Boris Johnson tells officials there is ‘no place for bullying’ in government November 23, 2020 Boris Johnson has told officials today that there is “no place for bullying” in government in a bid to calm tensions after a report found Priti Patel had bullied civil servants. Johnson wrote to cabinet ministers and top civil servants today to say ministers had a “duty” to stop bullying, while also stressing the importance [...]
MPs pile pressure on government to shed light on ‘dodgy’ PPE deals November 23, 2020 Around a dozen MPs have ramped up pressure on the government to offer clarity on its procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic, as further details of opaque contracts continue to emerge. Stephen Timms MP has written to the government on behalf of the the Work and Pensions Committee following a damning report [...]
UK considers removing British judges from Hong Kong high court November 23, 2020 Foreign secretary Dominic Raab is considering plans to remove British judges from Hong Kong’s high court in response to the region’s freedom of speech clampdown. Raab wrote in a new Foreign Office report that he and justice secretary Robert Buckland were reviewing “whether it continues to be appropriate for British judges to sit as non-permanent judges [...]
November 2020 a month full of takeaways November 23, 2020 | City Talk It’s now over a week since Joe Biden was declared the winner of the US 2020 elections. The uncertainty leading up to 3rd November was palpable and pervasive and placed a ceiling on significant capital gains. However, the week of the election was superb for risk markets, even as votes were counted. The S&P 500 [...]
A.M. Debate: Should drinking alcohol be banned in parliament? November 23, 2020 Matthew Jukes, wine taster and founder of Jukes Cordialities, says YES The most notorious bill in the Palace of Westminster is the bar bill. It’s no secret: while parliament’s bars are temporarily closed during lockdown, in normal times our MPs are knocking it back, left, right and centre. Don’t get me wrong, I am as [...]
Love him or hate him, Trump is right to wind down America’s endless wars November 23, 2020 In my last book, To Dare More Boldly: The Audacious Story of Political Risk, each chapter represents a key precept, based on a specific historical story, as to how to do political risk analysis right. One of my favourite of these 10 commandments is what I term “the Losing Gambler’s Syndrome”. This directly relates to [...]
Tory mayoral candidate pledges to build 100,000 homes for young Londoners November 22, 2020 Young Londoners will be able to buy new homes for £100,000 in the capital with a deposit of just £5,000 if Tory mayor candidate Shaun Bailey is elected next year. Bailey will announce tomorrow that if victorious in the May poll that he will build 100,000 “Millennial homes” that can only be bought by young [...]
Bubbles and baubles: UK Covid restrictions set to be lifted for Chistmas November 22, 2020 The government is set to lift Covid restrictions on Christmas eve to allow for up to four households to form holiday bubbles. People in the four-household bubble will be able to interact indoors anywhere, including in pubs and restaurants. Downing Street has reportedly been in touch with the devolved governments of Wales, Northern Ireland and [...]
Matt Hancock hired close friend as Health Department adviser November 22, 2020 Health secretary Matt Hancock appointed a close friend, who works as a high profile lobbyist, to a £15,000-a-year government role, it has been revealed. Hancock failed to declare that he had given university pal Gina Coladangelo, 42, an unpaid paid advisory role and then later appointed her to the board of the Department of Health [...]
Brexit: London Lord Mayor says government ignored City of London in negotiations November 22, 2020 The government has neglected the City of London in Brexit negotiations, according to the Lord Mayor of London. Lord Mayor William Russel, a former investment banker, said he had been disappointed by the government’s approach and that it had “missed the point” of the City of London. Russell is the 692nd Lord Mayor and acts as [...]