‘Great mistake’: Boris Johnson warns Rishi Sunak over post-Brexit Northern Ireland protocol February 19, 2023 Boris Johnson has warned Rishi Sunak it would be a “great mistake” to drop the Northern Ireland protocol amid speculation a deal between the UK and the EU is close. It comes as a new post-Brexit trading arrangement for Northern Ireland is expected to emerge within days after the Prime Minister met with Stormont leaders [...]
Ulez expansion: Five Tory councils launch legal challenge against Sadiq Khan’s plan February 17, 2023 Five Conservative-led councils said they have started a legal challenge over Sadiq Khan’s decision to expand London’s ultra low emission zone (Ulez). The outer London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Harrow and Hillingdon, together with Surrey County Council, issued a joint statement announcing they have launched a judicial review into the Labour mayor’s plan. A spokesman [...]
UK military risks NATO downgrade, security think tank warns February 16, 2023 Britain risks no longer being NATO’s top military power in Europe, a think tank report has warned, in the midst of growing security issues. The French military has more troops, jets and ships than the UK, despite spending £13bn less on defence, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) found. France boasts 203,250 personnel compared [...]
Who could replace Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and Scotland’s first minister? February 16, 2023 Scottish first minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon revealed she is quitting the top job in a shock move seen as a major boon to the unionist movement. Runners and riders are jostling for position as the Scottish National Party (SNP) prepares to replace Sturgeon in the post. While the news was welcomed by the [...]
Nicola Sturgeon’s exit is a chance to leave independence politics behind February 16, 2023 Nicola Sturgeon is a skilled politician, of this we can be in no doubt. However she used those skills almost exclusively for the advancement of a single mission: Scottish Independence. In the UK, there are politicians of different creeds and business leaders from across sectors working tirelessly to create opportunities where previously there were none, [...]
Brexit is ‘only thing’ that divided Corbyn and Starmer in shadow cabinet, Diane Abbott says February 16, 2023 Jeremy Corbyn “in his heart of hearts is a Brexiter”, one of his longest-standing allies has said, backing up a suspicion critics held during the EU referendum. Diane Abbott, who served as his shadow home secretary, said on Wednesday that Mr Corbyn is “anti-EU” and saw it as “a conspiracy of business people”. He followed [...]
Why is the UK economy poised to tumble into a recession and fall behind Europe, US and even Russia? February 16, 2023 Britain avoided a much-tipped recession at the end of last year. Phew. “However, we are not out of the woods yet,” warned Chancellor Jeremy Hunt after last Friday’s GDP figures from the ONS revealed the economy stagnated at the end of 2022, meaning it narrowly avoided the technical recession definition of two consecutive quarters of [...]
Boris Johnson brands ULEZ expansion a ‘mad lefty tax’ February 15, 2023 Boris Johnson has branded Sadiq Khan’s plans to expand the ULEZ across the capital a “mad lefty tax” and accused him of “bankrupting TfL”. The ex-prime minister and London mayor weighed in on the row over the controversial scheme, which would see drivers of non-compliant vehicles charged £12.50 a day. In a video posted on [...]
Bill Gates says Britain has ‘all the ingredients’ to be a net-zero leader February 15, 2023 Tech billionaire Bill Gates has said the UK has “all the ingredients” to lead the world on net zero, after he met with prime minister Rishi Sunak at a clean tech summit. Firms including Undaunted, Clean Growth Fund and Legal and General Capital met today to launch Cleantech for UK, a trade coalition worth £6bn. [...]
Four rebel Labour MPs reveal opposition to Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ expansion plans February 15, 2023 Mayor Sadiq Khan’s plans to expand ULEZ has hit a further roadblock after four Labour MPs came out against the scheme. Seema Malhotra, Jon Cruddas, Siobhain McDonagh and Abena Oppong-Asare all told LBC they had concerns about the policy’s impact. Khan wants to extend the ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) and the £12.50 daily charge [...]