Brexit: EU ready to ‘double down’ efforts in Northern Ireland Protocol talks December 1, 2022 Brussels is ready to “double down on efforts” to broker a deal on the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol, according to the European Commission’s Vice President. Maros Sefcovic said there is now a “clear window of opportunity” to come to an agreement with the UK, after he spoke with foreign secretary James Cleverly this afternoon. Cleverly [...]
Boris Johnson tells local Tories he will stand in next election December 1, 2022 Boris Johnson has told his local Conservative association in Uxbridge and Ruislip that he will run again at the next election. The former Prime Minister informed the local party ahead of next week’s deadline for Tory MPs to confirm if they are standing for their seat again. It comes as a series of rising stars [...]
Poor public health is weighing heavily on British economy, say doctors December 1, 2022 The poor health of the British public is weighing heavily on the economy as the country dives into a recession. Around 400,000 Brits are currently out of work due to long-term sickness, according to the latest from the Office for National Statistics. Next year, Britain will become the only developed country with fewer people in [...]
Ian Blackford to step down as SNP’s Westminster leader December 1, 2022 Ian Blackford has resigned as the Scottish National Party’s leader in Westminster, after he was effectively ousted by his own MPs. An SNP MP told City A.M. that Blackford “jumped before he was pushed”, after senior MPs told the 61-year-old that his time was up. The coup was led by Stephen Flynn, who is now [...]
Exclusive: Labour targets £30m war chest for next election November 30, 2022 Labour party bosses want a £30m war chest to fight the next election, with Sir Keir Starmer stepping up his efforts to attract private donations to the party. Starmer has increased his appearances at donation dinners over recent months, according to Labour sources, as the party tries to break its financial dependence on the unions. [...]
10,000 ambulance workers vote to strike before Christmas November 30, 2022 10,000 ambulance workers have voted to strike before Christmas. Emergency workers in the GMB Union will walk out before the end of the year, with representatives across nine services to meet and decide dates. This comes as the cost of living crisis continues to pile pressure on people’s finances, with the NHS struggling to attract [...]
Badenoch takes swipe at Johnson and Truss for setting UK trade deal deadlines November 30, 2022 Trade secretary Kemi Badenoch has taken a swipe at ex-PMs Boris Johnson and Liz Truss for setting public deadlines in trade negotiations. Badenoch told a Westminster committee today that public deadlines, like Johnson’s missed October targert for a UK-India trade deal, “can be incredibly unhelpful” and create “an incentive for more concessions” by British negotiators. [...]
Martin Lewis says govt ‘abrogated its responsibility’ over fighting Big Tech scams November 29, 2022 Consumer rights campaigner Martin Lewis has revealed that a senior official said it was easier for him to tackle Big Tech scams than it was for the government to regulate it. Speaking at a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) sub-committee this morning, the financial journalist-turned-consumer champion discussed his legal battle with Facebook after over [...]
UK summons Chinese ambassador over beating and arrest of BBC journalist November 29, 2022 The UK government has summoned China’s ambassador to London over the beating and arrest of a BBC journalist in Shanghai. Foreign secretary James Cleverly called ambassador Zheng Zeguang to the Foreign Office, with department sources calling the incident “completely unacceptable”. BBC journalist Ed Lawrence was beaten and arrested by Shanghai police yesterday, while reporting on [...]
UK to buy out China General Nuclear’s share of Sizewell C nuclear plant November 29, 2022 The UK government will pay £100m to a Chinese state-owned firm to buy out their share in the Sizewell C nuclear plant. The taxpayer buyout of China General Nuclear’s (CGN) 20 per cent share will mean the UK government and French state-owned EDF will take a 50-50 equity split for the Suffolk nuclear plant. It will [...]