Will David Cameron fail to achieve fundamental reform of Britain’s EU membership terms? June 7, 2015 Brian Monteith, communications director of Global Britain, says Yes. When one considers the term “fundamental”, one might think that it would include leaving the Common Agricultural and Fisheries policies that increase the cost of food to British consumers and deliver poverty to third world countries. Or we might think it would include reducing the UK’s [...]
Conservatives for Britain: 50 Tory MPs form group for EU referendum no vote if Cameron’s renegotiations fail June 7, 2015 A group of more than 50 Tory MPs have formed a pressure group which will campaign for Britain's exit from Europe if David Cameron fails to renegotiate membership. The Conservatives for Britain (CfB) will support the Prime Minister's efforts to negotiate a better deal for Britain in the EU and is backed by former cabinet [...]
George Osborne to call for an end to ‘banker bashing’ June 6, 2015 George Osborne is set to call an end to so-called banker bashing in a speech at Mansion House next week. The chancellor’s speech is seen as something of an olive branch to the City, after he laid out an election pledge to raise the bank levy. Read more: Bank levy here to stay forever, says Osborne [...]
Nigel Farage fires the starting gun for the EU referendum No campaign June 6, 2015 Nigel Farage has put himself forward as a potential leader of the No campaign in the EU referendum. While Farage’s charisma may make him seem an obvious candidate, many No supporters will see him as too polarising and unlikely to appeal strongly to moderate or undecided voters. Douglas Carswell, Ukip’s only sitting MP, said he [...]
FIFA bribery scandal: David Cameron to bring corruption into centre stage at G7 summit June 6, 2015 David Cameron will tell other G7 leaders the FIFA scandal is evidence of a need for international and co-ordinated action on corruption. Read more: Disgraced Fifa exec Chuck Blazer showed off meeting Vladimir Putin and Miss Universe in a weird and wonderful blog Cameron will say that there has been an air of taboo around accusing [...]
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to meet Vladimir Putin on 18 June, as fears grow Greece could break Ukraine sanctions June 6, 2015 Greece last night played a new card in the tense stand-off with its creditors and turned to Russia for help, reigniting fears the country could break EU sanctions over Ukraine. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said the austerity measures leveled at his country were “absurd.” He said the Eurozone and the IMF – Greece’s creditors [...]
Hanging on the telephone: Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras arranges call with Vladimir Putin June 5, 2015 As the chances of Greece ever unlocking that €7.2bn emergency loan look increasingly bleak, the country's embattled Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, has taken a step towards a decidedly nuclear option. The FT reported that Tsipras has arranged a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin later today. Apparently there isn't much information on what will be discussed – [...]
Bonds rocked again after Mario Draghi’s volatility warning June 4, 2015 European traders faced extraordinary levels of volatility yesterday, just a day after European Central Bank (ECB) chief Mario Draghi’s warning that markets should “get used to it”. The volatility of the German bund, an interest-paying IOU from the German government, was the biggest surprise, given that it is one of the more stable bonds. The [...]
Cameron in high-vis at crossrail ceremony June 4, 2015 Prime Minister David Cameron and mayor of London Boris Johnson were on hand in their high-vis suits yesterday for a Crossrail “break through” ceremony under Farringdon station. The ceremony marked the end of a three-year effort to dig tunnels for London’s forthcoming new Crossrail system. Johnson called the completion “a landmark event”.
Think tank says Whitehall will face bigger cuts as George Osborne announces £3bn plan for savings and sell-offs June 4, 2015 The Institute for Fiscal Studies has warned that it will be “anything but easy” for the Conservatives to stick to their campaign promises. IFS deputy director Carl Emmerson said yesterday that with underlying pressures set to drive up spending, deeper-than-expected cuts amounting to more than 15 per cent for unprotected Whitehall departments will be needed [...]