Priti Patel calls for ‘balance of rights’ between protesters and individuals as she introduces protest crackdown March 15, 2021 Priti Patel has told MPs that “there is a balance to be struck” between the rights of protesters and individuals as she today introduced new legislation that will crackdown on some form of protesting. The new Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, if passed into law, will give the police powers to set start and [...]
Sadiq Khan calls for more government engagement on financial services post-Brexit March 15, 2021 Sadiq Khan has called for the government to provide greater clarity for the City of London post-Brexit, with the mayor telling Rishi Sunak to “address the concerns of London’s financial and professional services sector”. Khan wrote to the chancellor today to call for the government to secure equivalence for the financial services sector, in order [...]
Vaccine rollout gives Tories a pre-election boost from over 64s, says expert pollster March 15, 2021 The UK’s quick rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine appears to have given the Tories a boost ahead of the May local elections among those over 64, according to an expert pollster. Lord Robert Hayward today told a group of journalists that Boris Johnson and the Conservatives’ improved poll ratings, which have been driven by an [...]
EU launches legal action against UK over Northern Ireland row March 15, 2021 The European Commission has launched legal action against the UK for its move to unilaterally postpone new post-Brexit checks on goods coming into Northern Ireland. The European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said today that the UK “must properly implement [the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement] to achieve our objectives”, which is “why we are launching legal [...]
London minister Paul Scully on his rise to government March 15, 2021 Paul Scully seems a natural fit for London minister. While the Sutton and Cheam MP didn’t grow up in the capital, Scully was born in Warwickshire and went to school in Bedforshire, he certainly sounds like a nailed-on Londoner. His south London twang is noticeable and so is his relaxed, chatty demeanour – the antithesis [...]
EU considers turning to Russia’s Sputnik vaccine as Astrazeneca scepticism swells March 15, 2021 The EU is in discussions to place an order of Russia’s Sputnik vaccine, according to reports, as scepticism about the efficacy and possible side effects of Astrazeneca’s Covid jab considers to spread across the continent. The bloc is now turning to Moscow’s Sputnik V vaccine as it attempts to speed up its sluggish immunisation programme, [...]
Netherlands and Ireland suspend rollout of Astrazeneca jab March 15, 2021 The Netherlands and Ireland have joined a growing list of countries that have temporarily suspended the rollout of the Astrazeneca vaccine over possible side effects. Ireland announced the two-week ban yesterday after Norway reported that one person had died and three had been admitted to hospital after receiving the shot. Dr Karina Butler, head of [...]
Johnson to send jobs north as a part of UK integrated defence review March 14, 2021 Boris Johnson will release the government’s long-awaited integrated defence review on Tuesday, with the Prime Minister set to announce the creation of thousands of defence jobs outside of London. Johnson tonight said the review would “drive investment back into our communities”, with the Foreign Office’s hub in Scotland to get 500 more staff and England’s [...]
Brexit: Depleted UK-EU trade won’t recover until summer, says lorry lobby March 14, 2021 The collapse of post-Brexit trade with the EU will last until the summer or longer as businesses still struggle to navigate new red tape, according to the UK’s haulage body. New figures on Friday revealed that UK exports to the EU had plummeted by 40 per cent since the end of the transition period on [...]
UK set for ‘summer of fun’ as FA Cup final to have 20,000 spectators March 14, 2021 The UK is set for a “summer of fun” with 20,000 spectators set to kick it off at the FA Cup final on 15 May, according to the government. Culture secretary Oliver Dowden has announced Wembley will open its doors to 20,000 fans at the match two days before pubs and restaurants are allowed open [...]