Downing Street held birthday party for prime minister, say reports January 24, 2022 Downing Street staff and the prime minister’s wife reportedly held a party for Boris Johnson’s birthday in 2020, despite lockdown measures banning such activity. In yet another layer to the party scandal cake, Carrie Johnson led the gathering of up to 30 guests in No 10 on June 19, ITV News first reported. She is [...]
Gas prices soar amid supply shortage fears as Russia-Ukraine tensions escalate January 24, 2022 Analysts warned last night that escalating tensions over Russia's seemingly inevitable invasion of Ukraine would hit European gas supplies.
Treasury minister quits over government’s ‘lamentable’ Covid fraud record January 24, 2022 A Treasury minister resigned today over the government’s “lamentable” record on Covid fraud, after billions were stolen from Covid support schemes. Lord Theodore Agnew – previously responsible for government efficiency – said oversight of the Covid loan schemes by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Beis) and the British Business Bank had been [...]
Brexit: EU says a ‘timely agreement’ on Northern Ireland Protocol is possible January 24, 2022 The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator has said newfound political goodwill with the UK could “lead to a timely agreement on durable solutions” to the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol, after another round of talks today. European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said he is not setting “artificial deadlines” on discussions, but that he would act “with [...]
Firms have no choice ‘but to raise prices’ to absorb NI hike January 24, 2022 The looming national insurance tax hike will leave British businesses with no choice “but to raise prices,” a leading business group has warned. Firms will have to pass on the cost of the 1.25 percentage point hike to consumers in a bid to offset severe margin pressure, according to the Institute of Directors (IoD). Nearly [...]
Johnson warns Putin that Ukraine invasion would be ‘painful, violent and bloody’ January 24, 2022 Boris Johnson has warned Vladimir Putin that if Russia invades Ukraine it will be “painful, violent and bloody”, with the Prime Minister adding that the situation is looking “gloomy”. Johnson will hold a call at 8pm tonight with leaders of the US, France, Germany, Poland, the president of the EU Commission and the NATO secretary general to speak [...]
UK begins to withdraw embassy staff from Ukraine amid fears of Russian invasion January 24, 2022 The UK and US have moved to withdraw some of their staff from their respective Ukraine embassies as fears continue to mount that Russia is preparing to launch a military invasion of its neighbour. The Foreign Office said there were increased fears over a Russian attack on Ukraine and said the situation had become “highly [...]
WikiLeaks’ Assange heads to Supreme Court amid ongoing extradition battle January 24, 2022 WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be able to go to the Supreme Court to challenge a decision allowing him to be extradited to the United States to face 18 criminal charges including breaking a spying law.
Nusrat Ghani: Boris Johnson orders inquiry over Islamophobia allegations January 24, 2022 The Prime Minister has ordered an inquiry into a Conservative MP’s allegations was fired from a ministerial job as her Muslim faith was making colleagues uncomfortable. Boris Johnson has asked the Cabinet Office to conduct an inquiry into the claims from Nusrat Ghani, Downing Street said on Monday. “As he said at the time, the [...]
Invasion fears: US urges families of embassy staff in Ukraine to leave amid tension with Russia January 24, 2022 The family members of US embassy staff in Ukraine have been ordered to leave the country, amid escalating fears of a Russian invasion. The US State Department told relatives of embassy staff and non-essential embassy staff to leave while also encouraging US citizens in the country to leave. A Russian invasion could occur “at any [...]