Arlene Foster on verge of facing DUP leadership challenge April 27, 2021 Arlene Foster is on the verge of being removed as the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister in a move that could jeopardise the Good Friday Agreement and the Brexit treaty’s Northern Ireland Protocol. An estimated 75 per cent of Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) have [...]
Pressure builds on Boris Johnson over £58,000 flat refurbishment costs April 27, 2021 Boris Johnson is facing growing pressure about the source of a £58,000 loan given to him to pay for the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat, with Labour today accusing the Prime Minister of lying. Johnson has now paid the cost of the refurbishment out of his own pocket, however multiple media outlets have reported [...]
Priti Patel bullying row: High Court to scrutinise PM’s decision not to sack home secretary April 27, 2021 Allegations of bullying by home secretary Priti Patel will soon be scrutinised by the High Court after a workers group that represents senior public servants challenged Boris Johnson’s refusal to sack the minister. The union has been given the go-ahead to bring a High Court challenge against Boris Johnson’s decision to stand by Patel. The [...]
France threatens to block City of London from EU if UK does not open up its fishing waters April 27, 2021 France has threatened to keep the City of London out of EU markets post-Brexit if the UK does not increase access to its waters for the country’s fishermen. France’s European affairs minister Clement Beaune today hit out at the UK’s post-Brexit fishing arrangements, saying there would be “retaliation measures” taken if the UK does not [...]
UK imposes sanctions on individuals accused of serious corruption in Russia April 26, 2021 The UK has sanctioned a number of individuals across Russia, South Africa and Latin America in the first use of a new anti-corruption law. Some 22 individuals were hit with asset freezes and travel bans today in the first use of Britain’s new Magnitsky act. Like a similar law in the US, it is named [...]
MI6 boss: UK warned Putin he would pay ‘huge price’ if he invaded Ukraine April 26, 2021 The UK and the US sent a warning to Vladimir Putin that he would pay a “huge price” if Russia invaded Ukraine, according to MI6 boss Richard Moore. Russia this week pulled back more than 100,000 soldiers that were positioned on the Ukraine border after concerns Putin was about to launch an invasion. In the [...]
Top UK civil servant: Leak inquiry will probably not find ‘chatty rat’ April 26, 2021 Downing Street’s so-called “chatty rat” who leaked the news of the second national Covid lockdown is unlikely to ever be identified by an ongoing leak inquiry, according to cabinet secretary Simon Case. Case told MPs today that the inquiry into the leak will likely be complete in “weeks rather than months”, but refused to answer [...]
Boris Johnson denies making ‘let the bodies pile high’ comment over Covid lockdown April 26, 2021 Boris Johnson has denied saying that he would rather see “bodies pile high in their thousands” than implement a third national lockdown. The Prime Minister firmly denied the allegation in a broadcast interview this afternoon, after the explosive allegation was published by the Daily Mail yesterday. A source close to Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove [...]
Exclusive: Ministers discuss plans to revamp Covid homeless scheme in London April 26, 2021 A new cross-Whitehall group has been set up to help coordinate policy on London-focussed issues, with a revamp of last year’s Covid homeless scheme among its early priorities. The ministers involved are looking at whether last year’s Everyone In scheme could be used as a platform to provide health and other services to homeless people [...]
Covid Karens: More than half of older Brits now breaking lockdown rules April 26, 2021 After more than a year of coronavirus lockdowns, it is no surprise that willingness among Brits to stick to the rules is starting to fade. But new figures suggest lockdown fatigue is more prevalent among older Brits, with compliance among those aged 55 to 75 dropping off at the fastest rate. The number of people [...]