Prime Minister to face grilling at PMQs over Number 10 party video December 8, 2021 Boris Johnson will face one of the most challenging Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) of his leadership today as he prepares to face a grilling on the Number 10 Christmas party scandal engulfing the government. A video was leaked to ITV yesterday of government aide Allegra Stratton joking about having an illegal Christmas party at Number [...]
German parliament electing Olaf Scholz as chancellor marks Angela Merkel’s last day as leader of Europe’s largest economy December 8, 2021 Germany’s parliament has opened a new era for the European Union’s most populous nation after Angela Merkel’s 16-year tenure by electing Olaf Scholz as the country’s ninth post-war chancellor. Scholz’s government takes office with high hopes of modernising Germany and combating climate change, but faces the immediate challenge of handling the country’s toughest phase yet [...]
Goodbye 2G and 3G, hello 5G: Dorries agrees £50m to make UK telecoms safer December 8, 2021 The government have announced new measures this morning to boost UK telecoms security, including phasing out 2G and 3G by 2033.
Outrage growing over alleged Downing Street Christmas party during lockdown as Covid victims’ families hit back December 8, 2021 The latest Downing Street Christmas party development has been called a “bullet to the chest” of families who have lost loved ones during the pandemic. Dr Saleyha Ahsan, from the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, told BBC Breakfast this morning the saga was “an example of how the Government have run this from the start: [...]
South Africa upbeat as battle of the Covid mutations rages: Omicron deaths still zero despite new coronavirus variant spreading twice as fast as deadly Delta December 8, 2021 Scientists and policy makers in South Africa and across the region are cautiously optimistic that the rapidly spreading Omicron variant is not going to cause a bloodbath as, so far, no deaths have been linked to the new Covid mutation. Despite a record number of new infections – more than 40,000 people tested positive in [...]
UK rushing through trade deals without thorough consultation, says independent audit December 8, 2021 The UK’s post-Brexit trade deals are not being utilised by businesses and the government has not engaged in enough consultation before signing them, according to an independent audit. A report from the National Audit Office, an independent parliamentary spending watchdog, said “the speed and intensity of the negotiations … compresses the time available for analysis [...]
Archbishop of Canterbury calls on government to stop “travel apartheid” December 7, 2021 The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has called on the UK Government to scrap the travel red list and put an end to “travel apartheid.” “With Omicron set to become the dominant variant in the UK, I appeal to the British Government to remove Nigeria and South Africa from the red list – together with [...]
Government set to step in as carbon price mechanism is triggered after market rally December 7, 2021 Ministers could step in to reduce the costs polluters pay for emissions permits after carbon allowances increased by 50 per cent in November.
Labour grandee Harriet Harman to step down at next election after 40 years as MP December 7, 2021 Labour grandee Harriet Harman will step down at the next General Election, after 40 years as a London MP. Harman, MP for Camberwell and Peckham since 1982, told her local party of her decision this morning. The 71-year-old said she would continue to “work energetically” until the next election, due to be no later than [...]
Number 10 denies Johnson intervened to prioritise pets over people in Afghan evacuation December 7, 2021 Downing Street has vigorously denied claims that Boris Johnson intervened to rescue dogs and cats during the Afghanistan evacuation in August. A 25-year-old Foreign Office whistleblower, Raphael Marshall, today claimed that ex-soldier Pen Farthing and his Nowzad animal sanctuary were prioritised to be evacuated over local Afghanis. Marshall said there was “an instruction from the [...]