Pressure on Netanyahu as Israel’s voters split (again) September 18, 2019 Israel is left without a clear winner from its second election in five months, with Benjamin Netanyahu neck and neck with his rival. With just over 60 per cent of votes counted, Netanyahu appears to have won 31 seats, while his opponent Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party garnered 32 seats, according to the Kan [...]
President Trump names Bolton replacement September 18, 2019 Donald Trump has named Robert O’Brien, the country’s chief hostage negotiator, as his new national security adviser. O’Brien replaces John Bolton, who the US President sacked last week after the pair fell out over Iran and other tactics. Trump announced the news by tweet, telling his followers: “I have worked long & hard with Robert. [...]
PM confronted by angry father on hospital visit September 18, 2019 Boris Johnson was confronted by an angry father during a hospital visit today, telling him “the NHS has been destroyed”. The Prime Minister was on a walk-about of Whipps Cross maternity ward, in East London, when the man approached him to complain about lack of resources at the hospital. “There are not enough people on [...]
Cummings cements power over ministerial aides September 18, 2019 Boris Johnson’s top aide Dominic Cummings has handed himself more power over ministers’ advisers, as part of ongoing efforts to centralise control. Special advisers, known as Spads, were this week sent new employment contracts stating that disciplinary matters rest “with your appointing minister and the Prime Minister’s chief of staff”, according to The Times. Previously, [...]
Brexit: Juncker blasts PM for not offering written proposals September 18, 2019 The President of the European Commission has called for “operational proposals in writing” to avoid the increasingly “palpable” risk of a no-deal Brexit. Speaking this morning, Jean-Claude Juncker said he has “no emotional attachment” to the Irish backstop – a softening towards the EU’s position on the matter. Instead he said he would “stand by [...]
Australia and UK to enter trade talks ‘as soon as possible’ after Brexit September 18, 2019 Australia has agreed to begin negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK “as soon as possible” after Brexit – and financial services are high on the government’s hit list. The undertaking has been agreed during a visit by international trade secretary Liz Truss, who will meet senior politicians including trade minister Simon [...]
Brexit: UK ‘refusing to leave papers with EU negotiators’ September 17, 2019 Further details have emerged of the UK’s hardball tactics as an air of mutual mistrust continues to dominate Brexit talks while the clock runs down. Despite the European Union’s repeated calls for legally operable text to be presented by the UK before formal negotiations can resume, the UK has so far only shown the Northern [...]
Pannick stations: Battle lines drawn in Supreme Court case September 17, 2019 Supreme Court judges have been warned that their decision could pave the way for a future Prime Minister to “silence” parliament for longer periods, hinting at greater threats to the UK’s democracy. Today saw QCs Lord Pannick and Lord Keen set out the arguments for both sides of this constitutionally significant court case. Read more: [...]
Supreme Court live: Government QC outlines case for prorogation September 17, 2019 Please refresh this page manually for the latest updates. Follow this live blog as the UK’s highest court hears arguments for and against Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s controversial decision to prorogue parliament. For an explainer on everything leading up to this week’s court case, check out our article from earlier on today. We run through [...]
Corbyn is ‘Brexit by nature’, claims Swinson September 17, 2019 Jeremy Corbyn is “Brexit by nature”, Jo Swinson has said today, as she laid the blame for the 2016 referendum result at the Labour leader’s feet. Speaking at the Liberal Democrat party conference in Bournemouth, Swinson damned both sometime-coalition partners the Conservatives, and would-be ‘government of national unity’ partners Labour. Read more: Another former minister [...]
