What is the CPTPP trade bloc, why has Britain joined it, and is it really about ‘post Brexit freedoms’? The jury’s out March 31, 2023 Britain has formally joined a major Indo-Pacific trade bloc as prime minister Rishi Sunak said it allowed the UK to take advantage of “post-Brexit freedoms”. But does it really allow the UK to become a global player once again? The jury is out. The PM hailed the UK accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement [...]
Sunak says ‘fantastic progress’ made in talks to join Indo-Pacific trade bloc March 30, 2023 Rishi Sunak said “fantastic progress” has been made in talks on joining an Indo-Pacific free trade bloc, amid expectations that the UK could be welcomed into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) imminently. The prime minister said it was “a great benefit of Brexit” for the UK to be able to sign [...]
Brexit deal DONE: Sunak’s Windsor Framework signed off as UK and EU look for better relationship March 24, 2023 Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal for Northern Ireland has been formally signed off at a meeting in London, as both the UK and the EU hope for better relations. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and the European Commission’s Maros Sefcovic chaired a meeting on Friday to adopt the new arrangements for Northern Ireland, after the Government won [...]
‘The UK has real strengths’: Deutsche Bank CEO Tiina Lee on Brexit, the City of London and Edinburgh reforms March 24, 2023 The City of London has been facing a crisis in confidence recently with a string of stories suggesting London no longer holds its edge as a world-leading financial sector. But despite hand-wringing in the City – particularly following ARM’s decision to list in New York – Deutsche Bank UK’s CEO Tiina Lee cautioned against this [...]
Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal passes despite 22 Tory MPs rebelling including Johnson, Patel, Truss and IDS March 22, 2023 MPs have voted in favour of regulations to implement the Stormont brake aspect of Rishi Sunak’s Windsor Framework Brexit deal by 515 votes to 29. The prime minister’s agreement with the EU on a revised plan for post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland (NI) was backed by a majority of 486 MPs in the House of [...]
Tory rebellion grows as Liz Truss, Priti Patel and Iain Duncan Smith to REJECT Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal March 22, 2023 Rishi Sunak is facing down a growing mutiny on his backbenches as Liz Truss, Priti Patel and Sir Iain Duncan Smith are all set to vote against his Brexit deal for Northern Ireland. The former prime minister, ex-home secretary and previous Tory leader have said they will not support Sunak’s agreement negiotiated with the EU [...]
Brexiteer Tories waver on support for Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal March 21, 2023 A key group of Brexit-supporting Conservative MPs are yet to say whether they will vote for Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal. Parliament will vote tomorrow on the so-called Stormont brake – a key part of the prime minister’s Windsor Framework agreement that would allow the Northern Ireland Assembly to reject new incoming EU rules. European Research [...]
Brexit: Hospitality sector slams Government’s decision to exclude overseas restaurant and bar workers in shortage occupancy lists March 17, 2023 Hospitality figures have described the government’s decision to not include overseas restaurant and bar workers in its shortage occupation list as “disappointing” as the sector claims that ongoing labour shortages are “crippling” businesses. “Ongoing labour shortages are crippling hospitality businesses, forcing them to reduce their hours and costing the industry billions in lost trade,” Kate [...]
Brexit: Retained EU law deadline must be extended to avoid ‘rushed bonfire’ of regulations, think tank warns March 9, 2023 The post Brexit retained EU law deadline should be extended to avoid a “rushed bonfire” of business regulations, a think tank has warned. Government risks missing a “golden opportunity” to boost the quality of the statute books if it does not lengthen the December 2023 deadline for the so-called sunset clause. Most Brussels legislation will [...]
UK immigration hits record levels despite labour shortages March 8, 2023 Immigration to the UK has hit record levels, despite labour shortages in key sectors, amid a fresh wave of public positivity towards arrivals. In the year ending in June 2022, long-term immigration into the UK was around 1.1m, up by 435,000 on the previous annual figure. Employment-related migration fell in vital sectors such as hospitality [...]