Tory MPs vote against protecting the NHS from a post-Brexit trade deal July 21, 2020 Tory MPs last night voted down an amendment to the government’s Trade Bill intended to protect the NHS from any form of control from outside the UK, in a major blow to Britain’s health service as it grapples with the aftermath of the pandemic. Labour proposed an amendment to the Trade Bill which would have [...]
Michael Gove set for promotion in new Boris Johnson cabinet January 12, 2020 Michael Gove is reportedly set for an expanded role in the new Boris Johnson cabinet, while a number of high-profile figures may be destined for the chop. The Duchy of Lancaster’s role in Johnson’s first cabinet was as master planner for a potential no-deal Brexit. Read more: Boris Johnson prepares mini-cabinet reshuffle as new Tory [...]
There’s no ‘war chest’ for extra spending, watchdog warns PM hopefuls July 18, 2019 Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt have been warned there is no “war-chest or pot of money” that would make big spending increases “a free lunch” by the UK’s budget watchdog. Read more: No-deal Brexit could cause ‘full blown’ recession in 2020 The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said today that the next prime minister must [...]
No-deal Brexit would cost UK £90bn, warns Philip Hammond July 2, 2019 A disruptive no deal Brexit could cost the treasury £90bn – far more than is set aside to cope with such an outcome, Philip Hammond warned today. Speaking in the Commons, the chancellor claimed that leaving the EU without an agreement would cause such a hit to the UK economy the £27bn war-chest created to [...]
Jeremy Hunt sets 30 September as no-deal Brexit ‘D-Day’ July 1, 2019 Jeremy Hunt would decide on 30 September whether to take the UK out of the EU without a deal if he was Prime Minister, he has revealed. The foreign secretary made the announcement on Monday morning as he set out his so-called “Brexit delivery plan” in a bid to show he was serious about walking [...]
Countdown to Brexit: What Boris Johnson must do in his first 100 days as Prime Minister July 23, 2019 The political world has thrown up some unexpected events in recent years, but Boris Johnson failing to win the Conservative leadership contest today would surely top the lot. The former foreign secretary has been the favourite to succeed Theresa May even before she announced her resignation, and today the election results showed he won with [...]
Hammond vows to block no-deal Brexit July 5, 2019 Chancellor Philip Hammond will “find a way” to block a no-deal Brexit come 31 October, he said today. Read more: Leaving the EU without a deal would cost the UK £90bn, says Hammond The Treasury boss warned Prime Minister Theresa May’s successor not to “sideline” MPs to deliver Brexit. Hammond branded such a move “shocking” [...]
No Jeremy – bailouts did not cost £1 trillion July 1, 2019 Imagine this: a young person finds themselves in financial trouble, perhaps as a consequence of their own actions, and can’t keep up payments on their £250,000 mortgage. A generous parent steps in and acts as guarantor on the mortgage, and also lends their chastened offspring £50,000 to get by. Over the following years, the young [...]
Foreign office minister Sir Alan Duncan resigns in protest against Boris Johnson July 22, 2019 Sir Alan Duncan has resigned as minister of state for Europe and the Americas ahead of Boris Johnson’s Tory leadership contest win. The pro-European minister has previously voiced his opposition to Johnson, who is expected to be named as the new prime minister tomorrow. Duncan’s departure is the first of a string of mooted resignations, [...]
Von der Leyen gets top job at European Commission, becoming first woman president July 16, 2019 The European Parliament yesterday voted German conservative Ursula von der Leyen as the first female EU Commission president. Von der Leyen, a close ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, secured 383 votes, needing a minimum 374 votes to be confirmed. Read more: Ex-European Commission president says UK financial services should be higher on Brexit agenda [...]