UK and EU move closer to agreement on Brexit rules in Northern Ireland April 12, 2021 The UK and EU are reportedly close to resolving a dispute over post-Brexit trade rules in Northern Ireland in a breakthrough that could help halt rising tensions in Belfast. Brussels launched legal action against the UK earlier this year over its decision to unilaterally postpone new checks on goods going from Great Britain to Northern [...]
Optimism over reopening of pubs and shops tempered by concerns over next month’s elections April 12, 2021 In a week that saw the FTSE100 close at its best levels in over a year, optimism over this week’s economic reopening of outdoor pubs, shops, gyms and hairdressers, appears to be being tempered by concerns over next month’s local and regional elections. There is particular focus on how well the SNP might do in [...]
Boris Johnson urges people to ‘behave responsibly’ as pubs open tomorrow April 11, 2021 Boris Johnson has urged people to “behave responsibly” as thousands of pubs across England are set to open their doors tomorrow. Covid restrictions will be eased for large parts of the economy tomorrow, with non-essential retail, hairdressers, beauty salons, gyms and outdoor hospitality allowed to reopen in London after four months of forced closure. However, [...]
Boris Johnson to lead MP tributes to Prince Philip as parliament resumes April 11, 2021 Boris Johnson will tomorrow deliver an address in the House of Commons on the death of Prince Philip, before MPs and peers also deliver tributes to the deceased 99-year-old. Parliament was due to come back from a two-week recess on Tuesday, but was recalled early for parliamentarians to pay their respects to the Duke of [...]
David Cameron ‘accepts’ contact with government should be done through ‘formal channels’ April 11, 2021 David Cameron has broken his silence on his role in lobbying the government on behalf of failed Greensill Capital, saying he “accepts” communication with the government “needs to be done through only the most formal of channels”. Cameron, who was a senior adviser at Greensill, denied any wrongdoing and said “I was breaking no codes [...]
Northern Ireland: Special forces deployed in Belfast as riots continue April 11, 2021 Undercover special forces soldiers have been deployed in Belfast as rioting by gangs of young unionists continued over the weekend. Dozens of officers have been injured over the past two weeks in Northern Ireland as violent rioting in Belfast has gradually escalated. Images of petrol bombs and fireworks being thrown at police and over Belfast’s [...]
MPs back Prince Philip statue on The Mall in London April 11, 2021 Prince Philip is set to be commemorated with a statue along The Mall in London, after the idea gained cross-party backing by MPs. The Mall already has statues of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother alongside a statue of her husband King George VI. The Sunday Telegraph reports that Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader [...]
Greensill lobbying row: Matt Hancock ‘had private drink’ with Cameron and Lex Greensill April 11, 2021 Matt Hancock met former PM David Cameron and financier Lex Greensill for a “private drink” in which the pair lobbied the health secretary to introduce a payment scheme that was later offered by the NHS. The “private drink” took place in October 2019 and the trio were joined by Bill Crothers, the former head of [...]
COP26: Is the City ready for its leading role in the fight against climate change? April 10, 2021 Windows were smashed at Barclays headquarters this week by climate activists who urged the bank to cut its climate destructive investments. Last week campaigners painted the Bank of England (BoE) black in a bid to raise the alarm on the institution’s funding of Big Oil. Where money goes within the City is under more scrutiny [...]
Biden sets aside $14bn to fight climate change in 2022 budget April 9, 2021 President Joe Biden has proposed $14bn in spending on initiatives to fight climate change in the 2022 budget, including large cash injections for environmental regulation and science research. The proposal underscores the administration’s ambitions to decarbonising the economy by 2050 to stem global warming, reversing a policy direction set by former President Donald Trump to slash red [...]