COP26: Sharma warns summit is ‘last best hope’ to prevent climate crisis October 31, 2021 The chief of the COP26 summit has warned global leaders the conference is the world’s “last, best hope” to prevent a climate crisis. Alok Sharma MP told delegates at the opening ceremony of COP26 in Glasgow that the window to avoiding the worst effects of global warming is “closing”. Global leaders will negotiate over the [...]
French president tells Johnson to ‘respect the rules’ amid post-Brexit fishing licence row October 31, 2021 French president Emmanuel Macron has told Boris Johnson to “respect the rules” amid a row over fishing licences, according to a French official. Though the French presidential official told reporters at the G20 summit today that “the goal for both the president and the prime minister was to work towards de-escalation” – Macron has said [...]
Post-Brexit: Trading with countries further afield could ramp up UK emissions 88 per cent October 29, 2021 Replacing the trade lost between the UK and the EU since 2018 with deal with countries further afield could increase emissions by 88 per cent, new analysis has suggested. The added distance of travel amounts to around 6.5m tonnes of CO2, according to cross-party advocacy group Best for Britain and UK Trade Business – the [...]
Eustice ‘happy to live with consequences’ of Brexit despite forecast GDP hit October 29, 2021 Environment secretary George Eustice has said he is “quite happy to live with the consequences” of Brexit after the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast that the economic impacts would be double that of the pandemic. Speaking to BBC 4 Today’s Nick Robinson, and proposed with the government appointed OBR’s estimate, the minister said: “Well [...]
Big Issue founder says Boris Johnson ‘owes’ him for not standing for London mayor October 29, 2021 Big Issue founder Lord Bird says Boris Johnson “owes him” for not standing for London mayor, and he is now calling in the debt from the current Prime Minister to tackle the homeless crisis. Speaking at Westminster, the campaigning independent peer told how Johnson had “jumped in the air” when he turned down a request [...]
Brexit: Truss summons French ambassador as fishing row escalates further October 28, 2021 France’s ambassador to the UK has been summoned to meet foreign secretary Liz Truss tomorrow as Paris refuses to back down over its threats to ban UK seafood and impose trade barriers. Truss said she wanted ambassador Catherine Colonna to explain to the UK’s Europe minister Wendy Morton the “disappointing and disproportionate threats made against [...]
Biden asks Democrats for support over $1.75tn spending framework October 28, 2021 US President Joe Biden has announced he had secured a $1.75tn spending framework to invest in the economy and climate change. Biden expressed his confidence in the plan, saying it could win the backing of all Democrats and pass the Senate, Reuters reported. “Today I’m pleased to announce after months of tough and thoughtful negotiations, [...]
Budget 2021: Sunak puts low tax conservatism to the sword October 28, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak will heap extra financial pain on households across the UK as he puts low tax conservatism to the sword. Sunak’s wave of spending will lay the groundwork for a permanently more punitive tax regime that will intensify the cost living crisis, leaving Brits “worse off in the short term”, the Institute for [...]
Budget: Sunak defends decision not to cut VAT on household energy bills October 28, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak this morning defended the government’s decision not to cut VAT on home energy bills to counter rising energy prices. Asked on BBC Breakfast why he did not make such a move, the Chancellor said: “Because as many independent experts and think tanks have pointed out, it is not a particularly well-targeted measure [...]
Budget: Rishi Sunak refuses to commit to tax cuts before next general election October 28, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak this morning refused to commit to cutting taxes before the next general election. Asked on Sky News whether he would slash taxes before the next Westminster polling day, which is expected to be held by 2024, Mr Sunak said: “We started cutting taxes yesterday, our priority being those on the lowest incomes. [...]