Exclusive: UK eyes adding climate provisions in US trade talks to woo Joe Biden January 13, 2021 The UK will try to add new provisions on climate change and environmental standards in US trade negotiations in a bid to woo incoming President Joe Biden. Trade secretary Liz Truss wants to build on current negotiations with the Donald Trump administration and potentially add things like enhanced protections on air pollution and corporate transparency [...]
Exclusive: City of London boss says financial services overlooked in Brexit talks January 13, 2021 City of London Corporation boss Catherine McGuinness has hit out at Boris Johnson’s government for taking financial services for granted and overlooking the City of London during the last two years of Brexit talks. McGuinness, who is policy chair at the powerful local authority, told City A.M. today that she wanted to see “those important [...]
Trump brands social media ban ‘catastrophic mistake’ and defends pre-riot speech January 12, 2021 Donald Trump has branded his social media ban a “catastrophic mistake” as he refused to take responsibility for inciting riots at the Capitol last week. The outgoing president, who has been accused of inciting violence and is facing a second impeachment, today played down his role in the riots and attempted to blame Silicon Valley. [...]
Business secretary slams firms not allowing staff to work from home January 12, 2021 New business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has urged employers to take “every possible step” to help employees work from home during the pandemic. His comments come after City A.M. revealed some firms have at points offered staff unpaid leave as an alternative to returning to the office. Kwarteng said: “The law is clear that you may [...]
UK sanctions China over ‘horrific’ treatment of Uyghur Muslims January 12, 2021 The UK has imposed sanctions on Chinese businesses in retaliation to the country’s “horrific” and “harrowing” treatment of Uyghur Muslims in the province of Xinjiang. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab announced today that the government would launch a review into which UK products can be exported to Xinjiang and introduce financial penalties for Chinese firms that [...]
Exclusive: Sadiq Khan rows with London Assembly over police recruitment numbers January 11, 2021 Sadiq Khan has been asked why he is planning to “spend money he does not have” to hire 6,000 new police officers by March, while the Metropolitan Police budget has a projected £1bn black hole over the next three years. The London Assembly’s Budget and Performance Committee has asked the mayor to explain why he [...]
Matt Hancock calls on more businesses to ban those not wearing face coverings January 11, 2021 The health secretary has urged businesses to follow Morrisons’ lead and ban mask flouters, as he refused to rule out tougher restrictions on the horizon. “I applaud the action Morrisons has taken today… That’s the right approach,” Matt Hancock told a Downing Street press briefing, adding: “I want to see all parts of society playing [...]
Keir Starmer calls for 24/7 Covid vaccine programme January 11, 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for the government to “put families first” during this Covid lockdown by extending paid flexible furlough to all working parents, while also calling for the UK’s weekly vaccine target to be doubled to 4m. The Labour leader called for a round the clock vaccine programme, which would see [...]
Democrats introduce article of impeachment against Trump January 11, 2021 Democrats in the House of Representatives have formally introduced an article of impeachment against US President Donald Trump over his role in the Capitol riots last week. The resolution contains a single article of impeachment charging the president with “incitement of insurrection”. It cites Trump’s comments at a rally shortly before his supporters stormed the [...]
Huawei set for year of transition amid ‘technological Cold War’ January 11, 2021 Huawei will likely transition towards software as a “technological Cold War” controls the hardware supply, shifting the company’s prospects for 2021, analysts have said. Harsh US sanctions on China have hit suppliers of chips, which are crucial to mobile phone production, and forced the tech giant to look to other avenues. Ben Wood, chief of [...]