Queen’s Speech reaction: Government slammed over lack of detail and certainty October 14, 2019 The government has been criticised for failing to provide any real details in today’s Queen’s Speech that would have offered British businesses certainty. As part of the state opening of parliament, the government set out 22 bills which will form the basis of its domestic policy, with the Queen confirming a Hallowe’en Brexit was Number [...]
Queen’s Speech: Government’s ‘priority’ is Hallowe’en Brexit October 14, 2019 The government has used the Queen’s Speech to reiterate its “priority” to making sure Brexit will happen on 31 October, with several of the 22 bills announced this morning setting out the UK’s post-EU future. Overarching the bulk of the state opening of parliament was the European Union Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which will ratify any [...]
Chuka Umunna: Why Labour’s former star politician wants a City seat for the Lib Dems October 14, 2019 Not so long ago, Chuka Umunna looked like a Labour leader in waiting. The Lambeth-born smooth-talking solicitor-turned-politician, who counts rapper Tinie Tempah as one of his friends, was the cool one in Ed Miliband’s shadow cabinet. After the shock election result in 2015 prompted a Labour leadership campaign, the Streatham MP surprised no one by throwing his [...]
Brexit: Johnson and Varadkar see ‘pathway to possible deal’ October 10, 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar have issued a joint statement saying they both see “a pathway to a possible deal”. The two will now consult with their respective negotiating teams, including the EU’s Taskforce 50, ahead of further talks. Sterling climbed 0.5 per cent to $1.2267 on the back of the [...]
Brexit extension beyond Halloween ‘now priced in’ October 9, 2019 The chances of a Brexit deal appear to have ebbed further yesterday, with one government source telling City A.M. an extension was now “priced in” to their thinking. Neither side is willing to publicly admit defeat, for fear of being blamed, but Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and EU negotiator Michel Barnier both said it would [...]
General Election 2019: Get ready for the populist onslaught October 9, 2019 Parliament might have blocked the Prime Minister’s repeated efforts to go to the polls but everyone in Westminster is gearing up for a pre-Christmas election. Even ministers who still claim their top priority is to “Get Brexit Done” are unambiguously positioning themselves for a snap vote. The working assumption is that a General Election will [...]
Centrist Tories ‘reassured’ over no deal Brexit after Downing Street meeting October 9, 2019 One Nation Tories have been won over by the Prime Minister, after telling him it would be “unacceptable” to stand on a no-deal Brexit election pledge. Damian Green, who heads up the centrist caucus of around 80 MPs, met with Boris Johnson in Downing Street today along with colleagues Victoria Prentis, Gillian Keegan and James [...]
Bercow discussed Brexit plans with European Parliament head October 9, 2019 The president of the European Parliament spoke directly with Commons speaker John Bercow, telling him Brussels would back a Brexit extension if the final decision is put to UK voters. David Sassoli, who was in London yesterday, today told his fellow MEPs in Brussels that “not much progress has been made” in recent days. He [...]
Barnier says Brexit deal ‘very difficult’ October 9, 2019 The EU’s chief negotiator has said a Brexit deal is now “very difficult, but possible” following a dramatic day of negative briefing against Brussels. Michel Barnier told reporters this morning that a deal before the 31 October deadline was looking unlikely, echoing comments made by Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and new president of the European [...]
Donald Tusk slams Johnson over ‘stupid blame game’ October 8, 2019 The European Council president Donald Tusk has hit out at Boris Johnson for trying to win “some stupid blame game” after two antagonistic anonymous briefings up-ended Brexit talks. Last night a senior Downing Street source told The Spectator that any countries blocking the UK’s exit from the EU on 31 October would “go to the [...]
