US President Joe Biden makes surprise visit to Ukraine ahead of Russian invasion’s first anniversary February 20, 2023 US president Joe Biden has been spotted in the Ukraine capital Kyiv on a surprise visit this morning. The 46th president was filmed walking the city streets with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ahead of the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine this Friday. Biden and Zelenskyy visited the Wall of Remembrance of the [...]
Nicola Sturgeon: Kate Forbes enters SNP race as Angus Robertson rules himself out February 20, 2023 Scotland’s finance secretary Kate Forbes has announced she will run to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and first minister of Scotland. Announcing her decision on Twitter she said: “I am today launching my bid to become Scotland’s next first minister, with the vision, experience and competence to inspire voters across Scotland.” In a video [...]
High fares are putting Londoners off public transport, new data reveals February 20, 2023 High TfL ticket prices are deterring more than one third of Londoners from using the Tube, buses and trains, data has revealed. Some 37 per cent of Londoners said ticket prices put them off using the capital’s transit networks, according to a survey by Hitachi Rail. It also found that more Londoners are put off [...]
UK defence budget needs £3bn boost for ‘broken’ armed forces, top general warns February 19, 2023 A top general has warned Britain’s armed forces are “at their most broken since the Cold War” and need a £3bn boost to ramp up the UK’s military capabilities. General Sir Richard Barrons has urged Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to fund the replacement of weapons and tanks given to Ukraine in the budget next month. Barrons, [...]
Humza Yousaf and Ash Regan enter SNP leadership race to replace Nicola Sturgeon February 19, 2023 Battle lines were drawn at Holyrood this weekend as Humza Yousaf and Ash Regan entered the race to replace Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and Scotland’s first minister. Launching his campaign, health secretary Yousaf, 37, told the Sunday Mail he was confident he had the “experience” to take on the “top job in the country”. [...]
‘Great mistake’: Boris Johnson warns Rishi Sunak over post-Brexit Northern Ireland protocol February 19, 2023 Boris Johnson has warned Rishi Sunak it would be a “great mistake” to drop the Northern Ireland protocol amid speculation a deal between the UK and the EU is close. It comes as a new post-Brexit trading arrangement for Northern Ireland is expected to emerge within days after the Prime Minister met with Stormont leaders [...]
From Harry Styles to house prices: The top ten most read stories on City A.M. this week February 17, 2023 From Harry Styles’ Grammy outfit to more recession speculation, to here are the top ten most read stories by readers of City.A.M. this week, ending Friday 17 February. One: Harry Styles’ Grammys outfit The former One Direction band member’s choice of outfits came under the spotlight as he made appearances at both the Grammys and [...]
Ulez expansion: Five Tory councils launch legal challenge against Sadiq Khan’s plan February 17, 2023 Five Conservative-led councils said they have started a legal challenge over Sadiq Khan’s decision to expand London’s ultra low emission zone (Ulez). The outer London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Harrow and Hillingdon, together with Surrey County Council, issued a joint statement announcing they have launched a judicial review into the Labour mayor’s plan. A spokesman [...]
Brexit: Sunak holding urgent talks with Northern Ireland’s leaders amid speculation protocol deal is close February 17, 2023 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is holding talks with Stormont leaders as speculation mounts that a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol could be close. Sunak and Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris are meeting the politicians near Belfast to discuss the contentious post-Brexit trading arrangements. Following his visit to Northern Ireland, Sunak is set to join [...]
Liz Truss: Former PM urges nations to ‘learn lessons of Russian aggression and stand up to China’ February 17, 2023 Liz Truss has urged democratic nations to stand up to China and learn the lessons of not taking earlier and tougher action against Russia. Speaking in Japan in her first public speech since her resignation as prime minister, Ms Truss called on the international community to agree a co-ordinated package of defence, economic and political [...]