James Brokenshire defends Chris Grayling after government scraps no-deal ferry contract February 10, 2019 Housing minister James Brokenshire this morning defended transport secretary Chris Grayling from calls that he should be sacked over the collapse of a no-deal Brexit ferry contract with a firm that had no ships. Asked by the BBC whether he had confidence in Tory MP Grayling following the cancellation of the contract, Brokenshire replied: "Chris Grayling [...]
Theresa May promises MPs another Brexit vote by end of February if no deal is agreed with EU February 10, 2019 Theresa May is bargaining with MPs to give her more time to secure a Brexit deal with the EU by offering them another Brexit vote by 27 February. The Prime Minister has been in Brussels this week seeking concessions on the Northern Irish backstop, the reason many MPs rejected her vote by historic margins in January. However, [...]
Nigel Farage suggests he could become new Brexit Party leader February 9, 2019 Nigel Farage has said he will stand to be leader of the Brexit Party should the UK’s departure from the European Union be delayed. The Eurosceptic party was officially confirmed by the Electoral Commission on February 5 and Farage has said the party “has my absolutely full support”. The former UKIP leader said that if [...]
Seaborne Freight’s no-deal Brexit contract scrapped by government February 9, 2019 Seaborne Freight has had its contract with the government cancelled after it emerged the firm had no ferries to carry vehicles or goods across the channel. The Department for Transport (DfT) agreed a contract with Seaborne worth £13.8m in case a no-deal Brexit occurred. However, the DfT revealed it has terminated the deal with the freight [...]
Finance minister insists German economy ‘not in crisis’ despite growth slowdown February 8, 2019 German finance minister Olaf Scholz attempted a spirited defence of his country’s economy today, insisting it is “not in crisis” despite weakening growth. Angela Merkel’s finance minister rejected claims Germany is heading for a recession and played down the Eurozone powerhouse’s economic troubles on a rare visit to London. Read more: Irish backstop 'not a trick' [...]
Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger faces no confidence vote as antisemitism row drags on February 8, 2019 Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger is facing a no confidence vote by Labour members in her Liverpool Wavertree constituency amid an ongoing row about antisemitism with the party. Berger has been a prominent campaigner against anti-semitism and has been a magnet for online abuse and threats, to the extent she was given a bodyguard to [...]
What does the year of the pig hold for stocks? History has some clues February 8, 2019 | City Talk Chinese stock markets are currently on holiday, with traders and consumers off celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Pig. But maybe equity markets across the world have something to celebrate, given the past performance of stocks during previous porcine-themed years. Statistically speaking, the Year of the Pig is a good one for stocks. [...]
Kamikaze Brexiteers may end up in a hell of their own making February 8, 2019 Hell hath no fury like a Brexiteer scorned. From the backlash this week, you would have thought that European Council president Donald Tusk had suggested that the EU get custody of the Queen in the Brexit divorce. “I’ve been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit, without even a [...]
Donald Tusk talks up Jeremy Corbyn’s Brexit plan February 7, 2019 Donald Tusk has backed Jeremy Corbyn’s call for the UK to stay in the EU’s customs union as Theresa May suffered a disappointing day in Brussels. In a letter to the PM, the Labour leader set out the terms on which he would support her on Brexit – including a permanent customs union with the [...]
Editor’s Notes: Corbyn’s short-lived romance with the darling of the US left February 7, 2019 The rising star of the US Democratic party, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (or AOC, as she is known) said she had “a lovely and wide-reaching conversation” with Jeremy Corbyn earlier this week. For his part, the Labour leader said he wanted to “build a movement to take on the billionaires, polluters and migrant baiters.” On paper, these two [...]