George Osborne hits out at Tory ‘hotheads’ who want UK-China ‘Cold War’ March 17, 2021 George Osborne has praised Boris Johnson for “seeing off the hotheads” in the Tory party who are calling for a more aggressive UK stance toward China. Osborne said he saw “a lot of continuity” between Johnson’s China policy, announced in yesterday’s integrated defence and foreign policy review, and his and David Cameron’s, which built stronger [...]
EU to impose sanctions on Chinese officials over human rights abuses March 17, 2021 The European Union agreed today to sanction Chinese officials for human rights abuses, two diplomats have said, the first penalties against Beijing in over three decades. EU envoys authorised travel bans and asset freezes on four Chinese figures and one entity, whose name has not been made public. The Chinese officials were accused of human [...]
Dominic Cummings: New £800m Aria scientific agency needs ‘very odd people’ in charge March 17, 2021 The UK’s new £800m Aria scientific agency needs “extreme freedom” from Whitehall oversight and should be run by “very odd people”, according to former Number 10 aide Dominic Cummings. Cummings told a parliamentary committee that the new agency – formally announced by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Beis) last month – that [...]
Which countries in Europe have suspended the Astrazeneca vaccine? March 17, 2021 Fifteen countries across Europe have suspended the rollout of the Astrazeneca vaccine while the EU medicines regulators investigates reports of blood clots among patients. Sweden yesterday joined a growing list of countries including Italy, Germany, France and Norway to issue a temporary ban on the jab. State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said the pause was a [...]
EU leaders promise to U-turn on Astrazeneca ban if regulator clears it March 17, 2021 France and Italy have signalled that they are prepared to U-turn on their suspension of the Astrazeneca Covid vaccine if the European regulator declares it is “firmly convinced” over the jab’s safety. French President Emmanuel Macron and new Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said they would “promptly restart the administration of the Astrazeneca vaccine” if it was [...]
EU plans Covid-19 certificate to allow travel for virus-free citizens: What does it mean for UK tourists? March 16, 2021 EU plans Covid-19 certificate to allow travel for citizens who can prove they're virus-free
Russia for Trump, Iran for Biden: report shows interference in 2020 US election March 16, 2021 Vladimir Putin knew of and likely directed a Russian effort to help former US President Donald Trump win the 2020 presidential campaign, according to US intelligence officials. In a report published today, the officials said the Russian interference included spreading “misleading or unsubstantiated allegations” against challenger – and now President – Joe Biden. The allegations [...]
Government plans to change mayor of London elections to First Past the Post March 16, 2021 The government has today laid out plans to change voting in the mayor of London election and other local elections to First past the Post like in General Elections. Priti Patel today said the Home Office, Cabinet Office and Ministry of Housing would “change the voting system for all Combined Authority mayors, the mayor of [...]
Half of Londoners think Sadiq Khan has not done enough to improve London’s affordability March 16, 2021 New polling shows more than half of Londoners think Sadiq Khan has not done enough to make London more affordable as his near 10 per cent council tax rise begins to take effect across the capital.
EU medicines regulator: ‘No indication’ Astrazeneca vaccine causes blood clots March 16, 2021 The EU’s medicines regulator has insisted there is “no indication” that Astrazeneca’s Covid vaccine causes blood clots among patients, after a swathe of European countries suspended the jab over safety concerns. Emer Cooke, executive director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), said the agency remains “firmly convinced” that the benefits of the Astrazeneca vaccine outweigh the [...]