No-deal Brexit is ‘default option’ if May’s withdrawal agreement voted down, says Leadsom December 5, 2018 A no-deal Brexit would be the “default” outcome if parliament votes against the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal next week, according to the leader of the House of Commons. “Unless government were to do something completely different to change tack, or indeed to pass this deal, then we will be leaving the EU on 29 March [...]
The EU has hit a home run with the most one-sided treaty in history December 5, 2018 In baseball, a game unfamiliar to many in the UK, when a player hits a home run it is normally considered good manners – and a sign of respect for your opponent – not to gloat, but to run the bases quickly without admiring the ball as it clears the fences, and certainly without making [...]
Theresa May suffers historic defeat as Parliament takes back control of Brexit December 4, 2018 Theresa May suffered a humiliating series of blows on Tuesday as the government was found in contempt of Parliament for the first time in history and MPs backed a rebel amendment to her key Brexit legislation. During a day of high political drama the pound fell at one point to its lowest level against the dollar [...]
Former Bank of England governor Mervyn King savages May’s Brexit deal December 4, 2018 The former governor of the Bank of England Lord Mervyn King has slammed Theresa May’s Brexit deal and implicitly criticised his successor Mark Carney. King called the withdrawal agreement "incompetence of a high order". “It simply beggars belief that a government could be hell-bent on a deal that hands over £39 billion, while giving the EU both [...]
How the UK can work with Japan to make the world a safer and more stable place December 4, 2018 The language of diplomacy can sometimes be very general. Diplomats and politicians invoke the idea of “partnerships” and “strong bilateral relations” without making clear to their citizens why they matter or what the benefits might be. Talk about trading opportunities gives a sense of something practical emerging from these sorts of relationship, but trade and investment is just [...]
Theresa May’s deal isn’t ‘Brexit in name only’ – it’s the best way to leave the EU December 4, 2018 Referendums pose a challenge to representative democracies – namely, how does a simple yes-or-no question, like whether to remain in the EU, survive contact with the reality of negotiation, legislation and practical implementation? It is more challenging still when the result was as narrow as the Brexit vote. The answer to reconciling this web of [...]
Theresa May to urge MPs to get on with Brexit amid fiery row over legal advice December 3, 2018 Theresa May will urge MPs to get on with Brexit on Tuesday amid accusations the government is in contempt of Parliament for refusing to publish the full legal advice on her deal. A row broke out in the Commons on Monday on the eve of the debate on the Prime Minister’s EU withdrawal plan, culminating with the government’s [...]
Digital Withdrawal: How Britain’s fast-growing tech sector can flourish in the face of Brexit December 2, 2018 The last five years have seen an extraordinary phenomenon. The powerhouse that is the UK tech sector has boomed to a value of more than £180bn, outpacing the sluggish UK economy as a whole. Want to buy clothes online? Asos and FarFetch are leading the world. Play games on your smartphone? You’ve probably enjoyed one made [...]
Gove says government can win Brexit vote in parliament December 2, 2018 Environment secretary Michael Gove, a key ally of the Prime Minister, said he believes Theresa May’s EU withdrawal agreement will get through parliament despite signs of a growing revolt. By some estimates, over a hundred Conservative MPs are preparing to vote against May’s withdrawal agreement in parliament next week, paving the way for a crisis over how [...]
May faces contempt of parliament threat from Labour as Brexit legal advice leaks December 2, 2018 Theresa May is facing one of the greatest clashes of her premiership as MPs from across parliament contemplate accusing her of contempt of parliament over her refusal to publish legal advice she has received on Brexit. MPs may move against the Prime Minister tomorrow, with figures from the DUP, Labour, Liberal Democrats and SNP planning [...]