are plenty of meaty topics into which our legislators can sink their teeth. The Treasury Select Committee has been grilling HMT's top officials; Tory backbenchers have called for a new Royal Yacht Britannia; Boris Johnson has lambasted Russia over its actions [...]
Labour’s new shadow City minister has vowed to build bridges with the City and defy the sceptics October 12, 2016 Labour's new shadow City minister has vowed to build bridges with the financial and professional services sector in defiance of sceptics who do not see the party as a natural ally of the City. City A.M. first revealed the appointment of Jonathan Reynolds last month, although the Greater Manchester MP only began the role this week. [...]
Theresa May’s statism is the wrong way to build a more prosperous post-Brexit Britain October 12, 2016 Labour has lurched to the hard left and Ukip does not currently seem equipped to capture the significant number of voters on lower incomes who are worried about immigration and the impact of globalisation. So it is understandable that the Prime Minister is seeking to seize the coveted centre ground. For that purpose, Mrs May’s [...]
Conservative MP attacks culture of Whitehall leaks October 12, 2016 A Conservative MP has hit out at the culture of leaking at the top of politics after a week of controversy over the government's Brexit strategy. Treasury Select Committee (TSC) member Steve Baker today pushed the Treasury to find out who was responsible for comments made anonymously earlier this week to national newspapers which seemed to [...]