UK still not ready for Brexit, MPs warn December 19, 2020 With just seven working days until the Brexit transition period comes to an end, “significant concerns” remain, MPs have said. A cross-party parliamentary report has warned of a potentially challenging start to 2021, as businesses, traders and the general public adjust to a life outside of the European Union. The report warned the government must [...]
Johnson urges EU to ‘see sense’ as Brexit trade talks enter 48-hour crunch time December 19, 2020 Trade talks between the UK and EU will continue this weekend, marking another critical 48 hours for the negotiations as the end of the transition period looms closer. The two sides remain stuck on issues that have plagued them for months, including fisheries, so-called level playing field arrangements and state aid. Yesterday the EU’s chief [...]
India will be the big winner of this new world order December 19, 2020 Delhi benefits from the structural fact that though we presently live in an era epitomised by superpower bipolarity, it is a very different type of two-power standoff than was the Cold War. From 1945–1991, America and the Soviet Union so dominated the international scene that they easily lined up much of the rest of the [...]
Sadiq Khan calls on government to release daily vaccination data December 18, 2020 Sadiq Khan has urged the health secretary to release daily data detailing uptake of the coronavirus vaccine across the UK, in an effort to build public awareness and trust in Britain’s largest ever vaccination programme. In a letter to Matt Hancock, the mayor of London called for daily reporting on the vaccine programme echoing infection [...]
US nuclear networks accessed in sustained and ‘significant’ cyber-attack December 18, 2020 The US Energy Department, which manages the country’s nuclear weapons stockpile, believe hackers gained access to its networks as part of a massive cyber campaign against the US government. Last night officials warned of a “grave risk” posed to the United States in the form of a sustained cyber-attack, which has affected government agencies and [...]
Michel Barnier: ‘Just a few hours left’ to seal Brexit deal December 18, 2020 Michel Barnier has said there are “just a few hours” left to seal a deal with the UK, as he issued a stark warning to the European Parliament about Brexit talks. The EU’s chief negotiator said the possibility of a deal “is here”, but the path to secure it “is very narrow”. “It’s the moment of [...]
Global emissions cuts needed on ‘unprecedented scale’ to reach Paris Climate target December 18, 2020 If the world is to reach the Paris Climate Agreement’s target of a global temperature increase of no more than 1.5°C, we need to cut emissions five times more quickly than the current rate. This is according to PwC’s Net Zero Economy Index, which delivers a stark message to businesses and governments. The index shows [...]
Brexit talks in a ‘serious situation’ ahead of deadline December 17, 2020 Downing Street has said Brexit trade talks are in a “serious situation” following a call with the European Commission president. Following the call a Downing Street spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister underlined that the negotiations were now in a serious situation. Time was very short and it now looked very likely that agreement would not [...]
Furlough scheme to be extended until April and loans to continue, too December 17, 2020 The Chancellor has confirmed today that the furlough scheme will be extended an extra month until the end of April 2021. The scheme had been intended to close in March, itself an extension from an original planned end date in the middle of 2020. The furlough programme pays 80 per cent towards wages of unworked [...]
Sole rights: Michael Gove pushes for UK sovereignty over fishing waters in Brexit talks December 17, 2020 The UK is not prepared to sign a trade deal with the EU unless British fishermen have “sole rights” to fishing waters around the isle, Michael Gove has confirmed. Speaking at a meeting on the future relationship with the EU, Gove said it is the UK’s “intention” that British fishermen will have exclusive access to [...]