‘No breakthroughs’ in crunch UK-EU talks over Northern Ireland Protocol June 9, 2021 The UK and EU are still deadlocked on negotiations about the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol, after a four-hour meeting in London today. Boris Johnson’s UK-EU minister Lord David Frost said there had been “no breakthroughs” in his meeting with European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic as both sides escalate an ongoing war of words. Sefcovic [...]
UK has ‘no alternative’ to deepening economic ties with China, says minister June 9, 2021 The UK has “no alternative” but to enhance its economic relationship with China in spite of its many human rights abuses, according to a trade minister. Graham Stuart told a House of Lords committee today that “China offers more opportunity to the UK economy than any other market” and that a more comprehensive economic relationship [...]
Gordon Brown proposes G7 funding model to vaccinate poorer countries June 9, 2021 The former Prime Minister said that Friday’s G7 meeting will decide “who lives and who dies”, dependent on access to the Covid-19 vaccine. Brown argued the G7 countries should use the summit to create a cost-sharing formula, modelled on UN peacekeeping, to help fund vaccine distribution in the poorest countries. International agencies the ACT-Accelerator Alliance [...]
Michael Gove ‘would bet on’ lockdown restrictions ending on 21 June June 9, 2021 Michael Gove has said he would bet on a relaxation of coronavirus restrictions on 21 June in line with the government’s roadmap out of lockdown. If he were a betting man, he would gamble that restrictions will be eased in just under two weeks’ times, Gove told a meeting of ministers on Monday, the Huffington [...]
UK asks EU for ‘flexibility’ on Irish Sea debacle following trade war threats June 9, 2021 Brexit minister Lord Frost will meet his EU counterpart Marcos Sefcovic later today, in which it is hoped a compromise can be reached over the Irish Sea debacle. Ahead of the today’s meeting in London, Frost reportedly said: “Time is short and practical solutions are needed to make the protocol work. “I look to the [...]
Brexit analysis: If pig-headedness continues to prevail the EU and the UK risk an all-out trade war June 9, 2021 Northern Ireland has been threatened with further chaos ahead of the first scheduled meeting of the UK/EU Partnership Council, the committee tasked with thrashing out the practical arrangements of the Brexit trade deal. Political posturing from both sides risks igniting a trade war that would benefit nobody and permanently damage the post-Brexit relationship. The EU [...]
G7 summit: What Boris Johnson wants to achieve in Cornwall June 9, 2021 This weekend’s G7 summit in Cornwall will be Boris Johnson’s opportunity to show the western world that the UK can maintain its global status post-Brexit. Coming at a time of unique disruption, Johnson will hope the summit can help paint the UK as a global problem solver for the globe’s largest 21st century challenges. The [...]
Sunak pushes for City of London exemption from G7 tax plan June 9, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak is pushing for an exemption for the City of London from the G7’s recently agreed global tax plan. Sunak is looking for a deal for financial services, the Financial Times first reported, in wake of fears that global banks with head offices in London could be affected. Major banks are headquartered in [...]
UK and US joining forces on climate action at G7 may boost trade deal chances June 9, 2021 UK and US joining forces on climate action at G7 may boost trade deal chances
Brexit: Lord Frost warns ‘time is short’ to resolve Northern Ireland issues June 8, 2021 Brexit minister Lord Frost has warned that “time is short” to resolve disagreements with the EU ahead of a key crisis meeting between the two sides tomorrow. Tensions escalated today after the bloc threatened to start a trade war with the UK if high-level talks failed to resolve a dispute over border checks in the [...]