Can the UK pull off a Brexit trade deal? The key dates for 2020 January 9, 2020 After nearly four years, today will see the UK take its first real step towards leaving the EU before negotiating a tricky Brexit trade deal. The Commons is set to vote for Boris Johnson’s Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) after the Prime Minister emerged victorious from the December election with an 80-seat majority. But what happens [...]
Boris Johnson’s election majority set to pass Brexit bill – but second phase challenges loom January 9, 2020 Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill is expected to pass its final stage in the Commons this afternoon, bringing to a close months of wrangling over the UK’s exit from the European Union. The Withdrawal Agreement Bill – which Theresa May spent over a year trying and failing to get backing for during her premiership – is [...]
Barry Gardiner expected to enter Labour leadership race January 9, 2020 Labour frontbencher Barry Gardiner is expected to throw his hat into the ring and join the race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn later today, in a sign that the left of the party is yet to back Rebecca Long Bailey. It is thought the shadow international trade security will make an announcement about his decision later [...]
PMQs review: We’re in for a dismal ordeal for the foreseeable future January 9, 2020 The first Prime Minister’s Questions of the decade yesterday afternoon was the return of the unedifying spectacle of two men, neither of whom wanted to be there, both giving a performance so bad it made the new film Cats look watchable. Jeremy Corbyn, a blunt tool at the best of times, gave the newly emboldened [...]
Downing Street signals an overhaul to Brexit talks ahead of trade phase January 8, 2020 Downing Street has signalled an overhaul to the way it will approach talks in the second phase of Brexit, the Prime Minister’s press secretary said today. In a further sign that talks under Boris Johnson’s team will be markedly different to those carried out in Theresa May’s tenure, the press secretary said Downing Street would [...]
Boris Johnson to tell Von Der Leyen trade deal must be done without extension January 7, 2020 Boris Johnson will tell the new European Commission president that a post-Brexit trade deal must be concluded before the end of December 2020, refusing to consider any extension. The Prime Minister is hosting Ursula Von Der Leyen in Downing Street this afternoon, in the pair’s first meeting since she took the reins from Jean-Claude Juncker. [...]
Boris Johnson accused of ‘hiding’ as Iran crisis rumbles on January 7, 2020 Jeremy Corbyn has accused Boris Johnson of “hiding behind his defence secretary” after failing to appear in the Commons today to answer questions about the ongoing crisis in Iran. The outgoing Labour leader called on Ben Wallace to say where Prime Minister Johnson was, “and what he is doing that is so much more important [...]
Long Bailey gives Corbyn ’10 out of 10′ while insisting she’s ‘no continuity candidate’ January 7, 2020 Labour leadership contender Rebecca Long Bailey has insisted she is “not anybody’s continuity candidate” despite giving Jeremy Corbyn a 10-out-of-10 rating. Long Bailey, who this morning confirmed she was running to take the top job, told ITV Corbyn was “one of the most honest, kind, principled politicians I’ve ever met”, suggesting Labour should have had [...]
Rebecca Long Bailey pledges to ‘fight the establishment tooth and nail’ in Labour leadership bid January 7, 2020 Rebecca Long Bailey has pledged to “fight the establishment tooth and nail” as she announced her bid for the Labour leadership this morning. The shadow business secretary had been widely expected to run, and she is viewed as a continuity candidate with close links to Jeremy Corbyn. Long Bailey joins five other candidates including shadow [...]
Sajid Javid’s post-Brexit Budget set for 11 March 2020 January 7, 2020 Sajid Javid will deliver the government’s first post-Brexit Budget on 11 March, in what it likely to see a shift in spending away from London and the South East. Tomorrow morning Javid will give Cabinet colleagues an economic update ahead of his first Treasury questions since Boris Johnson won an 80-seat majority last month. He [...]
