Going Dutch: Downing Street refuses to rule out sharing Astrazeneca vaccines with EU March 23, 2021 Downing Street has refused to rule out sharing British supplies of the Astrazeneca vaccine made in the Netherlands with the EU to avert an exports ban from the bloc. Asked whether the UK would be willing to offer some of the Dutch-made jabs to Europe, the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said Boris Johnson has “set [...]
Global online tax on tech giants ‘in our grasp’, says Rishi Sunak March 23, 2021 Rishi Sunak has today said a global online tax on internet giants like Amazon and Facebook is “in our grasp”. Sunak said he was “very keen to see a resolution” on the issue, with the chancellor making it one of his top three priorities in G7 meetings this year that are hosted by the UK. [...]
Conservative MP slammed for ‘dangerous’ comments comparing marriage to ‘the regulation of baby-making’ March 23, 2021 A Conservative MP has been criticised for “dangerous” comments comparing marriage to the “regulation of baby-making” and claiming that discussions around marriage are “infected with or scared of” second-wave feminism. Danny Kruger, MP for Devizes in Wiltshire, made the comments in a blog post on the website of The New Social Covenant Unit (NSCU), a [...]
Covid-19 restrictions being eased ‘once and for all’, PM says on anniversary of first lockdown March 23, 2021 The Prime Minister said Covid-19 restrictions are being lifted “once and for all”, as he paid tribute to the Britons that have died on the anniversary of the first coronavirus lockdown. Johnson offered his “sincere condolences to those who have lost loved ones” and praised the “great spirit” displayed ahead of the nation pausing for [...]
UK to announce ‘enhanced’ trade deal with Canada March 22, 2021 The UK is set to announce an enhanced trade deal with Canada, the trade secretary has said, after the two nations ratified a post-Brexit agreement last week. Speaking at a Conservative Friends of Australia event on Zoom this evening, Liz Truss said the UK was working “very closely” with “like-minded partners” to tackle issues such [...]
Tory rebellion aimed at stopping trade deals with genocidal regimes fails March 22, 2021 A rebellion of Tory MPs who were trying to make it harder for the government to sign trade deals with genocidal regimes has fallen just short. The amendment to the government’s trade bill – which would have made the government explain trade deals with potentially genocidal governments to parliament – lost by 318 to 300, [...]
London records two Covid deaths in lowest daily jump since September March 22, 2021 London recorded two Covid deaths in the past 24 hours, signalling the lowest daily fatality count since the beginning of September. It marks the eleventh day in a row that the capital has reported single-digit coronavirus deaths, hailing a dramatic drop from a record 204 coronavirus-related fatalities reported in London on 19 January. The figure [...]
Sturgeon off the hook: Scotland’s First Minister cleared of wrongdoing March 22, 2021 Nicola Sturgeon did not breach the Scottish ministerial code over her handling of the Alex Salmond harassment case, an independent investigation has ruled. James Hamilton, Scotland’s independent adviser on ministerial standards, handed out the judgement this afternoon more than two years after Sturgeon referred herself for investigation. Hamilton examined whether the First Minister “attempted to [...]
UK sanctions Chinese officials over Uighur human rights abuses March 22, 2021 Britain has joined the EU and the US in applying sanctions against four senior Chinese officials and one Chinese agency involved in human rights abuses against Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang. The government this afternoon unveiled a raft of “Magnitsky-style” asset freezes and travel bans against the Chinese officials over their treatment of Uighur Muslims in [...]
Sadiq Khan on course for historic landslide in mayor of London election, new poll shows March 22, 2021 Sadiq Khan is on track for the biggest landslide in mayor of London election history, with new polling showing him with a 25-point lead. The Opinium/Evening Standard poll has the mayor on 53 per cent of the primary vote, which would see Khan win the election in the first round of voting – a feat [...]